The Obama Budget - Real Change

via: MoveOn.Org:

Want to see what change looks like? Real change?

Well, here it is. Last week, President Obama unveiled his budget—his blueprint for America—and it's ambitious, amazing, and unapologetically progressive. As Paul Krugman said, it will set America on a "fundamentally new course."¹

President Obama called his budget "a threat to the status quo," and trust me, the status quo noticed. Oil companies, big banks and insurance companies are already mobilizing to stop it.²

Unfortunately, most folks don't realize how far-reaching and progressive the plan is—that's where we all come in.

Here are 10 really incredible things about Obama's plan. Check them out and then send them on to your friends and family so that millions of people will have the information they need to fight to make this vision a reality.

10 things you should know about Obama's plan (but probably don't)

The plan:

1. Makes a $634 billion down payment on fixing health care that will go a long way toward paying for a more efficient, more affordable health care system that covers every single American.³
   
2. Reduces taxes for 95% of working Americans. And if your family makes less than $250,000, your taxes won't go up one dime.⁴
   
3. Invests more than $100 billion in clean energy technology, creating millions of green jobs that can never be outsourced.⁵
   
4. Brings our troops home from Iraq on a firm timetable, finally bringing the war to a close—and freeing up almost ten billion dollars a month for domestic priorities.⁶
   
5. Reverses growing income inequality. The plan lets the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans expire and focuses on strengthening the middle class.⁷
   
6. Closes multi-billion-dollar tax loopholes for big oil companies. ⁸
   
7. Increases grants to help families pay for college—the largest increase ever.⁹
   
   
8. Halves the deficit by 2013. President Obama inherited a legacy of huge deficits and an economy in shambles, but his plan brings the deficit under control as soon as the economy begins to recover.¹⁰
   
9. Dramatically increases funding for the SEC and the CFTC—the agencies that police Wall Street.¹¹
   
10. Tells it straight. For years, budgets have used accounting tricks to hide the real costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush tax cuts, and too many other programs. Obama's budget gets rid of the smokescreens and lays out what America's priorities are, what they cost, and how we're going to pay for them.¹²

Sources:

1. "Climate of Change," The New York Times, February 27, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/opinion/27krugman.html?em

2. "Obama Calls His Budget Sweeping, Needed Change," The New York Times, February 28, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51201&id=15687-3519438-WgjWucx&t=2

3. "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51202&id=15687-3519438-WgjWucx&t=3

4. "Obama Expects Fight Over $3.55 Trillion Budget Plan," Bloomberg News, February 28, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51203&id=15687-3519438-WgjWucx&t=4

5. "Energy Budget Is Sunlight After Eight Years of Darkness," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51204&id=15687-3519438-WgjWucx&t=5

6. "The Economic Cost of War in Iraq and Afghanistan," The New York Times, March 1, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/weekinreview/01glanz.html

7. "Tax Cuts," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-tax.html

8. "Energy Budget Is Sunlight After Eight Years of Darkness," Center for American Progress, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51204&id=15687-3519438-WgjWucx&t=6

9. "Student Loans," The New York Times, February 26, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/washington/27web-edu.html

10. "Obama unveils budget blueprint," CNN, February 26, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/26/budget/

11. "Obama budget would boost SEC, CFTC, FBI," Reuters, February 26, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51205&id=15687-3519438-WgjWucx&t=7

12. "Obama's budget," Los Angeles Times, February 27, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51206&id=15687-3519438-WgjWucx&t=8

How Progressives can Win

The reforms of the New Deal, coupled with the GI Bill that followed World War II, created America's middle class. They made possible the high wage economy and educated work force that lead to sustained, shared economic growth. They were built on a premise that is fundamentally at odds with the Bush-McCain economic dictum that "you're on your own, buddy." That premise is the simple moral imperative that we're all in this together -- not all in this alone.

In his new book, Stand Up Straight: How Progressives Can Win, Robert Creamer makes the case that while some people think that in order to win we must move to the center, adopt conservative values, and split the difference, history shows they are wrong. We don't need to move to the center. We need to move the center. We need to redefine the political center in American politics:

From 1932 to about 1973 -- at least so far as domestic policy is concerned -- traditional progressive values defined the political and economic center in the United States.

By the mid-1970's that changed, and we've been on the political and ideological defensive ever since. For seventy percent of the years since 1968 we have had Republican presidents. President Clinton made many important progressive initiatives. But even in the Clinton years we were forced to battle the dominant conservative value frame.

To achieve realignment, we have to get out of that defensive crouch. To do that we have to forcefully, proudly, consistently stand up for those progressive values. We have to provide a clear contrast between the Right's belief in the unbridled pursuit of individual interest and our commitment to the common good; between selfishness and commitment to others; between division and unity; between fear and hope. We have to consistently assert that fundamental progressive premise: that we're all in this together -- not all in this alone.

Creamer uses the term that fits the situation precisely, "We need to move the center. We need to redefine the political center in American politics". We need a new leader who can open the eyes of the majority of Americans who were deceived by the intricate web of lies thrust upon them by these so called "conservatives" of the last 30 years. Not surprisingly, many true conservatives were the quickest to warm to Barack Obama's message - they are painfully aware of the devastation done to the Republican Party under the "neo-con" flag. The "conservatives" of the early 1970's would be called "liberals" today. And we welcome them with open arms.

I'm not exactly sure when it came about that the Republicans became the "party of the people", but I do understand what so many of "the people" didn't for so many years - Today's GOP has played to their fears, the very lowest common denominators, and used that message to grab their votes while working against the people's best interests nearly all of the time. These neo-con Repubs liked to paint progressives as "tax and spend liberals" and "elitists", while they were busy giving tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and passing legislation that stripped the working class of their rights. They have courted the middle class of this country as they systematically worked to destroy it!

It has taken a LONG time for people to awaken to what has been done to them behind the false smile facade of today's Repubs. But their eyes are open. . .and they are pissed as hell. . .

No. . .more. . .lobbyists. . .EVER!

It's been less than two days since he crossed the delegate threshold to become the Democratic presidential nominee and Sen. Barack Obama's mark on the party is already being felt.

On Good Morning America Thursday, ABC News' Chief Washington Correspondent George Stephanopoulos reported "the Democratic National Committee will no longer accept contributions from federal lobbyists, will no longer take contributions from PACs" in keeping with Obama's well-publicized policy.

From a DNC statement issued earlier today:

"The DNC and the Obama Campaign are unified and working together to elect Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. Our presumptive nominee has pledged not to take donations from Washington lobbyists and from today going forward the DNC makes that pledge as well," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "Senator Obama has promised to change the way things are done in Washington and this step is a sure sign of his commitment. The American people's priorities will set the agenda in an Obama Administration, not the special interests."

30 Years. . .

What a Difference 30 Years Makes!

This is only for those who's level of maturity qualifies them to relate to it... 1977 : Long hair 2007 : Longing for hair 1977 : KEG 2007: EKG 1977 : Acid rock 2007 : Acid reflux 1977 : Moving to California because it's cool 2007 : Moving to Arizona because it's warm 1977 : Trying to look like Marlon Brando or Liz Taylor 2007: Trying NOT to look like Marlon Brando or Liz Taylor 1977 : Seeds and stems 2007 : Roughage 1977 : Hoping for a BMW 2007: Hoping for a BM 1977 : Going to a new, hip joint 2007 : Receiving a new hip joint 1977 : Rolling Stones 2007: Kidney Stones 1977 : Screw the system 2007: Upgrade the system 1977 : Disco 2007: Costco 1977 : Parents begging you to get your hair cut 2007: Children begging you to get their heads Shaved 1977 : Passing the drivers' test 2007: Passing the vision test 1977 : Whatever 2007 : Depends Just in case you weren't feeling too old today, this Will certainly change things. Each year the staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a list to Try to give the faculty a sense of the mindset of this year's incoming freshmen. Here's this year's list: The people who are starting college this fall across The nation were born in 1989. They are too young to remember the space Shuttle blowing up. Their lifetime has always included AIDS. Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic. The CD was introduced the year they were born. They have always had an answering! Machine They have always had cable. They cannot fathom not having a remote control. Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show. Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. They never took a swim and thought about Jaws. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. They never heard: "Where's the Beef?", "I'd walk A mile for a Camel", or "de plane, Boss, de plane." They do not care who shot J. R. And have no idea who J. R. Even is. McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers. They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter. Do you feel old yet? Pass this on to the other old fogies on your list. Notice the larger type, that's For those of you who have trouble reading... So have a nice day!!!!! It is good to have friends who know about these things and are still alive and kicking!!!!