The Official President Barack Obama Fansite

The Official President Obama Fansite
"I'M ASKING YOU TO BELIEVE..." - Barack Obama

President Obama On the Passage of Health Reform

March 21, 2010 — President Obama speaks moments after the historic passage by the House of Representatives of the Senate's health reform legislation.

Posted by Parakalo at 3/23/2010 5:45 AM | View Comments (58) | Add Comment

Will you add your name?

Obama Fan Club —

President Barack Obama will soon sign comprehensive health care reform into law. A century-long fight will finally be won.

As the President wrote last night, it was you who made this improbable victory possible. It was volunteers knocking on doors, talking to neighbors, and proving once again that Americans, standing together, can change the course of a nation.

Supporters like us now have a chance to add our names as "Co-signers" of this historic legislation — adding our names next to President Obama's to show our pride in helping to bring about this great achievement.

Organizing for America will establish a permanent archive with all the signatures, so that generations to come will have a record of those who stood together in this moment and won this fight for our future. And I will personally present all the names we collect to the President. Will you add your name?

This is the most significant domestic achievement in decades. And this movement of Americans, committed to improving their country, made it possible.

We turned out for that first cold morning in Springfield, for the canvasses in New Hampshire, for the phone banks in Iowa. We kept fighting when no one gave us a chance and the cynics told us we were clinging to a false hope.

We organized for health reform. We spread the facts on doorsteps, in town halls, and through millions of conversations. Your voice rang through the halls of Congress and filled the pages of local newspapers.

It took many months and tremendous resolve, but we built a national network of support so strong that when the deceptive attack ads choked the airwaves and the pundits declared our effort defeated — we had what it took to fight our way back.

And we won: the toughest insurance regulations in history, affordable coverage for 32 million without it, relief from skyrocketing costs for small business owners and from rising deficits for our children.

That's the story of how change really happens. And now, hundreds of millions will have better lives because of it.

It's rare to be part of something so meaningful that will help change the course of history. But you are.

Please consider adding your name as co-signer today to commemorate your efforts:

http://my.barackobama.com/Cosign

Thank you,

David Plouffe

Posted by Parakalo at 3/23/2010 5:37 AM | View Comments (138) | Add Comment

Thank you, Obama Fan Club

Obama Fan Club —

For the first time in our nation's history, Congress has passed comprehensive health care reform. America waited a hundred years and fought for decades to reach this moment. Tonight, thanks to you, we are finally here.

Consider the staggering scope of what you have just accomplished:

Because of you, every American will finally be guaranteed high quality, affordable health care coverage.

Every American will be covered under the toughest patient protections in history. Arbitrary premium hikes, insurance cancellations, and discrimination against pre-existing conditions will now be gone forever.

And we'll finally start reducing the cost of care — creating millions of jobs, preventing families and businesses from plunging into bankruptcy, and removing over a trillion dollars of debt from the backs of our children.

But the victory that matters most tonight goes beyond the laws and far past the numbers.

It is the peace of mind enjoyed by every American, no longer one injury or illness away from catastrophe.

It is the workers and entrepreneurs who are now freed to pursue their slice of the American dream without fear of losing coverage or facing a crippling bill.

And it is the immeasurable joy of families in every part of this great nation, living happier, healthier lives together because they can finally receive the vital care they need.

This is what change looks like.

My gratitude tonight is profound. I am thankful for those in past generations whose heroic efforts brought this great goal within reach for our times. I am thankful for the members of Congress whose months of effort and brave votes made it possible to take this final step. But most of all, I am thankful for you.

This day is not the end of this journey. Much hard work remains, and we have a solemn responsibility to do it right. But we can face that work together with the confidence of those who have moved mountains.

Our journey began three years ago, driven by a shared belief that fundamental change is indeed still possible. We have worked hard together every day since to deliver on that belief.

We have shared moments of tremendous hope, and we've faced setbacks and doubt. We have all been forced to ask if our politics had simply become too polarized and too short-sighted to meet the pressing challenges of our time. This struggle became a test of whether the American people could still rally together when the cause was right — and actually create the change we believe in.

Tonight, thanks to your mighty efforts, the answer is indisputable: Yes we can.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Posted by Parakalo at 3/22/2010 6:29 AM | View Comments (45) | Add Comment

Today: Chicago calling for reform

Obama Fan Club -

Today, we can extend coverage to millions. We can end insurance-company abuses forever. We can finally give Americans control over their own health care.

But we can't take anything for granted. The vote in the House is just hours from now and could still go either way. It's up to every American who believes in reform to call our representatives and speak up — right now.

So, if you haven't yet, please pick up the phone and call Rep. Davis's office at (202) 225-5006. And afterward, or if you've called already, make it your mission today to get 5 friends or neighbors to call, too.

Forward this email widely. Save the Congressional switchboard number — (202) 224-3121 — in your cell phone, and then hand your phone to a friend, a co-worker, a family member.Capitol Hill offices are open and accepting calls.

Call the folks you know who share our vision for change, and let them know that today is their chance — our chance — to not just witness history, but to make it.

Thanks for being there for every step of this final march for reform. And thanks for making it possible.

Mitch

Posted by Parakalo at 3/21/2010 6:52 AM | View Comments (35) | Add Comment

Tomorrow: Health reform rally in Schaumburg

Obama Fan Club —

Tomorrow morning, Saturday, March 20th, OFA supporters will be rallying in support of health insurance reform outside of Congresswoman Melissa Bean's office in Schaumburg.

Opponents of reform will be out in force. And with a vote in the House of Representatives expected on Sunday, we need to show that Illinoisans support the President's proposal and will fight for members of Congress who support reform.

Can you join us? Please RSVP now. Here are the details:

What: Rally for Health Reform

Where: Congresswoman Melissa Bean's District Office
1701 East Woodfield Rd.
Schaumburg, IL 60173

When: Saturday, March 20th
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Please RSVP here:

http://il.barackobama.com/SchaumburgHIR

Thanks,

Dave

Dave Seman
Illinois State Director
Organizing for America

P.S. — There are several Final March for Health Reform phone banks in the Chicago area over the next couple of days. Please find and RSVP for one here:

http://il.barackobama.com/ChicagoHIR

Posted by Parakalo at 3/21/2010 6:50 AM | View Comments (56) | Add Comment

Urgent: Need 3,382 calls from Chicago

Organizing for America: The Final March for Reform

Obama Fan Club —

This is it: After months of hard work, the final vote on health reform in the House of Representatives is expected Sunday. It's a chance to make history and finally give Americans control over their own health care — but it's shaping up to be incredibly close, and every member of Congress will play a critical role.

So we're aiming for 3,382 calls to Rep. Davis from Chicago before offices close this evening. Whether you've called your representative before or haven't yet spoken out on health reform, it's now time to raise your voice.

Your representative, Rep. Danny Davis, has stood with the President and fought for reform since last year. But with special interests attacking anyone who pushes for change, it's important for voters in your district to call and say "thank you for fighting for reform."

As an active constituent, your voice has particular weight with your representative — so all those who share our commitment to reform are depending on you to speak up. According to our records, you live in Illinois's 7th congressional district.

Please call Rep. Davis's office at (202) 225-5006 right now — and then click here to let us know so we can track our progress.

After a century of false starts and a year of grueling negotiations, we may be just hours away from real health insurance reform in America.

But if we fail, our next chance may not come for a generation.

You make the call.

Dial Rep. Davis's office at (202) 225-5006 right away. Folks across the country will be calling, so if you get a busy signal, please try again.

http://my.barackobama.com/FinalMarchCalls

Let's win this thing,

David Plouffe

Posted by Parakalo at 3/21/2010 6:42 AM | View Comments (25) | Add Comment

Tell Rep. Davis who you're fighting for

Obama Fan Club —

"I'm here for Natoma."

That's what President Obama wrote us yesterday about Natoma Canfield, an Ohio woman whose story helped inspire the President and the nation to keep fighting for reform.

As we speak, each member of Congress is preparing to cast their last vote on health reform, while insurance-company lobbyists bombard D.C. with a million-dollar-a-day campaign of distortions and threats. To break through in these final moments, we must show Congress why we'll never forget the choice they make: Because we're fighting for the people who matter most in our lives.

So today, we've launched a new tool to help OFA supporters show Congress the names of the people who drive us to support reform. It might be a sick father. Maybe it's a friend who lost her job. Or maybe it's a daughter who simply deserves to grow up knowing that affordable care is always within reach. Whoever you know that's inspired you to fight for reform, the time to act is now.

Our voice is strongest when we speak out together, so we're aiming to send 1691 messages from Chicago to Representative Davis today. Submitting your letter takes just a moment — please click here to join in.

Representative Davis has stood with the President and fought for reform since the very beginning. And as the insurance companies launch their desperate attacks, a message about why you're fighting too — combined with your thanks and knowing that you stand with them — will offer extra inspiration to carry this fight to the finish.

As the President reminded us, reform is not just about helping those who struggle today — it's about making sure that no American is ever just one job loss, accident, or illness away from going without the care they require. That's why we're committed to reform that ends insurance-company abuses, guarantees affordable choices, and brings down costs.

But it all depends on the upcoming vote in the House of Representatives — and with just a day or two left, it's still too close to call.

Our new online tool makes it easy to tell Rep. Davis who you're fighting for, and you can even submit a quick photo to drive the message home. Your words and images will be sent straight to your representative, and they'll be visible to every member of Congress before the final vote is cast.

Together, we can send a unique message, powerful enough to break through when it matters the most.

http://my.barackobama.com/DayNine

Thanks for making it possible,

Natalie

Natalie Foster
New Media Director

Posted by Parakalo at 3/21/2010 6:37 AM | View Comments (10) | Add Comment

Tell Rep. Johnson who you're fighting for

Obama Fan Club —

"I'm here for Natoma."

That's what President Obama wrote us yesterday about Natoma Canfield, an Ohio woman whose story helped inspire the President and the nation to keep fighting for reform.

As we speak, each member of Congress is preparing to cast their last vote on health reform, while insurance-company lobbyists bombard D.C. with a million-dollar-a-day campaign of distortions and threats. To break through in these final moments, we must show Congress why we'll never forget the choice they make: Because we're fighting for the people who matter most in our lives.

So today, we've launched a new tool to help OFA supporters show Congress the names of the people who drive us to support reform. It might be a sick father. Maybe it's a friend who lost her job. Or maybe it's a daughter who simply deserves to grow up knowing that affordable care is always within reach. Whoever you know that's inspired you to fight for reform, the time to act is now.

Our voice is strongest when we speak out together, and submitting your letter takes just a moment — please click here to join in.

Representative Johnson has not supported health reform efforts so far, but a message about why you're fighting could help provide the resolve to rise above partisan divides and do what's right for your district and the country.

As the President reminded us, reform is not just about helping those who struggle today — it's about making sure that no American is ever just one job loss, accident, or illness away from going without the care they require. That's why we're committed to reform that ends insurance-company abuses, guarantees affordable choices, and brings down costs.

But it all depends on the upcoming vote in the House of Representatives — and with just a day or two left, it's still too close to call.

Our new online tool makes it easy to tell Rep. Johnson who you're fighting for, and you can even submit a quick photo to drive the message home. Your words and images will be sent straight to your representative, and they'll be visible to every member of Congress before the final vote is cast.

Together, we can send a unique message, powerful enough to break through when it matters the most.

http://my.barackobama.com/DayNine

Thanks for making it possible,

Natalie

Natalie Foster
New Media Director

Posted by Parakalo at 3/21/2010 6:28 AM | View Comments (33) | Add Comment

What you're doing is working

Obama Fan Club —

I wanted to take a moment to thank you directly for the outstanding work you've been doing as part of Organizing for America's Final March for Reform. I can tell you that your voice is heard in Washington every day. I see how your efforts are moving us toward victory.

But I also know that with just days remaining, the final vote is shaping up to be extremely close. Everything we've worked for is on the line, and your voice is needed now more than ever before.

Raise your voice today: We must all speak out together to finish the job.

In these final, crucial days, much more will be asked of us. Our resolve will be tested.

During moments like this, I believe it's important to remember why we have worked so hard for so long. That's why I spoke to the country Monday at a gathering in Ohio and said it plainly: I'm here for Natoma.

Natoma Canfield is like most of us: She works hard, and tries to do what's right. Years ago, she had battled back from cancer, so she always maintained health insurance in case she ever really needed it again. But because of her medical history, the insurance company kept raising her deductible and her premiums.

Last year alone, Natoma paid over $10,000 in monthly premiums and co-pays, while her insurance company chipped in just $900. And then they hiked up her rates another 40%. She simply couldn't afford it — she had to cancel her policy. That's when she wrote to me. I read her letter, and shared her story with insurance company CEOs as another reason why the system has to change.

That was two weeks ago. Then, just last week, the unthinkable happened: Natoma collapsed, and was rushed to a hospital. It's leukemia — the cancer has returned. Now she's in the hospital, worried sick not just about her condition, but how she'll financially survive.

So why am I still in this fight? Simple. I'm here for Natoma.

I'm here because of the countless others who have been denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. I'm here for the small business owners forced to chose between health care and hiring. I'm here for the folks who are forced to watch helplessly as their premiums skyrocket with no reason or recourse.

And I'm here for my mother. She died of cancer, and in the last six months of her life, I saw her on the phone in her hospital room arguing with insurance companies instead of focusing on getting well and spending time with her family.

As I was finishing my remarks Monday, a woman in the crowd called out, "we need courage." She's right.

The politicians in Washington need courage to face down the powerful interests who have held back progress for far too long. And all of us who share this cause need courage to speak up with persistence and clarity in these final days.

I've always found that courage comes from remembering that we fight for something and someone beyond ourselves. It comes from our faith. And it comes from our commitment to those we love.

So please take a moment to remember those who inspire you — those who give you the strength to march on.

There's very little time left, and still much to do. But I believe to my core in the power of Americans to change history when we put our mind to it. And if you'll stay with us in these final days, I know we can do it again:

http://my.barackobama.com/speakout

Thank you for making it possible,

President Barack Obama

Posted by Parakalo at 3/21/2010 6:21 AM | View Comments (25) | Add Comment

Day 7: Call into swing districts

Obama Fan Club —

In 2008, voters in Illinois's 10th congressional district voted to send President Obama to Washington to fight for change — including for desperately needed health insurance reform. They expected Republican Representative Mark Kirk to reach across the aisle to be a partner for change.

Unfortunately, last fall Rep. Kirk opposed reform and voted to let insurance companies continue jacking up premiums and denying care to sick people. But it's not too late for him to do the right thing.

The next make-or-break vote on reform is just a few days away, it's expected to be extremely close, and Rep. Kirk could be critical. So for Day 7 of the Final March for Reform, our plan is to reach out to voters in his district and ask them to call their representative to speak out for reform.

Using our easy online tool, we'll give you a list of friendly voters and tips on what to say. If we can help even a few of these folks call Rep. Kirk's office it could make a huge difference — so please take a few minutes and get started now.

Our online Neighbor-to-Neighbor tool makes calling quick and easy. Once you log in (it only takes a few seconds) you'll get a list of like-minded voters in Rep. Kirk's district.

Our message is simple: Rep. Kirk can stand with Illinois families and businesses by casting a key "yes" vote or continue on the path of bitter partisanship and suffer at the polls in November.

Today, OFA supporters across the country are calling voters in similar districts as part of our Final March for Reform. It's not too late for Republican representatives to do the right thing for their districts and the nation — we only hope they're willing to listen to their constituents.

After so many months of work, a final vote could come any day, and every vote in the House could tip the balance. Please don't wait — call a few of these critical voters now:

http://my.barackobama.com/Day7

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

P.S. — Would you rather make these calls with other volunteers? This week, OFA supporters nationwide are hosting Final March for Reform events to reach out to voters in critical districts. You can find one in your area here:

http://my.barackobama.com/Day7RSVP

Posted by Parakalo at 3/21/2010 6:17 AM | View Comments (40) | Add Comment

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