Good Economic News: Agriculture Going Strong

With millions of Americans still struggling to find work, the pace of our country’s economic recovery has been slower than anyone would like. But there are some bright spots as the Obama Administration works each day to get the economy back on track—like yesterday’s good news that agriculture is thriving thanks to increased exports.

The New York Times highlighted new estimates out yesterday that represent good news for farmers and other rural Americans:

Even as the broader economy falters amid signs of a weakening recovery, the nation’s agriculture sector is going strong, bolstered in part by a surge in exports, according to federal estimates of farm trade and income released on Tuesday.

The estimates confirm what economists have been saying for months: agriculture, which was generally not hit as hard by the recession as many other segments of the economy, remains a small bright spot going forward.

“We’re just having a robust rebound in the agricultural sector and promises of more growth,” Jason R. Henderson, vice president and economist at the Omaha branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said in a recent interview.

The estimates show that American farmers will ship $107.5 billion in agricultural products abroad in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. That is the second-highest amount ever, behind the record $115.3 billion in exports logged in 2008, when commodity prices soared as the global demand for agricultural products was helped by fast-growing economies in the developing world....

“The better the demand, the higher the price, and it’s going to put another 10, 15, possibly 20 cents in the price of a bushel of corn,” said Bill Horan, a corn farmer in Iowa. Corn is about $4 a bushel, which is about 50 cents higher than last year. “It means my wife can go out and buy a new sofa, and I can put new tires on the pickup.”

Read the full article here.

An End to the War—and a Campaign Promise Kept

“Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended.” — President Barack Obama

In 2008, many volunteers were first drawn to Barack Obama as a candidate for President because of his firm promise to end the was in Iraq.

Last night, the President made good on that campaign pledge, and spoke to the nation to mark the end of our combat mission in Iraq.

In just his second Oval Office address, President Obama thanked the millions of Americans who put their lives on the line, including the 4,400 who gave their lives in this war.

We’ve now been through nearly a decade of war.  We’ve endured a long and painful recession.  And sometimes in the midst of these storms, the future that we’re trying to build for our nation -- a future of lasting peace and long-term prosperity -- may seem beyond our reach.

But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans that the future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and commitment.  It should also serve as a message to the world that the United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our leadership in this young century.

From this desk, seven and a half years ago, President Bush announced the beginning of military operations in Iraq.  Much has changed since that night.  A war to disarm a state became a fight against an insurgency.  Terrorism and sectarian warfare threatened to tear Iraq apart.  Thousands of Americans gave their lives; tens of thousands have been wounded.  Our relations abroad were strained.  Our unity at home was tested.

These are the rough waters encountered during the course of one of America’s longest wars.  Yet there has been one constant amidst these shifting tides.  At every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve.  As Commander-in-Chief, I am incredibly proud of their service.  And like all Americans, I’m awed by their sacrifice, and by the sacrifices of their families.

The Americans who have served in Iraq completed every mission they were given.  They defeated a regime that had terrorized its people.  Together with Iraqis and coalition partners who made huge sacrifices of their own, our troops fought block by block to help Iraq seize the chance for a better future.  They shifted tactics to protect the Iraqi people, trained Iraqi Security Forces, and took out terrorist leaders.  Because of our troops and civilians -- and because of the resilience of the Iraqi people -- Iraq has the opportunity to embrace a new destiny, even though many challenges remain.

So tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended.  Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country.

This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office.

The President also emphasized his steadfast commitment to taking care of our troops once they return home as veterans:

Part of that responsibility is making sure that we honor our commitments to those who have served our country with such valor.  As long as I am President, we will maintain the finest fighting force that the world has ever known, and we will do whatever it takes to serve our veterans as well as they have served us.  This is a sacred trust.  That’s why we’ve already made one of the largest increases in funding for veterans in decades.  We’re treating the signature wounds of today’s wars -- post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury -- while providing the health care and benefits that all of our veterans have earned.  And we’re funding a Post-9/11 GI Bill that helps our veterans and their families pursue the dream of a college education.  Just as the GI Bill helped those who fought World War II -- including my grandfather -- become the backbone of our middle class, so today’s servicemen and women must have the chance to apply their gifts to expand the American economy.  Because part of ending a war responsibly is standing by those who have fought it.

Last night we witnessed a historic milestone in our nation’s history. You can join in and mark this moment by welcoming our troops home—send our men and women in uniform your personal message of thanks.

A Message from the President: "The end of our combat mission in Iraq"

President Barack Obama just sent a message to supporters following his Oval Office address on Iraq:

Tonight marks the end of the American combat mission in Iraq.

As a candidate for this office, I pledged to end this war responsibly. And, as President, that is what I am doing.

Since I became Commander-in-Chief, we've brought home nearly 100,000 U.S. troops. We've closed or turned over to Iraq hundreds of our bases.

As Operation Iraqi Freedom ends, our commitment to a sovereign, stable, and self-reliant Iraq continues. Under Operation New Dawn, a transitional force of U.S. troops will remain to advise and assist Iraqi forces, protect our civilians on the ground, and pursue targeted counterterrorism efforts.

By the end of next year, consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, these men and women, too, will come home.

Ending this war is not only in Iraq's interest -- it is in our own. Our nation has paid a huge price to put Iraq's future in the hands of its people. We have sent our men and women in uniform to make enormous sacrifices. We have spent vast resources abroad in the face of several years of recession at home.

We have met our responsibility through the courage and resolve of our women and men in uniform.

In seven years, they confronted a mission as challenging and as complex as any our military has ever been asked to face.

Nearly 1.5 million Americans put their lives on the line. Many returned for multiple tours of duty, far from their loved ones who bore a heroic burden of their own. And most painfully, more than 4,400 Americans have given their lives, fighting for people they never knew, for values that have defined our people for more than two centuries.

What their country asked of them was not small. And what they sacrificed was not easy.

For that, each and every American owes them our heartfelt thanks.

Our promise to them -- to each woman or man who has donned our colors -- is that our country will serve them as faithfully as they have served us. We have already made the largest increase in funding for veterans in decades. So long as I am President, I will do whatever it takes to fulfill that sacred trust.

Tonight, we mark a milestone in our nation's history. Even at a time of great uncertainty for so many Americans, this day and our brave troops remind us that our future is in our own hands and that our best days lie ahead.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Moving America Forward: 200,000 Doors in 48 Hours

Over the weekend, thousands of Organizing for America supporters and grassroots Democrats came together to reach out to voters in support of candidates who are fighting to move America forward.

Before our Moving America Forward Day of Action, Organizing for America set an ambitious goal of 200,000 doors knocked in 48 hours. Volunteers across the country stepped up—not only hitting that goal by knocking on 200,893 doors, but also making 168,330 phone calls to voters.

Check out some of the press coverage of the events and take a look at photo highlights from the weekend.

CNN - “Dems Launch Get Out the Vote Campaign”

Two major Democratic committees jointly launched their first nationwide get out the vote initiative of the fall campaign season on Saturday. The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee set a goal of knocking on 400,000 doors (200,000 for each committee) in 75 congressional districts as part of their "National Day of Action." "This level of voter contact this early is unprecedented," DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen said in a statement. "We will continue to meet with voters face to face and spread the message about moving the country forward."

Virginia’s NBC 29 News - “Mark Warner surprises Organizing for America”

Democrats brought in some national star power to help pound the pavement Saturday afternoon. Senator Mark Warner offered some words of advice to about 40 canvassers before they hit the streets of Charlottesville. Organizing for America teamed up with Tom Perriello's campaign to try and rally votes for the incumbent. Senator Warner told the party faithful that face-to-face time with voters is important for success in November.

Pennsylvania’s Scranton Times Tribune - “Casey rallies area Dems as party preps for midterm races”

When Democratic volunteers and activists gathered to campaign for the 2010 midterm elections Saturday, U.S. Sen.Bob Casey Jr. told them Democrats can prevail in the fall elections. "We're going to win this year, but I know we have a lot of work to do," he told the canvassers gathered in downtown Scranton, with cell phones for phone-bank calls and clipboards for door-to-door campaigning stacked on a table a few feet away. The gathering Saturday was part of a national campaign effort on behalf of Democrats over the weekend. Sixty events were planned in Pennsylvania. 

See more highlights and photos from this weekend’s Moving America Forward Day of Action.

Chairman Kaine on President Obama's Statement on the End of Combat Operations in Iraq

Following President Obama’s Oval Office address regarding the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine released the following statement:

“President Obama’s Oval Office address this evening marked an important moment for America, as U.S. combat operations in Iraq have now ended. Those operations ended as promised and within the promised timeframe. While this chapter in American history is now coming to a close, other challenges still lay ahead. 50,000 American troops remain in Iraq for non-combat purposes. Tens of thousands more continue to fight al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. As we move forward, we shall continue to honor those who are currently serving and extend our thanks to those who have now come home from the Middle East. To that end, President Obama committed to our American soldiers that they will have the resources they need to succeed on the battlefield and at home.

“As the President has said, America’s commitment to our veterans is a sacred trust and upholding that commitment is a moral obligation. To that end, this Administration is investing in a 21st century Veterans Administration that can meet the needs of veterans quickly and efficiently. By funding the post-9/11 GI bill, President Obama is helping hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families to obtain a higher education. In so doing, the President has demonstrated that while combat operations in Iraq have ended, our country’s dedication to those who served there never will.

“At the same time President Obama is working to guarantee the safety of the American people and to safeguard the future of American families and workers by strengthening America’s position not only militarily but also economically. That means laying a solid foundation for economic growth and prosperity, and making sure that Americans have the tools they need to compete effectively in the global economy. I hope that as leaders of both parties can mark the end of U.S. combat operations together, they can also come together with the President to take the steps necessary for a more secure and brighter economic future for all Americans.”

An End to the War in Iraq

After more than seven years, today we end our country’s combat mission in Iraq.

As the President wrote yesterday, “We are at a truly historic moment in our nation’s history.”

To mark this important day, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time tonight the President will speak to our country from the Oval Office—the second Oval Office address of his Presidency. You can watch live at WhiteHouse.gov/live or on any major television network.

President Obama has also invited all Americans to join him in sending a message to our troops thanking them for their service to our country. You can send in your salute through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Flickr—and check out all the messages at WhiteHouse.gov/Salute.

Five Years Later, a Continuing Commitment to New Orleans

On the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this weekend, President Obama spoke in New Orleans about the Administration’s recovery efforts and ongoing commitment to the Gulf Coast.

President Obama:

"We’re cutting through the red tape that has impeded rebuilding efforts for years.  We’re making government work better and smarter, in coordination with one of the most expansive non-profit efforts in American history.  We’re helping state and local leaders to address serious problems that had been neglected for decades -- problems that existed before the storm came, and have continued after the waters receded -- from the levee system to the justice system, from the health care system to the education system.

"And together, we are helping to make New Orleans a place that stands for what we can do in America -- not just for what we can’t do.  Ultimately, that must be the legacy of Katrina:  not one of neglect, but of action; not one of indifference, but of empathy; not of abandonment, but of a community working together to meet shared challenges."

President Obama: “The bottom line is this: the war is ending”

Tomorrow, after nearly seven years, our country will end its combat mission in Iraq. Ending the war was one of Barack Obama’s most important campaign promises—and so far this Administration has brought home more than 90,000 troops, with all troops coming home by the end of next year.

Tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the President will deliver his second Oval Office address to mark the end of our combat mission in Iraq and thank our troops and their families for their service.

President Obama has also invited all Americans to join him in sharing a message of support for our troops. Take part and salute our troops through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Flickr.

In his weekly address, President Obama paid tribute to men and women in uniform and pledged that his Administration will do everything possible to care for veterans when they come home.

President Obama:

"As we mark the end of America’s combat mission in Iraq, a grateful nation must pay tribute to all who have served there.  Because part of responsibly ending this war is meeting our responsibility to those who have fought it.

"The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan now make up America’s longest continuous combat engagement.  For the better part of a decade, our troops and their families have served tour after tour with honor and heroism, risking and often giving their lives for the defense of our freedom and security.  More than one million Americans in uniform have served in Iraq – far more than any conflict since Vietnam.  And more than one million who have served in both wars have now finished their service and joined the proud ranks of America’s veterans.

"What this new generation of veterans must know is this: our nation’s commitment to all who wear its uniform is a sacred trust that is as old as our republic itself.  It is one that, as President, I consider a moral obligation to uphold."

Remembering Katrina, Rebuilding New Orleans

This weekend marks the fifth August since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. It is a solemn anniversary, one marked by still empty New Orleans homes and still scattered New Orleans neighbors. Yet it is also a hopeful anniversary, one marked by the tremendous progress made since the levees broke and the water washed so many peoples’ homes and hopes away.

This year, for the first time since the storm, my own family is back in New Orleans, together and whole. I have spent portions of this summer with them in the City of Jazz, renovating their new homes. As we put the finishing touches on those clean, mold-free houses we looked back on Hurricane Katrina with immense gratitude for our good fortune – though my family lost their belongings and their home, they all survived, thanks to the incredible kindness of strangers.

When the storm made landfall, the government response was painfully slow. There was a breakdown in communications. People - many of whom were too frail or simply without the means to evacuate - were stuck waiting to be rescued. Then, the levees failed.

I will never forget the generosity of people from across the country as they rose to the occasion to help so many people rebuild their lives. Regardless of race or background – people came together and helped one another. Our common humanity rose to the surface. It is that common humanity that I am thinking about today, as the people of New Orleans and the entire Gulf coast continue the process of rebuilding their lives.

So on this anniversary, let us offer our remembrance to those who perished in the storm, our gratitude to those brave individuals who offered their aid to others caught in the storm, and our own kindness and goodwill to all those around us – because as Hurricane Katrina showed us, we are all dependent on one another, and a little human kindness goes a long way.

Chairman Tim Kaine’s Statement Commemorating the Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of the Gulf Coast. In commemoration of that anniversary, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

“This weekend we have cause to remember all that was lost when Hurricane Katrina battered the shores of four states and wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast. More than a thousand lives were lost in the storm, more than a million people were displaced, and American towns were left in ruins. The images from that time—of homes under water, families stranded on rooftops, and displaced people seeking shelter in stadiums—remain a sober reminder of nature’s strength and its potential for devastation.

“Now, five years after Hurricane Katrina, it is important not only to pay our respects to those who died or were displaced and to their families, but it is also important to renew our commitment to ensuring that our government never again fails its people in the wake of such a disaster. To that end, President Obama has made it easier for residents of the Gulf Coast to get the support they need to recover from Hurricane Katrina, and he has worked to improve America’s disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, so that our country will be better able to handle future disasters on the Gulf Coast or wherever they occur. But our work is not yet finished. It will not be finished until communities damaged by Hurricane Katrina are restored and those who wish to return to their communities are able to do so. Even then, we must continue to honor the lives lost and survivors harmed—by better preparing ourselves and responding more effectively to those in need as future emergencies occur.

“So on this anniversary, as America commemorates a tragedy that changed the face of a region and tested the resolve of its citizens, I offer my support to President Obama for his efforts to ensure that our country is adequately prepared for any disaster that may reach our shores and as he strives to build a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America.”

GOP Tea Party: These People Could Be in Charge

Today the Democratic National Committee launched a new web video, “GOP Tea Party: These People Could Be in Charge” as part of a coordinated effort across Democratic campaigns and committees to highlight the corrosive trend developing within the Republican-Tea Party.

The new web video highlights radicalized candidates, whose extreme agenda would not just take America back to the days of failed Bush policies, but rewind the clock to the days before Social Security, Medicare, civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, and before social safety nets like unemployment insurance were in place. As the Tea Party takes over the Republican Party, they are purging anyone who would dissent from their extreme agenda and pushing once-reasonable Republicans to fall in line to survive.

DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse said:

“After Tuesday's primary results, the trend could not be clearer. It’s not just that the Tea Party has devoured the Republican Party and that Republicans want to take us back to the Bush era. The new Republican-Tea Party has offered a slate of candidates across the country who would fight to bring America back to the days before women had equal rights and before Americans could rely on programs such as Social Security and Medicare. The choice before the American people was made clearer with the nomination of extreme candidates like Rick Scott, Ron Johnson, Sharron Angle, Daniel Webster, Rand Paul, Ken Buck, Linda McMahon and Joe Miller. Do we want to go forward with our common values and continue to get the economy back on track or do we want to put the Republican-Tea Party with their extreme agenda in charge and take the country backward, not just years, but decades? The prospect that these people could be in charge is a scary one indeed.”

Chairman Kaine: "Our country will continue to move forward toward becoming a more perfect union for all"

This Saturday, August 28, is the 47th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, which drew more than a quarter million people to the capital in advance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In recognition of that anniversary, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

“Forty-seven years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. laid out his dream for America: that our nation would one day recognize true equality for all Americans, that our country would guarantee justice and opportunity for all Americans, and that all Americans would one day come together – regardless of each other’s race or background – in common spirit and kinship. The quarter million people who had gathered on the National Mall in Washington, DC to hear Dr. King speak shared in that dream – as did millions more who heard him on television or read of his speech in the papers the next day.

“In the almost fifty years since that day, our nation has made tremendous progress toward realizing Dr. King’s dream – and the dream of all those hopeful Americans who marched and demonstrated in common cause with him. Our country has done away with the most grievous remnants of the legacy of slavery, including segregation, and we have passed laws protecting civil rights and stating that Americans of all races and backgrounds are equal in the eyes of the law. The American people have made progress not only toward removing racial biases in our laws, but also toward removing their own racial blinders – toward a world in which, in the words of Dr. King, we are able ‘to stand up for freedom together.’ Let us continue to work together to meet Dr. King’s goal of making ‘justice a reality for all of God’s children.’

“As a long-time civil rights attorney, I know that inequality and injustice persist, but I take heart in how far our country has come and I have faith that, under the leadership of President Obama, our country will continue to move forward toward becoming a more perfect union for all.”

"Every door counts"

From DNC Executive Director Jen O'Malley Dillon:

If there's one thing that we learned from 2008, it's that hard-fought elections are won on the ground. On the doorsteps and the phone lines. In face-to-face conversations with friends and neighbors. At house events, where people gather to support a common cause.

That's how we were able to get 15 million people out to vote for the first time in 2008 -- helping us achieve a victory for the President and win majorities in Congress.

And this is just what volunteers will be working to do this weekend in competitive districts across the country: They'll be mobilizing on the ground for our party-wide "Moving America Forward" Day of Action on August 28th -- securing commitments to vote and discussing what's at stake this November.

Our goal is to knock on 200,000 doors in 48 hours -- and we need your help to get it done.

Can you join us? Click here to find an event near you.

It's an ambitious target -- but the doors we'll knock on this weekend aren't simply tally marks. Those doors open into the homes of Americans whose lives will be affected by the outcome of this fall's elections.

Each door presents us with the opportunity to secure these folks' commitment to vote -- and to illustrate how that vote will affect the direction the country takes.

"Moving America Forward" isn't just a catchy name. It's also our larger message heading into the fall, and for good reason.

Democrats aren't just fighting to protect the historic progress we've achieved together -- from health insurance reform to the strongest consumer protections ever put in place -- we're fighting for the opportunity to continue moving forward with reforms that go to work for the American people.

Given the opportunity, Republicans would repeal our historic reforms, taking us backward to Bush-era policies that work only for special interests and the privileged few. We simply can't let that happen.

This is our chance to make sure it doesn't.

Weekends like this one help us to lay the foundation for victory this fall -- but we can't get folks to show up at the polls unless we first show up on the ground.

I hope you can make it out. Sign up to RSVP for an event today:

http://my.democrats.org/MAFevents

Thanks,

Jen

Jen O'Malley Dillon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee

Republicans’ Far-Right Fielders

This year, we’ve seen Republican primary voters nominate a bumper crop of far-right Republican candidates – from Sharron Angle in Nevada to Rand Paul in Kentucky – and as the primary season has continued, the list of extreme conservatives on the ballot this fall has only gotten longer.

Now, with the fall elections just around the corner, the Republicans have recruited an incredible number of far-right fielders– but unfortunately, that’s just not a winning team. These candidates might be the Tea Parties ideal leaders, but they aren’t the sort of leaders mainstream Americans will support. Let’s take a look at Republicans’ roster:

Alaska Senate Candidate Joe Miller

A Palin-endorsed, Tea Party-backed candidate, Joe Miller has said that unemployment benefits are “not constitutionally authorized.” If elected, he’d vote to leave millions of Americans – who lost their jobs through no fault of their own – high and dry with no support whatsoever to get their families through these difficult times.

In addition, Joe Miller has called for “phasing out” Medicare and Social Security. In so doing, he would strip seniors of a vital safety net, leaving millions of retired Americans without any source of reliable income or health care.

Colorado Senate Candidate Ken Buck

Ken Buck has called Social Security – a lifeline for American seniors – “horrible, bad policy;” he has called for the elimination of the Department of Energy; and he has called the Department of Education “unnecessary.”

Florida Senate Candidate Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio has demonstrated his extreme conservative bonafides by offering his support for Paul Ryan’s plan to end Social Security as we know it – raising the retirement age and reducing benefits for seniors. For the one in two working Americans who lack access to an employer-provided retirement plan, that’s very bad news.

Kentucky Senate Candidate Rand Paul

Rand Paul’s many extreme positions have been documented extensively – from his desire to shut down the Department of Education, to his opposition for federal funding for education, to his denunciation of Social Security as a “ponzi scheme,” to his criticism of support for American farmers, among other things.

Nevada Senate Candidate Sharron Angle

Sharron Angle is so far to the right that she’s been caught running away from press to avoid answering questions about her extreme positions, which include advocating the privatization of Social Security and Medicare, encouraging Americans to pursue their “Second Amendment” options for making their opinions known to government, calling out-of-work Nevadans who depend on unemployment “spoiled” and saying that when a young girl is raped she should turn “a lemon situation into lemonade.”

Wisconsin Senate Candidate Ron Johnson

Ron Johnson has called Social Security a “giant ponzi scheme” and has advocated privatization of this critical program.

Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate Dan Maes

While most candidates this year are talking about saving and creating jobs, Dan Maes has gone in the other direction – he’s said that he would lay off 2,000 critical government workers “just like that.”

Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Rick Scott

Rick Scott, the long shot Republican gubernatorial pick in Florida will be an even longer shot this fall. He carries with him into the general election questions regarding the $1.7 billion his health insurance company was forced to pay to settle a federal criminal investigation alleging fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid billing practices.

Arizona Congressional Candidate Jesse Kelly

A number of extreme conservative Republican nominees have said this year that they would work to end Social Security as we know it, but few have gone as far as Jesse Kelly, who has said that ending Social Security and taking away seniors’ retirement security is something he “would love” to do.

Arizona Congressional Candidate Ben Quayle

Although Ben Quayle would certainly fit in with the extreme Republican conservatives on the ballot across the country, his unelectability stems more from his personal quirks. Although Ben Quayle comes from a political family, his own professional history has one notation not found in most candidates’ biographies – he contributed to a risqué website under the pseudonym ‘Brock Landers,’ the name of a porn star character in the movie “Boogie Nights.”

Florida Congressional Candidate Daniel Webster

If elected, Daniel Webster would join the cadre of Republicans dedicated to taking America backwards. He has said that one of his first priorities in Congress – rather that working to rebuild the American economy or move our country forward – would be to cut programs like Social Security.

Florida Congressional Candidate David Rivera

It’s hard to know what far-right priorities David Rivera would embrace in Congress. In fact, it’s hard to get a straight answer out of David Rivera on just about anything – he’s lied about domestic violence allegations against him, lied about driving a vehicle carrying a rival campaign’s literature off the road, and lied about foreclosure proceedings on a home he co-owns with Marco Rubio, among other things.

Chairman Kaine on Women’s Equality Day

Today is Women’s Equality Day. In recognition of that occasion, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

“Today marks the anniversary of the day, ninety years ago, when the U.S. Secretary of State certified the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote. In the nine decades since – and even in the four decades since Women’s Equality Day was officially declared – women have made tremendous progress. They have used their votes and their voices to press for equality not only in the voting booth but in every facet of American life – from the workplace to the sports field and everywhere in between.

“On this day, we celebrate that incredible progress and the ability of all American women to participate freely in public life on an equal basis with American men. But we must also acknowledge that the fight for full equality has not ended – the wage gap between women and men persists, the Glass Ceiling persists, and other challenges persist. President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress are working hard to help women overcome those challenges and to tear down the remaining barriers to equality. Through laws such as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first act signed by President Obama after he took office, and historic steps such as the nomination and confirmation of two incredibly qualified women to the Supreme Court – as many women as had previously served in the entire history of our country – we are making progress, but there is still much to be done.

“So this Women’s Equality Day, I join women and men across America in reaffirming the fundamental truth that a group of forward-looking women’s activists asserted more than 150 years ago: that all men and women are created equal, and recommitting to supporting our leaders as they work to ensure that our country recognizes and fosters that equality in every aspect of American life.”