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Obama for America
The speech was what I needed. He defended the core value of government and cooperation. He said he would refuse to extend the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy.
He explained why the defict is so large. He's right. And, long term, the deficit must be addressed.
He said that Ryan's Plan would create "a fundamentally different America than we have known in our lifetime."
He presented two visions of America. I know which side I am on.
There will be things I disagree with in the details. And I'm sure I will criticize on substance and tactics from time to time. And I will get frustrated.
But for the first time since December, I feel a little hope.
He's right on shared sacrifice. And he's right on the core values. He defended the core values of Democrats, of most Americans.
So I'm all in. I gave $100 this afternoon. That's just a start.
Update I: Some excerpts I like from prepared remarks He added a few things in the actual speech, like "I refuse" to extend the Bush tax cuts for the rich:
The fact is, their vision is less about reducing the deficit than it is about changing the basic social compact in America. As Ronald Reagan's own budget director said, there's nothing "serious" or "courageous" about this plan. There's nothing serious about a plan that claims to reduce the deficit by spending a trillion dollars on tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. There's nothing courageous about asking for sacrifice from those who can least afford it and don't have any clout on Capitol Hill. And this is not a vision of the America I know.
The America I know is generous and compassionate; a land of opportunity and optimism. We take responsibility for ourselves and each other; for the country we want and the future we share. We are the nation that built a railroad across a continent and brought light to communities shrouded in darkness. We sent a generation to college on the GI bill and saved millions of seniors from poverty with Social Security and Medicare. We have led the world in scientific research and technological breakthroughs that have transformed millions of lives.
This is who we are. This is the America I know. We don't have to choose between a future of spiraling debt and one where we forfeit investments in our people and our country. To meet our fiscal challenge, we will need to make reforms. We will all need to make sacrifices. But we do not have to sacrifice the America we believe in. And as long as I'm President, we won't.
snip
Of course, there will be those who disagree with my approach. Some will argue we shouldn't even consider raising taxes, even if only on the wealthiest Americans. It's just an article of faith for them. I say that at a time when the tax burden on the wealthy is at its lowest level in half a century, the most fortunate among us can afford to pay a little more. I don't need another tax cut. Warren Buffett doesn't need another tax cut. Not if we have to pay for it by making seniors pay more for Medicare. Or by cutting kids from Head Start. Or by taking away college scholarships that I wouldn't be here without. That some of you wouldn't be here without. And I believe that most wealthy Americans would agree with me. They want to give back to the country that's done so much for them. Washington just hasn't asked them to.
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