"Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value." -Vice President Joe Biden quoting his dad.
VP Joe Biden Breaks Down the Romney-Ryan Plan for Seniors
Vice President Joe Biden makes the Obama/Biden ticket's closing case to seniors (interactive transcript at link):
The Vice President: Folks, if you listen to Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan, they'll tell you over and over again they value seniors, Medicare, and Social Security. Well, my dad used to have an expression. Whenever someone told him what they valued, he'd say: "Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value."
So let's take a look at their budget. You'll see the Romney/Ryan budget doesn't actually value Medicare or Social Security very much. [snip]
They say we should turn Medicare into a voucher system. Non-partisan experts have looked at their plans and found that it's gonna cost seniors tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. [snip]
Several years ago, Congressman Ryan put forward a plan to privatize Social Security. It was so extreme that even the Bush administration called it irresponsible. [snip]
After using non-partisan experts and the Bush administration to critique the Romney/Ryan plans for Social Security and Medicare, the Vice President then pivots to the Obama/Biden administration's positions:
Folks, Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan may view Social Security and Medicare as an unsustainable line on a balance sheet. President Obama and I view them as earnings of a lifetime of hard work. And the sacred promise of a nation that keeps its word. That's why we've worked to strengthen these programs. That's why the AARP has supported the work we've done. [snip]
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
President Obama Speaks at FEMA Headquarters
The White House posted President Obama's remarks today at FEMA headquarters regarding priorities as everyone works together to aid New Jersey, New York and Connecticut in their recovery from Hurricane Sandy:
- Transporting equipment and personnel to the area to restore power as quickly as possible.
- Getting assets in to pump as much water out as possible.
- Making sure that people's basic needs (housing, hot meals) are taken care of.
- Removing debris.
- Making sure that the National Guard and other federal assets are in place to help with getting the transportation systems back up and running.
President Obama also emphasized the need for individuals to call
800-621-FEMA to register with FEMA:
[T]he more that folks in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut understand that there are a lot of resources available for them, not just with respect to housing, but also with respect to childcare, medicine, a whole range of support, then we want to make sure that they contact us as soon as possible if they're in distress because help is available.
The President concluded with praise for the governors and first responders and heartfelt sympathy for those who have lost loved ones or homes:
Obviously we've now seen that after the initial search and rescue, the recovery process is difficult and it's painful. But the governors at the local level -- Governors Christie, Cuomo, and Malloy -- they are working around the clock, their teams are working around the clock. We are incredibly grateful to the heroism and hard work of our first responders, many of whom themselves have had their homes flooded out. Our hearts continue to go out to those families who have been affected and who have actually lost loved ones -- that's obviously heartbreaking.
But I'm confident that we can continue to make progress as long as state, local and federal officials stay focused. And I can assure you everybody on this team, everybody sitting around the table has made this a number-one priority and this continues to be my number-one priority.
There's nothing more important than us getting this right. And we're going to spend as much time, effort and energy as necessary to make sure that all the people in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut know that the entire country is behind them in this difficult recovery effort. We are going to put not just 100 percent, but 120 percent behind making sure that they get the resources they need to rebuild and recover.
Full transcript
here.
The Final Push: It's On Us
Today, OFA released a beautiful 3-minute video (interactive transcript at link):
So if you're willing to stick with me, if you're willing to fight with me, and press on with me.... If you're willing to work even harder in this election than you did in the last election, I guarantee you: We will move this country forward. We will finish what we started. We are still fired up. We are still ready to go.
President Barack Obama is my President, Joe Biden is my Vice President, and Michelle Obama is my First Lady. They speak to me and to my values. And our President and First Lady have always conducted themselves with dignity, even when continually confronted with unprecedented Republican obstructionism as well as disrespectful and, at times, hateful attacks.
President Obama has inspired me to become politically active in ways that I never would have dreamed of just 5 short years ago. More importantly, his Presidency has awakened and inspired countless others. Let's GOTV in these final days so that President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden can serve for four more years!
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~