Our Platform for Outlining Colorado’s Future

In June of 2006, then-Senator Obama delivered what was called the most important speech on religion and politics in 40 years. Speaking before an evangelical audience, then-Senator Obama candidly discussed his own religious conversion and doubts, and the need for a deeper, more substantive discussion about the role of faith in American life. He has continued to foster open dialogues on faith across the political spectrum throughout his career. The President believes a healthy discussion of faith in a pluralistic society includes the need for religious people to translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values during public debate, and sincere respect on all sides. President Obama has found common ground in the importance of faith in the global battle against AIDS in particular.

Progress The President signed an Executive Order establishing a  White House Council on Women and Girls  to provide a coordinated Federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families. The President signed the  Affordable Care Act , which gives all Americans better health security, with a particular focus on women specific needs: In 2014, the new law makes it illegal for insurance companies to deny any woman coverage because of a pre-existing condition or charge more because of health status or gender. Up to 15 million women who now are unin¬sured could gain subsidized coverage under the law and 14.5 million insured women will benefit from provisions that improve coverage or reduce premiums. Access to care is also expanded, including guaranteeing choice of a primary care provider within a plan’s network, including OB-GYNs and pediatrician...

Progress The President signed an  Executive Order  establishing the  White House Office of Urban Affairs . The  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  included broad support for urban communities. To broaden access to affordable housing, the Act provides for $1 billion in increased funding for the Community Development Block Grant; $4 billion in increased public housing capital funds; $2 billion in payments to owners of project based rental assistance properties to keep them affordable; $2 billion in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds to purchase and rehabilitate forclosed homes; and $1.5 billion in Homelessness Prevention Funds to keep people in their homes; To expand educational opportunity for low-income students, the Act provides for $13 billion in Title I funds to go to K-12 education in disadvantaged school systems; To strengthen workforce development, the Act provides $3.95 billion in increased workforce investment training dollars to keep our workers skil...

"To help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative." -PRESIDENT OBAMA, APRIL 25, 2009 Progress The President issued a  Presidential Memorandum  to the heads of executive departments and agencies ordering them to compile recommendations for an open government directive on transparency, participation, and collaboration in government. The Recovery Act  calls for a comprehensive plan for national broadband, and the FCC is developing a plan due in February, 2010. The Recovery Act also provides for $7.2 billion for broadband internet access nationwide, including grants for rural broadband access, expanding computer center capacity, and sustainable broadband adoption initiatives. The President launched  Recovery.gov , an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology. The President issued an  Executive Order  to restore scientific...

Progress The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010  provides vital tax relief and investments in our workers that will create jobs and accelerate economic growth. The law: Extends middle class tax cuts to prevent a typical working family from facing a tax increase of over $2,000 on January 1 Provides a 2% payroll tax cut to 159 million workers – providing the typical working family with an additional $1,000 tax cut Allows businesses to expense 100% of key investments this year  – estimated to spur $50 billion in new investment Continues the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides up to $10,000 for four years of college and is helping over 9 million students and their families afford higher education Extends expansions of the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit that the President fought for, providing a tax cut for 15.7 million families with about 29.1 million children The  American Recovery and Reinvestment ...

Progress The President  signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act , a hallmark piece of legislation. The Serve America Act will increase the size of AmeriCorps from 75,000 volunteers to 250,000 by 2017. The Act also creates a Social Innovation Fund that will invest in ideas that are proven to improve outcomes and "what works" funds in federal agencies to promote effective and innovative programs. The  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  included $201 million in funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service to support an expansion of AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps VISTA programs.   Guiding Principles President Obama has always been a strong supporter of empowering ordinary people to do extraordinary things by improving their local communities through service. President Obama asks how we – through both existing organizations and individual action – can take an active role in America’s economic recovery and improve our fellow citi...

"To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. We must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market." -PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, JANUARY 25, 2011 Progress Many seniors are struggling in the face of the economic downturn, having seen their savings fall, and we acted quickly to help provide relief.  The  Recovery Act provided a one-time payment of $250 to retirees, other Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans, and SSI recipients. Fifty-six million retirees and other individuals received this one-time payment, totaling $14 billion. In light of continued economic hardship for too many seniors, the President has called for Congress to enact another $250 Economic Re...

Progress The  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  included broad support for rural communities. The Recovery Act provides USDA with a total of $27.6 billion, most of which will fund increased benefits to low income families through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ($20 billion); The Act also provides $6.9 billion in discretionary appropriations for rural development activities such as construction and renovation of rural water and wastewater systems, low income housing loans, broadband infrastructure in rural areas, rural business programs, and construction of Forest Service facilities; The Act provides $800 million for biofuels research and development, loan guarantees for renewable power projects, including biomass facilities, and extends tax credits for biomass-based electricity for three additional years; and, The Act provides $700 million in mandatory farm disaster assistance. Guiding Principles President Obama believes in nurturing strong, robust, and vi...

President Obama is a bit of a Poverty Pimp Obama was right to promote job training for the unemployed .  Obama was right to promote  after-school programs for kids .  Obama is Pompous to say that he is going to " create a path of opportunity for all hard-working Americans to enter the middle class ". Too many Americans live without hope for a better future or access to good, family-supporting jobs Obama is a great dad, a great role model, and has the right plan to help families.  From  http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/poverty :  Progress The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included broad investments to alleviate the poverty made worse by economic crisis. To fight hunger, the Act includes a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, as well as funding for food banks and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); The Act also provid...

Fixing the Immigration System for America’s 21st Century Economy "We are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea—the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That’s why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here…The future is ours to win. But to get there, we cannot stand still." -PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA Take Action Host a Roundtable President Obama is calling for a national conversation on immigration reform that builds a bipartisan consensus to fix our broken immigration system so it works for America’s 21st century economy, but he can’t do it alone. Help bring the debate to your community by hosting a roundtable. President Obama recognizes that our current immigration system is broken and he is deeply committed to building a new 21st century immigration system that meets our nation’s important economic and security needs. In his State of the Union Address, the President laid out his vision for winning th...