DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and Democratic members of Congress held a press conference today to highlight the real Republican agenda for America, unveiling "The Republican Tea Party Contract On America." For the better part of the past year, Republicans have tried to come up with a new agenda for the American people with mixed results. However, with the Tea Party now the most potent force in Republican politics, the Republican agenda has become clear.

Chairman Kaine summed up the Republican Tea Party Contract on America:

“We’re here to offer a helpful suggestion. Republicans and their Tea Party supporters can take a break from the town halls and relax because we have distilled their agenda for the American people into a handy ten point blue print for how they would govern that we are calling the ‘Republican Tea Party Contract on America.’ This wasn’t hard to come up with so were a little bit at a loss as to why this has been difficult for Republican leaders. We literally have just listened to what their leaders and candidates have been saying – people who have been increasingly influenced by the Tea Party.”

The Republican Tea Party Contract on America is a compilation of GOP leaders’ top priorities, providing Americans with a clear outline of just what the Republican Party will have to offer this fall. Republican leaders and Tea Party-supported Republican candidates from Nevada to Utah and Kentucky to Florida can now rally around the Republican Tea Party Contract on America.

As Rep. Charlie Gonzalez said at the press conference to launch the initiative, "The Republican Party is actually saying, put us back in the driver’s seat. The first thing that they will do is place that economic vehicle in reverse – that’s the only gear they know, because they’re guided by that view in the rearview mirror.”

Listen to the full audio of the press conference with Chairman Kaine, DNC Vice Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC Vice Chair Mike Honda, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Congressman Keith Ellison and Congressman Frank Pallone.

To coincide with the launch, the DNC released a new web ad on the Republican Tea Party Contract on America, One and the Same:

Every year, our family tries to come up with a fun way to wish Barack a happy birthday.

And this August 4th, when he turns 49, I have something new in mind.

This has been a big -- and hectic -- year for him. After signing the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform into law -- and completing his first year as president -- I think it's safe to say we will remember it for a long time.

And I know full well how much he credits this movement, and the work of supporters like you, for the change that we've accomplished.

So I'm putting together a birthday card that I would like you to sign. Together with other Organizing for America supporters -- and me, Malia, Sasha, and Bo -- we'll wish him a happy birthday and let him know that we're ready to take on the year ahead alongside him.

Will you wish Barack a happy birthday with me?

This year also brought a lot of surprises -- some good and some bad.

Supporters like you have helped him make the best of it -- by contacting Congress to help push stalled legislation forward, by re-engaging supporters in the political process, by giving back with service projects across the country, and so much more.

And while we can't know what the coming year will bring, all of us, working together, will continue pushing forward for change.

Will you help make this a memorable birthday for Barack and wish him a happy 49th?

http://my.democrats.org/birthday

Thanks so much,

Michelle Obama

As President Obama noted before the vote, Republicans had blocked unemployment benefits, small business tax credits—and now legislation to ensure regular people’s voices aren’t drowned out by special interests trying to influence elections. “On issue after issue, we are trying to move America forward,” the President said. “They keep on trying to take us back.”

The Boston Globe reported on yesterday’s Republican obstruction on one of the President’s top priorities:

Senate Republicans defeated legislation yesterday to require more disclosure in campaign spending, ending Democrats’ quest for stronger rules after a Supreme Court ruling this year allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited sums to influence elections.

The bill had been a high priority for President Obama, who denounced the Supreme Court ruling during his State of the Union address in January, as justices sat silently in the House chamber.

On a party-line, 57-to-41 vote after a heated debate, an effort by Democrats to fight off a Republican filibuster fell short of the 60 votes required. All 40 Republicans in attendance, including Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, voted against it....

The legislation was the congressional response to a 5-to-4 Supreme Court ruling in January that struck down limits on corporate and union spending in elections. In the legal case — Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission — the court ruled that corporations and unions must be treated the same as individuals in campaign spending, recognizing a right to bankroll election activities as an exercise of the First Amendment.

The Supreme Court simultaneously upheld spending disclosure requirements, which Democrats tried to expand with the legislation. The House of Representatives passed a version of the bill last month.

The law would have required corporations and unions to reveal how much they spent on broadcast advertising in federal elections. And corporate CEOs or union heads would have to appear in their ads to take responsibility for the message.

“This study demonstrates quantitatively something we have known intuitively for months – that the bold actions taken by President Obama and Democrats in Congress to pull America back from the brink of a second Great Depression, to stabilize the financial system, to boost economic recovery, to create jobs, and to support American families through this difficult time worked exactly as intended. Without those measures, the United States would still be in the throes of recession, millions more Americans would be out of work, and there would be no light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, the United States has now experienced three straight quarters of economic growth and six consecutive months of private sector job growth.

“It would be simply impossible to measure the amount of human suffering that would have resulted from government inaction in the aftermath of the economic crisis, but that didn’t stop Republicans in Congress from almost uniformly opposing the President’s economic recovery efforts. With these numbers offering clear evidence of their effectiveness, it’s time Republicans admitted the error of their ways and joined with the President and Democratic leaders to pass additional critical recovery legislation – such as legislation intended to support small business growth – and help to keep America moving forward.”

“Today, Republicans in the Senate once again acted to protect their special interest allies by blocking a fair up-or-down vote on the DISCLOSE Act, which tackles the lack of transparency and influx of influence and spending by special interests in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling and addresses the enormous new-found political power of big corporations and their lobbyists to freely and anonymously influence elections. The DISCLOSE Act is critical legislation that should be passed before monied special interests can influence the outcome of even one election. It is simply unacceptable that foreign entities could be allowed to influence American elections, that corporations and lobbyists be permitted to finance electoral smear campaigns, and that the American voters might never know which organizations are behind such dirty politicking. The DISCLOSE Act addresses every single one of those problems and ensures that the voices of the American people – not just big businesses and big spenders – are heard in the political process.

“After a year of defending big banks, big insurance, big oil, and other special interests, Republicans might want to drown out the voices of Americans who don’t have the financial resources of big corporations but want to have their say in this year’s elections. But this bill isn’t just about any one election. A free and fair electoral process is the foundation of our democracy, and we must do everything possible to preserve the integrity of that process. I urge Republicans to abandon their obstruction of this critical bill and to stand behind fair elections rather than standing with the corporate interests and their lobbyists.”

With an important vote expected today on the DISCLOSE Act, President Obama urged the Senate to pass the bill that would require corporate political advertisers to reveal who’s funding their election-related activities.

The DISCLOSE Act undoes some of the damage from the Citizens United Supreme Court case, which ruled that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing our elections, without having to reveal that they’re doing so.

Unfortunately, as they have done on unemployment benefits and tax credits, Republicans in the Senate are doing everything they can to block this bill from moving forward.

President Obama:

Now, you’d think that making these reforms would be a matter of common sense, particularly since they primarily involve just making sure that folks who are financing these ads are disclosed so that the American people can make up their own minds.  Nobody is saying you can’t run the ads -- just make sure that people know who in fact is behind financing these ads.  And you’d think that reducing corporate and even foreign influence over our elections would not be a partisan issue.  But of course, this is Washington in 2010.  And the Republican leadership in the Senate is once again using every tactic and every maneuver they can to prevent the DISCLOSE Act from even coming up for an up or down vote.  Just like they did with unemployment insurance for Americans who’d lost their jobs in this recession.  Just like they’re doing by blocking tax credits and lending assistance for small business owners.  On issue after issue, we are trying to move America forward, and they keep on trying to take us back.

At a time of such challenge for America, we can’t afford these political games.  Millions of Americans are struggling to get by, and their voices shouldn’t be drowned out by millions of dollars in secret, special interest advertising.  The American people’s voices should be heard.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act was an important milestone not only for Americans with disabilities but for our country as a whole. With the ADA, America opened the door of opportunity for tens of millions who had for too long been prevented from fully participating in the opportunities and responsibilities presented by American society. As a result of this legislation, Americans with disabilities have been empowered to engage more fully -- and our country is stronger for it.

“I would like to join with President Obama and Americans across the country not only in recognizing the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but also the incredible contributions Americans with disabilities make to this country on a daily basis. Americans with disabilities are loving parents, diligent workers and entrepreneurs, and active members of their communities. It is critical that we not only celebrate the past progress made by and for those individuals, but that we also continue to work to include all Americans in the possibilities our country has to offer.”

Last week the Republican leader in the House offered his own jobs plan—a plan Talking Points Memo described as "Do Nothing":

House Minority Leader John Boehner outlined the top three measures he'd pursue if he becomes Speaker of the House next Congress to create new jobs. But, those who thought he'd outline specific programs and how they would create jobs were disappointed with a familiar litany of wish-list items: repeal health care reform, eschew climate legislation, and renew the Bush tax cuts.

In other words, repeal a program that largely hasn't yet taken effect; prevent new legislation that is also not in effect; and keep a current tax structure in place.

In this week's address, President Obama challenged Republicans to embrace new ideas to create jobs instead of bringing back the failed policies of the past:

“These are not new ideas.  They are the same policies that led us into this recession.  They will not create jobs, they will kill them.  They will not reduce our deficit, they will add $1 trillion to our deficit.  They will take us backward at a time when we need to keep America moving forward.

“I know times are tough.  I know that the progress we’ve made isn’t good enough for the millions of Americans who are still out of work or struggling to pay the bills.  But I also know the character of this nation.  I know that in times of great challenge and difficulty, we don’t fear the future – we shape the future.  We harness the skills and ingenuity of the most dynamic country on Earth to reach a better day.  We do it with optimism, and we do it with confidence.  That’s the spirit we need right now, and that’s the future I know we can build together.”

After weeks of Republican obstruction, the President last night signed an extension to unemployment benefits for those looking for job amidst the tough economic climate.

Not only is extending a hand to the millions of long-term unemployed the right thing to do, it has also one of the most effective ways to stimulate the economy. The Michigan Messenger reported: 

Studies show conclusively that unemployment benefits are one of the most effective ways of stimulating the economy because those who receive it need it to pay bills and buy basic necessities, thus immediately putting that money back into circulation.

Every dollar of unemployment compensation paid creates $1.90 in economic stimulus, according to the CBO. Since the unemployment benefits lapsed on June 2, more than $10 billion has been lost in economic stimulus.

Today’s good news comes after weeks of obstruction by Republicans, who decided to put political game playing ahead of doing the right thing to help those in need. President Obama had called on the GOP to put these folks before partisan tactics, and last night the Senate finally overcame the Republican filibuster.

Upon signing the bill the President also called on Congress to take action and pass aid to states and support for small businesses:

"Today, I signed the unemployment insurance extension to restore desperately needed assistance to two and a half million Americans who lost their jobs in the recession.  After a partisan minority used procedural tactics to block the authorization of this assistance three separate times over the past weeks, Americans who are fighting to find a good job and support their families will finally get the support they need to get back on their feet during these tough economic times.  Now it’s time for Congress to act on more proposals that support our economic recovery, including passing critical aid to our states and support to small businesses.  Small businesses are the engine of job growth, and measures to cut their taxes and make lending available should not be held hostage to partisan tactics like those that unconscionably held up unemployment insurance."

Today's benefits extension brings relief to folks who had gone without assistance for up to seven weeks, who could begin receiving retroactive assistance as early as next week.