37 supporters in Asheville

Jason -- "Republicans win back House, Senate." "Voters reject Obama's agenda." If you listen to the talking heads on TV, it's like November 3rd's headlines are already written. But here's what they don't know -- and it's why they're dead wrong: The same grassroots movement that knocked on the most doors, made the most calls, and inspired the most first-time voters in history in 2008 hasn't gone anywhere. In fact, we're gearing up to do it all again. You heard it from the President on Monday. We've been planning for the fall campaign all year. And we know full well that winning nationally means organizing locally. Every House district holds an election this year, and all but five states will vote statewide for a governor or senator. We need to get moving in NC -- and all over the country -- earlier than ever before. David Plouffe and I have taken a hard look at the numbers, and we need 37 donations from Asheville by May 1st to kick off our efforts. Please donate $5 or more to help us get more boots on the ground and start implementing our 2010 grassroots strategy now. Republicans are already calling 2010 a "referendum" on the President's agenda. They're campaigning to win majorities in Congress, so they can roll back the progress we've worked so hard to make. In fact, hundreds of candidates have signed a pledge, circulated by the conservative Club for Growth, to repeal health insurance reform. If history is any guide, this is nothing to scoff at. In midterm elections, the president's party regularly loses seats. And an economy that's still recovering only makes our job harder. But history has never seen anything like us. While Sarah Palin gives big speeches mocking "community organizers," we're investing in them. Our field operation is far and away the largest of its kind in history. OFA staff and volunteers are pounding the pavement across the country. From the earliest primaries in 2008 to the fight for Wall Street reform, while the attacks ads were flying and the cynics were talking down our chances, we've done what we know best -- keep on organizing. Investing in these resources is what will make it possible for us to set records again in 2010. The headlines we wake up to on November 3rd are in our hands. But we can't succeed without a strong start -- and we can't do it without you. Will you be one of the first in Asheville to chip in $5 to get our grassroots off the ground? Donate now: https://donate.barackobama.com/2010kickoff The fight ahead is going to be tough. With your help, Election Night doesn't have to be. Thanks, Mitch Mitch Stewart Director Organizing for America

Not even willing to debate

Jason --

Both parties have worked for months crafting a bipartisan Wall Street reform bill. But, just hours ago, Senate Republicans -- including Senator Richard Burr -- voted for a second time to protect their allies on Wall Street and block reform.

Maybe they think obstruction is a good political strategy in an election year. Maybe they're hoping the delay will give bank lobbyists time to water down reform with loopholes and exemptions.

But here's what we know for sure: These Republicans have a lot to explain to the American people. A recent ABC News poll showed that 65 percent support the reforms they just opposed.

Sen. Burr still has time to cross the aisle and stand with Main Street -- but to make it happen, North Carolina's voters need to speak out now.

If you haven't already, tell Sen. Burr to end the delay -- stop protecting the big banks and start protecting American consumers.

With American families struggling in the wake of a crippling financial crisis, they want to know that Washington is doing something to protect consumers from exploitation at the hands of the big banks that got us into this mess.

The Senate bill that Republicans are blocking will provide the strongest consumer financial protections in history, while ensuring that American taxpayers are never again forced to bail out a Wall Street firm "too big to fail."

Sadly, instead of working to debate and revise the bill, Republicans in the Senate are teaming up with the big banks. In fact, press reports confirm that Republican leaders have been meeting privately all month with Wall Street executives, plotting to weaken the bill. With their votes, it appears they're intent on carrying out that plan.

But President Obama has made it clear that any reform bill that doesn't go far enough to rein in the big banks is not acceptable. He's counting on us to speak up.

If we turn up the public pressure, we can stop the delay and help President Obama get both sides of the aisle working together again to pass a strong final bill. Write a letter to Sen. Burr now:

http://my.barackobama.com/WallStreetReformLetters

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

2010

Jason --

There are only 190 days until the 2010 election.

Many of you have been at work long before now. You've held strategy sessions all across the country to discuss how to most effectively help candidates in your community who are fighting to bring about change.

At OFA headquarters, we've been poring over your ideas, your input, and the best data we can get our hands on to determine the most helpful role we can play.

Together, based on that feedback, we've crafted a comprehensive electoral plan that can make a big difference in the upcoming elections.

President Obama recorded a video message to share our goals for 2010 with you -- and to remind us what's at stake. Watch it now.

We've accomplished a lot together. But we're in for a tough fight this fall.

Historical trends aren't in our favor -- the president's party generally loses seats in the first midterm election. And even though President Obama has taken bold steps like the Recovery Act to put us back on the path to prosperity, escaping from a financial crisis like this one takes time.

The prognosticators and pundits are predicting steep losses for the Democrats. The Republicans are already measuring the drapes for their new offices, saying that anything short of an electoral landslide that gives them back control of Congress won't be a victory.

But these are the same folks who said Barack Obama could never become president, the same ones who said we were trying to do too much, too fast -- and that we'd never pass historic health reform. They were wrong then, and they're wrong now.

I believe we can avoid the nightmare electoral scenario that Republicans in Washington have already convinced themselves will happen. But only if we work together.

Two years ago, we challenged a group of young and disaffected voters to participate in the 2008 election. They cast votes for the very first time and helped us elect a new president. You told us that your top priority for 2010 was to help these people head back to the polls -- and we built our plan around that goal.

President Obama has America heading in the right direction. But our opponents want to repeal health reform. They're standing with Wall Street banks to block any efforts to rein in reckless behavior and protect consumers. And they're attacking a foreign policy that has renewed America's standing in the world. They are eager to undo all we've done.

The stakes are high. And that's the level of commitment we need from you. So watch the President introduce our 2010 plan -- and find out how you can get involved in the fight:

http://2010.barackobama.com

It's a pleasure to continue our work together,

David Plouffe

Not backing down

Jason -- Last week, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell got all 41 GOP senators to promise to oppose Wall Street reform. He thought President Obama would back down in the face of a unified show of force. He was wrong. Instead, the President stood in front of Wall Street bankers Thursday, going to bat for consumers and confronting the toughest of crowds with a strong message: Reform is good for Americans, good for the market, and it's time to get on board. Bipartisan discussions have begun again -- but Wall Street lobbyists are still swarming Capitol Hill, trying to trip up negotiations and maintain the gridlock that has defined Washington for far too long. So now, it's up to us. We need to show Republican senators that the American people are watching closely to see whose side they end up on. Tell Republicans in the Senate to stand up to the special interests and work with the President to pass Wall Street reform. The President laid out a bold plan to hold Wall Street accountable, to protect American taxpayers by ensuring they'll never again be asked to bail out a big firm "too big to fail," and to put in place the strongest consumer financial protections ever proposed. But this fight isn't just about fixing Wall Street. It's also about fixing Washington. For too long, it's been a place where special interests have set the rules and petty partisanship has stood in the way of progress. As the President said Thursday, "We can and must put this kind of cynical politics aside." Thanks to strong leadership from the President and Democrats in Congress, the gridlock is starting to crack, and Republicans are slowly giving signs that they'll come on board. The Senate has even scheduled a preliminary vote for Monday at 5:15 p.m. But Wall Street lobbyists are flooding in to firm up opposition -- trying to carve out loopholes and exemptions for big banks and lenders who have long exploited consumers. The only sure-fire way to make sure that the special interests don't get their way is to show Senate Republicans that Americans are standing firmly with the President. Tell them to join us to fight for American families who are counting on reform, not the big Wall Street banks. Send a letter today: http://my.barackobama.com/WallStreetReformLetters Thanks, Mitch Mitch Stewart Director Organizing for America P.S. -- Want to learn more about what reform means for you? Check out our online Wall Street reform resource center.

A presidential veto

Jason --

President Obama means business.

He's committed his administration to reining in Wall Street and creating the strongest consumer protections in history. And on Friday he made it clear that we can't allow another devastating financial crisis -- so he'll veto any reform bill that doesn't bring the derivatives market under control.

But the Senate could begin debate as soon as this week, and Republican leaders are teaming up with Wall Street lobbyists to defeat the bill -- so the President needs your help to show that the American people stand with him on Wall Street reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/StandForWallStreetReform

Thanks,

Mitch

P.S. -- Don't miss the President's message from Friday below.

-------------Original Message-------------
From: Barack Obama
Subject: Wall Street reform

Friend --

It has now been well over a year since the near collapse of our entire financial system that cost the nation more than 8 million jobs. To this day, hard-working families struggle to make ends meet.

We've made strides -- businesses are starting to hire, Americans are finding jobs, and neighbors who had given up looking are returning to the job market with new hope. But the flaws in our financial system that led to this crisis remain unresolved.

Wall Street titans still recklessly speculate with borrowed money. Big banks and credit card companies stack the deck to earn millions while far too many middle-class families, who have done everything right, can barely pay their bills or save for a better future.

We cannot delay action any longer. It is time to hold the big banks accountable to the people they serve, establish the strongest consumer protections in our nation's history -- and ensure that taxpayers will never again be forced to bail out big banks because they are "too big to fail."

That is what Wall Street reform will achieve, why I am so committed to making it happen, and why I'm asking for your help today.

Please stand with me to show your support for Wall Street reform.

We know that without enforceable, commonsense rules to check abuse and protect families, markets are not truly free. Wall Street reform will foster a strong and vibrant financial sector so that businesses can get loans; families can afford mortgages; entrepreneurs can find the capital to start a new company, sell a new product, or offer a new service.

Consumer financial protections are currently spread across seven different government agencies. Wall Street reform will create one single Consumer Financial Protection Agency -- tasked with preventing predatory practices and making sure you get the clear information, not fine print, needed to avoid ballooning mortgage payments or credit card rate hikes.

Reform will provide crucial new oversight, give shareholders a say on salaries and bonuses, and create new tools to break up failing financial firms so that taxpayers aren't forced into another unfair bailout. And reform will keep our economy secure by ensuring that no single firm can bring down the whole financial system.

With so much at stake, it is not surprising that allies of the big banks and Wall Street lenders have already launched a multi-million-dollar ad campaign to fight these changes. Arm-twisting lobbyists are already storming Capitol Hill, seeking to undermine the strong bipartisan foundation of reform with loopholes and exemptions for the most egregious abusers of consumers.

I won't accept anything short of the full protection that our citizens deserve and our economy needs. It's a fight worth having, and it is a fight we can win -- if we stand up and speak out together.

So I'm asking you to join me, starting today, by adding your name as a strong supporter of Wall Street reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/StandForWallStreetReform

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

Wall Street reform

Jason --

It has now been well over a year since the near collapse of our entire financial system that cost the nation more than 8 million jobs. To this day, hard-working families struggle to make ends meet.

We've made strides -- businesses are starting to hire, Americans are finding jobs, and neighbors who had given up looking are returning to the job market with new hope. But the flaws in our financial system that led to this crisis remain unresolved.

Wall Street titans still recklessly speculate with borrowed money. Big banks and credit card companies stack the deck to earn millions while far too many middle-class families, who have done everything right, can barely pay their bills or save for a better future.

We cannot delay action any longer. It is time to hold the big banks accountable to the people they serve, establish the strongest consumer protections in our nation's history -- and ensure that taxpayers will never again be forced to bail out big banks because they are "too big to fail."

That is what Wall Street reform will achieve, why I am so committed to making it happen, and why I'm asking for your help today.

Please stand with me to show your support for Wall Street reform.

We know that without enforceable, commonsense rules to check abuse and protect families, markets are not truly free. Wall Street reform will foster a strong and vibrant financial sector so that businesses can get loans; families can afford mortgages; entrepreneurs can find the capital to start a new company, sell a new product, or offer a new service.

Consumer financial protections are currently spread across seven different government agencies. Wall Street reform will create one single Consumer Financial Protection Agency -- tasked with preventing predatory practices and making sure you get the clear information, not fine print, needed to avoid ballooning mortgage payments or credit card rate hikes.

Reform will provide crucial new oversight, give shareholders a say on salaries and bonuses, and create new tools to break up failing financial firms so that taxpayers aren't forced into another unfair bailout. And reform will keep our economy secure by ensuring that no single firm can bring down the whole financial system.

With so much at stake, it is not surprising that allies of the big banks and Wall Street lenders have already launched a multi-million-dollar ad campaign to fight these changes. Arm-twisting lobbyists are already storming Capitol Hill, seeking to undermine the strong bipartisan foundation of reform with loopholes and exemptions for the most egregious abusers of consumers.

I won't accept anything short of the full protection that our citizens deserve and our economy needs. It's a fight worth having, and it is a fight we can win -- if we stand up and speak out together.

So I'm asking you to join me, starting today, by adding your name as a strong supporter of Wall Street reform:

http://my.barackobama.com/StandForWallStreetReform

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

How much could you save on your taxes?

Jason --

Did you know that the average tax refund is up nearly 10% -- about $3,000 -- this year? And that there are more than a dozen Recovery Act tax cuts that over 100 million Americans can take advantage of this tax season?

See how much you could save thanks to the Recovery Act.

Together, in February 2009, we passed the Recovery Act -- taking our economy from the brink of disaster to the road to recovery, and keeping President Obama's campaign promise of giving 95% of working Americans a tax cut.

Now, it's tax season, and there are more than a dozen ways the Recovery Act is helping folks save -- credits for new homeowners, help with saving for college, and rewards for making your home more energy efficient.

After you find out how much you can save, make sure your family and friends can do the same by forwarding this email:

http://my.barackobama.com/TaxSavings

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

"Because of you"

Jason --

"It's because of you."

That's what President Obama said before he took the stage in Iowa City right after health care reform passed. And I couldn't agree more.

We've put together a quick video that highlights the incredible work you did over the last year, to honor and thank you for the history you made.

Please watch the video, then celebrate by co-signing health care reform legislation with the President.

We're offering a personalized certificate to every co-signer to make sure we can all have a way to commemorate this victory with the President.

So check out the video, pass it along to your friends, and co-sign historic health reform with President Obama:

http://my.barackobama.com/ThisIsChange

Thanks for everything,

Jeremy

Jeremy Bird
Deputy Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- Great news: In addition to health and student loan reform, there's even more change happening.

Thanks in large part to tax benefits in the Recovery Act, average tax refunds are up by almost 10 percent from last year.

And President Obama announced a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia, calling it "the most comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades."

Keep checking your email, and we'll let you know about more great news as it comes in.