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MCOFU Election Candidates Forum


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Political Discussions MCICJ Bughouse III MCI Framingham S.B.C.C. Gardner MCI Norfolk
O.C.C.C. MCI Concord S.E.C.C. Alumni Shattuck Bay State MCOFU Homepage Union Issues


Subject: In the know


Author:
Joe
[Edit]
Date Posted: 08:42:43 02/05/10 Fri
Manny,
Just checked out your face book. There is one thing missing from it! Out of your 86 friends none of them are from here at the TC. You still are working here right? For the last 22 years.
You have been involved in the union for 20 years. So you clam. I have been here for 15 and I am having trouble remembering if you as the CHIEF STEWARD have ever held a union meeting. Am I wrong? Has there ever been an election for Stewards? No you are self appointed.
Know you want to be on the E-Board! This is a joke isn’t it?
No support from your own institution
Never a union meeting
Never a posting of what is going on with the union
NEVER AN E-BOARD MEMBER

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Replies:
Subject: Here he comes, throwing money everywhere


Author:
Latino Heat
[Edit]
Date Posted: 15:13:37 12/23/09 Wed


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Replies:
Subject: Hey Rob I know what 15% is


Author:
Big Tipper
[Edit]
Date Posted: 18:20:44 02/01/10 Mon
Rob, How come your "Brouillette for Leg Rep: business cards weren't made in a union shop? What kind of Union guy doesn't use a Union printer. Furthermore Do you take me for an idiot? The back of your cards have a tip calculator on it. Maybe you need one when you are out on your Union paid out of state junkets. Whats the matter too drunk to figure out the tip. And who tips 15%??? 20-30% is the way to go!

Go print some more SCAB cards

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Subject: Nostradamus saw it


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 16:28:30 03/13/09 Fri
By Rob....Welcome Mike



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Replies:
Subject: Steen


Author:
no thanks
[Edit]
Date Posted: 17:23:51 02/01/10 Mon
Isn't this the guy that tried to bring in another union a few years ago? Now he wants to work for the E-Board. And since when is there a S.N.L.A or F.M.L.A. coordinator? Sure can put a spin on things.And Jeez. Enough signs?? We get it already.

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Subject: EDDIE...Still my favorite


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 20:20:57 02/10/09 Tue
ED Show me the money





A vote for Ed is a vote for Bankruptcy

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Replies:
Subject: Union Pigs


Author:
Picasso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 16:40:58 01/22/10 Fri
ROB YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A BIG "FAT" UNION PIG. HEY ED WHY ARE YOU FINANCING ROBS RUN FOR LEGISLATIVE REP? SO HE CAN LOOK THE OTHER WAY ON YOUR FINANCIAL INDISCRETIONS. JUST LIKE "OLD TIMES"




Rob
Why don't you go on another Union Paid out of State Junket??

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Replies:
Subject: HELLO ROB


Author:
One Who Knows
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:38:06 01/26/10 Tue
Hey Rob, is it true that about a month ago you attempted to have the Union fund a trip for you to New Jersey for a rally of troops called by ACOIN?? Just couldn't wait to take a trip on the Union dime, YOU PIG!!! I see that you are posting your campaign signs over Ahearn's for support. Is he also paying for your losing campaign!!!! YOU PIG!!! How many Haitian immigrants are you bringing in to hand out your literature at the institutions??? YOU PIG!!! You can't even carry your own institution this time around. BYE BYE ROB!!!

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Replies:
Subject: More from Fast Eddie


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 13:23:27 02/18/09 Wed
Remember all of these "accomplishments" were done while Fast Eddie was on "PAID UNION LEAVE" or "OUT OF STATE JUNKETS". In this letter he says this "reduced the need for membership increases..............OMG There are increases built in to the contract language fast Eddie. 1% of a maxed out CO1 pay. The Union dues go up EVERY YEAR.

Nice try Fast Eddie. You can fool some of the CO's some of the time, but those of us with 1/4 of a brain can see right through you and your wasteful spending.

By the way..Show us the Money fast Eddie



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Replies:
Subject: Fast Eddie


Author:
How about you spend some money on a diet?
[Edit]
Date Posted: 18:59:45 02/22/09 Sun


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Subject: I MMMMMMMMM loving it


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:21:40 03/02/09 Mon
$ 750.00 stipend money spent well

Your MCOFUseless Treasurer




These pictures are for entertainment purposes only. Ed is not a little kid or is he the skinny. Enjoy.

Piccaso

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Replies:
Subject: Tells get behind some good people this time!


Author:
screwed screw
[Edit]
Date Posted: 21:46:17 05/02/09 Sat
Steve "The Life Loser" Kennaway needs to go a way.

Joe "The NO Show" Guarino needs to leave the payroll.

Henry "I feel like a woman" Harris needs to find himself some where else.

James "I need only 3 more years to learn my job" Nason needs to put some time on line.

These fools are killing us as a group. EVEN if they where not dirty as the day is long, they been there way to long.

We need to clean our house.

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Replies:
Subject: Union Pigs


Author:
Picasso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 07:07:19 01/22/10 Fri
ROB YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A BIG "FAT" UNION PIG. HEY ED WHY ARE YOU FINANCING ROBS RUN FOR LEGISLATIVE REP? SO HE CAN LOOK THE OTHER WAY ON YOUR FINANCIAL INDISCRETIONS. JUST LIKE "OLD TIMES"



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Subject: Brouillette Again????


Author:
One Who Knows
[Edit]
Date Posted: 11:47:04 01/01/10 Fri
I can't believe that this HOAR Brouillette is running again. Lets take a look at his "history". Loses to Hocking and goes back to Shirley and sulks like a little baby and does absolutely NOTHING for the Union or it's membership for three years. The membership, for reasons I can't understand, votes him back in. He gets beat by Aucoin goes back to Shirley and sulks for another year once again doing absolutely NOTHING for the Union or it's membership. Now he wants to run for legislative rep??? To recap, wins, loses and quits on the membership. Wins again, loses again, quits on the membership again. If he wins again this time and we are stupid enough to vote him in as legislative rep we deserve everything that comes along with this HOAR. He does not care about the Union, the membership or your working conditions. Rob cares about Rob. If you can't see that go ahead and vote for him again. You deserve it!!!!!

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Replies:
Subject: signs


Author:
Jack
[Edit]
Date Posted: 11:50:46 12/22/09 Tue
Hey Rob , why are the signs up early ? the colors you picked are latin kings colors. Are you a member or do you need there help?

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Replies:
  • Re: signs (NT) -- You need help spelling. THEIR help, dumb dumb., 00:00:51 12/24/09 Thu
Subject: a must read for cos


Author:
lmao
[Edit]
Date Posted: 21:09:35 12/12/09 Sat
http://www.mass.gov/Eoaf/docs/csc/decisions/discipline/perron_william_1112091.pdf

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Subject: 1 year a go someone posted a prison might close.


Author:
Union stated it wasn't true! now its in the news
[Edit]
Date Posted: 08:10:08 09/11/09 Fri
Now the union is saying 4 prisons may close under the patrick administration. My question is why do individuals not on the board know more than the board members, they as elected officials should be on top of this stuff and they'er not. These guys love taking the pay but don't want to do the work. It's time to go fellas, for your own selfish reasons you're hurting the rest of us. PLEASE RESIGN!

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Subject: concerned


Author:
concerned
[Edit]
Date Posted: 15:55:04 08/08/09 Sat
we need to vote all the e-board incumbents out of office in this next election. We are losing at every turn.
1) no raise
2) 5% increase in out health insurance.
3) we lost holiday pay. about $5,000/yr per officer.
4) no political clout even though we give several thousand dollars to several politicians.
5) President Steve kenneway has provided no leadership.
6) Legislative Rep. Joe Gaurino is a no show.
7) Executive Secretary Henry Harris is not even a correction officer-he is a brownshirt maintenance worker from shirley med.
8)Grievance Coordinator james Nason admits he still does not know his job and needs more time to learn.

This union has gone downhill for the past six to eight years under the so called leadership of these guys.

they might be good guys I don't know any of them. This is nothing personal. but they have had there chance.

Lets vote in some hardworking, smart and solid union guys who will work hard for us and NOT sell us out.

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Replies:
  • Re: concerned (NT) -- So every state Union in Mass. should do the same, right?, 06:47:55 11/12/09 Thu
Subject: Good news! they can run but they cann't hide or cash in.


Author:
Hunter
[Edit]
Date Posted: 17:13:38 06/01/09 Mon
Just heard that if an EBoarder while in his union job stole or took kick backs or any crime they will loose their retirement bennies.

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Replies:
Subject: THE ELECTION IS OVER


Author:
TAKE YOUR STUPID SIGNS DOWN
[Edit]
Date Posted: 01:09:45 03/26/09 Thu
DON'T LEAVE THEM UP UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION YOU LAZY SLUGS

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Replies:
Subject: when is the count


Author:
q
[Edit]
Date Posted: 14:14:50 03/14/09 Sat
letters say one date web site state another

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Subject: Copyed from the lame flanagan's posts


Author:
You can run but you cann't hide from what's going to drop.
[Edit]
Date Posted: 21:22:24 02/23/09 Mon
''If ANYONE has any proof of any union members wrong doing they are obligated by the constitution and by-laws to file charges. That alone speaks volumes. If Ed or any other E-board member has done anything to damage this union or any of its members, charges should have and would have been filed. None have been, therefore, no wrong doing by any of them has occurred. Unlike Ferullo, Boudreau, and Perin.''

My take on it.
Ed's mad spending has gone unchecked for up to 8 years because no one knew how fucking bad it was until that lame ass flanagan finely
spilled the beans, only after being on the no show oversight committee for two terms.
There are alot of dirty hands on this one and filing union charges is way to late.
Laws may of been broken and when you are talking about millions of dollars and NO OVERSIGHT of the spending it does not take long to get in to hot water.
All it takes is something over $250 in misspending and it is a felony charge. It's not going to be the membership's call either, it will be the lawman's.
You know how they treat screws in the news, you are done before you started.
....or best case, nothing is wrong and we will have true oversight of the speading. ...it could happen!?!?!?

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Subject: Conflict of Interest


Author:
Ted Aherm
[Edit]
Date Posted: 11:18:24 03/04/09 Wed
In Ed's mailing it states that Ed is on the Executive Board of the Labor Guild. Isn't that where we count the votes? Isn't there some kind of conflict of interest?

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Replies:
Subject: MCOFUseless E-Board


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:12:17 03/02/09 Mon
Working hard... or Hardly working...You be the judge




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Subject: To Triple Chin Ahearn


Author:
Foo
[Edit]
Date Posted: 16:07:34 03/03/09 Tue
Ed I was looking up your duties as treasurer under the constitution and by-laws and the very first word is "collect". Now lets get this straight, you've sent certified letters to members telling them they couldn't attend the mcofu christmas party with their families because they owed dues, you sent certified letters to stewards stating they were ineligible to run for steward again because they owed money. Yet, you never sent Kenny any letter saying he owed money? I'm guessing you were an intricate part of the conspiracy with babboon head, Kennodouche and Harris...by the way chinstrap how did the mcofu's financial books end up this year...was it short 3000.00 dollars? If it was why didn't you catch it and bring it to his attention and if it wasn't short 3000 why isnt he still there? Please answer these questions cs. I believe the fix was in...and by the way....YOU"RE OUT...
FOO

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Subject: Someone's been eating when he is nervous


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:18:04 03/02/09 Mon
Late night at MCOFuseless Headquarters



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Subject: Mt Rushmore


Author:
4 Losers I'll never vote for
[Edit]
Date Posted: 17:41:54 02/17/09 Tue
Michael Jackson

A-Rod

Ed Ahearn

Rob Brouillette

4 Losers that I'll never vote for



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Replies:
Subject: MCOFUseless Treasurer


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:15:34 03/02/09 Mon
How much did you make in '08 Ed???



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Subject: I respectfully request the opportunity to work for you as your “NEW” MCOFU Treasurer.


Author:
Daniel Dubrule
[Edit]
Date Posted: 16:13:50 12/20/08 Sat
Dear MCOFU Brothers & Sisters, Winter 2008/2009

I, Correction Officer Daniel D. Dubrule respectfully request the opportunity to work for you as your “NEW” MCOFU Treasurer.
I humbly point out that my 19 plus years as a Sworn Correction Officer with over 15 years as a MCOFU Union Steward with accomplished political ability and working experienced as an elected Treasurer would make me a viable candidate for MCOFU’s Executive Board.
The experience I’ve received over 15 years of service to this and other nonprofit organizations has given me the working knowledge and tools needed to be a Great Treasurer and Executive Board member from day one. I have the proven ability, knowledge and experience needed to keep MCOFU on financial track and make many positive changes for the benefit of the membership and our UNION.

Elected, I will;
• Do ALL my duties as MCOFU’s “NEW “Treasurer
• Balance our financial books
• Develop a financially responsible budget(s)
• Enable our members to view Financial/Budget Reports online, with a password
• Get our Stewards the equipment and training they need to help them help you the membership
• Help reunite our Union and its Members
• Work with the other MCOFU Board Members and elected Stewards to serve the Membership’s best interest
• Establish a one-stop Unit 4 Financial Information Clearinghouse
• Incorporate our Benevolent/Benefit fund
• Improve and update members Financial/Overall Benefits
• Help file legislation to bolster our current and future financial needs i.e. 20/60, 25/75, cost of living raises, education financial aid to family members…
• Get our Membership onto the follow Boards PERAC, PRIM
• Start a family support group
• Seek Grants to better our membership
• Organize For-Profit programs that would bring in funds to support MCOFU’s member benefit programs other that just our Union dues
• I WILL CALL ALL members of MCOFU
• Start Web casting Union information
• 24/7 Union Duty Station

The following are some of my experiences and accomplishments so that you can make an informed decision that voting for me, Daniel D. Dubrule, will be the right vote for you.
• Sworn in as a Massachusetts’ Correction Officer in 1989
• Opened SBCC
• Tact Team for over seven years
• MCOFU Steward for over 15 years
• Completed numerous training/educational seminars for Union Steward Development and Non-profit organizations
• Elected to the following MCOFU Committees (some many times);
o Judicial
o Communicable Disease
o Health & Welfare
o Election
o Contract Negotiation
o Veterans
• Co-founded MCOFU’s Military Association Committee that grew to over 1,100 members
• Principal Team member that successfully wrote and lobbied to get the Military Retirement Buy Back
• Co-started County Officers’ Network
• Assisted in winning case #SUP-4514 Unfair Labor Charge
• Helped raise or collect thousands of dollars for the benefit of fellow Union Sisters and Brothers in their time of need
• I have attended most of MCOFU’s Union informational pickets and other pro-action events including House of Correction pickets/events
• Never a disciplinary problem but due to Union activities, I have been on many Managers’/Sheriffs’/Sellouts’,
Shun, Hate, Intimidate and Threat list
• Treasurer/Co-founded of the World Veterans Association (WVA) nonprofit
• Massachusetts Governors Veterans Advisory Board member thru WVA
• Helped the WVA open a health clinic that has helped hundreds of individuals in need
• At the age of 16, I joined the Army Reserves and completed 16 years of service. First half as a Calvary Scout and the last half as a Combat Military Policeman. During my time in I was trained and made in charge of Soldiers retention and Family Support Inc. (Army’s version of a Union Steward)
• Married 100 years and BLESSED with two wonderful daughters
• Licensed Construction Supervisor
• Licensed Insurance Agent for Hartford Life
• Licensed Insurance Agent for Aflac
• Importer/Exporter
• Media Producer
• Local Lions Club President & member
• PTO Treasurer
• PTO Vice President
• PTA Treasurer
• Grant/Donation seeker
• Elected Vise Financial Secretary to an Incorporated Private Club
• School Building Committee member
• School Building PAC Fund Co-Founder
• Reserve Police Training
• Pilot training
• Community Center Building Committee member
• Member of the Joint Coalition on Health
• Member of AMVETS

To learn more and or to show your support please e-mail me at Turnkeyer@aol.com

Thank you for consideration to Please Vote Daniel D. Dubrule for MCOFU Treasurer.

Sincerely,
Daniel D. Dubrule

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Subject: fuck all u fuckin lames


Author:
pissed off sergeant
[Edit]
Date Posted: 00:30:39 03/01/09 Sun
fuck all u fuckin lames...b.c.s.o. still gets shitted on no matter whos there so blow me

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Subject: lmfYuwZQSbm


Author:
tonipygjiz (UfVrbgDCHdopR)
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:22:26 02/27/09 Fri
zISTkY knwnkwytello, [url=http://eopehcuxetwh.com/]eopehcuxetwh[/url], [link=http://hlttfanmnffm.com/]hlttfanmnffm[/link], http://gaoiqvckmhnl.com/

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Subject: Fingerprints


Author:
CSI Milford
[Edit]
Date Posted: 18:05:28 02/25/09 Wed
I sent my envelope for Fingerprinting. Lets wait and see who's prints are on them.

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Subject: Rob "AKA DRAGON BREATH" Brouillette


Author:
Tic Tack
[Edit]
Date Posted: 14:55:50 02/25/09 Wed
I know that I've been the worst BA that this or any other Union has ever seen. But I really want to be elected.

*I promise to keep the out of State junkets to a minimum ( can I go on 7 or 8 of them)

*I promise to minimize MCOFU time spent on American Correction Officer Information Network from 35 hours a week to 32 hours per week

* I promise stop posting on the "Bitch Board"

* I promise to brush my teeth and use breath mints

Please re-elect me. The stress of this election has increased my waist size from 44" to 48"

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Replies:
Subject: You should pass these out


Author:
Piccaso
[Edit]
Date Posted: 19:33:08 02/10/09 Tue
Rob,
The last time I saw you at my Institution was 2007. During the last election. So why come out now. Oh it's election time. You should have passed these out.




A vote for you is a vote for Management

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Replies:
Subject: amen


Author:
amen
[Edit]
Date Posted: 06:37:54 02/25/09 Wed
Madame Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, and the first lady of the United States:

I've come here tonight not only to address the distinguished men and women in this great chamber, but to speak frankly and directly to the men and women who sent us here.

I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is a concern that rises above all others. And rightly so. If you haven't been personally affected by this recession, you probably know someone who has — a friend, a neighbor, a member of your family. You don't need to hear another list of statistics to know that our economy is in crisis, because you live it every day. It's the worry you wake up with and the source of sleepless nights. It's the job you thought you'd retire from but now have lost; the business you built your dreams upon that's now hanging by a thread; the college acceptance letter your child had to put back in the envelope. The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere.

But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken, though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this:

We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.

The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation. The answers to our problems don't lie beyond our reach. They exist in our laboratories and universities, in our fields and our factories, in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth. Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure. What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more.

Now if we're honest with ourselves, we'll admit that for too long, we have not always met these responsibilities — as a government or as a people. I say this not to lay blame or look backwards, but because it is only by understanding how we arrived at this moment that we'll be able to lift ourselves out of this predicament.

The fact is, our economy did not fall into decline overnight. Nor did all of our problems begin when the housing market collapsed or the stock market sank. We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before. The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year, yet we keep delaying reform. Our children will compete for jobs in a global economy that too many of our schools do not prepare them for. And though all these challenges went unsolved, we still managed to spend more money and pile up more debt, both as individuals and through our government, than ever before.

In other words, we have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity, where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election. A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn't afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day.

Well that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here.

Now is the time to act boldly and wisely — to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity. Now is the time to jump-start job creation, restart lending, and invest in areas like energy, health care and education that will grow our economy, even as we make hard choices to bring our deficit down. That is what my economic agenda is designed to do, and that's what I'd like to talk to you about tonight.

It's an agenda that begins with jobs.

As soon as I took office, I asked this Congress to send me a recovery plan by President's Day that would put people back to work and put money in their pockets. Not because I believe in bigger government — I don't. Not because I'm not mindful of the massive debt we've inherited — I am. I called for action because the failure to do so would have cost more jobs and caused more hardships. In fact, a failure to act would have worsened our long-term deficit by assuring weak economic growth for years. That's why I pushed for quick action. And tonight, I am grateful that this Congress delivered, and pleased to say that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is now law.

Over the next two years, this plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs. More than 90 percent of these jobs will be in the private sector — jobs rebuilding our roads and bridges, constructing wind turbines and solar panels, laying broadband and expanding mass transit.

Because of this plan, there are teachers who can now keep their jobs and educate our kids. Health care professionals can continue caring for our sick. There are 57 police officers who are still on the streets of Minneapolis tonight because this plan prevented the layoffs their department was about to make.

Because of this plan, 95 percent of the working households in America will receive a tax cut — a tax cut that you will see in your paychecks beginning on April 1.

Because of this plan, families who are struggling to pay tuition costs will receive a $2,500 tax credit for all four years of college. And Americans who have lost their jobs in this recession will be able to receive extended unemployment benefits and continued health care coverage to help them weather this storm.

I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work. I understand that skepticism. Here in Washington, we've all seen how quickly good intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending. And with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right.

That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort — because nobody messes with Joe. I have told each member of my Cabinet as well as mayors and governors across the country that they will be held accountable by me and the American people for every dollar they spend. I have appointed a proven and aggressive inspector general to ferret out any and all cases of waste and fraud. And we have created a new Web site called recovery.gov so that every American can find out how and where their money is being spent.

So the recovery plan we passed is the first step in getting our economy back on track. But it is just the first step. Because even if we manage this plan flawlessly, there will be no real recovery unless we clean up the credit crisis that has severely weakened our financial system.

I want to speak plainly and candidly about this issue tonight, because every American should know that it directly affects you and your family's well-being. You should also know that the money you've deposited in banks across the country is safe, your insurance is secure and you can rely on the continued operation of our financial system. That is not the source of concern.

The concern is that if we do not restart lending in this country, our recovery will be choked off before it even begins.

You see the flow of credit is the lifeblood of our economy. The ability to get a loan is how you finance the purchase of everything from a home to a car to a college education; how stores stock their shelves, farms buy equipment, and businesses make payroll.

But credit has stopped flowing the way it should. Too many bad loans from the housing crisis have made their way onto the books of too many banks. With so much debt and so little confidence, these banks are now fearful of lending out any more money to households, to businesses or to each other. When there is no lending, families can't afford to buy homes or cars. So businesses are forced to make layoffs. Our economy suffers even more, and credit dries up even further.

That is why this administration is moving swiftly and aggressively to break this destructive cycle, restore confidence and restart lending.

We will do so in several ways. First, we are creating a new lending fund that represents the largest effort ever to help provide auto loans, college loans and small business loans to the consumers and entrepreneurs who keep this economy running.

Second, we have launched a housing plan that will help responsible families facing the threat of foreclosure lower their monthly payments and refinance their mortgages. It's a plan that won't help speculators or that neighbor down the street who bought a house he could never hope to afford, but it will help millions of Americans who are struggling with declining home values — Americans who will now be able to take advantage of the lower interest rates that this plan has already helped bring about. In fact, the average family who refinances today can save nearly $2000 per year on their mortgage.

Third, we will act with the full force of the federal government to ensure that the major banks that Americans depend on have enough confidence and enough money to lend even in more difficult times. And when we learn that a major bank has serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy.

I understand that on any given day, Wall Street may be more comforted by an approach that gives banks bailouts with no strings attached and that holds nobody accountable for their reckless decisions. But such an approach won't solve the problem. And our goal is to quicken the day when we restart lending to the American people and American business and end this crisis once and for all.

I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for the assistance they receive, and this time they will have to clearly demonstrate how taxpayer dollars result in more lending for the American taxpayer. This time, CEOs won't be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks or buy fancy drapes or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over.

Still, this plan will require significant resources from the federal government — and yes, probably more than we've already set aside. But while the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an economy that sputters along for not months or years, but perhaps a decade. That would be worse for our deficit, worse for business, worse for you and worse for the next generation. And I refuse to let that happen.

I understand that when the last administration asked this Congress to provide assistance for struggling banks, Democrats and Republicans alike were infuriated by the mismanagement and results that followed. So were the American taxpayers. So was I.

So I know how unpopular it is to be seen as helping banks right now, especially when everyone is suffering in part from their bad decisions. I promise you — I get it.

But I also know that in a time of crisis, we cannot afford to govern out of anger or yield to the politics of the moment. My job — our job — is to solve the problem. Our job is to govern with a sense of responsibility. I will not spend a single penny for the purpose of rewarding a single Wall Street executive, but I will do whatever it takes to help the small business that can't pay its workers or the family that has saved and still can't get a mortgage.

That's what this is about. It's not about helping banks — it's about helping people. Because when credit is available again, that young family can finally buy a new home. And then some company will hire workers to build it. And then those workers will have money to spend, and if they can get a loan too, maybe they'll finally buy that car or open their own business. Investors will return to the market, and American families will see their retirement secured once more. Slowly but surely, confidence will return, and our economy will recover.

So I ask this Congress to join me in doing whatever proves necessary. Because we cannot consign our nation to an open-ended recession. And to ensure that a crisis of this magnitude never happens again, I ask Congress to move quickly on legislation that will finally reform our outdated regulatory system. It is time to put in place tough, new commonsense rules of the road so that our financial market rewards drive and innovation, and punishes shortcuts and abuse.

The recovery plan and the financial stability plan are the immediate steps we're taking to revive our economy in the short-term. But the only way to fully restore America's economic strength is to make the long-term investments that will lead to new jobs, new industries, and a renewed ability to compete with the rest of the world. The only way this century will be another American century is if we confront at last the price of our dependence on oil and the high cost of health care, the schools that aren't preparing our children and the mountain of debt they stand to inherit. That is our responsibility.

In the next few days, I will submit a budget to Congress. So often, we have come to view these documents as simply numbers on a page or laundry lists of programs. I see this document differently. I see it as a vision for America — as a blueprint for our future.

My budget does not attempt to solve every problem or address every issue. It reflects the stark reality of what we've inherited — a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis and a costly recession.

Given these realities, everyone in this chamber — Democrats and Republicans — will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me.

But that does not mean we can afford to ignore our long-term challenges. I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves, that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity.

For history tells a different story. History reminds us that at every moment of economic upheaval and transformation, this nation has responded with bold action and big ideas. In the midst of civil war, we laid railroad tracks from one coast to another that spurred commerce and industry. From the turmoil of the industrial revolution came a system of public high schools that prepared our citizens for a new age. In the wake of war and depression, the GI Bill sent a generation to college and created the largest middle-class in history. And a twilight struggle for freedom led to a nation of highways, an American on the moon and an explosion of technology that still shapes our world.

In each case, government didn't supplant private enterprise, it catalyzed private enterprise. It created the conditions for thousands of entrepreneurs and new businesses to adapt and to thrive.

We are a nation that has seen promise amid peril and claimed opportunity from ordeal. Now we must be that nation again. That is why, even as it cuts back on the programs we don't need, the budget I submit will invest in the three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future: energy, health care and education.

It begins with energy.

We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century. And yet, it is China that has launched the largest effort in history to make their economy energy efficient. We invented solar technology, but we've fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in producing it. New plug-in hybrids roll off our assembly lines, but they will run on batteries made in Korea.

Well I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root beyond our borders — and I know you don't either. It is time for America to lead again.

Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation's supply of renewable energy in the next three years. We have also made the largest investment in basic research funding in American history — an investment that will spur not only new discoveries in energy, but breakthroughs in medicine, science and technology.

We will soon lay down thousands of miles of power lines that can carry new energy to cities and towns across this country. And we will put Americans to work making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save billions of dollars on our energy bills.

But to truly transform our economy, protect our security and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America. And to support that innovation, we will invest fifteen billion dollars a year to develop technologies like wind power and solar power, advanced biofuels, clean coal and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks built right here in America.

As for our auto industry, everyone recognizes that years of bad decision-making and a global recession have pushed our automakers to the brink. We should not, and will not, protect them from their own bad practices. But we are committed to the goal of a retooled, re-imagined auto industry that can compete and win. Millions of jobs depend on it. Scores of communities depend on it. And I believe the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it.

None of this will come without cost, nor will it be easy. But this is America. We don't do what's easy. We do what is necessary to move this country forward.

For that same reason, we must also address the crushing cost of health care.

This is a cost that now causes a bankruptcy in America every thirty seconds. By the end of the year, it could cause 1.5 million Americans to lose their homes. In the last eight years, premiums have grown four times faster than wages. And in each of these years, one million more Americans have lost their health insurance. It is one of the major reasons why small businesses close their doors and corporations ship jobs overseas. And it's one of the largest and fastest-growing parts of our budget.

Given these facts, we can no longer afford to put health care reform on hold.

Already we have done more to advance the cause of health care reform in the last thirty days than we have in the last decade. When it was days old, this Congress passed a law to provide and protect health insurance for eleven million American children whose parents work full-time. Our recovery plan will invest in electronic health records and new technology that will reduce errors, bring down costs, ensure privacy and save lives. It will launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American by seeking a cure for cancer in our time. And it makes the largest investment ever in preventive care, because that is one of the best ways to keep our people healthy and our costs under control.

This budget builds on these reforms. It includes an historic commitment to comprehensive health care reform — a down-payment on the principle that we must have quality, affordable health care for every American. It's a commitment that's paid for in part by efficiencies in our system that are long overdue. And it's a step we must take if we hope to bring down our deficit in the years to come.

Now, there will be many different opinions and ideas about how to achieve reform, and that is why I'm bringing together businesses and workers, doctors and health care providers, Democrats and Republicans to begin work on this issue next week.

I suffer no illusions that this will be an easy process. It will be hard. But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and the conscience of our nation long enough. So let there be no doubt: health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait and it will not wait another year.

The third challenge we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education in America.

In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite.

Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish.

This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education — from the day they are born to the day they begin a career.

Already, we have made a historic investment in education through the economic recovery plan. We have dramatically expanded early childhood education and will continue to improve its quality, because we know that the most formative learning comes in those first years of life. We have made college affordable for nearly seven million more students. And we have provided the resources necessary to prevent painful cuts and teacher layoffs that would set back our children's progress.

But we know that our schools don't just need more resources. They need more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for teacher performance; pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We'll invest in innovative programs that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. And we will expand our commitment to charter schools.

It is our responsibility as lawmakers and educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. And so tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country — and this country needs and values the talents of every American. That is why we will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education. And to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations, I ask this Congress to send me the bipartisan legislation that bears the name of Sen. Orrin Hatch as well as an American who has never stopped asking what he can do for his country — Sen. Edward Kennedy.

These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent-teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, and read to their child. I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home.

There is, of course, another responsibility we have to our children. And that is the responsibility to ensure that we do not pass on to them a debt they cannot pay. With the deficit we inherited, the cost of the crisis we face and the long-term challenges we must meet, it has never been more important to ensure that as our economy recovers, we do what it takes to bring this deficit down.

I'm proud that we passed the recovery plan free of earmarks, and I want to pass a budget next year that ensures that each dollar we spend reflects only our most important national priorities.

Yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office. My administration has also begun to go line by line through the federal budget in order to eliminate wasteful and ineffective programs. As you can imagine, this is a process that will take some time. But we're starting with the biggest lines. We have already identified two trillion dollars in savings over the next decade.

In this budget, we will end education programs that don't work and end direct payments to large agribusinesses that don't need them. We'll eliminate the no-bid contracts that have wasted billions in Iraq and reform our defense budget so that we're not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don't use. We will root out the waste, fraud and abuse in our Medicare program that doesn't make our seniors any healthier, and we will restore a sense of fairness and balance to our tax code by finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.

In order to save our children from a future of debt, we will also end the tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. But let me perfectly clear, because I know you'll hear the same old claims that rolling back these tax breaks means a massive tax increase on the American people: If your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat — not one single dime. In fact, the recovery plan provides a tax cut — that's right, a tax cut — for 95 percent of working families. And these checks are on the way.

To preserve our long-term fiscal health, we must also address the growing costs in Medicare and Social Security. Comprehensive health care reform is the best way to strengthen Medicare for years to come. And we must also begin a conversation on how to do the same for Social Security while creating tax-free universal savings accounts for all Americans.

Finally, because we're also suffering from a deficit of trust, I am committed to restoring a sense of honesty and accountability to our budget. That is why this budget looks ahead ten years and accounts for spending that was left out under the old rules — and for the first time, that includes the full cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. For seven years, we have been a nation at war. No longer will we hide its price.

We are now carefully reviewing our policies in both wars, and I will soon announce a way forward in Iraq that leaves Iraq to its people and responsibly ends this war.

And with our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat al-Qaida and combat extremism. Because I will not allow terrorists to plot against the American people from safe havens half a world away.

As we meet here tonight, our men and women in uniform stand watch abroad and more are readying to deploy. To each and every one of them, and to the families who bear the quiet burden of their absence, Americans are united in sending one message: We honor your service, we are inspired by your sacrifice and you have our unyielding support. To relieve the strain on our forces, my budget increases the number of our soldiers and Marines. And to keep our sacred trust with those who serve, we will raise their pay and give our veterans the expanded health care and benefits that they have earned.

To overcome extremism, we must also be vigilant in upholding the values our troops defend — because there is no force in the world more powerful than the example of America. That is why I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and will seek swift and certain justice for captured terrorists — because living our values doesn't make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger. And that is why I can stand here tonight and say without exception or equivocation that the United States of America does not torture.

In words and deeds we are showing the world that a new era of engagement has begun. For we know that America cannot meet the threats of this century alone, but the world cannot meet them without America. We cannot shun the negotiating table, nor ignore the foes or forces that could do us harm. We are instead called to move forward with the sense of confidence and candor that serious times demand.

To seek progress toward a secure and lasting peace between Israel and her neighbors, we have appointed an envoy to sustain our effort. To meet the challenges of the 21st century — from terrorism to nuclear proliferation, from pandemic disease to cyber threats to crushing poverty — we will strengthen old alliances, forge new ones and use all elements of our national power.

And to respond to an economic crisis that is global in scope, we are working with the nations of the G-20 to restore confidence in our financial system, avoid the possibility of escalating protectionism and spur demand for American goods in markets across the globe. For the world depends on us to have a strong economy, just as our economy depends on the strength of the world's.

As we stand at this crossroads of history, the eyes of all people in all nations are once again upon us — watching to see what we do with this moment, waiting for us to lead.

Those of us gathered here tonight have been called to govern in extraordinary times. It is a tremendous burden, but also a great privilege — one that has been entrusted to few generations of Americans. For in our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill.

I know that it is easy to lose sight of this truth — to become cynical and doubtful, consumed with the petty and the trivial.

But in my life, I have also learned that hope is found in unlikely places, that inspiration often comes not from those with the most power or celebrity, but from the dreams and aspirations of Americans who are anything but ordinary.

I think about Leonard Abess, the bank president from Miami who reportedly cashed out of his company, took a $60 million bonus, and gave it out to all 399 people who worked for him, plus another 72 who used to work for him. He didn't tell anyone, but when the local newspaper found out, he simply said, "I knew some of these people since I was seven years old. I didn't feel right getting the money myself."

I think about Greensburg, Kan., a town that was completely destroyed by a tornado, but is being rebuilt by its residents as a global example of how clean energy can power an entire community — how it can bring jobs and businesses to a place where piles of bricks and rubble once lay. "The tragedy was terrible," said one of the men who helped them rebuild. "But the folks here know that it also provided an incredible opportunity."

And I think about Ty-Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, S.C. — a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She has been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, "We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters."

We are not quitters.

These words and these stories tell us something about the spirit of the people who sent us here. They tell us that even in the most trying times, amid the most difficult circumstances, there is a generosity, a resilience, a decency and a determination that perseveres, a willingness to take responsibility for our future and for posterity.

Their resolve must be our inspiration. Their concerns must be our cause. And we must show them and all our people that we are equal to the task before us.

I know that we haven't agreed on every issue thus far, and there are surely times in the future when we will part ways. But I also know that every American who is sitting here tonight loves this country and wants it to succeed. That must be the starting point for every debate we have in the coming months, and where we return after those debates are done. That is the foundation on which the American people expect us to build common ground.

And if we do — if we come together and lift this nation from the depths of this crisis, if we put our people back to work and restart the engine of our prosperity, if we confront without fear the challenges of our time and summon that enduring spirit of an America that does not quit, then someday years from now our children can tell their children that this was the time when we performed, in the words that are carved into this very chamber, "something worthy to be remembered." Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

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  • Re: amen (NT) -- It would have been easier to just post the link, 07:53:50 02/25/09 Wed
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Date Posted: 06:40:04 02/25/09 Wed
Madame Speaker, Mr. Vice President, membersF of Congress, and the first lady of the United States:

I've come here tonight not only to address the distinguished men and women in this great chamber, but to speak frankly and directly to the men and women who sent us here.

I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our economy is a concern that rises above all others. And rightly so. If you haven't been personally affected by this recession, you probably know someone who has — a friend, a neighbor, a member of your family. You don't need to hear another list of statistics to know that our economy is in crisis, because you live it every day. It's the worry you wake up with and the source of sleepless nights. It's the job you thought you'd retire from but now have lost; the business you built your dreams upon that's now hanging by a thread; the college acceptance letter your child had to put back in the envelope. The impact of this recession is real, and it is everywhere.

But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken, though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this:

We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.

The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this nation. The answers to our problems don't lie beyond our reach. They exist in our laboratories and universities, in our fields and our factories, in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of the hardest-working people on Earth. Those qualities that have made America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history we still possess in ample measure. What is required now is for this country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and take responsibility for our future once more.

Now if we're honest with ourselves, we'll admit that for too long, we have not always met these responsibilities — as a government or as a people. I say this not to lay blame or look backwards, but because it is only by understanding how we arrived at this moment that we'll be able to lift ourselves out of this predicament.

The fact is, our economy did not fall into decline overnight. Nor did all of our problems begin when the housing market collapsed or the stock market sank. We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before. The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year, yet we keep delaying reform. Our children will compete for jobs in a global economy that too many of our schools do not prepare them for. And though all these challenges went unsolved, we still managed to spend more money and pile up more debt, both as individuals and through our government, than ever before.

In other words, we have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity, where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election. A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn't afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day.

Well that day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here.

Now is the time to act boldly and wisely — to not only revive this economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity. Now is the time to jump-start job creation, restart lending, and invest in areas like energy, health care and education that will grow our economy, even as we make hard choices to bring our deficit down. That is what my economic agenda is designed to do, and that's what I'd like to talk to you about tonight.

It's an agenda that begins with jobs.

As soon as I took office, I asked this Congress to send me a recovery plan by President's Day that would put people back to work and put money in their pockets. Not because I believe in bigger government — I don't. Not because I'm not mindful of the massive debt we've inherited — I am. I called for action because the failure to do so would have cost more jobs and caused more hardships. In fact, a failure to act would have worsened our long-term deficit by assuring weak economic growth for years. That's why I pushed for quick action. And tonight, I am grateful that this Congress delivered, and pleased to say that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is now law.

Over the next two years, this plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs. More than 90 percent of these jobs will be in the private sector — jobs rebuilding our roads and bridges, constructing wind turbines and solar panels, laying broadband and expanding mass transit.

Because of this plan, there are teachers who can now keep their jobs and educate our kids. Health care professionals can continue caring for our sick. There are 57 police officers who are still on the streets of Minneapolis tonight because this plan prevented the layoffs their department was about to make.

Because of this plan, 95 percent of the working households in America will receive a tax cut — a tax cut that you will see in your paychecks beginning on April 1.

Because of this plan, families who are struggling to pay tuition costs will receive a $2,500 tax credit for all four years of college. And Americans who have lost their jobs in this recession will be able to receive extended unemployment benefits and continued health care coverage to help them weather this storm.

I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are skeptical of whether this plan will work. I understand that skepticism. Here in Washington, we've all seen how quickly good intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending. And with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right.

That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort — because nobody messes with Joe. I have told each member of my Cabinet as well as mayors and governors across the country that they will be held accountable by me and the American people for every dollar they spend. I have appointed a proven and aggressive inspector general to ferret out any and all cases of waste and fraud. And we have created a new Web site called recovery.gov so that every American can find out how and where their money is being spent.

So the recovery plan we passed is the first step in getting our economy back on track. But it is just the first step. Because even if we manage this plan flawlessly, there will be no real recovery unless we clean up the credit crisis that has severely weakened our financial system.

I want to speak plainly and candidly about this issue tonight, because every American should know that it directly affects you and your family's well-being. You should also know that the money you've deposited in banks across the country is safe, your insurance is secure and you can rely on the continued operation of our financial system. That is not the source of concern.

The concern is that if we do not restart lending in this country, our recovery will be choked off before it even begins.

You see the flow of credit is the lifeblood of our economy. The ability to get a loan is how you finance the purchase of everything from a home to a car to a college education; how stores stock their shelves, farms buy equipment, and businesses make payroll.

But credit has stopped flowing the way it should. Too many bad loans from the housing crisis have made their way onto the books of too many banks. With so much debt and so little confidence, these banks are now fearful of lending out any more money to households, to businesses or to each other. When there is no lending, families can't afford to buy homes or cars. So businesses are forced to make layoffs. Our economy suffers even more, and credit dries up even further.

That is why this administration is moving swiftly and aggressively to break this destructive cycle, restore confidence and restart lending.

We will do so in several ways. First, we are creating a new lending fund that represents the largest effort ever to help provide auto loans, college loans and small business loans to the consumers and entrepreneurs who keep this economy running.

Second, we have launched a housing plan that will help responsible families facing the threat of foreclosure lower their monthly payments and refinance their mortgages. It's a plan that won't help speculators or that neighbor down the street who bought a house he could never hope to afford, but it will help millions of Americans who are struggling with declining home values — Americans who will now be able to take advantage of the lower interest rates that this plan has already helped bring about. In fact, the average family who refinances today can save nearly $2000 per year on their mortgage.

Third, we will act with the full force of the federal government to ensure that the major banks that Americans depend on have enough confidence and enough money to lend even in more difficult times. And when we learn that a major bank has serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy.

I understand that on any given day, Wall Street may be more comforted by an approach that gives banks bailouts with no strings attached and that holds nobody accountable for their reckless decisions. But such an approach won't solve the problem. And our goal is to quicken the day when we restart lending to the American people and American business and end this crisis once and for all.

I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for the assistance they receive, and this time they will have to clearly demonstrate how taxpayer dollars result in more lending for the American taxpayer. This time, CEOs won't be able to use taxpayer money to pad their paychecks or buy fancy drapes or disappear on a private jet. Those days are over.

Still, this plan will require significant resources from the federal government — and yes, probably more than we've already set aside. But while the cost of action will be great, I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an economy that sputters along for not months or years, but perhaps a decade. That would be worse for our deficit, worse for business, worse for you and worse for the next generation. And I refuse to let that happen.

I understand that when the last administration asked this Congress to provide assistance for struggling banks, Democrats and Republicans alike were infuriated by the mismanagement and results that followed. So were the American taxpayers. So was I.

So I know how unpopular it is to be seen as helping banks right now, especially when everyone is suffering in part from their bad decisions. I promise you — I get it.

But I also know that in a time of crisis, we cannot afford to govern out of anger or yield to the politics of the moment. My job — our job — is to solve the problem. Our job is to govern with a sense of responsibility. I will not spend a single penny for the purpose of rewarding a single Wall Street executive, but I will do whatever it takes to help the small business that can't pay its workers or the family that has saved and still can't get a mortgage.

That's what this is about. It's not about helping banks — it's about helping people. Because when credit is available again, that young family can finally buy a new home. And then some company will hire workers to build it. And then those workers will have money to spend, and if they can get a loan too, maybe they'll finally buy that car or open their own business. Investors will return to the market, and American families will see their retirement secured once more. Slowly but surely, confidence will return, and our economy will recover.

So I ask this Congress to join me in doing whatever proves necessary. Because we cannot consign our nation to an open-ended recession. And to ensure that a crisis of this magnitude never happens again, I ask Congress to move quickly on legislation that will finally reform our outdated regulatory system. It is time to put in place tough, new commonsense rules of the road so that our financial market rewards drive and innovation, and punishes shortcuts and abuse.

The recovery plan and the financial stability plan are the immediate steps we're taking to revive our economy in the short-term. But the only way to fully restore America's economic strength is to make the long-term investments that will lead to new jobs, new industries, and a renewed ability to compete with the rest of the world. The only way this century will be another American century is if we confront at last the price of our dependence on oil and the high cost of health care, the schools that aren't preparing our children and the mountain of debt they stand to inherit. That is our responsibility.

In the next few days, I will submit a budget to Congress. So often, we have come to view these documents as simply numbers on a page or laundry lists of programs. I see this document differently. I see it as a vision for America — as a blueprint for our future.

My budget does not attempt to solve every problem or address every issue. It reflects the stark reality of what we've inherited — a trillion dollar deficit, a financial crisis and a costly recession.

Given these realities, everyone in this chamber — Democrats and Republicans — will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me.

But that does not mean we can afford to ignore our long-term challenges. I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves, that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity.

For history tells a different story. History reminds us that at every moment of economic upheaval and transformation, this nation has responded with bold action and big ideas. In the midst of civil war, we laid railroad tracks from one coast to another that spurred commerce and industry. From the turmoil of the industrial revolution came a system of public high schools that prepared our citizens for a new age. In the wake of war and depression, the GI Bill sent a generation to college and created the largest middle-class in history. And a twilight struggle for freedom led to a nation of highways, an American on the moon and an explosion of technology that still shapes our world.

In each case, government didn't supplant private enterprise, it catalyzed private enterprise. It created the conditions for thousands of entrepreneurs and new businesses to adapt and to thrive.

We are a nation that has seen promise amid peril and claimed opportunity from ordeal. Now we must be that nation again. That is why, even as it cuts back on the programs we don't need, the budget I submit will invest in the three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future: energy, health care and education.

It begins with energy.

We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century. And yet, it is China that has launched the largest effort in history to make their economy energy efficient. We invented solar technology, but we've fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in producing it. New plug-in hybrids roll off our assembly lines, but they will run on batteries made in Korea.

Well I do not accept a future where the jobs and industries of tomorrow take root beyond our borders — and I know you don't either. It is time for America to lead again.

Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation's supply of renewable energy in the next three years. We have also made the largest investment in basic research funding in American history — an investment that will spur not only new discoveries in energy, but breakthroughs in medicine, science and technology.

We will soon lay down thousands of miles of power lines that can carry new energy to cities and towns across this country. And we will put Americans to work making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save billions of dollars on our energy bills.

But to truly transform our economy, protect our security and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America. And to support that innovation, we will invest fifteen billion dollars a year to develop technologies like wind power and solar power, advanced biofuels, clean coal and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks built right here in America.

As for our auto industry, everyone recognizes that years of bad decision-making and a global recession have pushed our automakers to the brink. We should not, and will not, protect them from their own bad practices. But we are committed to the goal of a retooled, re-imagined auto industry that can compete and win. Millions of jobs depend on it. Scores of communities depend on it. And I believe the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it.

None of this will come without cost, nor will it be easy. But this is America. We don't do what's easy. We do what is necessary to move this country forward.

For that same reason, we must also address the crushing cost of health care.

This is a cost that now causes a bankruptcy in America every thirty seconds. By the end of the year, it could cause 1.5 million Americans to lose their homes. In the last eight years, premiums have grown four times faster than wages. And in each of these years, one million more Americans have lost their health insurance. It is one of the major reasons why small businesses close their doors and corporations ship jobs overseas. And it's one of the largest and fastest-growing parts of our budget.

Given these facts, we can no longer afford to put health care reform on hold.

Already we have done more to advance the cause of health care reform in the last thirty days than we have in the last decade. When it was days old, this Congress passed a law to provide and protect health insurance for eleven million American children whose parents work full-time. Our recovery plan will invest in electronic health records and new technology that will reduce errors, bring down costs, ensure privacy and save lives. It will launch a new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American by seeking a cure for cancer in our time. And it makes the largest investment ever in preventive care, because that is one of the best ways to keep our people healthy and our costs under control.

This budget builds on these reforms. It includes an historic commitment to comprehensive health care reform — a down-payment on the principle that we must have quality, affordable health care for every American. It's a commitment that's paid for in part by efficiencies in our system that are long overdue. And it's a step we must take if we hope to bring down our deficit in the years to come.

Now, there will be many different opinions and ideas about how to achieve reform, and that is why I'm bringing together businesses and workers, doctors and health care providers, Democrats and Republicans to begin work on this issue next week.

I suffer no illusions that this will be an easy process. It will be hard. But I also know that nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform, the cost of our health care has weighed down our economy and the conscience of our nation long enough. So let there be no doubt: health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait and it will not wait another year.

The third challenge we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education in America.

In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite.

Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish.

This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education — from the day they are born to the day they begin a career.

Already, we have made a historic investment in education through the economic recovery plan. We have dramatically expanded early childhood education and will continue to improve its quality, because we know that the most formative learning comes in those first years of life. We have made college affordable for nearly seven million more students. And we have provided the resources necessary to prevent painful cuts and teacher layoffs that would set back our children's progress.

But we know that our schools don't just need more resources. They need more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for teacher performance; pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We'll invest in innovative programs that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. And we will expand our commitment to charter schools.

It is our responsibility as lawmakers and educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. And so tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country — and this country needs and values the talents of every American. That is why we will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education. And to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations, I ask this Congress to send me the bipartisan legislation that bears the name of Sen. Orrin Hatch as well as an American who has never stopped asking what he can do for his country — Sen. Edward Kennedy.

These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent-teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, and read to their child. I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home.

There is, of course, another responsibility we have to our children. And that is the responsibility to ensure that we do not pass on to them a debt they cannot pay. With the deficit we inherited, the cost of the crisis we face and the long-term challenges we must meet, it has never been more important to ensure that as our economy recovers, we do what it takes to bring this deficit down.

I'm proud that we passed the recovery plan free of earmarks, and I want to pass a budget next year that ensures that each dollar we spend reflects only our most important national priorities.

Yesterday, I held a fiscal summit where I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term in office. My administration has also begun to go line by line through the federal budget in order to eliminate wasteful and ineffective programs. As you can imagine, this is a process that will take some time. But we're starting with the biggest lines. We have already identified two trillion dollars in savings over the next decade.

In this budget, we will end education programs that don't work and end direct payments to large agribusinesses that don't need them. We'll eliminate the no-bid contracts that have wasted billions in Iraq and reform our defense budget so that we're not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don't use. We will root out the waste, fraud and abuse in our Medicare program that doesn't make our seniors any healthier, and we will restore a sense of fairness and balance to our tax code by finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.

In order to save our children from a future of debt, we will also end the tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. But let me perfectly clear, because I know you'll hear the same old claims that rolling back these tax breaks means a massive tax increase on the American people: If your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat — not one single dime. In fact, the recovery plan provides a tax cut — that's right, a tax cut — for 95 percent of working families. And these checks are on the way.

To preserve our long-term fiscal health, we must also address the growing costs in Medicare and Social Security. Comprehensive health care reform is the best way to strengthen Medicare for years to come. And we must also begin a conversation on how to do the same for Social Security while creating tax-free universal savings accounts for all Americans.

Finally, because we're also suffering from a deficit of trust, I am committed to restoring a sense of honesty and accountability to our budget. That is why this budget looks ahead ten years and accounts for spending that was left out under the old rules — and for the first time, that includes the full cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. For seven years, we have been a nation at war. No longer will we hide its price.

We are now carefully reviewing our policies in both wars, and I will soon announce a way forward in Iraq that leaves Iraq to its people and responsibly ends this war.

And with our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat al-Qaida and combat extremism. Because I will not allow terrorists to plot against the American people from safe havens half a world away.

As we meet here tonight, our men and women in uniform stand watch abroad and more are readying to deploy. To each and every one of them, and to the families who bear the quiet burden of their absence, Americans are united in sending one message: We honor your service, we are inspired by your sacrifice and you have our unyielding support. To relieve the strain on our forces, my budget increases the number of our soldiers and Marines. And to keep our sacred trust with those who serve, we will raise their pay and give our veterans the expanded health care and benefits that they have earned.

To overcome extremism, we must also be vigilant in upholding the values our troops defend — because there is no force in the world more powerful than the example of America. That is why I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and will seek swift and certain justice for captured terrorists — because living our values doesn't make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger. And that is why I can stand here tonight and say without exception or equivocation that the United States of America does not torture.

In words and deeds we are showing the world that a new era of engagement has begun. For we know that America cannot meet the threats of this century alone, but the world cannot meet them without America. We cannot shun the negotiating table, nor ignore the foes or forces that could do us harm. We are instead called to move forward with the sense of confidence and candor that serious times demand.

To seek progress toward a secure and lasting peace between Israel and her neighbors, we have appointed an envoy to sustain our effort. To meet the challenges of the 21st century — from terrorism to nuclear proliferation, from pandemic disease to cyber threats to crushing poverty — we will strengthen old alliances, forge new ones and use all elements of our national power.

And to respond to an economic crisis that is global in scope, we are working with the nations of the G-20 to restore confidence in our financial system, avoid the possibility of escalating protectionism and spur demand for American goods in markets across the globe. For the world depends on us to have a strong economy, just as our economy depends on the strength of the world's.

As we stand at this crossroads of history, the eyes of all people in all nations are once again upon us — watching to see what we do with this moment, waiting for us to lead.

Those of us gathered here tonight have been called to govern in extraordinary times. It is a tremendous burden, but also a great privilege — one that has been entrusted to few generations of Americans. For in our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill.

I know that it is easy to lose sight of this truth — to become cynical and doubtful, consumed with the petty and the trivial.

But in my life, I have also learned that hope is found in unlikely places, that inspiration often comes not from those with the most power or celebrity, but from the dreams and aspirations of Americans who are anything but ordinary.

I think about Leonard Abess, the bank president from Miami who reportedly cashed out of his company, took a $60 million bonus, and gave it out to all 399 people who worked for him, plus another 72 who used to work for him. He didn't tell anyone, but when the local newspaper found out, he simply said, "I knew some of these people since I was seven years old. I didn't feel right getting the money myself."

I think about Greensburg, Kan., a town that was completely destroyed by a tornado, but is being rebuilt by its residents as a global example of how clean energy can power an entire community — how it can bring jobs and businesses to a place where piles of bricks and rubble once lay. "The tragedy was terrible," said one of the men who helped them rebuild. "But the folks here know that it also provided an incredible opportunity."

And I think about Ty-Sheoma Bethea, the young girl from that school I visited in Dillon, S.C. — a place where the ceilings leak, the paint peels off the walls, and they have to stop teaching six times a day because the train barrels by their classroom. She has been told that her school is hopeless, but the other day after class she went to the public library and typed up a letter to the people sitting in this room. She even asked her principal for the money to buy a stamp. The letter asks us for help, and says, "We are just students trying to become lawyers, doctors, congressmen like yourself and one day president, so we can make a change to not just the state of South Carolina but also the world. We are not quitters."

We are not quitters.

These words and these stories tell us something about the spirit of the people who sent us here. They tell us that even in the most trying times, amid the most difficult circumstances, there is a generosity, a resilience, a decency and a determination that perseveres, a willingness to take responsibility for our future and for posterity.

Their resolve must be our inspiration. Their concerns must be our cause. And we must show them and all our people that we are equal to the task before us.

I know that we haven't agreed on every issue thus far, and there are surely times in the future when we will part ways. But I also know that every American who is sitting here tonight loves this country and wants it to succeed. That must be the starting point for every debate we have in the coming months, and where we return after those debates are done. That is the foundation on which the American people expect us to build common ground.

And if we do — if we come together and lift this nation from the depths of this crisis, if we put our people back to work and restart the engine of our prosperity, if we confront without fear the challenges of our time and summon that enduring spirit of an America that does not quit, then someday years from now our children can tell their children that this was the time when we performed, in the words that are carved into this very chamber, "something worthy to be remembered." Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
Subject: TOP SECERT


Author:
don't tell anyone
[Edit]
Date Posted: 21:45:45 02/24/09 Tue
Joe, Ken along with Manny are holding top secret meeting for the supporters of their slate
I heard it was held today in a phone booth
Bring your ballot and they will show you how to send this union down the drain
Ken , Joe and Manny you are the true three stooge’s
Two years ago you were against these guys and know you support them. WHY?
It because you are the fools following the fool
If this slate has a chance with you three then god helps us
Please anyone but these guys

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
Replies:
Subject: reI really, really, really want to bealy


Author:
please
[Edit]
Date Posted: 17:50:46 02/24/09 Tue
I really, really, really want to be
MCOFU’s Business Agent


So please vote
Mike Aucoin


My name is
Mike Aucoin and I am asking please, please your vote for me in March for the position of Business Agent for MCOFU.
I have been a Correction Officer for over 26 years and a solid union member for the last six months. The experience and knowledge I have received in the last six months will benefit me greatly if elected. Having worked with the present Business Agents for a week, he does a great job, makes me the bestest canadate. The one guarantee I'll make the union body, is that I'll bring a much needed boost of new ideas to this position with pictures of myself for every member.

Experience
• Chief Steward 2 Years, can’t say I did anything outstanding
• Over six months of Union Experience
• 26 Years Behind the Wall
Committees
• Publicity and Entertainment
• MCOFU PAC. Fund
• Finance
• Judicial
• Communicable Disease
Special Interests and Organizations

• Baseball Commissioner 4 Years I know what four balls looks like
• Little League Baseball Coach 7 Years , Boys
• PYSL Girls Soccer Coach 7 Years
• Member of EO.P 4 Years , we will take over your union


I will keep supporting this union
25% of the time. That’s all I have seeing that I have special interests

Alliances are made for the show "Survivor" on Thursdays nights at 8pmand for me and the past VP whom I supported 100%
I called Ken well at training and promised him I would get him the full support of the members in Norfolk when he needed them. Than I sat on the Judicial Panel and found him guilty

In closing PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE Vote for me. If for no other reason you will get a full color picture of my


No UNIOPN BUG but I am a union guy

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