From barackobama.com:

As part of the Affordable Care Act, starting August 1st, many insurance plans will be required to fully cover contraception without co-pays or deductibles as part of women's preventive care. This step will help more women to make health care decisions based on what's best for them—not their insurance company—and could save them hundreds of dollars every year.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced that certain religious organizations, including churches, will be exempt from paying their insurers to cover contraception.

Here's a look at how the new contraception policy will affect women and religious institutions.

• More than half of all Americans already live in the 28 states that require insurance companies to cover contraception.

• Most women—including 98 percent of Catholic women—who have had sex have used contraception, according to a study by the Guttmacher Institute.

• Some religiously-affiliated hospitals and universities already provide birth control coverage to their employees.

• A majority of Americans support including contraception coverage in health plans at no cost to women.

• Health care experts like the American Medical Association and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend contraception as a preventive service.

Protecting women's health

• Under the new provisions in the Affordable Care Act, women will have access to the care and family planning services they need without worrying about the cost.

• Women using contraception reduce their risk of developing ovarian and endometrial cancers to about half the rate of the rest of the population.

Religious employers

• Churches and other houses of worship are exempt from the new law.

• Other non-profit organizations, like religiously affiliated hospitals and universities that employ or serve people regardless of their faiths may qualify for a one-year transition period to prepare for the new law.

Protecting individual religious beliefs

• No individual health care provider will be forced to prescribe contraception.

• No one will be forced to buy or use contraception.

• Drugs such as RU-486 that cause abortion are not covered by this policy. The President remains committed to maintaining strict limits on federal funding for abortions.

Reducing costs

• While the monthly cost of contraception for women ranges between $30 and $50, insurers and experts agree that the savings would more than offset the costs.

• It will also save employers money. The National Business Group on Health estimated that employers would pay 15 to 17 percent more not to provide coverage than they would to provide it.

Let us know how the new policy will impact your life.

This morning, we got some very encouraging news about our economy. For the 23rd consecutive month, the number of new American jobs has continued to grow. January saw an additional 257,000 private-sector jobs, bringing us to nearly 3.7 million cumulative private-sector jobs under this administration.

This is really positive news, and it's a sign that the job-creation policies that President Obama and Democrats in Congress have fought for and implemented—despite near-universal Republican obstruction—are working. But the reality is that the hard work of rebuilding our economy is far from over. We need to continue to stand behind our President and congressional Democrats to build an economy that lasts—and to ensure every American looking for a job can find one.

To learn more about today's jobs numbers, check out this page on barackobama.com.

"The Lord will make a way somehow." As we celebrate Black History Month, the words of this old hymn keep me encouraged and focused on re-electing President Obama. I was an early supporter of then-Sen. Obama because I knew that he “got it,” and I have remained steadfast. 

In 1991, I was furloughed by my employer (later the company went bankrupt). As a part of the furlough benefit package, I was told that I could use COBRA to keep my health insurance. The COBRA coverage for my son and me would cost approximately $300 a month; I would receive a modest amount of severance pay; and I would be eligible to receive approximately $149 a week in unemployment benefits. But with a mortgage, a car payment, and other expenses, I could not afford the COBRA coverage. My ex-husband put my son on his insurance, but I went without health insurance for approximately two years. 

It got so bad that my house was scheduled for foreclosure. I was able to get forbearance on my mortgage, and eventually it was reamortized. During that time, I diligently searched for work and was able to receive extended unemployment benefits while I went to school at night. I prayed that I would not get sick. When I finally secured a job, I was able to use the Earned Income Tax Credit to keep more of my earnings. The Lord did make a way for me during those two years; somehow, I made it through. I went on to law school and now have my own law practice and pay for my health insurance.

When I first heard Sen. Obama talk about health care, I knew that I had to help him. The major issue during the 2008 campaign was health insurance, but by 2009, the economy had collapsed. I am very proud that in spite of the horrible condition that the country was in, President Obama did not abandon the working poor men and women, who like me, were simply trying to make it. The President understood that health insurance is a safety net for families. He continued to demonstrate his commitment to the less fortunate when he fought to extend unemployment benefit payments. I know the difference that extension made for the families of the 7 million people that were out of work, especially women.

Many times during periods of crisis, the needs of women and children are forgotten, but President Obama did not forget us. There are still women anxiously praying that they will be able to hold on until they can get health insurance. There are working women, who may have pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes and are not on medication. They are waiting for insurance. Throughout 2012, I will be working to re-elect President Obama because these women cannot afford to be left behind. 

During his second term, President Obama will be able continue moving our country in the right direction and make health insurance a reality for the working poor. The Affordable Care Act will reduce persistent health disparities that have plagued African American communities that lack access to health care. The people that want to repeal the Affordable Care Act have no concern for the working women and men that need health insurance, nor do they care how chronic illness affects our community. President Obama does.  

The President’s opponents like to deride the Affordable Care Act by calling it “Obamacare.” But I believe those words actually express the reality behind the legislation—Obama cares. Passing the health care bill was tough, but its passage brought new meaning to the words “the Lord will make a way somehow.”

To get the facts about the President’s health care law, click here.

As Mitt Romney campaigns in Nevada, a state hit hard by the housing crisis, he has yet to offer a single proposal to lend a hand to America’s struggling homeowners, make it easier for them to refinance their homes, or help them avoid foreclosure. Or, as Rep. Jan Schakowsky put it in a call slamming Romney's housing policies (or lack thereof) today: "He hasn’t offered any ideas to help these families recover their piece of the American dream and the dignity that comes with having a home to raise a family in."

Instead, he believes we should let the foreclosure process "run its course and hit the bottom." In other words, Romney would let homeowners lose their homes and let the banks make a quick buck from the wreckage of American middle-class families. And he had the gall to tell underwater Florida homeowners that the banks are "feeling the same thing" they are.

If you’re a homeowner in this country trying to make ends meet, Romney has four simple words for you: You’re on your own.

Banks, on the other hand…

Today in Las Vegas, Donald Trump added his name to a list of such esteemed luminaries as Christine O'Donnell, Robert Bork, Ann Coulter, and the Kansas secretary of state in endorsing Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.

But like so many before him, Trump hasn't always been on Team Romney. Quite the opposite: Less than a year ago, Trump couldn't resist sharing his disdain for Romney with every news outlet he could get a hold of.

Just last April, Trump mocked Romney in the New York Post as someone who "walked away with some money from a very good company that he didn't create."

He told the Washington Post that Romney has a history of "eliminating jobs rather than creating them."

And Trump believed, he told the Deseret News, that Romney "doesn't have a chance at the Republican nomination."

So what changed? How did Trump go from publicly mocking Romney to deciding he was the candidate for him?

It seems they discovered a common hobby to bond over: Firing people.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, former Nevada Gov. Bob Miller, and former Sen. Richard Bryan welcomed Mitt Romney to Nevada with an op-ed in the Las Vegas Sun. On every issue important to Nevadans—jobs, housing, immigration, and Yucca Mountain—Romney is on the wrong side.

Romney is running on his business experience and job creation record—a point he has stressed in Nevada, a state in which unemployment is a major issue. But Romney doesn't want Nevadans to know that he made millions from buying companies, closing factories, firing workers, and sending jobs overseas. And during his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, the state ranked 47th out of 50 in job creation. In contrast, President Obama has emphasized his commitment to job creation and laid out a blueprint for it in his State of the Union address.

The last time Romney visited Nevada, a state with one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation, he told homeowners he would let the foreclosure process “hit the bottom”—a stance he reinforced earlier this week. Meanwhile, President Obama visited Nevada last year and proposed new ways to help struggling homeowners keep their homes. Yesterday President Obama unveiled his new housing plan, which will create new opportunities for responsible homeowners to refinance their mortgages and save $3,000 a year.

Immigration is also a critical issue in Nevada, a state with a high population of Hispanics. Romney has proudly accepted the endorsement of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who authored the extreme anti-immigration laws in Arizona Alabama. And although 91 percent of Hispanics support the DREAM Act—which provides a pathway to citizenship for those who came to America as children through no fault of their own—Romney called it a “handout” and promised to veto it if Congress passed it. In his State of the Union address, President Obama promised to sign the DREAM Act into law if it came across his desk.

Finally, Romney sought and received the endorsement of South Carolina's Tea Party governor, Nikki Haley, who said she supports Romney largely because he wants to revive the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository. The project, which is strongly opposed by Nevadans and would have led to high-level nuclear waste to be dumped within Yucca Mountain, was canceled by President Obama.

The choice for Nevadans is clear, write Reid, Miller and Bryan: "If we follow the President’s bold blueprint and create an economy built to last, we will come back stronger than ever."

Having served for more than 11 years on active duty in our Navy with deployments to the Middle East, the Pacific Rim, the Mediterranean Sea and East Africa, I’m grateful for what I learned about the importance of strong sea power and in using smart power to exert global influence.  Though the military is just one element of national power, nothing compares to the ability to project power from a sovereign U.S. Navy vessel afloat in international waters without worrying about basing or overflight rights.

Under the leadership of President Obama, the Navy is rebuilding the fleet from 288 ships to 325 by the next decade.  For this and other reasons, it is clear to me that the President remains committed to a strong Navy and a strong national defense, despite a very challenging fiscal environment that forced difficult spending decisions. 

Though a capable military is necessary, strong national power begins at home.  The President’s track record includes needed investment in our aging infrastructure and the rescue of the American auto industry.  His vision moves us even further by doubling down on his commitment to American manufacturing, reducing our reliance on foreign oil through investment in clean energy, and investing in the most precious resource we have: American workers.

There’s one group of American workers that have already benefited from such investment and will continue to benefit under a second term: Veterans.  Starting in 2001, America increased the size of the military during a decade of conflict.  During that time, thousands of men and women joined our second-to-none, all-volunteer force – sometimes against the wishes of their mothers and fathers – and were sent to places like Iraq and Afghanistan, where they served honorably. 

A grateful nation would want to provide for their orderly transition into the civilian workforce, where their skills and dedication can be put to further use.  President Obama has done just that by signing the “Returning Heroes” and “Wounded Warriors” tax credits for businesses that hire unemployed veterans, by increasing veterans’ employment in the federal government, and by launching the Veteran’s Job Bank and other Labor Department initiatives.

In 2008 I was fired up and squarely behind a bold vision for the future outlined by then Sen. Obama.  While some criticize the President for not doing more during his first term, I admire his persistence and resilience in the face of adversity.  Despite the challenges and setbacks, he remains faithful to his values and committed to his vision.  Simply put, he exhibits exactly the qualities I admire in a leader and in a Commander-in-Chief.

If you see things the way I do, I hope you’ll join me in working as hard as possible in 2012 to ensure President Obama can continue to build on the progress he has made.

In an interview yesterday, Mitt Romney said, "I'm not concerned about the very poor." Romney's attempt to explain his comment was just as bad: "It’s not good being poor, and we have a safety net to help those that are very poor … My focus is on middle-income Americans … You can focus on the rich. That’s not my focus. You can focus on the very poor. That’s not my focus."

Romney is focused on the middle class? That's laughable. Romney's economic plan, which has been called "a plan for the 1%," would be devastating to the middle class—while giving enormous tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. Mitt Romney paid a 13.9 percent tax rate in 2010-- about half of what most middle class Americans paid.  

Under Romney's proposed plan, his rate would be cut in half, but people who make less than $40,000 a year would see their taxes go up— some as much as 60%. Middle class families would see a cut of about $167 dollars, while those who earn more than $1 million would get tax cuts on average of nearly $146,000. 

And what about the safety net he refers to? Romney would slash it. His plan pays for his tax cuts for the wealthy through massive tax cuts to public services and social programs the middle class depends on. Romney has also said he would support policies that would end Medicare as we know it, and gut Social Security. 

So when Romney says he's not concerned about the very poor, but instead is focusing on the middle class, it's not just his insensitivity that is important, it's the fact that he's just not telling us the truth.

From BarackObama.com:

Today, as our nation kicks off African American History Month, the campaign is launching African Americans for Obama.

When President Obama took the oath of office, our economy was hemorrhaging jobs at a record pace. President Obama inherited a system that allowed a shrinking number of people to get ahead while the rest of us fell behind. But he stopped the bleeding and went to work for our community and our nation. Despite serious challenges, since 2009 restoring our shared values has helped us achieve real progress.

In some ways this election is more important than the last for our community. If we fail to re-elect President Obama, some people will say everything we’ve accomplished since 2008 was a fluke. That’s why we’ve got to speak loudly about his accomplishments and make sure that, throughout the campaign, we’ve got President Obama’s back. You can start today by volunteering or joining your local neighborhood team as a Black Business Captain, Congregation Captain, Barber Shop & Beauty Shop Captain, or HBCU Organizer.

There are ample opportunities to get involved. Begin by watching this message from the President and sharing it with your family and friends.

In a botched attempt to feign concern for the middle class yesterday, Mitt Romney told CNN that he's "not concerned about the very poor" in America. We're not here to dispute that—but let's be clear: Romney's not concerned about the middle class either.

Romney's concern has always been the well-being of the very rich. If Romney were president, the middle class could expect a $167 tax cut under his plan—while those making more than $1 million would see a $146,000 tax cut. He believes that the foreclosure crisis should "run its course and hit the bottom." And he called the President's $1,500 payroll tax cut a "temporary little Band-Aid."

Make sure your friends know where Romney's true priorities lie. Watch and share our new web video.

I learned very early in the civil rights movement that with determination and organization, you can stand up to the greatest of challenges. I stood side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Dorothy I. Height fighting for “one-person, one-vote.” I vividly remember the struggle to register voters in Selma and secure the right to one-person one vote. After Selma, I worked with Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. to establish Operation Breadbasket, which assisted communities in need.

As President Obama said, “Voting is a fundamental right – and when we make our voices heard, we can keep moving our nation forward, building a fairer, stronger and more just America. But now more than ever, that right is under attack from groups who are determined to turn back the clock, particularly by restricting access to the ballot box.

This Black History Month should serve as a reminder to all of us that while we have come a long way, there is still much more work to be done. We need to harness the legacy of Dr. King and Dr. Height by standing up to those groups that are determined to limit our right to one person, to vote. An easy first step would be to go to http://www.protectingthevote.org/, become a part of the DNC’s voter protection effort, and spread the word about this important project with your friends and family.

Failing to address our nation's housing crisis would mean that 10 million families are at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure, driving down home prices, deepening the housing crisis, and delaying full economic recovery. Over the past two days, President Obama and Mitt Romney have described their plans to address our nation's housing crisis. How do they stack up?

PHILOSOPHY

Obama: "While government can't fix the problem on its own, responsible homeowners shouldn't have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief."

Romney: "But the idea of trying to stop the foreclosure process kept it from occurring, kept the market from bottoming and recovering. You have to let the market work and let home values recover as a result of that."

"Don't try and stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom."

REFINANCING

Obama: Sent to Congress a broad refinancing plan that would let responsible homeowners save an average of $3,000 per year.

Romney: No proposal.

HOMEOWNER BILL OF RIGHTS

Obama: Proposed a single set of rules for borrowers and lenders, including simple and full disclosures and prevention of conflicts of interest and inappropriate foreclosures.

Romney: No proposal.

UNEMPLOYED HOMEOWNERS

Obama: Ensured the unemployed homeowners participating in the FHA and HAMP programs could receive at least a year of forbearance. Major banks, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac have now followed the President’s lead and adopted the same policy.

Romney: No proposal.

PUNISHING FRAUD

Obama: Formed a joint task force with states and federal investigators from the Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Romney: No proposal.

ADDITIONAL STEPS

Obama: Expanded eligibility for HAMP mortgage modifications to reduce foreclosures. Increased incentives for lenders to modify loans and help borrowers rebuild equity. Rehabilitating neighborhoods through Project Rebuild.

Romney: No proposal.

Share this PDF of the side-by-side comparison of President Obama and Mitt Romney's housing plans. 

Today, Tim Pawlenty will appear at a Mitt Romney campaign event in his home state of Minnesota. We thought we'd mark the occasion by reminding Minnesotans that the relationship between their former governor and Mitt Romney hasn't always been so warm: In fact, Pawlenty slammed Romneycare as the blueprint for the Affordable Care Act, accused Romney of dodging the debt debate, and even said he regretted dropping out of the 2012 presidential campaign after he endorsed Romney. Seems like a half-hearted endorsement at best. 

Here's some of T-Paw's greatest hits on Romney. For more, check out our complete research document.

• Less than a month after endorsing Romney for president, Pawlenty said he would have stayed in the race "if I had known then what I know now."
• "I don't think we can have a nominee that was involved in the development and construction of Obamacare."
• "President Obama said that he designed Obamacare after Romneycare—and basically made it Obamneycare."
• Pawlenty called out Romney for not outlining his stance on the debt ceiling debate, tweeting, "What say you @MittRomney?"

DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz today released the following statement commemorating February as Black History Month:

“As we begin our national celebration of Black History Month today, we honor the critical role that African Americans have played in making our country a more perfect union. We also recognize the vast accomplishments of African Americans throughout our nation’s history and celebrate the contributions and triumphant victories of leaders like Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Fannie Lou Hammer, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks, who helped to lead the way in overcoming the stain of segregation and ensuring that all Americans have access to the ballot box.

In this critical moment, we cannot afford to turn back the clock—there is still much more work to do. We know that we must continue moving America forward on the path of progress, opportunity and fairness for all. That means standing up to attempts to suppress the right of all citizens to cast a ballot, ensuring that all Americans have access to quality affordable health care, and investing in education to guarantee that every single person in this country has a fair chance at living the American Dream.

“Throughout Black History Month, we reaffirm our commitment to a more perfect union as we honor and celebrate the contributions of African Americans to our great nation—as we continue the critical work of striving for justice and equality for all.”

In 2008, a record number of people of color cast their ballots.  In fact, 15.1 percent more African Americans cast ballots in 2008 than in 2004.  More than 3 million African Americans voted for the first time in 2008, and more than 17 million Americans voted for the first time in 2008.

35 states introduced voter photo ID laws in 2011 – laws that would disenfranchise more than 23 million eligible voters who don't have the kind of ID these laws mandate. To make matters worse, 17 states have passed legislation aimed at limiting the right to vote. They have made it harder to vote early, vote with an absentee ballot, and have put up more barriers to register voters.

I remember the struggle to secure the right to vote. Thousands shed blood, sweat and tears to ensure that all Americans had access to the ballot.  Far too many even gave their lives fighting for this fundamental right. But these new photo ID laws would take us back to a time when this fundamental right was far too readily denied -- and we cannot afford to go back. It's up to all of us to protect our democracy by protecting voting rights for everyone. Go to http://www.protectingthevote.org/ and please share this important information with your friends, your family and anyone you know who is troubled by this assault on our right to vote.

Throughout Black History Month, DNC Black Caucus members will share updates about how the President’s accomplishments have benefited people of color, and highlight how we can continue fighting to move the country forward.

In 2008, a record number of people of color cast their ballots.  In fact, 15.1 percent more African Americans cast ballots in 2008 than in 2004.  More than 3 million African Americans voted for the first time in 2008, and more than 17 million Americans voted for the first time in 2008.

35 states introduced voter photo ID laws in 2011 – laws that would disenfranchise more than 23 million eligible voters who don't have the kind of ID these laws mandate. To make matters worse, 17 states have passed legislation aimed at limiting the right to vote. They have made it harder to vote early, vote with an absentee ballot, and have put up more barriers to register voters.

I remember the struggle to secure the right to vote. Thousands shed blood, sweat and tears to ensure that all Americans had access to the ballot.  Far too many even gave their lives fighting for this fundamental right. But these new photo ID laws would take us back to a time when this fundamental right was far too readily denied -- and we cannot afford to go back. It's up to all of us to protect our democracy by protecting voting rights for everyone. Go to http://www.protectingthevote.org/ and please share this important information with your friends, your family and anyone you know who is troubled by this assault on our right to vote.

Throughout Black History Month, DNC Black Caucus members will share updates about how the President’s accomplishments have benefited people of color, and highlight how we can continue fighting to move the country forward.

Congressman Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico's representative in the U.S. Congress, is in Tampa, Florida, today to get out the word to Spanish-language media on why the policies of Mitt Romney and the Republican candidates would be devastating to Puerto Ricans and other Hispanic Americans—and what the Obama presidency has meant for his community.

Rep. Pierluisi says Obama and the Democrats stand for the things Hispanics care most about: a decent quality of life for their loved ones, opportunities for education, access to adequate health services, job creation, retirement benefits, and the rights and dignity of Hispanic immigrants. 

He cites these key examples: Because of President Obama's leadership on the Affordable Care Act and the votes of a Democratic Congress, 9 million Hispanic Americans will have access to health care. Because of President Obama and Democrats, Pell Grants have increased for low-income students. And President Obama and Democrats support a tax system that ensures everyone—millionaires and billionaires included—pay their fair share to ensure prosperity for all.

"If the Obama administration has shown anything," says Pierluisi, "it's that it's always standing with the working class, always standing with the middle class, always standing with those in need."

By contrast, the Republicans, led by Romney, have made extreme cuts—not job creation—their priority: slashing Medicare benefits, privatizing Social Security, and destroying the social safety net that has helped so many Hispanics achieve the American Dream. But Rep. Pierluisi believes the one issue in which the contrast is most pronounced is on immigration:

"If there's something that the Republican candidates, particularly Romney, have shown in this campaign, they're going out of their way to please the Tea Party movement. The best example is their position on immigration. There is no question that Mitt Romney's stand on this issue should be an offense to the Hispanic community in the States. It is clearly an anti-immigrant, anti-Hispanic sentiment. He says he would not even support the DREAM Act and would even get to the level of vetoing if the Congress approves it. The DREAM Act is the least we should be doing in terms of our broken immigration system."

We can't trust Romney or the Republicans to fix our immigration system and do right by our nation's immigrants. Hold them accountable, and add your name in strong support of the DREAM Act here.

Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement tonight on the results of the Florida Republican primary:

“Mitt Romney’s victory tonight in the Florida GOP primary comes as no surprise—Romney and his super PAC outspent his nearest opponent by running 13,000 ads to Newt Gingrich's 200, carpet-bombing the airwaves with negative ads. In fact, Romney’s campaign has already spent more on negative ads than John McCain did during his entire presidential run.

“Tonight, Romney was successful in buying his way to victory—but with every passing Republican contest, he becomes weaker with key general election swing and independent voters should he make it that far. That’s because Mitt Romney has made it clear he will say anything, take any position on any given day and before any given audience and will distort any fact about his or his opponents' record to win.

"But voters are paying more attention than Mitt Romney gives them credit for. They know he has declared support for both an extreme Tea Party agenda that would gut Social Security and Medicare and a budget plan that would end Medicare as we know it and shifts costs onto the backs of America’s seniors. They also know Romney has doubled down on his incredibly out-of-touch positions of letting foreclosures hit the bottom and expanding tax breaks to the wealthiest few at the expense of the middle class. And despite his double-speak in Florida, Mitt Romney has done nothing to dissuade voters from the notion that he is the most anti-immigrant significant major party candidate for president in generations.

"The reason Mitt Romney's negatives have soared with independent voters nationally and in key states, even as he has won one contest on his home field and bought his way to victory in another, is because the more voters learn about his extreme and out-of-touch positions, the less they like him and the less they trust him to lead."

I am a 98 year-old veteran who has served proudly in three wars, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. As an African-American soldier, though I faced many indignities, I served my country because I knew my sacrifices would make America a better country for my children. I recently lost my wife of seventy years, Emma Henri, "My Rock of Gibraltar," who held the fort at home like many military wives today. Michele Obama's support for military families was one of the reasons she supported President Obama. I am supporting the Commander-in-Chief because he has brought our troops home. And who knows better than an old warrior why it is important to end a war which no longer has any purpose.

Like President Obama I came from an island (St. Thomas) and was raised by a single mother. I was able to attain my American dream, even in a time of rampant racism, because I had the opportunity to get a good education because of the GI bill. I applaud President Obama for making it easier for veterans to get a higher education through the Post 9/11 GI Reform Act. I am an example of what education allows one to achieve.

As a member of a generation which believed in shared sacrifice for the good of the nation, I support President Obama's call for fairness for the middle class who have borne the brunt of the recession while wealthy Americans have enjoyed massive increases to their fortunes.  He is right to call for fairness. Americans are strong and willing to sacrifice as long as they feel everyone is paying and doing their fair share.

And finally I support President Obama because he is a patriot who loves this country and who has worked hard to make America a place I am still proud to serve.

In October, Mitt Romney suggested the foreclosure process "run its course and hit the bottom." Last week, Romney told struggling homeowners in Florida that banks are “feeling the same thing” they are. Today, he said he would “let the market work” instead of stopping fraudulent foreclosures.

Mitt Romney may know what banks are feeling, but clearly he does not understand what millions of struggling homeowners in Florida are feeling.

Romney has attacked Newt Gingrich for working with Freddie Mac during the housing crisis, but it's been shown since that Romney invested up to $500,000 in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—proving once again that he will say anything to get elected.

In his 59-point economic plan, Romney remained silent on housing. And the 44 percent of Florida homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth didn't hear anything about a refinancing plan from Romney while he was campaigning there.

Meanwhile, President Obama's housing plan is helping millions of Americans keep their homes through refinancing and loan modifications, among other programs. He took executive action so borrowers with little or no equity can refinance and take advantage of current low mortgage rates. And at the State of the Union, the President proposed a new re-financing plan that "gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low interest rates."