Thoughts from President William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd President of the United States on why the people of the United States of America should re-elect President Barack Obama.
"I don't think it is just important to re-elect President Obama. I think it is essential to re-elect the President - if we want our country to have the future our children and our grandchildren deserve.
"The financial crash in September 2008 made an already weak economy worse, and made the time required to return to full employment longer. But the President pressed on, with a strategy to deal with the emergency and implement his plan for long-term prosperity.
The Record
"President Obama enacted measures to prevent the recession from becoming a full-scale depression, and followed up with a bold agenda, including action to prevent another financial crash by requiring banks to hold more cash reserves to back-up risky loans and investments; to provide incentives to bring manufacturing jobs back to America; to restructure auto industry, and reclaim America's Leadership in clean energy jobs; to reform the student loan program to lower interest rates and increase the graduation rate by limiting annual repayment costs to a small fixed percentage of a graduate's income; and to achieve comprehensive health care reform to expand coverage to millions of Americans, improve the quality of care and hold down inflation in future health care costs.
Auto Industry
"President Obama decided to save it (auto industry). And to do it the right way. He didn't just give the car companies, and unions, your tax money. He said, "You guys have to work together. Everybody's got to have some skin in the game. You've got to modernize the automobile industry."
They rose to the challenge. Barack Obama bet on the ingenuity of the American worker and the American entrepreneur. And America won.
The results: Instead of America losing more than one million jobs, we have a resurgent auto industry that has added a quarter of a million jobs since the rescue, and Chrysler and GM have repaid their outstanding government loans in full.
Health Care
"The President decided on the bold course. He knew the present system was unfair, and vastly more expensive than any other nation's, with high health costs responsible for nearly 2/3 of personal bankruptcy filings and a big factor in holding wages down. .. With the passage of the Affordable Health Care Act, America won again.
"The results: For two years in a row, inflation in health care costs has been less than four percent for the first time in fifty years. Individuals and businesses have already received $1.1 billion in refunds on their health premiums because the law requires that 80-85% of your premium be spent for health care, not profits and promotion. And millions of young Americans between 21 and 26 are now covered on their family's policies.
War on Terrorism
"The President also responsibly ended the war in Iraq, set a clear strategy and end date for the war in Afghanistan, decimate Al Qaeda's senior leadership, repaired our alliances and restored America's standing in the world. He also ended Don't Ask Don't Tell and passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act ensuring that women have the tools to fight to be paid the same as men for doing the same work.
Rebuilding the Economy
"He is rebuilding the economy on a foundation of the fundamental middle class values that made America great - hard work, equal opportunity, shared responsibility and shared prosperity. He believes America prospers when work pays, responsibility is rewarded, and everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream.
"The results: In the last 29 months, the economy has produced 4.5 million private sector jobs - far more private sector jobs than in the previous administration overall - and in the current recovery, the economy has outpaced job creation after the 2001 recession by 2.3 million private sector jobs.
"We must re-elect Barack Obama President of the United States."
Here is a new advertisement from President Clinton on re-electing President Obama:
Sincerely,
President Bill Clinton