DES MOINES - Obama for America Iowa today released a new ad called "Personal" that highlights the President's commitment to preserving Medicare for today's seniors and for future generations. As a president who was raised by his grandparents, he understands the importance of Medicare - which is why fighting Medicare fraud has long been a top priority for him.

As part of that effort, President Obama is leading the most successful crackdown on health care fraud in our country's history. The Obama Administration extended the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by, among other measures, cutting waste and subsidies in addition to recovering more than $4 billion dollars from health care scams last year alone.

While President Obama is standing by America's seniors and strengthening Medicare, Mitt Romney would end the program as we know it and likely make seniors pay more for health care. Romney wants to turn Medicare into a voucher program to help pay for tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, which would move our country backwards and hurt the middle class. That's why President Obama is running for re-election -- to move our country forward because America cannot afford to go back.

Please click HERE to watch the ad.


Visual

Audio

Back Up

Senior couple walking outdoors

Female VO: To you and your loved ones...

 

 

Senior woman looking into camera

...Medicare is personal.

 

President Obama with his grandparents

And to a President raised by his grandparents...

Obama's Grandparents Raised Him From The Age Of 10, "The Stable Center Of His Life." "Obama was 10 years old when he moved in with his two middle-American grandparents who would raise him and become the stable center of his life. Looking at a photo, Obama said he saw the joy of his early childhood. Both grandparents came from Kansas. His grandfather was a World War II veteran who had come to Hawaii to find better work." [ABC News, 9/26/08]

President Obama at Oval Office desk

...it's personal, too.

President Obama: My Grandparents "Relied On Medicare And Social Security" To Supplement Their Income When They Got Old. "My grandparents relied on Medicare and Social Security to help supplement their income when they got old." [Facebook Town Hall Meeting, 04/20/11]

President Obama shaking hands with senior woman

 

Men talking in silhouette

 

"Obama Gets Tough on Health Care Fraud"

New York Times, 3/10/2010

 

 

And starts with protecting your Medicare from health care scam artists who prey on seniors.

New York Times Headline: Obama Gets Tough On Health Care Fraud. [New York Times, 03/10/10]

 

Between 2009 And 2011, Convictions Under The Health Care Fraud And Abuse Control Program Increased By Over 27 Percent And The Number Of Defendants Facing Criminal Charges Filed By Federal Prosecutors In 2011 Increased 74 Percent Compared With 2008. "Convictions under the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program increased by over 27 percent (583 to 743) between 2009 and 2011, and the number of defendants facing criminal charges filed by federal prosecutors in 2011 increased by 74 percent compared with 2008 (1430 vs. 821)." [Healthcare.gov, 02/14/12]

President Obama in Rose Garden

 

Law enforcement officials leading handcuffed inmate down prison hallway

 

 

President Obama

The Most Successful Crackdown

on Health Care Fraud in U.S. History

BusinessWeek, 2/14/12

President Obama is leading the most successful crackdown on health care fraud ever.

Businessweek: The Obama Administration Recovered $4.1 Billion In Health Care Fraud, "A Record." "Federal authorities say they recovered $4.1 billion in health care fraud judgments last year, a record high which officials on Monday credited to new tools for cracking down on deceitful Medicare claims. The recovered funds are up roughly 50 percent from 2009." [BusinessWeek, 02/14/12]

In Fiscal Year 2011, Federal Prosecutors Filed Criminal Charges Against 1,430 Defendants For Health Care Fraud Related Crimes, The Highest Number Of Health Care Fraud Defendants Charged In A Single Year In The History Of The Justice Department. "Including strike force matters, federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against a total of 1,430 defendants for health care fraud related crimes.  This is the highest number of health care fraud defendants charged in a single year in the department's history." [Department of Health and Human Services, 02/14/2012]

Courtroom interior

 

 

 

 

Fight Against Health Care Fraud

Recovers $4.1 Billion

USA Today, 2/14/12

Already recovered four-billion dollars from health care scams last year alone...

USA Today: The Obama Administration Recovered A "Record-Breaking $4.1 Billion In Health Care Fraud Money During 2011." "Investigators recovered a record-breaking $4.1 billion in health care fraud money during 2011, a reflection of the Obama administration's increased focus on fighting fraud, Justice Department officials announced Tuesday." [USA Today, 02/14/12]

In Fiscal Year 2011, The Obama Administration Recovered Approximately $4.1 Billion In Health Care Fraud, The Highest Annual Amount Ever Recovered. "Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report showing that the government's health care fraud prevention and enforcement efforts recovered nearly $4.1 billion in taxpayer dollars in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011.  This is the highest annual amount ever recovered from individuals and companies who attempted to defraud seniors and taxpayers or who sought payments to which they were not entitled. " [Department of Health and Human Services, 02/14/12]

 

Grandparent cooking with grandchildren

...to preserve Medicare now and for the future.

The Affordable Care Act's Reforms To Crack Down On Fraud And Abuse In Medicare Are Among A Number Of Measures To Save Medicare $200 Billion Through 2016. "The Affordable Care Act: Achieves short-term savings of over $200 billion in Medicare through 2016 according to the independent CMS Actuary...resulting in immediate benefit to the Medicare Trust Fund...A number of critical Medicare policies in place now are achieving huge savings for beneficiaries and taxpayers while laying the foundation for long-term success and sustainability of the program. These steps reward quality, get better value for beneficiaries and promote savings through innovation....Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse and Getting Better Value for Durable Medical Equipment: $7.8 Billion in Savings." [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 04/23/12]

 

Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner: The Affordable Care Act Gives The Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services The Ability To Work To Guarantee The Future Of Medicare, "With Tools To Lower Costs, Fight Fraud, And Change Incentives So That Medicare Pays For Coordinated, Quality Care." "'The Trustees Report tells us that while Medicare is stable for now, we have a lot of work ahead of us to guarantee its future,' said Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.  'The Affordable Care Act is giving CMS the ability to do this work, with tools to lower costs, fight fraud, and change incentives so that Medicare pays for coordinated, quality care and not the number of services.'" [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 04/23/12]

President Obama walking at White House

A commitment to Medicare...

President Obama: "I View Social Security And Medicare As The Most Important Social Safety Nets" We Have. "I view Social Security and Medicare as the most important social safety nets that we have. I think it is important for them to remain as social insurance programs that give people some certainty and reliability in their golden years." [Press Conference, White House Briefing Room, 07/15/11 accessed via Lexis]

Senior couple, holding hands

...as personal as yours.

 

President Obama, speaking with seniors around table

 

Obama/Biden

barackobama.com/MedicareFacts

 

Approved by Barack Obama.  Paid for by Obama for President.

POTUS: I'm Barack Obama, and I approve this message.

 

 

 

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CHICAGO, IL - On Thursday, May 24, President Obama will hold a grassroots event at the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

 

In Des Moines, President Obama will continue to outline how far we've come and the clear choice that voters face in this election: whether we continue to move our country forward by creating an economy that's built to last based on a strong, secure middle class, or go back to the same failed policies that led to the financial crisis and left middle-class Americans struggling to make ends meet.

 


WHAT: President Obama to Hold Campaign Grassroots Event

 

WHEN: Thursday, May 24, 2012

Estimated Remarks Start Time: 7:00PM CDT

WHERE: Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center

Iowa State Fairgrounds

3000 East Grand Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50317

 

PRESS ACCESS: This event is open to pre-credentialed members of the media.

 

RSVP: Members of the media interested in covering this event must request credentials online, by clicking here. Those receiving credentials will be notified via email.

 

 

**The deadline to request credentials is 6:00 PM EDT // 5:00 PM CDT on Wednesday, May 23.**

 

Logistical Information

 

Media entrance: All media should enter the Iowa State Fairgrounds at Gate 11, located at 30 East 30th Street. Media check-in will be at the intersection of East Grand Avenue and East 33rd Street.

Media pre-set: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

No access to equipment: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Media access: 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Final media access: 5:30 p.m.

Live truck parking: South side of the Animal Learning Center next to the electrical building. Parking will be directed on-site. All live trucks should arrive at the Iowa State Fairgrounds by 12:00 p.m. in order to park and run cable before 1:00 p.m.

General media parking: All media should enter the Iowa State Fairgrounds at Gate 11, located at 30 East 30th Street. Parking will be available in the Midway parking lot on the north side of Grand Avenue.

Cable run: 300 feet

Throw: 35 feet

Limited power and workspace will be available.

Media contact for logistical and planning purposes only:  Stephanie Temaat, 202.503.5360

 

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DES MOINES - Monday, May 21 Today and Tomorrow, Obama for America Iowa is holding its next round of Women for Obama events with Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge in Davenport, Dubuque and Independence.  The campaign is reminding Iowans about the President's record on women's issues and his efforts to protect and advance policies that promote fairness, equal opportunity, and a level playing field for all Americans.

On Monday, Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge and a Women for Obama Steering Committee member, will join a women's small business lunch in Davenport and attend a women's house party in Dubuque.  On Tuesday, she will meet with women for coffee in Independence.

Patty Judge will be talking about the critical role that women will play in this next election.  Obama for America Iowa is reaching out to supporters and volunteers across the state in advance of President Obama's first campaign event in Des Moines on Thursday.

 

Monday, May 21

12:00 PM

 

WHAT: Women's small business event with Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge and Cathy Lafrenz, owner of Miss Effie's flower garden.  Both will talk about what the President has done for small businesses and woman in the workplace.

WHERE: Nostalgia Farms Fresh Deli

421 West River Drive
Davenport, IA 52803

 

6:00 PM

WHAT: Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge will attend a Women for Obama house party to talk about why this election is so important for women.

WHERE: Home of Helen Varner

2330 High Cloud Dr.
Dubuque, IA 52002

 

Tuesday, May 22

9:30 AM

 

WHAT: Former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge will meet for coffee with women supporters.

 

WHERE: Em's Coffee Company

324 First Street East

Independence, IA 50644

DES MOINES - In a continued effort to share President Obama's vision for our country, Obama for America released a new television ad in Iowa titled "Reverse" that highlights the steady, consistent recovery President Obama is leading for the middle class.

President Obama is coming to Iowa on May 24th for a grassroots event at the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.  Thursday's event is the President's first campaign grassroots event in Iowa of this election cycle.   It is open to the public, and no tickets are required. Space will be first come, first served. Doors will open at 4:30 PM CST. The address for the Iowa State Fairgrounds is 3000 East Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50317, and guests should enter using the main entrance to the fair grounds at the intersection of East 30th St. and East Grand Ave.

When the president took office, our country was losing 750,000 jobs a month and he took immediate action to stop the bleeding, not only helping the private sector end the free-fall, but reverse the trend. Instead of losing jobs, we are now creating them -- 4.2 million private sector jobs over 26 consecutive months of job growth.

Since day one, President Obama has been fighting for the middle class and working to move Iowa and our country forward.  While we're moving in the right direction, we have much more work to do.   We are growing an economy that's built to last, where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded, where everyone has a fair shot and does their fair share, and everyone from Wall Street to Main Street plays by the same set of rules.

That is why President Obama is running for re-election, because America cannot afford to go in reverse.

Please click here to watch the ad.

Please click here to read the backup.

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Des Moines, IA - May 19, 2012 - Today, Obama for America Iowa announced that President Obama will hold the May 24th grassroots event at the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Thursday's event is the President's first campaign grassroots event in Iowa of this election cycle.

The grassroots event is open to the public, and no tickets are required. Space will be first come, first served. Doors will open at 4:30 PM CST. The address for the Iowa State Fairgrounds is 3000 East Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50317, and guests should enter using the main entrance to the fair grounds at the intersection of East 30th St. and East Grand Ave.

"We are excited President Obama is coming back to host a grassroots event in Iowa," said State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald. "In Iowa, we have seen firsthand the choice in November as the President is fighting for the middle class and creating a pro-growth economy that is built to last and Mitt Romney, whose economic theories are based on outsourcing and tax breaks for the wealthy and biggest corporations that undercut middle class Iowans."

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We had another busy week here at the Republican Party of Iowa. I would first like to congratulate our Organization Director, Ryan Gough on his new position as Iowa Victory Director. The Victory program is a joint effort with the RNC that will work with local grassroots supporters to elect Republican candidates on the national, state, and local level. I am confident that Ryan's leadership will help achieve victory this November. I think it speaks volumes of our staff here at RPI that so many have been recruited to take on larger leadership roles within our party.

Unfortunately the Chairman's Lunch for May has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict with the Lt. Governor. We look forward to rescheduling for a later date.

I just want to again reiterate the great success we have had in the pass few months, surpassing and now increasing our voter registration lead on the democrats in Iowa. We expect this lead to only increase as more and more Iowans reject President Obama's failed economic policies. The Republican Party of Iowa will be reaching out to disaffected democrats in the weeks and months ahead to grow our party even more.

As we ramp up our efforts for the fall, please consider donating $20.12 for Victory in 2012.

To Victory,

AJ Spiker, Chairman Republican Party of Iowa

DES MOINES - Dr. Jill Biden, Second Lady and wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will hold her first campaign event with Iowans.

Dr. Biden will host a conference call with supporters and announce the Women for Obama Steering Committee.  Volunteers will gather at house parties and campaign offices across the state to join the call and hear her thoughts about the critical role that women will play in this next election.

This week is Women's Health Week, a national effort to encourage women to make their health a top priority.  After the call, campaign offices will talk about specific components of the Affordable Care Act and how it benefits women.

Media who would like to join the call can RSVP to
IowaPress@BarackObama.com.

Wednesday, May 16

5:30 PM

WHO: Dr. Jill Biden

LOCATION:              House Party with Steering Committee Member State Rep. Jo Oldson

Home of Cheryl Mulvihill  

2915 Thornton
Des Moines, IA

LOCATION: House Party with Steering Committee Member State Rep. Mary Mascher

OFA Iowa City Office

321 Market St, Suite 106

Iowa City, IA

"Mitt Romney talked about the Iowa prairie today, but Iowans who have lived their lives here on the prairie are very familiar with hot air. He failed to mention that his credibility on debt and deficits is just like out on the prairie: blowin' in the wind. Mitt Romney knows a lot about out-of-control spending and debt- it was his record in Massachusetts. During his four years as governor, state spending increased by 6.5% per year, government jobs grew six times as fast as private sector jobs, taxes and fees went up by $750 million each year, and debt increased by 16%. In fact, he left Massachusetts with the largest per-capita debt of any state in the country.

"Now, while President Obama has a plan to reduce the national debt by $4 trillion, Mitt Romney's would give $5 trillion in tax breaks weighted to millionaires and billionaires at the expense of the middle class?without saying how he'd pay for it.

"Helping the wealthiest prosper by any means necessary, even if it means undermining workers and middle class families, was Mitt Romney's record in the public and private sectors and it represents the values that he'd bring as President. Mitt Romney was a corporate-buyout specialist whose guiding principle was that as long as he and his investors walked away with millions it didn't matter if companies went bankrupt and thousands lost their jobs. Those values won't help us build an economy built to last, and we can't afford to have them in the White House."

 

 
Club for Growth analysis of voting records finds many Freshmen Republicans have abandoned "Tea Party" values of fiscal responsibility

 

Washington, DC - Today, the Club for Growth released a report based on its 2011 Congressional Scorecard focusing on the voting records of the so-called "Tea Party" freshmen Republican class of 2010. After a careful review to see if their records match their rhetoric, the Club for Growth has found that for many of the freshmen Republicans, promises of fiscal responsibility have proven to be empty.

 

A Club for Growth review of the voting records of freshmen Republicans on economic issues found:

 

  • In 2011, freshmen Republicans received an average score of 71% on the Club for Growth's Congressional Scorecard. The average veteran received a 69%. This means the freshmen Republicans voted, on average, about the same as the Republicans who were already in Congress.
  • A majority of freshmen Republicans voted against the conservative Republican Study Committee budget.
  • Only 14 freshmen Republicans signed a pledge promising never to raise the debt ceiling until "Cut, Cap, and Balance" had passed.
  • "Tea Party star" Rep. Allen West received an anemic 64% for voting to raise the debt ceiling and by repeatedly voting against spending cuts.
  • The two freshmen in the Republican Leadership received vastly different scores, with Rep. Tim Scott receiving a 92% and Rep. Kristi Noem receiving a 60%.
  • Charlie Bass ran for the seat he lost in 2006 by declaring that the agenda of the tea party "is exactly the same as mine." He received a pathetic 48% in 2011.
  • The Ten Highest scoring freshmen Republicans were Reps. Amash (100%), Huelskamp (100%), Labrador (100%), Mulvaney (99%), Walsh (99%), Stutzman (99%), Quayle (98%), Duncan (97%), Gowdy (97%) and Ross (96%).
  • The Ten Lowest scoring freshmen Republicans were Reps. Rivera (47%), Grimm (46%), Stivers (45%), Runyan (45%), Gibson (44%), Hanna (44%), Fitzpatrick (43%), Dold (42%), Meehan (42%) and McKinley (37%).

 

The entire report can be viewed by visiting http://www.clubforgrowth.org/freshmanvotestudy/ or by clicking here.

 

"The Club for Growth holds members of Congress accountable for their actions, not their rhetoric,"  said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. "The liberal media likes to pretend that these Republicans have fought for fiscally conservative policies, but the facts don't support their thesis. Just because the Republicans have a majority does not mean that more pro-growth policies have been passed. For example, a majority of Republicans voted to raise the debt ceiling, against spending cuts, and for wasteful subsidies. Republicans rail against the National Labor Relations Board, but some voted to keep funding it. By distributing this report to Club members and the public, we hope to raise awareness about the records of the Republican freshmen and believe their constituents will ask what's happened since they went to Washington."

 

The Club for Growth is the nation's leading group promoting economic freedom through legislative involvement, issue advocacy, research, and education.

The Club's website can be found at http://www.clubforgrowth.org/

Iowa AFL-CIO President Ken Sagar, Midge Slater with Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, and Recent Iowa Graduate Morgan Miller to Hold Press Conference to Welcome Mitt Romney Back to Iowa

DES MOINES - In advance of Mitt Romney's speech tomorrow, Iowa AFL-CIO President Ken Sagar, Midge Slater with Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans, and Morgan Miller, a recent University of Iowa graduate will hold a press conference to welcome Mitt back to Iowa by taking a look at his business philosophy and what it would mean for our economy.

Mitt Romney has repeatedly cited his business experience as his chief qualification to be President, claiming he would use it to boost the economy, create jobs, and reduce the deficit. Romney's business strategy wasn't about strengthening companies and creating jobs for long-term economic growth. It wasn't about investors and workers playing by the same set of rules, and it certainly wasn't about creating an economy built to last by rewarding hard work and responsibility and strengthening the security of middle-class families.

In a career of buying and selling companies, Romney's pattern was to reap quick profits for himself and his investors at the expense of workers and communities. Sometimes it meant sending American jobs overseas. Other times, it meant cutting wages and benefits. In Romney's economic philosophy, CEOs and wealthy investors prosper by any means necessary, even when it meant companies failed and workers were left behind. Romney believes in two sets of rules - one for people like him, another for everyone else.

Mitt Romney wants to go back to the philosophy that created the economic crisis. Iowans want to move America forward - to an economy built to last, where hard work pays off, responsibility is rewarded, and everyone has a fair shot, does their fair share, and plays by the same rules.

Tuesday, May 15 
10:00 AM

WHAT: Press conference on Mitt Romney's business philosophy 
WHO: Ken Sagar, Iowa AFL-CIO President; Midge Slater, Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans; Morgan Miller, recent University of Iowa graduate 
WHERE: Lawn of the Des Moines Public Library Lawn; Grand Ave between 10th and 12th Street; Des Moines, IA

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