OBAMA 2012: PEOPLE GET READY

Rochester, N.Y.-- Facts are facts-- and the American Labor Movement needs to get into gear right away. The President has shown real leadership and is taking aggressive steps to put Americans back to work. He is working to restore middle-class security for decades to come. He deserves our support.

For years before the economic crisis, middle-class security had been slipping away. Wages stagnated while health care costs soared. We’ve added back 2.6 million private sector jobs as of September 2011, but there’s more work to do.

When President Obama took office, he both addressed the immediate economic crisis and laid the foundation for a U.S. economy that can out-innovate and out-build the world.

FACT: President Obama successfully fought for the Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act to provide benefits and retraining to workers who have seen their jobs move overseas.

President Obama also created the National Export Initiative, a government-wide effort to help small businesses compete in the global marketplace and double our nation’s exports by 2015.

FACT: President Obama provided tax incentives and made investments in clean energy technologies such as wind turbines and advanced car batteries to grow high-technology U.S. manufacturing capacity and supply clean energy projects with American-made parts and equipment.

FACT: President Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a national effort to invest in technologies that will create high-quality manufacturing jobs and enhance America’s global competitiveness.

FACT: President Obama signed the America Invents Act, historic patent reform legislation that will help American entrepreneurs bring inventions to market sooner, helping to create new businesses and new jobs.

FACT: President Obama made the tough and politically unpopular decision to extend emergency rescue loans to the American auto industry, saving 1.4 million jobs and preventing an economic catastrophe for communities across the country. GM and Chrysler were required to cut labor costs and overhaul their business models in exchange for government loans, guaranteeing their accountability to taxpayers. Today, GM and Chrysler have repaid the loans they received and are rehiring thousands of workers.

To level the playing field for American businesses and workers, President Obama signed trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. Together, the agreements are estimated to increase exports by over $11 billion and support over 70,000 American jobs.

FACT: President Obama passed the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to hold Wall Street accountable and end taxpayer-funded bailouts. Wall Street reform ensures that if a financial company fails, it will be Wall Street that pays the price—not the American people—and sets ground rules for the riskiest financial speculation.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was established to protect consumers from unfair financial practices and make sure that credit card companies and mortgage and payday lenders have to follow the rules. We need to hold Wall Street accountable. President Obama is definitely on the side of the middle-class consumer.

This is just a short list of accomplishments. Go to http://www.barackobama.com/ for more details.