Campaign

Ohio is the birthplace of seven American presidents, second only to Virginia which has produced eight. And if one were to split hairs, you could argue that while William Henry Harrison was born in Charles County, Virginia he actually spent most of his life in Ohio.

Even when Ohio is not putting forth one of its native sons for election to our nation’s highest office, its Electoral College votes and its role as a “swing state” routinely place it at the center of the political world every four years—which is something we Ohioans are used to.

Are you better off now than you were four years ago?

It’s a question that we’ve heard a lot over the past several months. But when talking to people back home, it’s become clear that the real question is “Do you think your kids and grandkids will be better off than you are?”

Unfortunately, the answer is often “no”.

Today, on Constitution Day, it is alarming that the fundamental right to a vote - the one that generations fought so hard to expand and protect, first with Amendment 15’s Race No Bar to Vote, Amendment 19’s Women’s Suffrage, and Amendment 26’s Voting Age – is now under attack by the Republican Party.  This is ironic given the Republican Party’s constitution-centric platform.

The comparative diversity of the Democratic Party is fully on display in Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the Democratic convention gets under way, here in Charlotte and across the nation, there’s only one question that counts for voters: Are you better off today than you were four years ago?

As the eyes of the political world turn to Charlotte this week for the Democratic National convention, speculation about the fate of North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes on Nov. 6 continues. Depending on who you ask or which electoral map you’re consulting, the Tar Heel State is a safe bet for Mitt Romney one day and a toss-up the next; one week it’s the moderate “New South” and the next it’s leaning back toward its Deep South neighbors. In 21 of the 22 polls conducted by Public Policy Polling since the 2010 election, President Obama and Romney have been within 3 points of each other, and several other recent polls show a statistical dead heat. One certainty remains: North Carolina’s status as THE battleground state to watch is here to stay.

My grandfather used to say, “Don’t tell me your priorities. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you your priorities.” So, let’s compare the Obama-Biden record in three critical areas — Medicare, taxes and veterans — with what is in the Romney-Ryan budget.

First Medicare, where there is perhaps no better contrast and choice facing Americans.

President Obama and Vice President Biden want to ensure Medicare is solvent for generations to come.

Last week, The Republican Party declared it wanted to deny millions of families the opportunity to achieve the American dream – including my own.
 
There are 1 million parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) raising 2 million children in the United States. We are part of the diverse fabric of our nation which increasingly includes blended and multi-generational families, adoptive and foster families, families headed by single parents, divorced parents and unmarried couples, and our families shouldn't be cheated out of  access to opportunities simply based on who they are.

Late last year, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney proclaimed, “I favor gay rights.” Apparently Gov. Romney thinks he can simultaneously say he favors gay rights while also opposing any form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples and supporting an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that bans marriage equality. He also opposes a federal law that would finally make it illegal in all 50 states to discriminate against gay and transgender workers.
 
With respect to marriage equality, civil unions, and workplace fairness, it is safe to say that Mitt Romney does not actually “favor gay rights.”

A few weeks ago, former New York Mayor Ed Koch told me that he had been so mad at President Obama earlier this year over his stance on Israel that he engineered the loss of Anthony Weiner's Democratic congressional seat to a Republican. "I had a falling out with President Obama when he announced that Israel has to go back to the ‘67 lines when it starts its negotiations with Palestinians," he said. "I decided that Obama was taking the Jews for granted, as far as their vote...they gave 78 percent of their entire vote and I wanted to send a message."