At this moment Early Ballots are arriving in mailboxes all over Congressional District 8. The significance of this election must not be underestimated and we need your help to elect Ron Barber to Congress now more than ever.

The best way to help ensure a victory for Ron Barber, seniors, and the middle class is by talking to voters.

Will you commit to a phone or canvass shift today?

Together we are going to protect Southern Arizona’ from the extreme far-right and set the pace to victory in November.

Click here to learn how you can get involved today.

Sincerely,

Jeff Rogers
Pima County Democratic Party Chairman

VOTE, VOLUNTEER and EDUCATE

VOTE: Congressional District 8 Special Election Voting Information

Early Ballots will begin arriving in mailboxes as soon as Friday May 18th for those of you on the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL).

Early Voting locations:

DOWNTOWN
Recorder’s Main Office
115 N. Church Ave.
520-724-4330
(Located downtown in the historic Old Pink Courthouse with the tiled dome)

SITE OPEN: Thursday, 5/17/2012 through Friday 6/8/2012
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

EMERGENCY VOTING: Monday, 6/11/2012
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

EASTSIDE
Recorder’s Eastside Annex
6920 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite D
520-724-4330
(Located on the southwest corner of Broadway and Kolb Rd. behind Bring’s Funeral Home.)

SITE OPEN: Tuesday, 5/21/2012 through Friday 6/8/2012
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

EARLY BALLOT PROCESSING ANNEX
Recorder’s Early Ballot Processing Annex
6550 S. Country Club Rd.
520-724-4330
(Located just south of Valencia on the west side of Country Club Rd.)

SITE OPEN: Tuesday, 5/21/2012 through Friday 6/8/2012
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

VOLUNTEER:

Contact Ron Barber for Congress campaign offices today to see how you can help lead us to victory.

2400 E. Speedway Suite 114
520.207.0937
Sign Up To Volunteer Online

Join Ron Barber, the Pima County Democratic Party and candidates from all over Southern Arizona for our MAY 19th DAY OF ACTION. We will be kicking off the Barber GOTV effort while helping candidates finish up on collecting petition signatures. This is a huge day! We must make sure all of our great Democratic Candidates will appear on August’s Primary Ballot while working our way to victory for Ron Barber in June.
Pima County Dems HQ – 4639 E. 1st St. – 9:00 am, RSVP Shasta@PimaDems.org

EDUCATE:

Visit RonBarberForCongress.com today to learn all the reasons why we need Rob Barber in Washington representing CD-8. Then SPREAD THE WORD!

Remind your friends, family and neighbors that Election Day Starts TODAY. Every vote Counts!

The 54-page blueprint, called "The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama: The Ricketts Plan," is posted at the New York Times site—and it is worth a read to see exactly what we're up against. Arguing that the President's former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, "has never been properly exploited," they're primed to exploit away—to do "what John McCain wouldn't let us do." Their millions would go toward TV ads, a radio campaign, newspaper ads, and huge aerial banners to be flown over September's Democratic National Convention.

They did get one thing right: The Republican nominee this time, Mitt Romney, is no John McCain. Where McCain denounced similarly despicable smears against Obama, Romney dodged a question on the story this morning with the pitiful excuse that he hadn't "read the papers yet."

What a leader.

If Romney can't summon the courage to stand up to hateful attacks by super PACs, he isn't fit to lead our country. Send a strong message to Romney and his allies that these shameful tactics won't be tolerated by the voters.

The 54-page blueprint, called "The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama: The Ricketts Plan," is posted at the New York Times site—and it is worth a read to see exactly what we're up against. Arguing that the President's former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, "has never been properly exploited," they're primed to exploit away—to do "what John McCain wouldn't let us do." Their millions would go toward TV ads, a radio campaign, newspaper ads, and huge aerial banners to be flown over September's Democratic National Convention.

They did get one thing right: The Republican nominee this time, Mitt Romney, is no John McCain. Where McCain denounced similarly despicable smears against Obama, Romney dodged a question on the story this morning with the pitiful excuse that he hadn't "read the papers yet."

What a leader.

If Romney can't summon the courage to stand up to hateful attacks by super PACs, he isn't fit to lead our country. Send a strong message to Romney and his allies that these shameful tactics won't be tolerated by the voters.

When I was 14, I had the privilege of watching President Obama’s inauguration in person. The energy of the 1.8 million people squeezed on the National Mall was explosive and contagious; passion and elation buzzed through the air and coursed through my veins. President Obama empowered us, replacing our fear with hope. I remember the magic—and I still believe in it.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, a blue city in an even bluer state. When I was young, there was an “I Vote Democrat” bumper sticker slapped on my family’s refrigerator—so I have always identified as a Democrat.

But as I learned more about politics, I confirmed my beliefs as a female Chinese-American student align with those of President Obama and the Democratic Party. I decided to help President Obama win a second term.

As a woman, I support the President. Women have a strong ally in President Obama. He understands that each woman’s body is her own business. President Obama has fought tirelessly to protect women’s freedom to make their own health decisions, having openly defended Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood. Furthermore, President Obama values women and believes they deserve to be paid the same amount as men for the same work. Currently, women earn 77 cents for each dollar made annually by men. To help combat this wage gap, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act nine days after taking office.

As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, I support the President. He understands the suffering that the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has endured throughout America’s history, and he celebrates our community’s contributions to the country. The year he took office, President Obama restored the White House Initiative and President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He has appointed an unprecedented three AAPIs to his Cabinet, and he has doubled the number of AAPI federal court judges. His actions allow AAPIs across the country to see themselves represented in their government, giving us hope and pride.

As a student, I support the President. Education is an investment in our country’s future, and our President recognizes that. The President is urging Congress to extend a 2007 law that would cut student loan rates to 3.4 percent. If lawmakers don’t pass an extension, those interest rates will double on July 1 and pile an additional $1,000 of debt on students. His investments in programs such as Head Start have given 21,000 AAPI children access to early education. His administration’s Race to the Top program strengthens schools for 27 percent of AAPI students in grades K–12, and his doubling the amount of funding for Pell Grants will make 40,000 additional Pell Grants available to AAPI college students.

Every person’s life is a string of milestones. President Obama makes milestones I’m looking forward to in my life—going to college, getting a job, buying a house—more attainable for all Americans. On November 6, I will celebrate a special milestone: my first vote. Let’s help President Obama celebrate one too.

Catherine Wang worked as a summer intern for the Democratic National Committee. She is from Los Angeles, California, and will attend Yale University this fall.

When I was 14, I had the privilege of watching President Obama’s inauguration in person. The energy of the 1.8 million people squeezed on the National Mall was explosive and contagious; passion and elation buzzed through the air and coursed through my veins. President Obama empowered us, replacing our fear with hope. I remember the magic—and I still believe in it.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, a blue city in an even bluer state. When I was young, there was an “I Vote Democrat” bumper sticker slapped on my family’s refrigerator—so I have always identified as a Democrat.

But as I learned more about politics, I confirmed my beliefs as a female Chinese-American student align with those of President Obama and the Democratic Party. I decided to help President Obama win a second term.

As a woman, I support the President. Women have a strong ally in President Obama. He understands that each woman’s body is her own business. President Obama has fought tirelessly to protect women’s freedom to make their own health decisions, having openly defended Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood. Furthermore, President Obama values women and believes they deserve to be paid the same amount as men for the same work. Currently, women earn 77 cents for each dollar made annually by men. To help combat this wage gap, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act nine days after taking office.

As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, I support the President. He understands the suffering that the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has endured throughout America’s history, and he celebrates our community’s contributions to the country. The year he took office, President Obama restored the White House Initiative and President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He has appointed an unprecedented three AAPIs to his Cabinet, and he has doubled the number of AAPI federal court judges. His actions allow AAPIs across the country to see themselves represented in their government, giving us hope and pride.

As a student, I support the President. Education is an investment in our country’s future, and our President recognizes that. The President is urging Congress to extend a 2007 law that would cut student loan rates to 3.4 percent. If lawmakers don’t pass an extension, those interest rates will double on July 1 and pile an additional $1,000 of debt on students. His investments in programs such as Head Start have given 21,000 AAPI children access to early education. His administration’s Race to the Top program strengthens schools for 27 percent of AAPI students in grades K–12, and his doubling the amount of funding for Pell Grants will make 40,000 additional Pell Grants available to AAPI college students.

Every person’s life is a string of milestones. President Obama makes milestones I’m looking forward to in my life—going to college, getting a job, buying a house—more attainable for all Americans. On November 6, I will celebrate a special milestone: my first vote. Let’s help President Obama celebrate one too.

Catherine Wang worked as a summer intern for the Democratic National Committee. She is from Los Angeles, California, and will attend Yale University this fall.

Mitt Romney delivered his umpteenth "major" economic speech today, and this time, his focus is on spending and debt. But take his rhetoric with a large grain of salt, because Romney's proved at each point in his career—from corporate buyout specialist to failed governor of Massachusetts to perpetual presidential candidate—that he is the last person who should be lecturing us on reckless spending and running up debt.

In his much-touted two decades of private-sector experience, Romney made a fortune out of loading up companies with crippling debt, leading to bankruptcies, shuttered companies, huge job loss—and millions of dollars in profit for Romney and his partners.

Then, when he applied what he learned in the private sector to governing, Romney ended up leaving his successor in Massachusetts with a $1 billion deficit after loading the state's taxpayers up with debt. In his four years as governor, public debt rose by 16 percent, leaving taxpayers with the most per-capita debt in the country. Government jobs grew six times faster than private-sector jobs, state spending went up by 6.5 percent a year, and taxes and fees went up by $750 million a year. It's no wonder Romney never talks about his record as governor.

On the campaign trail today, Romney neglected a very important fact: Our current debt was created largely by Bush-era policies like the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. As Steve Benen at MSNBC's Maddow Blog writes, "Bush not only squandered a massive surplus, added $5 trillion to the debt, and left a $1.3 trillion deficit for Obama to deal with, he also approved policies that we're still struggling to pay for, years after his departure. … For those who care about facts, it's not Obama's agenda that's causing the budget shortfall."

And Romney's plans would only make it worse: He's proposing $5 trillion in tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. He won't specify how he'll pay for such recklessness, but you can be certain that the middle class will foot the bill.

So when it comes to controlling debt, it's clear: Romney has zero credibility.

Susan M. spoke about how thankful her family is for the sacrifices made and she said that her family “will do our best to make sure that you and your fellow servicemen and women are respected and cared for by your country.” She added, “You deserve no less.”

Many remarked at how hard it is to convey thanks when the men and women of our armed forces have given so much. Lee A. thanked the troops for ensuring our freedom and thought that “Words are not enough.”

Others expressed how happy they were that the troops were home from Iraq. Virginia S. wrote “Thank you for all that you have done to keep our country and its citizens safe. Welcome home!”

As we help our newest veterans transition into civilian life, we must make sure that we honor their sacrifices by supporting them every step of the way. While President Obama has done so much to help our veterans, from his recent proposal of a Veterans Job Corps, to his announcement one of the largest increases in funding for veterans’ healthcare in decades, we can show our support in smaller ways. When you see a veteran, don’t be shy in expressing your thanks. As small of a gesture as saying “thank you” is, it helps our courageous men and women know that we care about them and that we appreciate all that they have done and continue to do for our country.

Susan M. spoke about how thankful her family is for the sacrifices made and she said that her family “will do our best to make sure that you and your fellow servicemen and women are respected and cared for by your country.” She added, “You deserve no less.”

Many remarked at how hard it is to convey thanks when the men and women of our armed forces have given so much. Lee A. thanked the troops for ensuring our freedom and thought that “Words are not enough.”

Others expressed how happy they were that the troops were home from Iraq. Virginia S. wrote “Thank you for all that you have done to keep our country and its citizens safe. Welcome home!”

As we help our newest veterans transition into civilian life, we must make sure that we honor their sacrifices by supporting them every step of the way. While President Obama has done so much to help our veterans, from his recent proposal of a Veterans Job Corps, to his announcement one of the largest increases in funding for veterans’ healthcare in decades, we can show our support in smaller ways. When you see a veteran, don’t be shy in expressing your thanks. As small of a gesture as saying “thank you” is, it helps our courageous men and women know that we care about them and that we appreciate all that they have done and continue to do for our country.

Mitt Romney has staked his candidacy on the experience he gained in the two decades he ran Bain Capital, a financial buyout firm. He wants voters to focus on his time in the private sector as his main qualification for the presidency.

So let's do just that.

In deal after deal for nearly 20 years, Romney and his private-sector partners cared about one thing: making millions for themselves while they loaded companies up with debt, drove them into bankruptcy, and put thousands out of work without pensions or health insurance. That's what Romney economics meant for people like James Sanderson, an employee at GST Steel in Kansas City.

GST Steel was a mill that had been in business since 1888—and was, for generations, a major local employer that lifted workers and families into the middle class. The work was hard, but the wages were fair. GST employees bought homes and sent their kids to college. They considered themselves a tight-knit community and were proud of their work.

All that changed, 103 years into its existence, when Romney and his partners came to town and took over as majority owners. Sanderson describes what happened in stark terms: "We were doing well, and then Bain Capital bought us, and they took everything they could out of the company without making the investments we needed to stay competitive. … They ran the company into bankruptcy."

As a result, 750 Missourians like Sanderson lost their jobs and livelihoods—and with them, the severance pay, health insurance, life insurance, and pensions they had been promised.

But Romney and his partners walked away from the shuttered steel mill with at least $12 million in profit, while hundreds of steelworkers—many of whom had been with the company for decades—were left to pick up the pieces.

GST Steel wasn't an anomaly of Romney's time in the private sector; you'll hear a similar story at former Bain properties nationwide. Romney specialized in buying companies and loading them up with debt—several times using that debt to pay Romney and his partners millions in fees and dividends while they laid off workers and shipped jobs overseas. Those workers who were lucky enough to keep their jobs saw paychecks, benefits, and pensions slashed.

Romney tries to explain away his resume by saying that "in the real world," there are winners and losers. But the truth is, when you bankrupt a company, you don't walk away with millions of dollars for yourself and your investors.

What Romney did in his private-sector years matters today, because Romney believes the experience he gained as a corporate buyout specialist makes him qualified to lead our country. You see it in his policies. Romney's economic agenda as a presidential candidate is no different from the policies he pursued as a CEO: helping the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.

Above all, it's a question of values. We can't afford a president who thinks it's OK to leave workers behind in pursuit of a profit. We can't afford a president who encourages corporations to play by a different set of rules than the rest of us. And we can't afford a president who doesn't understand that a growing, thriving middle-class is key to a strong economy.

We can't afford Romney economics.

Take a look at the brand-new RomneyEconomics.com, and spread the site far and wide.