{"id":150238,"date":"2022-11-02T10:43:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T17:43:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=150238"},"modified":"2022-11-02T10:43:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T17:43:29","slug":"president-biden-at-dnc-grassroots-rally-for-senatorial-candidate-val-demings-and-gubernatorial-candidate-charlie-crist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=150238","title":{"rendered":"President Biden at DNC Grassroots Rally for Senatorial Candidate Val Demings and Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Miami Gardens, FL&#8230;Hello, Florida!  Hello, hello, hello.  Well, hello, Florida!  (Applause.)  AUDIENCE:  Let\u2019s go, Joe!  Let\u2019s go, Joe!  Let\u2019s go, Joe!  THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you, thank you, thank you.  And you\u2019ve been \u2014 (laughs).  Well, as my mother would say, \u201cGod love you all.\u201d  (Applause.)  You got caught in the front pew.  No way to stand, huh?  Well, God love you.  Well, thank you very much. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oFZ7SZ9P-F8\" title=\"President Biden Delivers Remarks at OB Johnson Community Center\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Look, Macarena, thanks for that introduction.  It\u2019s great to be in Florida Memorial University, one of the nation\u2019s great HBCUs.  (Applause.)  I\u2019m a big fan of HBCUs.  (Applause.)  I got my start at one of those other HBCUs \u2014 Delaware State University.  (Applause.) Okay \u2014 it\u2019s pretty good, man.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  (Inaudible.)<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Anyway.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Anyway, look, you know, talking to students about my administration\u2019s plan to provide student loan relief for working- and middle-class folks.  (Applause.)  Talking about my historic commitment to HBCUs that included $5.8 billion in investment at HBCUs.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>Well, let me tell you: One of the great ways to honor HBCUs\u2019 legacy is to vote, vote, vote.  Look \u2014<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Vote!  Vote!  Vote!<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  (Laughs.)  You can do it.  I\u2019m telling you, you can make the difference. <\/p>\n<p>Last time in Florida \u2014 I was in Florida was almost a month ago, just after Hurricane Ian hit.  We surveyed the damage on the ground in Fort Myers and the surrounding community areas by helicopter.  The damage and destruction was historic and horrific.  It was almost unimaginable.  And I said then that it\u2019s going to take not weeks and months but years to fully recover and rebuild. <\/p>\n<p>But I gave the people of Florida my commitment to \u2014 this country\u2019s commitment that you will not go through this alone.  We ain\u2019t going home.  (Applause.)  My administration has been following through on those commitments to get the people of Florida what they need as fast as we can and to help you rebuild.<\/p>\n<p>So far, $1.7 billion in assistance has gone to this state.  (Applause.)  We\u2019ve set up 23 Disaster Recovery Centers where survivors can register for help.  And FEMA has performed over 180,000 home inspections.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved another $460 million dollars for low-interest loans to businessowners, renters, and homeowners.  And like I said, this is just the beginning of our effort.  We\u2019ll be with you every step of the way.  We\u2019re not going home. <\/p>\n<p>Folks, it\u2019s great to be with the next governor of Florida, Charlie Crist.  (Applause.)  And great to be with the next U.S. senator, Val Demings.  (Applause.)  I know them both really well.<\/p>\n<p>Charlie \u2014 Charlie is a guy you know and trust.  He\u2019s always, always working for you, fighting for working families like yours.  It was gre- \u2014 he was a great governor before, and he\u2019d make an even greater governor again because of who he\u2019s going to be replacing.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Folks, whether it\u2019s building an economy that works for everyone or keeping communities safe and protections and right to choose, Va- \u2014 Chief Val Demings, she\u2019s the real deal \u2014 (applause) \u2014 defined by one word: commitment.  Commitment.  She does what she says.<\/p>\n<p>And, folks, she\u2019s fighting for seniors to protect their Social Security and Medicare.  She literally put her life on the line to serve and protect the people of this state.  And when it comes to public safety, she knows what it takes. <\/p>\n<p>Folks, imagine Chief Demings on the beat in the United States Senate.  (Applause.)  I can hardly wait.  I can hardly wait.  (Laughs.)  They ain\u2019t seen nothing yet.  (Applause.)  They haven\u2019t seen nothing yet.  Oh, man, you got a hell of a delegation.<\/p>\n<p>And, folks, we need to elect Charlie and Val.  We need to elect Democrats up and down the ballot, including your outstanding members of Congress, Debbie and Frederica and Sheila.  (Applause.)  If we do that, Florida is not going to be only a better place, so will America be.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Look, on a very serious note, that\u2019s why we\u2019re all here.  That\u2019s why we\u2019re all here.  Seven says.  Seven days until the most important election in our lifetime.  You heard me say it before: We\u2019re at in inflection point in history.  It comes about every five of six generations.  So much has changed in America and around the world that the decisions we make \u2014 the decisions you make over the next two to three years are going to determine the fate of this country \u2014 not a joke \u2014 for the next decade to two decades. <\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a lot at stake \u2014 a lot.  But so much opportunity. <\/p>\n<p>(Audience member waves a paper.)<\/p>\n<p>Put the paper down.  I\u2019m not coming and getting it.  Okay?  All right?  She\u2019s holding up a paper for \u2014 she wants to send me a letter here. <\/p>\n<p>Well, look, let\u2019s be real clear about one important thing: This election is not a referendum. It\u2019s a choice.  (Applause.)  It\u2019s a choice between two vastly different visions for America. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve said from the beginning that my objective when I ran was to build an economy from the bottom up and the middle out \u2014 an economy that rewor- \u2014 rewards work, not just wealth; an economy that works for everybody so poor folks have a chance, the middle class does better.  And if they do that, the wealthy will still do very well.  It\u2019s a fundamental shift in wo- \u2014 that\u2019s what\u2019s working now. <\/p>\n<p>Compared to the MAGA \u2014 mega MAGA, I call them, trickle-down economics that the Republicans offer these days.  Folks, this ain\u2019t your father\u2019s Republican Party.  This a different breed of cat. <\/p>\n<p>Just look at the facts.  When I took office, the economy was in ruins.  My \u2014 this is not because of me; it\u2019s because of what I inherited. <\/p>\n<p>My predecessor was the first President since Herbert Hoover to lose jobs.  He had fewer jobs when he left office than when he came to office.  Last President that happened to was literally Herbert Hoover.  And, look, here\u2019s the deal: Unemployment was at 6.4 percent.   Hundreds of thousands of small businesses had gone out of business \u2014 closed, bankrupt. <\/p>\n<p>But today, we\u2019re in a better place: Ten million jobs created since I took office.  (Applause.)  A record in any administration.  And over 700,000 manufacturing jobs with good pay.<\/p>\n<p>Where is it written that we can\u2019t be the manufacturing capital of the world?  I mean it.  Think about it.  Unemployment is down from 6.5 to 3.5 percent, the lowest in 50 years.  (Applause.)  Black, Latino, and Asian by \u2014 communities, unemployment is way down.  5.4 million Americans applied to start new businesses just since I\u2019ve been in o- \u2014 5.4 million, the highest ever in American history.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Look, Putin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine sent gas prices soaring around the world.  But because of the actions we\u2019ve taken, gas prices are coming down here at home. They\u2019re down $1.25.  I just passed a gas station on the way \u2014 $3.25 when it was five bucks when it took off this summer.<\/p>\n<p>Ladies and gentleman, here\u2019s the deal: It\u2019s a difficult time.  Americans across the country have stepped up and are doing the right thing, but not everyone.  The oil industry is not doing the right thing.  They haven\u2019t met their commitment to invest in America and support the American people. <\/p>\n<p>One by one, major oil companies have reported their profits for the last two quarters \u2014 I mean profits so high it\u2019s hard to believe. <\/p>\n<p>Last week, Shell Oil announced that it made $9.5 billion in profit in three months \u2014 the third quarter.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  9.5.  That\u2019s almost twice as much as they made the third quarter of last year. <\/p>\n<p>Exxon\u2019s third quarter profits were $18.7 billion \u2014<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  \u2014 nearly triple what Exxon made last year.  The most it\u2019s made in its entire 152-year history. <\/p>\n<p>In the last six months, while the rest of the country is going through hell, six of the largest oil companies made more than $100 billion in profits.  A hundred billion dollars in less than 200 days.  It\u2019s outrageous. <\/p>\n<p>And these companies are taking the average profits they\u2019ve been making by refining oil over the last 20 years.  If they were doing that instead of the outrageous profits they\u2019re making today, it could pass on the rest of us \u2014 the consumers \u2014 the price of gas would be down another 50 cents.  They\u2019re the facts.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, they\u2019re buying back their own stock because that\u2019s how the CEOs get paid.  They\u2019re giving the profits to shareholders \u2014 outrageous profits \u2014 in the windfalls of war.<\/p>\n<p>Yesterday, I made it clear the industry has a choice: Either begin to invest in America or pay higher taxes on your excessive profits and face other restrictions.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>You know, it\u2019s amazing.  Even though my Republican friends in Congress seem to be hoping for a recession \u2014 the last week\u2019s GDP report came out.  You know what it shows?  The economy is, in fact, growing.  In fact, the economy grew 2.6 percent last quarter.  And although it may not feel that way \u2014 (applause) \u2014 people\u2019s incomes went up the last quarter more than inflation.<\/p>\n<p>Economic growth is up.  Price inflation is down.  Real incomes are up.  And gas prices are down. <\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s the best, most important thing to me: Exports \u2014 what we make and export from America are up, meaning we\u2019re making things again here in America.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>Today \u2014 today, we\u2019re shipping products overseas instead of shipping jobs overseas, like we\u2019ve been doing for much too long.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  USA!  USA!  USA!<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  You got it.  There\u2019s nothing we can\u2019t do.  And here\u2019s another thing:  My (inaudible) \u2014 my predecessor, he promised inf- \u2014 he promised to have an \u201cInfrastructure Week.\u201d  For four years, he promised infrastructure.  It became a laugh line. <\/p>\n<p>Well, guess what?  We\u2019re creating \u201cInfrastructure Decade.\u201d  We\u2019re going to build America the way it should be built.  (Applause.)  Create once-in-a-generation investments in our nation\u2019s roads, highways, bridges, railroads, ports, airports, water systems, high-speed Internet.<\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, that includes a $16 million grant to the Port of Miami \u2014 (applause) \u2014 which I\u2019m sure your governor \u2014 which I\u2019m sure your governor will credit for it somewhere along the line \u2014 (laughter) \u2014 to expand and upgrade rail and cargo gates to make the port more efficient. <\/p>\n<p>Val Demings voted for it.  (Applause.)  Her opponent voted against it. <\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  And the American people are beginning to see the benefits of an economy that works for them.  Families have more net worth than they did before the pandemic.  Fewer families are behind on their mortgages, their credit card bills than before the pandemic.  And importantly, more Americans have health insurance than before the pandemic.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And you know \u2014 you know, we pay the highest prescription drug prices of any country in the world.  Same manufacturer, same drug \u2014 you buy it in Miami and you buy it in Paris, and it costs considerably less if you\u2019re buying it in Paris \u2014 buy the same exact drug, the same manufacturer.<\/p>\n<p>And, ladies and gentlemen, so without a single Republican vote in Congress, guess what?  We Democrats took on and beat Big Pharma for the first time.  (Applause.)  I\u2019ve been trying for a year \u2014 we beat them.  We flat beat Big Pharma.  (Applause.)  They spent millions of dollars trying to prevent it.  I\u2019m serious.  I\u2019ve been fighting these guys for a long time, man.  Finally.  Finally.<\/p>\n<p>With every single Democrat vote \u2014 and, by the way, you know what one of the results is?  We\u2019re capping out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions for seniors to $2,000 a year.  (Applause.)  Guess what?  No matter whether they\u2019re paying $10-, $12-, $14,000 a year, as they are for some cancer drugs, they are not going to have to pay a single penny more than $2,000 a year.  Period.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, one more thing.  If Big Pharma continues to raise drug prices faster than inflation, guess what?  They\u2019re going to have to write a check to Medicare to cover the difference.  (Applause.)  No, that\u2019s the law.  That\u2019s the law. <\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, last year, Big Pharma raised the price of 1,200 drugs they manufactured faster than the rate of inflation, and they didn\u2019t do a damn thing to make the product better.  Same exact product.  We\u2019re going to put a stop to that, I promise you.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And one more significant change we just made.  We\u2019re capping the cost of insulin for seniors on Medicare.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>You know how much it costs to make that insulin?  The guy who invented it didn\u2019t patent it because he wanted it available for everybody.  It costs $10 to produce it.  And you know what the average price they\u2019re paying for it?  Four hundred dollars.<\/p>\n<p>Well, guess what?  They can\u2019t pay any more than \u2014 they can\u2019t get any more than $35 now.  Thirty- \u2014 they\u2019ll make a good profit.  No more \u2014 instead of paying $400 a month.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>Folks, this is going to be a lifesaver for people.  And I\u2019m going back to make sure it\u2019s $35 a month for not just people on Medicare but for every single American.  (Applause.)  I promise you, not a joke. <\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Give them hell!<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  I\u2019m going to give them more than hell.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>And on top of these actions, earlier this month, I \u2014 we lowered the cost of hearing aids.  You know what?  We made them available over the counter at places like Walgreens and Walmart, saving $3,000 a pair \u2014 hear me? \u2014 for millions of Americans with hearing loss. <\/p>\n<p>If I don\u2019t stop talking so loud, you all are going to have hearing loss.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>And on top of that, I\u2019m going to do away with hidden, unfair fees known as \u201cjunk fees,\u201d like surprise banking overdraft.  You overdraft, and you get another bill for 35 bucks \u2014 no more.  Excessive credit card rate fees you didn\u2019t know about \u2014 at 50 bucks.  No more.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And the Department of Transportation is working on rules to require airlines and travel sites to disclose all their fees up front.  (Applause.)  So when you\u2019re booking travel for the holidays, you know what extra amount you\u2019re going to have to pay for things like sitting next to your kid or checking a bag or changing your ticket or even if you can\u2019t change your ticket without additional costs. <\/p>\n<p>Folks, these add up.  These are big numbers for people, and they don\u2019t know it\u2019s even coming. <\/p>\n<p>While Republicans want to pass tax breaks for the wealthy and corporate America, we\u2019re passing tax credits to help the American people weatherize their homes.  (Applause.)  For real.  To buy energy-efficient appliances, get a tax credit, put solar panels on your home, help you buy an electric vehicle, weatherize your home \u2014 things that they say will save the average family another 500 bucks a year and help save the environment.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And one of these things I promised to do, because I understand the high cost of college: I took action to ease the burden of student debt for millions of working- and middle-class America.  Over 90 percent who learn [earn] less than 75 grand, they\u2019re now given up to $20,000 of relief on student debt \u2014 10 for most folks, another 10 if you had a Pell Grant.  (Applause.)  It\u2019s a game changer. <\/p>\n<p>I had to borrow to get to college.  I had to work through college, like my sons and daughter did.  We have \u2014 what have Republicans done about this?  Well, guess what?  They moaned and groaned about it, and they challenged it in court, which they\u2019re going to lose.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And I\u2019m not going to apologize for one second for helping working- and middle-class families recover and reduce their student debt so we can be (inaudible) to buy a home, start a business, and so much more.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, I usually don\u2019t do this, but take a look who\u2019s complaining: the same Republican officials who voted for the unpaid $2 trillion tax giveaway that mainly benefited wealthy Americans and the biggest corporations.  I don\u2019t want to hear it from MAGA Republicans who sit in Congress today.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, those same folks who are complaining in Congress, they had hundreds of thousands of dollars, even millions of dollars, in the pandemic relief forgiveness loans, but they took it.  They didn\u2019t attack it.  Working- and middle- class Americans and student debt relief.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Marjorie Taylor Greene.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Well, guess what?  She took $180,000 in business loan forgiven.  One of your congressmen right here in Florida, Vern Buchanan, said our plan was reckless.  Guess how much he got: $2.3 million for losses.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Now, look, how in the heck can they complain about that when we\u2019re trying to give students a break to be able to get out from under college debt?  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>Look, folks, who in the hell do they think they are?  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, I already heard from my colleagues today how Republicans want to make permanent the Dobbs decision denying a woman the right to choose.  But I got news for them.  We\u2019re going to elect a couple more U.S. senators who are Democrats, and we\u2019re going to codify Roe v. Wade and a woman\u2019s right to choose.  (Applause.)  Fact.<\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, if somehow they were able to pass this, I will veto it \u2014 (applause) \u2014 the Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>Look, you know, you can hear it from Republicans, \u201cMy God, that big-spending Democrat Biden.  Man, he\u2019s taken us in debt.\u201d  Well, guess what?  I reduced the federal deficit this year by $1 trillion 400 billion.  (Applause.)  One trillion 400 billion dollars.  The most in all American history.  No one has ever reduced the debt that much.  We cut the federal debt in half.  And, by the way, last year, I reduced the deficit by $350 billion.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>Well, I don\u2019t want to hear it.  I don\u2019t want to hear \u2014 they\u2019re going to \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Look, and we\u2019re going to go further to reduce the deficit over the next decade by another $250 billion.  A big part of that is because corporations are finally having to pay a minimum tax.  \u201cOh, and we\u2019re hurting them.\u201d  Fifteen percent.  You pay more than 15 percent.<\/p>\n<p>But guess what?  One more thing.  On our watch, for the first time in 10 years, seniors are getting the biggest increase in Social Security checks, period.  (Applause.)  Their checks are going to go up, and their Medicare premiums are going to go down at the same time.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And I promise you, I\u2019ll protect Social Security, I\u2019ll protect Medicare, I\u2019ll protect you.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And all of this is in stark contrast to the state of the Republican agenda.  They\u2019re all \u2014 all after what Charlie and Val and \u2014 but their opponents are just the exact opposite of what they\u2019re for.<\/p>\n<p>And, by the way, if I can note for just a second: I made a promise to you that I\u2019d make my administration and the Cabinet look like America.  I have more African Americans, more Hispanic Americans, more women than men \u2014 more women than men in my Cabinet.  (Applause.)  Not a joke.<\/p>\n<p>And guess what?  I promised you I\u2019d have a Black woman on the Supreme Court.  She\u2019s on the Supreme Court!  (Applause.)  And she\u2019s smarter than the rest of them.<\/p>\n<p>Look, I have appointed more Black women to the appeals court \u2014 hear me out \u2014 more Black women to the appeals court of the federal courts than every other President combined in American history.  (Applause.)  It\u2019s about time.  It\u2019s about time.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Let\u2019s go, Joe!  Let\u2019s go, Joe!  Let\u2019s go, Joe!<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  And, folks, it goes across the board \u2014 for Hispanic Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders.<\/p>\n<p>Look, we have to have \u2014 and I\u2019ve been arguing this for a long time \u2014 we have to have my administration and this government look like America \u2014 look like America.  That\u2019s why we\u2019re so strong.  That\u2019s why we\u2019re who we are.<\/p>\n<p>And, folks, by the way, I might note parenthetically that more valedictorians in the major universities in America are women than men.  (Applause.)  That\u2019s a little thing. <\/p>\n<p>I went to the same university as my sister.  I graduated. She graduated with honors, you know?  Oh, you think I\u2019m kidding.  I\u2019m not.<\/p>\n<p>Look, folks, Kevin McCarthy \u2014 he\u2019s the leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Okay?  The Republicans have their \u2014 you know, they\u2019re saying it out loud now.  They\u2019re saying what they want to do.  Thank God for small favors.<\/p>\n<p>And here\u2019s what they say.  He says their number one priority is to do the following: deny Medicare the right to negotiate drug prices. <\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, I\u2019m \u2014 no, I\u2019m serious.  He wants to give the power back to Big Pharma so they can continue to rip us off with prescription drug prices.  He wants to end the cap on prescription drug costs at $2,000 for \u2014 on Medicare.  Gone.  Gone.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty-five-dollar-a-month cap on insulin for seniors \u2014 gone. <\/p>\n<p>Savings on healthcare premiums of $800 for millions of Americans on the Affordable Care Act \u2014 gone. <\/p>\n<p>And, of course, they still are determined to repeal the Affordable Care Act overall, which means that anyone with a pre-existing condition would lose any access to healthcare.<\/p>\n<p>Folks, these protections are gone as well if Republicans get their way. <\/p>\n<p>And, look, tax credits for lower energy bills \u2014 gone. <\/p>\n<p>And the corporate minimum tax of 15 percent I signed into law \u2014 gone.<\/p>\n<p>Under the Republican plan, many of the biggest corporations will go back to paying zero taxes.<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  No, you think I\u2019m making this up?  It\u2019s a fact.  In 2020, 55 of the Fortune 500 largest corporations made $40 billion in profit, and they paid zero in federal tax. <\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  That\u2019s their plan.  It\u2019s reckless.  It\u2019s irresponsible.  It\u2019ll make inflation worse, and it will badly hurt working-class and middle-class Americans. <\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s not all.  They\u2019re coming after your Social Security and Medicare, and they\u2019re saying it out loud. <\/p>\n<p>Your great senator, Rick Scott, here in Florida \u2014<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  \u2014 he\u2019s in charge \u2014 he\u2019s in charge of electing Republicans to the Senate.  He laid out their plan clearly.  He put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every five years.  This means \u2014<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE MEMBER:  No!<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  No, this is serious.  Listen closely to this, because it\u2019s deadly earnest.  It means every five years, Congress will vote to cut, reduce, or completely eliminate Social Security or Medicare.  If they do nothing, it goes out of existence.  Not a joke. <\/p>\n<p>Then along came Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, the senator.  He wants to do Scott one better.  The argument among the Republicans is: Should it be every five years or every single year?  He thinks waiting five years is too long.  He thinks Social Security and Medicare should be on the chopping block every single year.  If Congress doesn\u2019t vote to keep it, the program goes away.  This is not a joke. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not just Social Security and Medicare.  He wants to put veterans\u2019 benefits, everything \u2014 everything in the federal budget on the line. <\/p>\n<p>You know, to digress just a second, I lost my son not long ago.  He was the attorney general.  He was a \u2014 he was a major in the United States Army.  He won the concessi- \u2014 won the Bronze Star, the Conspicuous Service Medal.  And because his hooch, where he lived in Baghdad, was next to a burn pit \u2014 just like those folks in 9\/11, you know, that were exposed to all that toxic smoke \u2014 well, guess what?  They burned everything in those burn pits, from oil to human feces to all \u2014 everything.  Everything. <\/p>\n<p>And he breathed that in for a year, and he died.  And more people are coming home with brain cancer, glioblastoma \u2014 the death sentence.  He made it for 19 months when he got home, but that was it. <\/p>\n<p>And guess what?  We had a thing that was to make sure I inter- \u2014 I made a commitment in my State of the Union that we take care of our veterans. <\/p>\n<p>The only truly \u2014 (applause) \u2014 and, by the way, we have a lot of obligations, but it\u2019s the only truly sacred obligation we have: to equip those we send to war and care for them and their families when they come home. <\/p>\n<p>And guess what?  We had to fight like hell to get it passed, and not all Republicans voted for it.  It provided for healthcare for those veterans who were going through it just like Agent Orange.  And it also said those who died, their families could get financial help for that. <\/p>\n<p>Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is what we\u2019re doing.  And now they\u2019re saying \u2014 these guys \u2014 they\u2019re saying they\u2019re not going to cooperate.  They\u2019re not going to cooperate if I don\u2019t agree to cut Social Security, Medicare, and other things.  They\u2019re going to shut down the government, they say. <\/p>\n<p>At the end \u2014 at the end of the year \u2014 I know this is complicated stuff.  But at the end of the year, every year, we have obligations of debt around the world.  And we have \u2014 we\u2019ve never missed a payment, never once.  Not once.  If we did, it would send the economy into a tailspin and a gigantic recession.  Never once in all our history.<\/p>\n<p>You know what they\u2019re telling me?  Unless I vote to reduce the benefits of Medicare and Social Security, they\u2019re going to threaten to take the country bankrupt. <\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Booo \u2014<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, I mean, think about this.  I mean \u2014 no, no, just think how totally irresponsible this is.  The last time that happened, remember, McConnell tried to do it when Barack was President and I was Vice President.  I had negotiated with him until late New Year\u2019s Eve Day \u2014 late that day \u2014 before we got to a place where he finally gave in and we didn\u2019t renege on the debt.  But guess what happened?  We came so close \u2014 remember, they \u2014 they reduced our standing \u2014 they reduced our credit standing in the world?  And we had real problems.<\/p>\n<p>Even just a threat makes the rest of the world look at us like, \u201cWhat in God\u2019s name is that country doing?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So, folks, they\u2019re being completely, thoroughly, totally irresponsible. <\/p>\n<p>And here\u2019s the deal: Nothing \u2014 nothing will create more chaos and more damage to the American economy than this.<\/p>\n<p>And, folks \u2014 but their extremism isn\u2019t limited to social programs and the economy.  They\u2019re coming after your right to vote and who get to count the vote.  No, for real.<\/p>\n<p>You got three hundred or fifty-so election deniers on the ballot, on the Republican ticket.  No, this is really deadly earnest, man.<\/p>\n<p>Democracy is on the ballot this year, along with your right to choose and the right to privacy.  The bottom line is this: If Republicans gain control the Congress and pass a nationwide ban on abortion, I\u2019ll veto it.  But \u2014 (applause) \u2014 (inaudible) \u2014 that means that the more Senate Democrats get elected to keep control of the Senate and the House, we\u2019re going to codify Roe v. Wade in January.  (Applause.)  Make it the law of the land.<\/p>\n<p>Look, let me close with this.  You\u2019ve been a very patient audience, especially standing there all this time. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a rough four or five years for hardworking Americans.  For a lot of families, things are still tough.  When things like this happened when I was growing up \u2014 we weren\u2019t poor.  My dad \u2014 his greatest regret: He didn\u2019t have a college education, but he was a sophisticated man who read well, and he was really informed.  But we lived in a three-bedroom home with \u2014 a split-level home in a new development with four kids and a grandpop, and mom and dad.  So, it wasn\u2019t \u2014 but when \u2014 so when prices went up, it affected us.  We had discussions at the kitchen table.  I mean, for real.  We weren\u2019t poor, but we knew what it was like. <\/p>\n<p>For \u2014 by the way, I was talking with one of my colleagues here today.  And when they came out, I got a phone call from my wife when she was up trying to help Patrick Leahy way back, years ago, campaigning \u2014 or I was up doing that call for her.  And she\u2019s a teacher, so I called her early in the morning.  Like when your husbands and wives are away, you call your family. <\/p>\n<p>And I called and said, \u201cHow are things going?\u201d  And she said, \u201cFine.\u201d  (Laughter.)  (Inaudible) she said, \u201cDid you read today\u2019s paper?\u201d  And I said, \u201cThey don\u2019t get the Wilmington News Journal up here in Burlington, Vermont, honey.\u201d  She said, \u201cHeadline, top of the fold: \u2018Biden poorest man in Congress.\u2019  Is that true?\u201d  (Laughter.)  I said, \u201cI don\u2019t know what the hell.\u201d  But I was all those years, but I had a good salary.  I was still making more than most people because I had a senator\u2019s salary.  I didn\u2019t think you were supposed to make money when you\u2019re in the Senate.  I thought you were just supposed to take a salary.  (Applause.)  <\/p>\n<p>But, folks, so like many of you, I come from a normal, middle-class family.  And guess what?  We know what it\u2019s like when hard times hit.  We get it.  We get it.<\/p>\n<p>And right now, think about it.  Look what we\u2019re doing on education for our kids.  One of the reasons I came up with that $5.6 billion for HBCUs is we got to make sure they have the same laboratories, the same research capacities as everybody else has \u2014 (applause) \u2014 because they can do anything anybody else can do.  They just don\u2019t have \u2014<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Let\u2019s go, Joe!  Let\u2019s go, Joe!  Let\u2019s go, Joe!<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  And, folks, one of the reasons why we led the world for so long \u2014 we were the first nation in the world to provide universal education, grades 1 through 12.  Well, if anybody think if we were doing it for the first time now in the twenti- \u2014 21st century \u2014 going into the 20s \u2014 from the 20th century going into the second quarter of the 21st century, that we\u2019d say 12 years is enough, do you think 12 years is enough going into 2030, \u201840, \u201850?  I don\u2019t think so.  That\u2019s why we should have free early education at age three.  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s why we should have two years of community college free.  (Applause.)  It makes \u2014 these things make us stronger.<\/p>\n<p>So, look, folks, there are bright spots where America is reasserting itself.  We made enormous progress in just 20 months.  We have so much more to do.  Everything is at stake in just seven days, God willing, for the state and this country that we love.<\/p>\n<p>So, I call on Democrats and mainstream Republicans and independents to come together.  We can meet the moment together.  (Applause.)  I truly believe we\u2019re just getting started.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve never been more optimistic about America\u2019s future than I am today.  We just have to remember who we are.  We\u2019re the United States of America.  (Applause.)  And there\u2019s nothing \u2014 nothing, nothing beyond our capacity.  So, vote.  Get out to vote, and win!  Vote, vote, vote!  (Applause.) <\/p>\n<p>May God bless you.  And may God protect our troops.  God love you all.  I mean it.  Let\u2019s go.  Let\u2019s do it!  No excuses.  Thank you.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Miami Gardens, FL&#8230;Hello, Florida! Hello, hello, hello. Well, hello, Florida! (Applause.) AUDIENCE: Let\u2019s go, Joe! Let\u2019s go, Joe! Let\u2019s go, Joe! THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you, thank you, thank you. And you\u2019ve been \u2014 (laughs). Well, as my mother would say, \u201cGod love you all.\u201d (Applause.) You got caught in the front pew. No way [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-150238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Fullscreen-capture-1122022-104134-AM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=150238"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":150240,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150238\/revisions\/150240"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/150239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=150238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=150238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=150238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}