Your Truth Team tipsheet

Friend -- Welcome to the Truth Team tipsheet. You signed up to be part of the team that fights back, and there's no time to waste. This is the first of regular updates we'll be sending with actions you can take immediately to help support the President -- to debunk false attacks and make sure folks hear about what we've accomplished. Here's how it works: We'll round up the best of our posts and turn them into short items, with Facebook and Twitter buttons after each so you can instantly share them with friends and family as you go down the list. Read through this week's news, then do something about it: #1 ROMNEY FLIPS ON EARMARKS This morning, Mitt's up with a new ad in Michigan slamming Rick Santorum for supporting earmarks. The thing is, before he ran for president, Mitt Romney was a pretty big fan of earmarks himself. In 2002, he requested "hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid" for the Salt Lake City Olympics. He did it as governor of Massachusetts for the Big Dig project too, saying "I'd be embarrassed if I didn't always ask for federal money whenever I got the chance." Call him on his hypocrisy while the story's still breaking: #2 SANTORUM'S BIG BUDGET PLANS This week, after President Obama released his 2013 budget plan, Rick Santorum called it "preposterous, not only in overall funding but in priorities." But a closer look at Santorum's plan shows he'd cut taxes for the wealthy, raise taxes for some families with children, and slash Social Security and Medicare under the "Cut, Cap, and Balance" plan. Here's the best part: Santorum's plan won't balance anything -- it actually adds to the deficit. Preposterous, indeed. Fight back: #3 RUBIO'S CONTRACEPTION PLAN In response to President Obama's decision that all women should have access to contraception, free of cost, Senator Rubio introduced a bill that would let any organization, religious or not, sidestep this rule, putting a woman's access to contraception at the whim of her employer. His solution for women who still would like it? Pay for it themselves, or find somewhere else to work. Folks need to hear what the GOP's trying to do. Pass it on: #4 "LET DETROIT GO BANKRUPT" When it comes to the auto recovery, Romney and Santorum continue to argue that a "managed" bankruptcy would've been better. Romney's famously said "Let Detroit go bankrupt," and Santorum would've preferred an industry "meltdown." This week, GM posted its largest profit in its history, and last month, it reclaimed its title as the "World's Largest Automaker." 1.4 million jobs were saved under the auto recovery. They're refusing to admit that the recovery's working, and it's time to call them on it. Show that we will: And now for Good News... #5 KEEPING HIS WORD ON HATE CRIMES As a senator, Barack Obama co-sponsored hate crime legislation because he believes that "...nobody in this country who should suffer violence because of who they are, what they look like, what they believe in, what faith they worship." As President, he kept his word, signing the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to strengthen protection against crimes based on race, color, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or gender. This is a promise kept. Spread the good news: #6 RECOVERY ACT ANNIVERSARY Three years ago today, President Obama signed the Recovery Act into law. Since then, more than 70,000 small businesses were able to receive loans to get started or stay on their feet. We put together a short video on the story of Bill, one business owner who has benefitted from the Recovery Act. Pass it on: Every day from now until November, there will be misleading news stories, attacks, and flat-out lies about the President's record. It's our job set to them straight -- and nothing works better than the truth, backed by sound sources. Fight back by spreading the word today. Until next time, Stephanie P.S. -- Here's a fun fact: Did you know President Obama is Irish? Last year, he visited his ancestors' town in Ireland and joked, "My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall Obamas, and I've come home to find the apostrophe we lost somewhere along the way." So we created new "O'bama" shirts, just in time for St. Patrick's Day. Check them out.

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Introducing the Obama 2012 bumper sticker

Friend -- There's a free bumper sticker waiting for you -- just let us know where we can send it. Once you put it in a visible place like the back of your car, in your window, or near your desk, things might start happening. When someone sees it, they might go to our website to find out more about what President Obama has accomplished. Maybe they'll click on a link to attend an event in their area. Or maybe they'll decide to have a conversation with you. You'll have a chance to persuade them to vote for President Obama. Or if they're already a supporter, you'll be able to convince them to get involved and persuade some voters themselves. A lot of things can happen because of the simple decision you make right now. We'll put a bumper sticker in the mail for you -- just tell us where to send it: http://my.barackobama.com/Obama-Biden-Sticker Thanks, Jeremy Jeremy Bird National Field Director Obama for America

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I wasn't there in Springfield

Friend -- I wasn't there the day President Obama stood on the steps in Springfield to announce his candidacy. And I wasn't there for the first year the '08 campaign was getting off the ground, either. But I got here for a reason -- and I'm still here today. Somewhere along the line, you got involved with this campaign for a reason, too. Remember that reason, and commemorate it by making a grassroots donation to help build this thing the right way. If we want to win this November, then we all need to remember why we're here, what we're fighting for, and what we're doing to help make that happen. Think about why you're in this -- and then help build the organization it's going to take to win: https://donate.barackobama.com/Remember-Your-Reason Thanks for fighting with us, Messina Jim Messina Campaign Manager Obama for America

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Five years ago today

Friend -- Five years ago today, a few thousand of us gathered in Springfield, Illinois, to launch an improbable campaign for president. The task was to build a grassroots movement capable of making the kind of change we believe in. You've got to see this video about that journey -- it will make you smile: https://donate.barackobama.com/Springfield From the very start this has been an experiment in our political process, testing whether ordinary people really can still come together to change this country. We proved that it's possible. But we've also learned that entrenched interests adapt and claw back even harder, which means this election will be even more of a challenge. I can't wait to see what you can do. Barack ----- This campaign isn't funded by Washington lobbyists or corporate interests. It relies on donations from people like you. Please make a donation today.

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We will not play by two sets of rules

Friend -- I wrote something for our blog about our decision to support Priorities USA, the Super PAC that can help neutralize the avalanche of special-interest spending to defeat President Obama. Every supporter should read it; it's pasted below. I just want to add something for you specifically about your role in all of this. We decided to do this because we can't afford for the work you're doing in your communities, and the grassroots donations you give to support it, to be destroyed by hundreds of millions of dollars in negative ads. It's a real risk. In 2011, the Super PAC supporting Mitt Romney raised $30 million from fewer than 200 contributors. Ninety-six percent of what they've spent so far, more than $18 million, has been on attack ads. The main engine of Romney's campaign has an average contribution of roughly $150,000. That's why it's up to us -- the grassroots organization -- to win this election where we have the real advantage, and that's on the ground. More than 1.3 million Americans have already donated. Our average donation is $55, and 98 percent are $250 or less. The stakes are too important to play by two different sets of rules. If we fail to act, we concede this election to a small group of powerful people intent on removing the President at any cost. If you can volunteer, please sign up now: http://my.barackobama.com/Volunteer-for-2012 If you can give, please give now: https://donate.barackobama.com/Donate-for-2012 Thank you, Messina Jim Messina Campaign Manager Obama for America ------ We will not play by two sets of rules By Jim Messina In 2010, the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case opened the door to a new wave of so-called Super PACs -- non-candidate political committees that can receive and spend unlimited money from special interests. For the first time, these committees could accept money from corporations, not just wealthy individuals. The decision has accelerated a dangerous trend toward a political system increasingly dominated by big-money interests with disproportionate power to spend freely to influence our elections and our government. It's a trend the President has fought against, coming into office with a mission to limit special-interest influence in Washington. He put in place the most sweeping ethics reforms in history to close the revolving door between government and lobbyists. And he's overseen the most open administration ever -- reversing Bush-era policies designed to limit Freedom of Information Act requests and disclosing White House visitor records so that Americans can see how their government works. The President opposed the Citizens United decision. He understood that with the dramatic growth in opportunities to raise and spend unlimited special-interest money, we would see new strategies to hide it from public view. He continues to support a law to force full disclosure of all funding intended to influence our elections, a reform that was blocked in 2010 by a unanimous Republican filibuster in the U.S. Senate. And the President favors action -- by constitutional amendment, if necessary -- to place reasonable limits on all such spending. But this cycle, our campaign has to face the reality of the law as it currently stands. Over the last few months, Super PACs affiliated with Republican presidential candidates have spent more than $40 million on television and radio, almost all of it for negative ads. Last week, filings showed that the Super PAC affiliated with Mitt Romney's campaign raised $30 million in 2011 from fewer than 200 contributors, most of them from the financial sector. Governor Romney personally helped raise money for this group, which is run by some of his closest allies. Meanwhile, other Super PACs established for the sole purpose of defeating the President -- along with "nonprofits" that also aren't required to disclose the sources of their funding -- have raised more than $50 million. In the aggregate, these groups are expected to spend half a billion dollars, above and beyond what the Republican nominee and party are expected to commit to try to defeat the President. With so much at stake, we can't allow for two sets of rules in this election whereby the Republican nominee is the beneficiary of unlimited spending and Democrats unilaterally disarm. Therefore, the campaign has decided to do what we can, consistent with the law, to support Priorities USA in its effort to counter the weight of the GOP Super PACs. We will do so only in the knowledge and with the expectation that all of its donations will be fully disclosed as required by law to the Federal Election Commission. What this change means practically: Senior campaign officials as well as some White House and Cabinet officials will attend and speak at Priorities USA fundraising events. While campaign officials may be appearing at events to amplify our message, these folks won't be soliciting contributions for Priorities USA. I should also note that the President, Vice President, and First Lady will not be a part of this effort; their political activity will remain focused on the President's campaign. But here's what this doesn't change: the fact that ordinary people stepping up to take control of the political process is essential to our strategy. This decision will help fill a hole on our side. But it's only one part of the overall effort. Supporting Priorities USA means that our side will not concede the battles on the air in the months to come, but we continue to believe that this election will be won on the ground. Super PACs haven't opened offices. They haven't hired organizers. They haven't registered voters. They haven't knocked on doors or made the kind of personal contact with voters that we know is the single most effective way to persuade people and turn them out on Election Day. And this is where we have the advantage. It will be up to us -- the grassroots organization, funded by an average donation of $55 -- to win this election. It's a point of pride that 98 percent of all our donations are $250 or less. Mitt Romney won't reveal that number about his own campaign, but filings show that just 9 percent of the Romney campaign's money in the fourth quarter of last year came from people giving less than $200. Americans across the country are supporting the most extensive neighbor-to-neighbor, grassroots organization in history. It's my hope that by making this decision and doing what we can to neutralize the onslaught of special-interest money, we can ensure that the decisive factor in this election won't be an unprecedented flood of special-interest spending, and the outcome will be back in the hands of ordinary Americans.

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Seen our jobs chart?

Friend -- On Friday, the new monthly jobs numbers came out. We've officially had 23 consecutive months of private-sector job growth, and seen 3.7 million private-sector jobs created under this President. In response to the news, Mitt Romney cynically claimed President Obama has "prevented a true economic recovery." He's even falsely said President Obama "has not created any new jobs," and told ABC News earlier this year that the President has "lost 2 million jobs." The Republican candidates are banking on people not knowing the truth about the President's record. We need to get the facts out there -- so we put together this chart where you can Facebook it, tweet it, or send it on a postcard for free. Click here to share it to your friends and family who need to see it -- this literally takes two minutes. Tens of thousands of supporters have already shared this jobs chart online. Now, we want to make sure it's out there in the offline world, too -- in people's hands, on their refrigerators, or on a message board in a public library. You can share it either way. We still have a long way to go, and this month's numbers are just a snapshot in time. But stats like this shouldn't be missed. Make sure people know the truth about the President's record on jobs -- spread the word to your friends today: http://my.barackobama.com/Jobs-Chart Thanks, Stephanie Stephanie Cutter Deputy Campaign Manager Obama for America

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Karl Rove sent you a message

Friend -- Karl Rove tweeted about you. When he heard about our Two-Term Fund, he tweeted: "Saw another @BarackObama fund appeal for $3 gift. Good mktg or forced by low enthusiasm? Bet many upset 08 donors are taking pass this year." We often ask people for $3 because we believe as many people as possible should take ownership of the political process. It's easy to understand why that might not compute to the guy doing a lot of the selling for a party bought and sold by special interests. Since we launched the Two-Term Fund Wednesday afternoon, 48,481 people have stepped up and chipped in an average of $39.10 each. Can you help -- with $3 or whatever you can afford? It's telling that Karl Rove is planning to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for the 2012 campaign -- but hasn't endorsed or worked for any of the candidates. That's because he doesn't care who wins the nomination. His singular, obsessive focus is defeating Barack Obama. So, knowing Karl Rove is watching, here's my real question: Can you pitch in to stop him? https://donate.barackobama.com/Two-Term-Fund Thanks, Julianna Julianna Smoot Deputy Campaign Manager Obama for America

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