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In this week’s address, President Barack Obama expressed his sadness for the tragedy at Fort Hood and praised the selfless valor of those who came to the aid of the wounded. While we mourn the heartbreaking violence, we should honor the heroism of the soldiers and civilians who rushed to help their comrades. That is the heroism which makes the U.S. military the finest in the world. Watch It: Full Transcript Below:

In what Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) called the "Superbowl of Freedom," several thousand right-wing activists chanting "kill the bill!" descended on the West Lawn of the Capitol yesterday to protest health care reform. The event was organized by Bachmann and Americans for Prosperity (AFP) -- the billionaire-funded astroturf machine -- and endorsed by GOP lawmakers. With promotional help from Fox News and conservative radio, organizers called the event "an emergency house call on Congress" to stop heath care reform. Bachmann urged her followers to "scare" members of Congress, saying, "Nothing scares members of Congress more than freedom-loving Americans." Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) pandered to the crowd, saying, "Pelosi care is the greatest threat to freedom I've seen in my 19 years in Washington." While conservatives touted a crowd size of up to a million protesters, Capitol Police estimated the crowd was more likely around 4,000. As has become the norm at Tea Parties rallies, some of imagery was radical and offensive, with one prominent sign showing a gruesome an image of dead Holocaust victims to warn that the Democratic health care plan will do the same for Americans. The protests came on the same day as two key groups in the health care debate -- the American Medical Association and the American Association of Retired Persons -- endorsed the House Democrats' health care bill. The White House "seemed to pay little attention to events happening only blocks away," and House Democratic leadership is confident that the bill will pass this weekend.Watch The New Republican Party In Action:

Interactive display for everyone to learn out exactly how the Affordable Health Care for America Act will affect them.

There's a war going on in America, and the stakes are nothing less than Glenn Beck's internal organs.

Boehner mixes up Constitution and DeclarationHouse Minority Leader John Boehner was fired up and ready to go at the Tea Party rally today.He even held up his pocket copy of the Constitution, pledging to "stand here with our Founding Fathers, who wrote in the pre-amble: 'We hold these truths to be self evident ..."Oops.That would be the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence that he's reading. Watch It:Get The Full Story From Glenn Thrush at PoliticoOf course, Rep. Todd Akin Couldn't Get Pledge Of Allegiance Right Either

Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, as we have worked these last several months on the issue of health care, I have engaged my community in a variety of townhall meetings, forums and opportunities for them to let me know what they need out of the health care bill, to tell me their stories. I would like to share one of those with you. My constituent writes, This is not my story, but it is the story of a close friend who died last November at the age of 50. During his life, he was afflicted with diabetes
and heart disea

Congressman Ryan speaks on Health Reform today on the House floor. Watch It:

A high powered corporate agribusiness lobbyist talks about the advantages of Issue 2. Watch It:Stop The Corporate Power Grab In Ohio! Vote No On Issue 2!

Rep. Virginia Foxx's (R-N.C.) reputation for over-the-top rhetoric is well deserved. She a deather, a tenther, and recently boasted, "There are no Americans who don't have healthcare." But today's gem is a must-have for Foxx's greatest-hits package. During a floor speech today, Foxx bluntly declared that the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which House Democrats unveiled last week, is a greater threat than any terrorist in the world: "...I believe that the greatest fear that we all should have to our freedom comes from this room -- this very room -- and what may happen later this week in terms of a tax increase bill masquerading as a health care bill. I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country."Watch It:

Dan Gilbert, who is helping to bankroll tomorrow’s ballot issue that would allow casino gambling in Ohio, recently likened his past arrest for illegal bookmaking to little more than trading football cards Gilbert’s characterization angered the now-retired vice cop whose undercover work led to Gilbert’s arrest. "Mr. Gilbert was part of a serious organized bookmaking ring that threatened some of its victims with violence," said retired detective lieutenant John Fielder, who led the organized crime unit for the Michigan Department of State Police when Gilbert was arrested. On Friday, casino opponents flew him in for a news conference. The casino measure will appear as Issue 3 on the Ohio ballot and it is the most hotly contested item on the ballot this year. Backers are promising a windfall of jobs and tax revenue to a state in dire need of both but critics say Issue 3 offers false promises and they urge supporters to look no farther that border state Pennsylvania where the new, Three Rivers Casino, isn’t close to meeting expectations. In the Sunday Plain Dealer, columnist Brent Larkin wrote: Pittsburgh's beautiful new downtown casino opened the second week in August. To date, the Rivers Casino has been a colossal disappointment. Barely one month after it opened, the Wall Street credit rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded the debt rating of the company that controls it to a dismal B-, saying the casino's revenue performance had been "meaningfully weaker" than expected. The paper was among just two in Ohio to endorse Issue 3 and has yet to take on Gilbert for standing before its leaders and lying at the City Club debate. Cleveland’s alternative press has not been so kind. Roldo Bartimole, the king of the alternative press, has taken Gilbert on directly, and reported in detail on the undercover cop’s decision to step forward. Polling shows this one too close to call and it is not certain whether Det. Fiedler’s press

Vote no for issue 2 in Ohio. It's a power play by the factory farms to be able to control their own regulation - a clear case of the fox guarding the hen house. Learn More

He’s an Ohio dairy farmer and small business owner. He knows what could happen to small family farms if Issue 2 passes. He knows why the other side has spent $4 million trying to rewrite Ohio’s constitution. Before you vote this Tuesday, watch this short video. Find out the real reason to vote No on Issue 2.Watch It:Stop The Corporate Power Grab In Ohio! Vote No On Issue 2!

span style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial">(COLUMBUS, OH) - The retired senior Michigan State Police detective who helped arrest Dan Gilbert revealed yesterday that the Issue 3 bankroller muscled his debtors, took cash payment and "did all the talking" in a police sting run on his "serious, organized bookmaking ring." Gilbert has downplayed his arrest for conspiracy to violate Michigan gambling laws as a youthful indiscretion. Then-Det. Lt. John Fiedler, serving as chief of the Michigan State Police Organized Crime Unit, went undercover as a threatened bettor's father and wore a wire when he confronted the bookie. Today, Gilbert's nemesis is retired. Det. Lt. Fiedler flew to Columbus Friday for a TruthPAC press conference to set the record straight on Gilbert's bookmaking arrest. Gilbert has characterized the gambling ring as akin to a small group of friends getting together for harmless fun. But according to Det. Lt. Fiedler, "Mr. Gilbert was part of a serious, organized bookmaking ring that threatened some of its victims with violence." In a recent Cleveland City Club debate, Gilbert explained his arrest to the audience: "We had those, you know, those little card NFL cards that you play ... and somebody walked into some policeman on the corner. [They] came in and they swept the dorms." (City Club audio: http://bit.ly/3HaZdR - 3/4 mark; transcript: http://bit.ly/2Cc9VH.) According to Det. Lt. Fiedler, Gilbert is not telling the truth. In fact, the arrest took place at a private home that housed the bookmaking ring. The undercover raid involved several officers from the East Lancing Police and the Michigan State Police Organized Crime Unit. Instead of NFL cards, Det. Lt. Fiedler found detailed betting records with "several pages of the ledger book filled." Gilbert has also told reporters "no money was ever exchanged, not a single dollar, not a penny." (http://bit.ly/1bQiTA) But Det. Lt. Fiedler says Gilbert personally took payment of over $1,000

In this week’s address, President Barack Obama said that while times are still too difficult for too many American families, this week saw real evidence of progress in the economy.  On Thursday, we learned that in the third quarter the GDP grew for the first time in over a year, and grew faster than it has in the previous two years.  And on Friday, reports from across the country made it clear that Recovery Act has now created or saved over one million jobs.  The American people are still hurting, but these are signs that we are starting to move in the right direction.Watch It:Full Transcript Below:

Labor Day tells the inspiring story of SEIU’s leading role—and commitment to win change—in the 2008 presidential campaign. Kicking off at the 2007 Member Political Action Conference and following SEIU members and leaders through the course of the entire 2008 election campaign, Labor Day captures the spirit, energy and dedication of SEIU members who participated in that historic campaign. It tells SEIU’s story through the voices and perspectives of member activists across the country who committed countless hours to the election of Barack Obama and to chart a new path for this country. Labor Day will not only serve as a reminder of what SEIU members helped accomplish in 2008 but also as a vital organizing tool to inspire members and help locals expand their base of MPOs and activists going forward in current and future campaigns.Watch It: How can you see the Labor Day – the movie? SEIU District 1199 has exclusive rights for special screenings for our members, families and political allies. We have scheduled three screening locations for the convenience of members and staff.

Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy and fellow members of the House today launched H.R. 3962, a deficit neutral, consensus piece of health insurance reform legislation that will achieve a solution to the rising medical costs and major shortcomings in the current health care system. WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, a leader in the fight for comprehensive health insurance reform, spoke on behalf of the millions of Americans struggling with pre-existing conditions at a press conference this morning to unveil the Affordable Health Care for America Act.  Kilroy recounted her own personal struggle of living with a pre-existing condition (Multiple Sclerosis) and how difficult it is to obtain coverage with a chronic disease.  At this morning’s press conference Kilroy stated, “As many of you may know, I have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and I’ve been lucky because I’ve had the benefit of health insurance. Because of those group plans, I’ve been able to afford the medications that delay the onset of disability and slow down the progress of this disease. But I also know that for many people that is not the case. They are excluded from the health insurance system because they have a preexisting condition and can’t afford the medications that will allow them to live their lives to the fullest, enable them to pursue their dreams the way they want to do that.” After years as a community advocate on health care as a Franklin County Commissioner in Ohio, Kilroy came to Congress devoted to achieving comprehensive health care reform for the American people.  Beginning in April, Kilroy embarked on a district-wide health care listening tour to hear her constituents’ health care stories so that she could bring their input to Washington.  After months of listening to the American people, today Kilroy and fellow members of the House launched the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), a deficit neutral, consensus piece of health insurance ref