During last night’s Bay County Democratic Party monthly meeting, the Bay County Dems voted and unanimously passed a Resolution urging Michigan legislators to reject any proposal that would eliminate the Michigan Promise Scholarship. The Resolution was previously passed by the Bay County Young Democrats during a special meeting this past week.  

Almost 100,000 students in the State of Michigan rely on the Michigan Promise scholarship, which gives $4,000 grants to high school graduates that complete at least two years of post-secondary education. You can view the full Resolution by clicking here.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                    Contact Spencer Tobias (989) 482-8498
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      The Bay County Young Democrats passed a resolution Tuesday, September 22, 2009 urging Democratic members of the Michigan legislature to reject any budget proposal which eliminates the Michigan Promise Scholarship. BCYD Chair Spencer Tobias explains, "Legislators need to find a way to keep their promises to college students, especially when college tuition has risen drastically in recent years and it is getting harder for students to find jobs to defray these rising costs. Students won't forget in 2010 what our legislators do this week. Young people are very valuable and energetic volunteers for campaigns, and we want to work for candidates that keep their promises."

       The resolution, which was inspired by, and contributes to, efforts of various College and Young Democrat groups around the state reads in part “that the Bay County Young Democrats urge Democratic members of the State Legislature to vote against any budget resolution that would effectively balance the State’s budget at the expense of its students, its future leaders and those on whom they depend as they campaign for office;”. Spencer Tobias cites a desire to “hold our legislators accountable for their votes and in this case, hold them literally to a promise.”

       County Commissioner Brian K. Elder (D-7th District), candidate for the 96th State House seat in 2010 and a member of the Bay County Young Democrats voted for the resolution, saying "The Michigan Promise Scholarship is an important investment in the future of our State. We as Democrats must stand up for our young people and for middle class families who struggle to put their kids through school. In this century, access to quality education will be the most important issue our society faces."

       The resolution was sent to State Representative Jeff Mayes (D-96th) and State Senator Jim Barcia (D-31st) who represent Bay County in the State Legislature. The resolution was also sent to legislators in neighboring districts who represent members of the BCYD.

       Membership in the Bay County Young Democrats is open to those 36 and under, and is not contingent upon joining the state or local party. Additionally, the group welcomes members from neighboring counties and also welcomes students who reside in the area only part-time. Its meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM. Meeting location, membership and any further information can be acquired by emailing youngdems@baycountydems.org.
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A copy of the Resolution can be found here.
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Please visit www.HealthReform.gov to learn more about the President’s commitment to enacting comprehensive health reform this year.
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS
ON HEALTH CARE

U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.

8:16 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT:  Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, and the American people:   When I spoke here last winter, this nation was facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month.  Credit was frozen.  And our financial system was on the verge of collapse.    As any American who is still looking for work or a way to pay their bills will tell you, we are by no means out of the woods.  A full and vibrant recovery is still many months away.  And I will not let up until those Americans who seek jobs can find them -- (applause) -- until those businesses that seek capital and credit can thrive; until all responsible homeowners can stay in their homes.  That is our ultimate goal.  But thanks to the bold and decisive action we've taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink.  (Applause.)   I want to thank the members of this body for your efforts and your support in these last several months, and especially those who've taken the difficult votes that have put us on a path to recovery.  I also want to thank the American people for their patience and resolve during this trying time for our nation.    But we did not come here just to clean up crises.  We came here to build a future.  (Applause.) 
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Today marks the 200th day since President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. Vice President Biden, who has been overseeing the Act’s implementation, delivered his first major domestic policy speech as Vice President at the Brookings Institute this morninng, where he gave a progress update, and highlighted voices outside the administration – including Wall Street analysts and academic economists – who have praised the Act’s success so far.

Here’s an excerpt from an article in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, “U.S. Economy Gets Lift From Stimulus”:

“…Economists say the money out the door -- combined with the expectation of additional funds flowing soon -- is fueling growth above where it would have been without any government action. Many forecasters say stimulus spending is adding two to three percentage points to economic growth in the second and third quarters, when measured at an annual rate. The impact in the second quarter, calculated by analyzing how the extra funds flowing into the economy boost consumption, investment and spending, helped slow the rate of decline and will lay the groundwork for positive growth in the third quarter -- something that seemed almost implausible just a few months ago.”

Thanks to the Recovery Act, 95 percent of Americans are already receiving the Making Work Pay tax cut and tens of thousands of teachers, law enforcement officials and firefighters have been able to stay on the job because of the billions of dollars in Recovery Act funds made available to state and local governments. More than 30,000 Recovery Act projects have already been approved.
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