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Obama for America

"The Life of Julia" +
  from May 3, 2012.



THE LIFE OF JULIA
Take a look at how President Obama's policies help one woman over her lifetime—and how Mitt Romney would change her story.

3 years old
 Under President Obama: Julia is enrolled in a Head Start program to help get her ready for school. Because of steps President Obama has taken to improve programs like this one, Julia joins thousands of students across the country who will start kindergarten ready to learn and succeed.

 Under Mitt Romney: The Romney/Ryan budget could cut programs like Head Start by 20%, meaning the program would offer 200,000 fewer slots per year.

17 years old
 Under President Obama: Julia takes the SAT and is on track to start her college applications. Her high school is part of the Race to the Top program, implemented by President Obama. Their new college- and career-ready standards mean Julia can take the classes she needs to do well.

 Under Mitt Romney: The Romney/Ryan budget would cut funding for public education to pay for tax cuts for millionaires.

18 years old
 Under President Obama: As she prepares for her first semester of college, Julia and her family qualify for President Obama's American Opportunity Tax Credit—worth up to $10,000 over four years. Julia is also one of millions of students who receive a Pell Grant to help put a college education within reach.

 Under Mitt Romney: The American Opportunity Tax Credit would be allowed to expire, and Pell Grant funding would be slashed for 10 million students.

22 years old
 Under President Obama: During college, Julia undergoes surgery. It is thankfully covered by her insurance due to a provision in health care reform that lets her stay on her parents' coverage until she turns 26.

 Under Mitt Romney: Health care reform would be repealed—Romney says he'd "kill it dead."

23 years old
 Under President Obama: Because of steps like the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Julia is one of millions of women across the country who knows she'll always be able to stand up for her right to equal pay. She starts her career as a web designer.

 Under Mitt Romney: He has refused to say whether he would have vetoed or signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

25 years old
 Under President Obama: After graduation, Julia's federal student loans are more manageable since President Obama capped income-based federal student loan payments and kept interest rates low. She makes her payments on time every month, keeping her on track to repay her student loans.

 Under Mitt Romney: Under the Romney/Ryan budget, interest rates on federal student loans would be allowed to double, affecting Julia and 7.4 million other students.

27 years old
 Under President Obama: For the past four years, Julia has worked full-time as a web designer. Thanks to Obamacare, her health insurance is required to cover birth control and preventive care, letting Julia focus on her work rather than worry about her health. Under Mitt Romney: Romney supports the Blunt Amendment—which would place Julia's health care decisions in the hands of her employer—and repealing health care reform so insurance companies could go back to charging women 50% more than men.

31 years old Under President Obama: Julia decides to have a child. Throughout her pregnancy, she benefits from maternal checkups, prenatal care, and free screenings under health care reform.

 Under Mitt Romney: Health care reform would be repealed.

37 years old
 Under President Obama: Julia's son Zachary starts kindergarten. The public schools in their neighborhood have better facilities and great teachers because of President Obama's investments in education and programs like Race to the Top.

 Under Mitt Romney: The Romney/Ryan budget could force steep cuts in federal funding for schools in all 50 states.

42 years old
 Under President Obama: Julia starts her own web business. She qualifies for a Small Business Administration loan, giving her the money she needs to invest in her business. President Obama's tax cuts for small businesses like Julia's help her to get started. She's able to hire employees, creating new jobs in her town and helping to grow the local economy.

 Under Mitt Romney: The Romney/Ryan budget could cut programs like the Small Business Administration by 20%.

65 years old
 Under President Obama: Julia enrolls in Medicare, helping her to afford preventive care and the prescription drugs she needs. Under Mitt Romney: Medicare could end as we know it, leaving Julia with nothing but a voucher to buy insurance coverage, which means $6,350 extra per year for a similar plan.

67 years old
 Under President Obama: Julia retires. After years of contributing to Social Security, she receives monthly benefits that help her retire comfortably, without worrying that she'll run out of savings. This allows her to volunteer at a community garden.

 Under Mitt Romney: Julia's benefits could be cut by 40%.


From cracking down on gender discrimination in health care costs to fighting for equal pay, President Obama is standing up for women throughout their lives.

Notes: A slide show (kind of a hand operated video), "The Life of Julia" prompted a lot of discussion. 


>Annenberg Public Policy Center's Factcheck.org ran a piece "'Life of Julia,' Corrected," which found that, "The Obama campaign depends on some false or dubious assumptions in its “Life of Julia” slide show." (+) 


>Conservatives had a field day with "The Life of Julia." For example, economist/commentator Peter Schiff described it as a "socialist fairy tale version of the ideal America where the government coddles its citizens from cradle to grave and as a result they succeed in life."


>The RNC responded with an email "might not want to tell Julia":

The Obama campaign has launched presentation centered on a fictional woman named Julia …..but they forgot to talk about the real economic conditions she will have to deal with under Obama policies and the mountain of debt they have left her.

When Obama Took Office Julia’s Share Of The National Debt Was $34,419. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, 5/1/12; U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 5/3/12)

Since Obama Took Office, Julia’s Share Of The National Debt Has Increased $16,345 To $50,764. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, 5/1/12; U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 5/3/12)

If Obama Wins A Second Term, By The Time He Leaves Office Julia’s Share Of The National Debt Under Obama Will Have Increased By $31,628 To $66,047. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, 5/1/12; U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 5/3/12)

Due To Obama’s Binge Spending, By 2022 Julia’s Share Of The National Debt Will Have Increased By  $49,598 To $84,017. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, 5/1/12; U.S. Census Bureau, Accessed 5/3/12)

 

Oh and let’s see how Julia is doing under the Obama economy (from RNC research)

#Julia And The Obama Economy

#Julia is bummed. Her share of the national debt went up $16,345 under Obama. http://1.usa.gov/9lDQhC

#Julia, the college student, is paying record high tuition to attend college http://on.msnbc.com/wDFBH6

#Julia, about to graduate, can’t find a job in the Obama economyhttp://yhoo.it/IhdnTU

#Julia, recent college grad, has $25K in student loan debt, highest in history and has kept going up under Obama http://bit.ly/IW5vax

#Julia the 23 year old is living with her parents in the Obama economy http://bit.ly/yfXvgN

#Julia the commuter has to pay double for gas from what she paid 4 years ago. http://bit.ly/cC3vPp

#Julia the mom has to pay more for health insurance despite #ObamaCare’s promise to reduce premiums by $2500 http://bloom.bg/q50Peg

#Julia in the future won’t have Social Security thanks to Obama http://bit.ly/JuXuv3

#Julia in the future won’t have Medicare as we know it thanks to Obama http://apne.ws/jHySpS


>Months later Julia was still being referenced:



National Review
Aug. 13, 2012 issue


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            Aug. 10, 2012