President Obama believes that change starts with you

The President has always believed that the best ideas don’t just come from Washington. They come from individuals and communities all across the country. They come from people like you. To bring about real, lasting change the President needs you to stay engaged, share your stories, and add your voice to help address the challenges of the 21st century so we can win the future.

Office of Public Engagement
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  • Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

    Posted by Francesca L. Covey on April 16, 2012 at 7:01 PM EDT

    Keep Student Loan Interest Rates Low

    Interest rates on new subsidized student loans are scheduled to double on July 1. If Congress doesn’t act to prevent this, more than 7 million students around the country will rack up an average of $1,000 of extra debt. President Obama knows that’s not acceptable. Raise your voice and reach out to your networks if you agree that student loan rates should not double on July 1. On Twitter and Google+, use the hashtag #DontDoubleMyRate; on Facebook, update your status and profile image. Learn more about the President’s proposal and read about the impact higher interest rates would have on the AAPI, Native American, Hispanic, and African American communities.

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  • #LatismAtTheWH – Latinos Active in Social Media Visit the White House

    Posted by Ari Isaacman Astles on May 21, 2012 at 7:14 PM EDT

    To engage with Latinos active in social media, the White House Office of Public Engagement held a briefing for LATISM bloggers with Senior White House and Administration officials. Over 75  people from across the country attended the event at the White House to discuss a diverse range of issues important to the Latino community. Take a look at the tweets shared by #LatismAtTheWH attendees below or on Storify. Stay connected to the White House en español at WhiteHouse.gov/Espanol, follow us on Twitter @lacasablanca, and sign up for email updates here.

    Learn more about the topics discussed during today’s briefing:

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    Learn more about Additional Issues

  • Small Business Hiring Credit, Women's Health Week, and Strengthening VAWA: Deputies' Download

    Posted by Anne Filipic and Stephanie Valencia on May 21, 2012 at 12:08 PM EDT

    President Obama’s “To-Do List” for Congress

    Last week, President Obama called on Congress to take action on a small business hiring income tax credit, the third item on his “To-Do List” that will create jobs and help restore middle class security. The President is asking Congress to pass a tax credit that would benefit nearly two million companies that make new hires or increase wages. By providing targeted tax relief to the businesses that are expanding and making investments in their workforce, the Small Business Hiring Credit will grow the economy, create jobs, and strengthen the recovery. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office recently found that this type of targeted credit is the single most effective business tax option for boosting hiring and spurring economic growth.

    The proposals on the President’s To-Do List are important steps that Congress can take right now to create jobs. It’s time for Congress to act. Check out the full To-Do List, then join the conversation and make your voice heard with the hashtag #CongressToDoList.

    President Barack Obama participates in a roundtable with small business owners at Taylor Gourmet (May 16, 2012)

    President Barack Obama and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills, left, participate in a roundtable with small business owners at Taylor Gourmet in Washington, D.C., May 16, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

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  • To-Do List for Congress, Marriage Equality, and Empowering American Consumers: Deputies' Download

    Posted by Anne Filipic and Stephanie Valencia on May 14, 2012 at 5:31 PM EDT

    Honoring Mothers

    On behalf of the Office of Public Engagement, we hope that all the mothers across the country had a wonderful Mother’s Day! In honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 11th and in support of military families celebrating Mother’s Day, last week First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden hosted a Joining Forces Mother’s Day event at the White House. Watch the video and learn how you can show your support for military moms by visiting our Joining Forces site.

    President Obama’s “To-Do List” for Congress

    President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the economy at the State University of New York, in Albany

    President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the economy at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s Albany NanoTech Complex at the State University of New York, in Albany, N.Y., May 8, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

    On Tuesday, President Obama called on Congress to move forward with a “To-Do List” that will create jobs and help restore middle class security. The President traveled to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s NanoTech Complex in Albany, New York, where he described a list of initiatives that have bipartisan support and will help create an economy built to last.

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  • Keeping Interest Rates Low, President Obama in Afghanistan, and Summer Jobs+

    Posted by Anne Filipic and Stephanie Valencia on May 8, 2012 at 11:07 AM EDT

    President Obama Continues Effort to Stop Student Interest Rate Increase

    On Friday, President Obama spoke to the junior and senior classes at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia about the need to prevent interest rates on federal subsidized student loans from doubling on July 1. Before his speech, the President and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan held a roundtable discussion with a group of high school seniors and their parents. Learn more about how to have your voice heard on this issue in the Get Involved section below, and follow the conversation by using the hashtag #DontDoubleMyRate.

    President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan talk with students (May 4, 2012)

    President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan talk with students and parents during a roundtable discussion on affordable higher education at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va.,, May 4, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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  • The Buffett/Reagan Rule: Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength

    Posted by Brad Jenkins on May 4, 2012 at 2:00 PM EDT

    I’m not the first President to call for this idea that everybody has got to do their fair share.  Some years ago, one of my predecessors traveled across the country pushing for the same concept.  He gave a speech where he talked about a letter he had received from a wealthy executive who paid lower tax rates than his secretary, and wanted to come to Washington and tell Congress why that was wrong.  So this President gave another speech where he said it was “crazy” -- that's a quote -- that certain tax loopholes make it possible for multimillionaires to pay nothing, while a bus driver was paying 10 percent of his salary.  That wild-eyed, socialist, tax-hiking class warrior was Ronald Reagan. He thought that, in America, the wealthiest should pay their fair share, and he said so… And if it will help convince folks in Congress to make the right choice, we could call it the Reagan Rule instead of the Buffett Rule.
              - President Obama

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  • Summer Jobs+ Bank Launches with Jobs and Professional Development Opportunities for Youth

    Posted by Paul Monteiro on May 3, 2012 at 5:27 PM EDT

    Yesterday was a major step forward for the President’s initiative to connect young people with meaningful summer employment opportunities.  The Summer Jobs+ Bank went live and now allows young people across the country to search for employment and professional development opportunities in their local communities.  Michael Strautmanis, Counselor to the Senior Advisor for Strategic Engagement, traveled to San Diego, CA for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s annual convention.  He lauded them for their commitment to provide professional development opportunities to 30,000 youths this summer.  At the same time, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced the jobs bank launch in Philadelphia, PA. Learn more about this announcement and the broader Summer Jobs+ initiative below.

    Secretary Solis Announces Nearly 300,000 Summer Opportunities and Summer Jobs+ Bank for Youth

    Yesterday, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis joined Mayor Michael Nutter at Philadelphia’s City Hall to announce the launch of the Summer Jobs+ Bank and to highlight the progress of the Summer Jobs+ initiative. Summer Jobs+ is a call-to-action from President Obama and the Department of Labor for businesses, non-profits, and government to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012. Dozens of companies and non-profit organizations, as well as cities, federal agencies, and the White House, have joined together to provide nearly 300,000 opportunities for young people. Secretary Solis said, “The Summer Jobs+ Bank and the growing list of organizations stepping up to answer the President's challenge are important to maintaining our commitment to the next generation of the American workforce.”

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  • Student Loan Interest Rates, Champions of Change Anniversary, and the White House Correspondents' Dinner: Deputies' Download

    Posted by Anne Filipic and Stephanie Valencia on April 30, 2012 at 9:41 AM EDT

    President Obama Continues Fighting for Students

    President Barack Obama Listens to Senior Marissa Boles During a Roundtable Discussion

    President Barack Obama listens to senior Marissa Boles during a roundtable discussion with students currently receiving Stafford federal student loans at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, April 25, 2012. Also participating in the discussion were students Blake Anderson, center, Myranda Burnett, Jordan Garrsion-Nickerson and Martin Lopez. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

    President Obama continued to call on Congress to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling. Last week, the President visited colleges in Iowa, Colorado, and North Carolina, where he continued to call on Congress to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling. He also made an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where he said that now is not the time to make school more expensive for our young people. If Congress does not act before July 1st, interest rates on student loans will double for 7.4 million students. The President knows that for each year Congress allows the rate to double, the average student with these loans will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt. That’s unacceptable. He’ll continue to fight to keep these rates low and he’ll continue to fight to create an economy that’s built to last. Keeping these rates low is not only good for students – it’s good for the economy.

    Raise your voice and reach out to your networks if you agree that student loan rates should not double on July 1. On Twitter and Google+, use the hashtag #DontDoubleMyRate; on Facebook, update your status and profile image. Learn more about the President’s proposal and read about the impact higher interest rates would have on the AAPI, Native American, Hispanic, and African American communities.

    read the rest