Esta fotografía del 26 de junio de 2023 muestra facturas médicas en Temple Hills, Maryland. (Foto: AP/Jacquelyn Martin/Archivo)
Las facturas médicas inesperadamente altas son comunes en Estados Unidos, pero hay maneras de obtener alivio. Según la Oficina para la Protección Financiera del Consumidor, uno de cada cinco estadounidenses se ve afectado por una deuda médica pendiente, lo que suma un costo total de 88 mil millones de dólares.
En un estudio de 2022, la oficina halló que aproximadamente el 20% de los hogares estadounidenses reportaron tener deudas médicas, y las cobranzas aparecen en 43 millones de informes crediticios. A partir del segundo trimestre de 2021, el 58% de todas las facturas en cobranza en los registros crediticios eran facturas médicas.
La deuda por gastos médicos también afecta a los hogares de manera desigual, según la agencia. Las facturas vencidas son más frecuentes entre personas negras e hispanas que entre personas blancas y asiáticas, y las deudas médicas son más comunes en el sur de Estados Unidos, en parte porque los estados de esa región no ampliaron la cobertura del programa gubernamental Medicaid.
Si bien el proceso de luchar contra las facturas médicas elevadas puede requerir tiempo y ser frustrante, los activistas enfatizan que los pacientes no deben dejarse intimidar por el sistema. Si usted recibió una factura médica sorpresiva, esto es lo que debe saber:
Siempre verifique si reúne los requisitos para recibir atención de caridad
Cuando Luisa, de 33 años, recibió una factura médica por más de 1.000 dólares después de una visita de emergencia al hospital debido a una infección viral, pudo hacer que el hospital cubriera el monto total después de apelar a su política de asistencia financiera.
“Al principio pensé que sólo era un resfriado, pero resultó ser algo para lo que necesitaba medicamentos específicos”, dijo Luisa, quien pidió ser identificada sólo por su nombre de pila debido a preocupaciones de privacidad. “Yo estaba realmente mal para cuando fui a la sala de emergencias”.
Luisa había escuchado acerca de Dollar For —una organización de defensa del paciente— gracias a un video viral, y completó el formulario en línea de ese organismo sin fines de lucro después de recibir su factura sorpresiva. Dollar For se comunicó con el hospital, con sede en el centro de Florida. A la larga, el hospital se comunicó directamente con Luisa para informarle que, de hecho, cumplía los requisitos para recibir asistencia financiera. Aunque ya había pagado una parte de los costos con una tarjeta de crédito, Dollar For pudo obtener el reembolso de esos pagos.
Las leyes que rigen la atención de caridad en los hospitales requieren que los hospitales sin fines de lucro reduzcan o cancelen las facturas de las personas, según los ingresos del hogar. Para determinar si usted reúne las condiciones necesarias, simplemente busque en Google el nombre del hospital junto con la frase “atención de caridad” o “política de asistencia financiera”. Dollar For también proporciona una herramienta en línea simplificada para que los pacientes revisen si reúnen las condiciones necesarias.
“La ley federal requiere que los hospitales tengan estos programas para mantener su estatus exento de impuestos”, dijo Jared Walker, director general de Dollar For. “Si usted está dentro del rango de ingresos determinado por ellos, cancelarán, eximirán, condonarán o reducirán sus facturas”.
Incluso si usted ya ha pagado parte de su deuda médica, el hospital estará obligado a reembolsar los pagos que haya realizado, agregó.
“Fue la primera vez que pasé por algo así”, refirió Luisa. “Traté de ser una consumidora informada y hacer preguntas sobre los costos cuando estaba en el hospital, pero obviamente es difícil cuando estás enferma en la sala de emergencias”.
Apele a la Ley de Ausencia de Sorpresas
Si bien las protecciones contra las facturas sorpresa han existido desde hace mucho tiempo para quienes cuentan con los programas gubernamentales Medicare, Medicaid y Tricare, ahora también existen leyes para quienes tienen un seguro privado o del mercado federal de seguros de salud.
La Ley de Ausencia de Sorpresas federal cubre a personas que tienen seguro a través de sus empleadores, del mercado de seguros o planes individuales. Dice que las compañías de seguros deben cubrir razonablemente cualquier servicio fuera de la red relacionado con atención médica de emergencia y algunos servicios que no son de emergencia. Eso significa que, si le cobran más de lo que está acostumbrado o prevé cuando recibe servicios dentro de la red, esa factura podría ser ilegal.
Para impugnar cualquier factura cubierta por esta ley, puede utilizar el servicio de asistencia gratuita y la línea directa de los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid. Muchos estados también tienen programas gratuitos de asistencia al consumidor para ayudar con disputas y preguntas sobre seguros. Siempre puede comunicarse por escrito con el departamento de facturación médica de cualquier hospital para reportar que cree que una factura infringe la Ley de Ausencia de Sorpresas y solicitar al hospital que trate directamente con su compañía de seguros.
“La complejidad del sistema mismo es un problema tan grande como su asequibilidad”, dijo Kaye Pastaina, quien dirige la investigación sobre protección de los pacientes para KFF, una organización de políticas de salud sin fines de lucro. “Gran parte de esto se debe al sistema fragmentado y a las reglas complejas, pero también a la falta de conocimiento sobre las protecciones existentes que forman parte de la ley federal y que podrían ayudar”.
Solicite una factura detallada
Incluso si no reúne las condiciones necesarias para recibir atención de caridad o no está seguro de que sus facturas estén cubiertas por la Ley de Ausencia de Sorpresas, es posible que pueda reducir los cargos.
La facturación médica es notoriamente compleja y está plagada de errores. Cada vez que reciba una factura, solicite al hospital o al proveedor de atención médica una factura detallada que incluya los códigos de facturación de cada elemento de la atención que recibió. La Ley de Portabilidad y Responsabilidad de Seguros Médicos (HIPAA, por sus siglas en inglés) exige que los proveedores compartan esta información.
A continuación, verifique si los códigos de facturación son precisos. Nuevamente, el buscar en Google los códigos con la frase “código de facturación médica” puede ayudar. Si algo no está bien, impugnar su factura con su proveedor médico o el consultorio médico puede generar cambios.
Otro enfoque: comparar la factura con las estimaciones de las compañías de seguros de a cuánto ascienden los cargos justos por servicios. Si el precio que le cobraron es mayor que el promedio, puede lograr que le reduzcan los costos. Incluso puede hacer que el proveedor comparezca ante un tribunal de reclamos menores por la discrepancia (o informarle a esa corte que tiene elementos para un caso).
Por último, compare la “explicación de beneficios” de su compañía de seguros con la factura. Esta explicación de los costos cubiertos y no cubiertos debe coincidir con la factura del hospital. De no ser así, usted tiene otra razón para no pagar y para pedirle al proveedor que trate primero con su compañía de seguros.
Recuerde que el proceso requiere persistencia
A pesar de las molestias, estos pasos pueden ahorrarle sumas considerables de dinero. Incluso después de tomar estos pasos, siempre puede apelar las reclamaciones de salud con su compañía de seguros si cree que hay alguna razón por la que las facturas deberían cubrirse en su totalidad o en una parte mayor de lo que la empresa decidió inicialmente. También puede comunicarse con el comisionado de seguros de su estado para obtener ayuda.
“Lo que hemos visto en nuestra investigación y en los datos es que, para las personas que apelan —y hay pocas que apelan—, hay un alto nivel de anulaciones (de las facturas)”, dijo Pastaina.
Former President Barack Obama hugs former first lady Michelle Obama as he is introduced during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Photo: AP/Brynn Anderson)
Ok. Nos espera una gran noche. Muchas gracias a todos. Muchas gracias.
¡Hola, Chicago! Hay algo maravillosamente mágico en el aire, ¿no?
Ya sabes, lo estamos sintiendo aquí en esta arena, pero se está extendiendo por todo este país que amamos. Un sentimiento familiar que ha estado enterrado muy profundamente durante demasiado tiempo. Ya sabes de qué estoy hablando. Es el poder contagioso de la esperanza.
La expectativa, la energía, la euforia de estar una vez más en el umbral de un día mejor. La oportunidad de vencer a los demonios del miedo, la división y el odio que nos han consumido y continuar persiguiendo la promesa inacabada de esta gran nación, el sueño por el que nuestros padres y abuelos lucharon, murieron y se sacrificaron.
América, la esperanza está regresando.
Sí, pero, para ser sincera, me doy cuenta de que, hasta hace poco, he lamentado el debilitamiento de esa esperanza. Y tal vez tú hayas experimentado los mismos sentimientos, ese profundo vacío en el estómago, una palpable sensación de temor por el futuro.
Y para mí, ese duelo también ha estado mezclado con mi propio dolor personal. La última vez que estuve aquí, en mi ciudad natal, fue para recordar a mi madre, la mujer que me mostró el significado del trabajo duro, la humildad y la decencia, la mujer que fijó mi brújula moral en alto y me mostró el poder de mi propia voz.
Amigos, todavía siento profundamente su pérdida. Ni siquiera estaba seguro de si tendría la suficiente firmeza para estar de pie ante ustedes esta noche, pero mi corazón me impulsó a estar aquí debido al sentido del deber que siento de honrar su memoria y de recordarnos a todos que no debemos desperdiciar los sacrificios que hicieron nuestros mayores para darnos un futuro mejor.
Mi madre, a su manera tranquila y constante, vivió esa sensación de esperanza cada día de su vida. Creía que todos los niños, todas las personas, tienen valor. Que cualquiera puede triunfar si se le da la oportunidad. Ella y mi padre no aspiraban a ser ricos. De hecho, desconfiaban de la gente que tomaba más de lo que necesitaba. Entendían que no era suficiente que sus hijos prosperaran si todos los que nos rodeaban se estaban ahogando.
Mi madre se ofreció como voluntaria en la escuela local. Siempre cuidaba de los demás niños del barrio. Le encantaba hacer el trabajo ingrato y poco atractivo que durante generaciones ha fortalecido el tejido de esta nación. La creencia de que, si haces algo por los demás, si amas a tu prójimo, si trabajas, te esfuerzas y te sacrificas, tendrás recompensa. Si no es para ti, tal vez sea para tus hijos o tus nietos.
Verá, esos valores se han transmitido a través de granjas familiares y ciudades industriales, a través de calles arboladas y viviendas abarrotadas, a través de grupos de oración y unidades de la Guardia Nacional y aulas de estudios sociales. Esos fueron los valores que mi madre infundió en mí hasta su último aliento.
Kamala Harris y yo construimos nuestras vidas sobre los mismos valores fundamentales. Aunque nuestras madres crecieron a un océano de distancia, compartían la misma creencia en la promesa de este país. Por eso su madre se mudó aquí desde la India a los 19 años. Por eso le enseñó a Kamala sobre la justicia, sobre la obligación de ayudar a los demás, sobre nuestra responsabilidad de dar más de lo que recibimos. A menudo le decía a su hija: “No te quedes sentada quejándote de las cosas. Haz algo”.
Así que, con esa voz en su cabeza, Kamala salió y trabajó duro en la escuela, se graduó de una HBCU, obtuvo su título de abogada en una escuela estatal. Y luego se puso a trabajar para el pueblo, luchando para que los infractores de la ley rindan cuentas, fortaleciendo el estado de derecho, luchando para dar a la gente mejores salarios, medicamentos recetados más baratos, una buena educación, atención médica decente, cuidado infantil, cuidado de ancianos. Desde una familia de clase media, Kamala se abrió camino hasta convertirse en vicepresidenta de los Estados Unidos de América.
Mi niña, Kamala Harris, está más que preparada para este momento. Es una de las personas más calificadas que jamás haya aspirado a la presidencia. Y es una de las más dignas.
Un homenaje a su madre, a mi madre y también a tu madre. La encarnación de las historias que nos contamos a nosotros mismos sobre este país. Su historia es tu historia. Es mi historia. Es la historia de la gran mayoría de los estadounidenses que intentan construir una vida mejor.
Mira, Kamala sabe, como nosotros, que sin importar de dónde vengas, cómo luzcas, a quién ames, a quién adores o cuánto tengas en tu cuenta bancaria, todos merecemos la oportunidad de construir una vida decente. Todas nuestras contribuciones merecen ser aceptadas y valoradas. Porque nadie tiene el monopolio de lo que significa ser estadounidense. Nadie.
Kamala ha demostrado su lealtad a esta nación, no arrojando ira y amargura, sino viviendo una vida de servicio y siempre abriendo las puertas de las oportunidades a los demás.
Ella entiende que a la mayoría de nosotros nunca se nos concederá la gracia de fracasar y de seguir adelante. Nunca nos beneficiaremos de la acción afirmativa de la riqueza generacional.
Si llevamos a una empresa a la quiebra, si la llevamos a la quiebra o nos ahogamos en una crisis, no tendremos una segunda, tercera o cuarta oportunidad. Si las cosas no salen como queremos, no podemos darnos el lujo de quejarnos o engañar a otros para salir adelante. No.
No podemos cambiar las reglas, así que siempre ganamos. Si vemos una montaña frente a nosotros, no esperamos que haya una escalera mecánica esperando para llevarnos a la cima. No. Bajamos la cabeza y nos ponemos a trabajar. En Estados Unidos, lo hacemos.
Y eso es lo que hemos visto en Kamala Harris a lo largo de toda su vida: el acero de su columna vertebral, la firmeza de su educación, la honestidad de su ejemplo y sí, la alegría de su risa y su luz.
No podría ser más obvio. De los dos principales candidatos en esta contienda, sólo Kamala Harris comprende verdaderamente el trabajo invisible y el compromiso inquebrantable que siempre han hecho grande a Estados Unidos.
Ahora, lamentablemente, sabemos lo que viene después. Sabemos que la gente va a hacer todo lo posible para distorsionar su verdad. Lamentablemente, mi esposo y yo sabemos algo sobre esto.
Durante años, Donald Trump hizo todo lo que estuvo a su alcance para intentar que la gente nos tuviera miedo.
Verá, su visión limitada y estrecha del mundo lo hizo sentirse amenazado por la existencia de dos personas trabajadoras, con un alto nivel educativo y exitosas que casualmente son negras. Quiero saber, quiero saber, ¿quién le va a decir, ¿quién le va a decir que el trabajo que está buscando actualmente podría ser uno de esos trabajos para negros?
Es la misma estafa de siempre. La misma estafa de siempre. Repetir mentiras feas, misóginas y racistas en lugar de ideas y soluciones reales que realmente mejorarán la vida de las personas.
Miren, porque recortar nuestra atención médica, quitarnos la libertad de controlar nuestros cuerpos, la libertad de ser madres a través de la FIV, como hice yo, esas cosas no van a mejorar los resultados de salud de nuestras esposas, madres e hijas. Cerrar el Departamento de Educación, prohibir nuestros libros, nada de eso preparará a nuestros hijos para el futuro. Demonizar a nuestros hijos por ser quienes son y amar a quien aman, miren, eso no mejora la vida de nadie. En cambio, en cambio, nos hace más pequeños. Y déjenme decirles esto: reducir el tamaño nunca es la respuesta. Reducir el tamaño es lo opuesto a lo que les enseñamos a nuestros hijos. Reducir el tamaño es mezquino. Es insalubre. Y, francamente, no es presidencial.
Entonces, ¿por qué alguno de nosotros aceptaría esto de alguien que aspira a nuestro más alto cargo? ¿Por qué normalizaríamos ese tipo de liderazgo retrógrado? Hacerlo solo degrada y abarata nuestra política. Solo sirve para desanimar aún más a las personas buenas y de gran corazón a querer involucrarse en absoluto. Estados Unidos, nuestros padres nos enseñaron algo mejor que eso. Y merecemos mucho más que eso. Es por eso por lo que debemos hacer todo lo que esté a nuestro alcance para elegir a dos de esas personas buenas y de gran corazón.
Electores y líderes latinos en Estados Unidos dicen sentirse entusiasmados de que Kamala Harris sea la nominada presidencial demócrata, pero para que ella obtenga su crucial respaldo, quieren saber cuál es su posición con respecto a temas como la economía, la inmigración y la educación. (Foto: RRSS)
No hay otra opción que Kamala Harris y Tim Walz. No hay otra opción.
Pero, mientras abrazamos este renovado sentido de esperanza, no olvidemos la desesperación que hemos sentido. No olvidemos lo que tenemos en mente. Sí, Kamala y Tim lo están haciendo muy bien ahora. Nos encanta. Están llenando estadios en todo el país. La gente está llena de energía. Nos sentimos bien. Pero recuerden, todavía hay muchas personas que están desesperadas por un resultado diferente, que están listas para cuestionar y criticar cada movimiento que haga Kamala, que están ansiosas por difundir esas mentiras, que no quieren votar por una mujer, que seguirán priorizando la creación de su riqueza por sobre garantizar que todos tengan lo suficiente.
Así que, por muy bien que nos sintamos esta noche, mañana o al día siguiente, esta será una batalla cuesta arriba. Así que, amigos, no podemos ser nuestros peores enemigos. No. En cuanto algo salga mal, en cuanto una mentira se imponga, amigos, no podemos empezar a lamentarnos. No podemos tener un complejo de Ricitos de Oro sobre si todo está bien o no. Y no podemos dejarnos llevar por la ansiedad sobre si este país elegirá a alguien como Kamala, en lugar de hacer todo lo posible para que alguien como Kamala sea elegida.
Kamala y Tim han vivido vidas maravillosas y confío en que liderarán con compasión, inclusión y gracia, pero siguen siendo humanos. No son perfectos y, como todos nosotros, cometerán errores. Pero, por suerte, no es solo culpa de ellos. Depende de nosotros, de todos nosotros, ser la solución que buscamos. Depende de todos nosotros ser el antídoto contra la oscuridad y la división. Miren, no me importa cómo se identifiquen políticamente, si son demócratas, republicanos, independientes o ninguno de los anteriores. Este es nuestro momento de defender lo que sabemos en nuestro corazón que es correcto.
No sólo debemos defender nuestras libertades básicas, sino también la decencia y la humanidad. El respeto, la dignidad y la empatía básicos. Los valores que son la base misma de esta democracia. Nos corresponde recordar lo que le dijo la madre a Kamala: no te quedes sentada quejándote, haz algo.
Así que, si mienten sobre ella, y lo harán, tenemos que hacer algo. Si vemos una mala encuesta, y la veremos, tenemos que dejar el teléfono y hacer algo. Si empezamos a sentirnos cansados, si empezamos a sentir que el miedo vuelve a apoderarse de nosotros, tenemos que levantarnos, echarnos agua en la cara, ¿y qué? [La multitud corea: “¡Hagan algo!”]
Sólo tenemos dos meses y medio para lograrlo. Sólo 11 semanas para asegurarnos de que cada persona que conocemos esté registrada y tenga un plan para votar. Así que no podemos permitirnos que nadie, nadie, nadie en Estados Unidos se quede de brazos cruzados esperando a que le llamen. No se quejen si nadie de la campaña se ha puesto en contacto con ustedes específicamente para pedirles su apoyo. Sencillamente no hay tiempo para ese tipo de tonterías. Saben lo que tienen que hacer. Así que consideren esto como su pedido oficial. Michelle Obama les está pidiendo —no, se los estoy diciendo a todos ustedes— que hagan algo.
Estas elecciones van a ser reñidas. En algunos estados, sólo un puñado de votos en cada distrito electoral podría decidir quién es el ganador. Por eso, necesitamos votar en cantidades que borren cualquier duda. Necesitamos superar cualquier esfuerzo por reprimirnos. Nuestro destino está en nuestras manos. En 77 días, tenemos el poder de alejar a nuestro país del miedo, la división y la pequeñez del pasado. Tenemos el poder de unir nuestra esperanza con nuestra acción. Tenemos el poder de devolver el amor, el sudor y el sacrificio de nuestras madres y padres y de todos los que nos precedieron. Lo hicimos antes que ustedes y seguro que podemos hacerlo de nuevo. Trabajemos como si nuestras vidas dependieran de ello y sigamos haciendo avanzar a nuestro país y lleguemos más alto, sí, siempre más alto de lo que hemos llegado antes, mientras elegimos al próximo presidente y vicepresidente de los Estados Unidos, Kamala Harris y Tim Walz. Gracias a todos, que Dios los bendiga.
Bueno, antes de irme, tengo un trabajo más esta noche. Sí. Un trabajo más.
Gracias a todos por todo el cariño. Pero ahora es un honor para mí presentarles a alguien que sabe mucho sobre la esperanza. Alguien que ha pasado su vida fortaleciendo nuestra democracia. Y déjenme decirles, como alguien que vive con él: se despierta todos los días, todos los días, y piensa en lo que es mejor para este país.
Por favor, den la bienvenida al 44º presidente de Estados Unidos y al amor de mi vida, Barack Obama.
Harrisburg. – Committed to providing financial support to reduce underage and dangerous alcohol consumption, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) today announced it will award more than $3.3 million to 86 schools, community organizations, municipalities, law enforcement organizations, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education through the 2024-26 Alcohol Education Grant Program.
This year, of 102 grant applications received, 86 organizations from 41 counties across Pennsylvania were awarded a total of $3,312,205 in grants. The maximum award for each two-year grant is $50,000.
Of the grants awarded:
23 will fund community law-enforcement efforts for targeted underage patrols, training, community outreach, and equipment.
23 will be used to support community and nonprofit organizations by funding initiatives such as MADD’s Power of Parents®, and Parents Who Host Lose the Most®, public service announcements, and enforcement efforts.
Eight will go to primary and secondary schools to fund various programs aimed at reaching students, such as social norms media campaigns, guest speakers, and impaired driving simulation activities.
31 college and university grants will help schools develop strategies to reduce underage and dangerous alcohol use through surveys and assessments, enforcement efforts, attendance at alcohol education conferences, training for resident assistants, peer education programs, and evidence-informed programs like EVERFI AlcoholEdu® and Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO.
One will go to a for-profit organization aimed at peer-to-peer outreach and public service announcements.
In addition to the provision of millions of dollars in alcohol education grants to communities, educational institutions, and law enforcement agencies, the PLCB works to educate the public about the dangers of underage and dangerous drinking through a variety of other avenues, including a free annual alcohol educational conference, an award-winning prevention campaign – Know When. Know How.SM – targeted to underage drinking, the creation and distribution of a wide range of educational materials, Responsible Alcohol Management Program training and resources for licensees, and training and technical assistance for organizations working to address the issues related to irresponsible consumption.
The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates about 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling nearly $20.3 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov.
PHILADELPHIA. – The City of Philadelphia has been awarded $1,316,810 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Energy, through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, to support four projects that will expand access to energy education, build resilience to heat in vulnerable communities, scale the local clean energy workforce and support efforts to decarbonize School District of Philadelphia buildings.
The EECBG Program provides federal funding and technical assistance to local governments, states, and Tribes pursuing projects that improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use and lower fossil fuel emissions. Philadelphia’s grant award is made possible under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which delivered $550 million to the EECBG Program.
The EECBG award will fund the following projects in Philadelphia:
Energy Burdened Community Education The Office of Sustainability (OOS), in partnership with the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) and citywide Neighborhood Energy Centers, will scale up educational programming about energy efficiency and conservation in historically marginalized and vulnerable communities that experience high levels of energy burden. ECA will also launch and operate an electric Mobile Energy Center to improve access to energy resources among working families and underserved constituencies, including elderly and mobility-constrained residents.
Cool Roofs Program As climate change leads to rising heat in Philadelphia, this project will investigate how cool roofs can improve energy conservation in homes and improve heat resilience in neighborhoods. Through research and stakeholder engagement, OOS will develop recommendations for establishing a long-term Cool Roofs Program at the City and examine gaps in the existing Cool Roofs Policy. OOS will also partner with ECA to pilot neighborhood-scale application of cool roof coatings in a selected heat vulnerable community, to inform the community component of a Cool Roofs Program.
Clean Energy Workforce Development Strategy Philadelphia’s buildings contribute approximately 70 percent of citywide greenhouse gas emissions, and the movement to lower the city’s carbon footprint and transition to a clean energy future is creating opportunities for good-paying clean energy jobs. The Office of Sustainability will develop a comprehensive strategy and implementation roadmap for Philadelphia to scale the local clean energy workforce to meet the scope and scale of our building decarbonization goals.
Energy Conservation and Management in Schools The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) will receive support with managing its energy portfolio and utility data for more than 200 buildings and identifying opportunities to make energy efficiency improvements. The District will also receive support with procuring energy, including renewables, to align with the City’s goal of using 100 percent renewable electricity.
“As we look for every opportunity to make Philadelphia a safer, cleaner, and greener city with economic opportunity for all, we are excited to deploy this federal funding from the Biden-Harris Administration on projects that advance Mayor Parker’s clean and green agenda,” said Sinceré Harris, Chief Deputy Mayor, Intergovernmental Affairs, Sustainability, and Engagement. «These projects align with the mayor’s priorities, including tackling urban heat islands, supporting healthy, safe and thriving communities by improving housing, helping students excel at school and creating quality jobs.”
“As the clean energy transition gains momentum, our office is exploring what it takes to build a robust, sustained clean energy workforce that creates wealth opportunities for Philadelphians,” said Elizabeth Lankenau, Interim Director, Office of Sustainability. “With the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, we will cement key partnerships with the School District of Philadelphia and the Energy Coordinating Agency to advance energy efficiency projects in municipal buildings, public schools and across our neighborhoods.”
About the City’s Office of Sustainability
The Office of Sustainability (OOS) works with partners around the city to improve quality of life in all Philadelphia neighborhoods, through advancing environmental justice, reducing the city’s carbon emissions, and preparing Philadelphia for a hotter and wetter future. The Municipal Energy Office, housed within OOS, is responsible for managing the municipal energy portfolio and its contribution towards carbon reductions. For more information, visit phila.gov/sustainability.
UPPER MERION, PA — Un funcionario republicano del condado de Montgomery dijo que fue «swatted» debido a su reciente apoyo público a la candidata presidencial demócrata Kamala Harris.
El swatting consiste en generar una respuesta de emergencia de las fuerzas del orden contra una víctima bajo falsas acusaciones. Los swatters lo hacen llamando a líneas de emergencia como el 911 y denunciando falazmente una situación de emergencia violenta, como un tiroteo o una situación con rehenes.
Matt McCaffery, residente de Upper Merion y miembro del Comité Republicano del condado de Montgomery, escribió un artículo de opinión para el Philadelphia Inquirer en julio antes de aparecer en CNN recientemente.
«Voté por Trump en 2016», decía el largo titular del artículo de opinión. «Su falta de respeto por los veteranos me hará votar por un demócrata».
La aparición de McCaffery en CNN fue el viernes. Horas más tarde, el viernes por la noche, alguien llamó a la policía de Upper Merion y fabricó algún tipo de falsa emergencia. Los detalles no están claros, pero la amenaza falsa fue lo suficientemente grave como para que numerosos oficiales armados invadieran la casa de McCaffery después de la medianoche, lo detuvieran y registraran la propiedad.
Publicó imágenes de vigilancia del incidente en Twitter.
«Anoche, mi familia fue atacada en lo que la policía de Upper Merion está clasificando como un crimen con motivaciones políticas», escribió. «Esto sucedió después de que aparecí en CNN, donde hablé sobre mi decisión de no apoyar a Donald Trump. Quiero ser claro: este tipo de ataques son exactamente la razón por la que me estoy pronunciando en contra del ala MAGA de mi partido y por la que estoy votando orgullosamente por Kamala Harris».
Una vez que las autoridades se dieron cuenta de que se trataba de un incidente de ataque, liberaron a McCaffery. Todavía no se han realizado arrestos y la investigación sigue en curso.
Los perfiles de las redes sociales de McCaffery se llenaron de mensajes furiosos y algunos amenazantes después de su aparición en televisión.
El Comité Republicano del Condado de Montgomery tomó medidas disciplinarias contra McCaffery, ya que su apoyo público al candidato del partido de la oposición viola sus estatutos.
McCaffery, mientras tanto, ha indicado que continuará apoyando públicamente la candidatura demócrata.
El candidato presidencial independiente Robert F. Kennedy Jr. habla durante un evento de campaña, el martes 14 de noviembre de 2023, en Columbia, Carolina del Sur, EE. UU. (Foto: VOA/Archivo)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., candidato presidencial independiente, podría retirarse de la carrera para unirse a Donald Trump, según afirmó su compañera de fórmula, Nicole Shanahan.
El candidato presidencial independiente Robert F. Kennedy Jr. está considerando poner punto y final a su campaña para unirse a su rival republicano Donald Trump, según dijo su compañera de fórmula en una entrevista publicada el martes.
Hace una semana al parecer habia buscado a Harris para ofrecer su apoyo a cambio de un puesto en su gabinete, algo que la vicepresidenta rechazó.
La candidata a la vicepresidencia Nicole Shanahan dijo que como independientes, ella y Kennedy corrían el riesgo de atraer apoyo de los votantes potenciales de Trump, lo que allanaría el camino para que los demócratas Kamala Harris y Tim Walz ganaran las elecciones de noviembre.
«O nos retiramos ahora mismo y nos unimos a Donald Trump», dijo al sitio web de Los Ángeles, Impact Theory. Al ser preguntada sobre cuándo tomarían una decisión, no respondió.
Trump dijo a CNN que «ciertamente estaría abierto» a que Kennedy desempeñara un papel en su administración si el candidato independiente se retirara de la carrera y lo respaldara.
«Me gusta y lo respeto», señaló el magnate tras un mitin en Michigan.
«Es un tipo brillante. Es un tipo muy inteligente. Lo conozco desde hace mucho tiempo. No sabía que estaba pensando en retirarse, pero si lo está considerando, ciertamente estaría abierto a ello», agregó.
En un comunicado publicado el martes en X, Kennedy escribió: «Como siempre, estoy dispuesto a hablar con líderes de cualquier partido político para promover los objetivos que he defendido durante 40 años en mi carrera y en esta campaña.»
Kennedy, hijo del fallecido político demócrata Robert F. Kennedy, es un defensor del medio ambiente que ha difundido información errónea sobre las vacunas y cuya familia ha rechazado su campaña.
Inicialmente buscó desafiar al presidente de EE. UU., Joe Biden, por la nominación demócrata, pero cambió para postularse como independiente. Biden luego se retiró y respaldó a Harris, quien aceptará la nominación en la convención del partido esta semana.
Kennedy, de 70 años, enfrenta una ardua batalla para calificar en la boleta presidencial en muchos estados, pero podría desviar suficientes votos en la reñida carrera entre Harris y Trump para tener un impacto considerable.
El apoyo a Kennedy se situó en el 4 % en una encuesta de Ipsos realizada este mes.
Trump ha buscado el apoyo de Kennedy, de acuerdo con una llamada telefónica que se filtró en julio. Shanahan, en la entrevista publicada el martes, dijo que Trump se había interesado en sus políticas de salud, lo que hacía que valiera la pena explorar «un partido de unidad».
Además, puntualizó que el equipo de Kennedy nunca ha estado en conversaciones con Harris.
OK. We got a big night ahead. Thank you all so much. Thank you so much. OK. There you go.
Hello, Chicago! Yeah. All right. Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isn’t it? You know, we’re feeling it here in this arena, but it’s spreading across this country we love. A familiar feeling that has been buried too deep for far too long. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the contagious power of hope.
The anticipation, the energy, the exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day. The chance to vanquish the demons of fear, division and hate that have consumed us and continue pursuing the unfinished promise of this great nation, the dream that our parents and grandparents fought and died and sacrificed for.
America, hope is making a comeback.
Yeah. But to be honest, I am realizing that, until recently, I have mourned the dimming of that hope. And maybe you’ve experienced the same feelings, that deep pit in my stomach, a palpable sense of dread about the future.
And for me, that mourning has also been mixed with my own personal grief. The last time I was here in my hometown was to memorialize my mother — the woman who showed me the meaning of hard work and humility and decency, the woman who set my moral compass high and showed me the power of my own voice.
Folks, I still feel her loss so profoundly. I wasn’t even sure if I’d be steady enough to stand before you tonight, but my heart compelled me to be here because of the sense of duty that I feel to honor her memory. And to remind us all not to squander the sacrifices our elders made to give us a better future.
You see, my mom, in her steady, quiet way, lived out that striving sense of hope every single day of her life. She believed that all children, all — all people have value. That anyone can succeed if given the opportunity. She and my father did not aspire to be wealthy. In fact, they were suspicious of folks who took more than they needed. They understood that it wasn’t enough for their kids to thrive if everyone else around us was drowning.
So, my mother volunteered at the local school. She — she always looked out for the other kids on the block. She was glad to do the thankless, unglamorous work that for generations has strengthened the fabric of this nation. The belief that if you do unto others, if you love thy neighbor, if you work and scrape and sacrifice, it will pay off. If not for you, then maybe for your children or your grandchildren.
You see, those values have been passed on through family farms and factory towns, through tree-lined streets and crowded tenements, through prayer groups and National Guard units and social-studies classrooms. Those were the values my mother poured into me until her very last breath.
Kamala Harris and I built our lives on the same foundational values. Even though our mothers grew up an ocean apart, they shared the same belief in the promise of this country. That’s why her mother moved here from India at 19. It’s why she taught Kamala about justice, about the obligation to lift others up, about our responsibility to give more than we take. She’d often tell her daughter, “Don’t sit around and complain about things. Do something.”
So, with that voice in her head, Kamala went out and she worked hard in school, graduating from an H.B.C.U., earning her law degree at a state school. And then she went on to work for the people, fighting to hold lawbreakers accountable, strengthening the rule of law, fighting to give folks better wages, cheaper prescription drugs, a good education, decent health care, childcare, elder care. From a middle-class household, Kamala worked her way up to become vice president of the United States of America.
My girl, Kamala Harris, is more than ready for this moment. She is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office of the presidency. And she is one of the most dignified. A tribute to her mother, to my mother and to your mother, too. The embodiment of the stories we tell ourselves about this country. Her story is your story. It’s my story. It’s the story of the vast majority of Americans trying to build a better life.
Look, Kamala knows, like we do, that regardless of where you come from, what you look like, who you love, how you worship, or what’s in your bank account, we all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life. All of our contributions deserve to be accepted and valued. Because no one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American. No one.
Kamala has shown her allegiance to this nation. Not by spewing anger and bitterness, but by living a life of service, and always pushing the doors of opportunity open to others.
She understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward. We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth.
If we bankrupt a business — if we bankrupt a business or choke in a crisis, we don’t get a second, third or fourth chance. If things don’t go our way, we don’t have the luxury of whining or cheating others to get further ahead. No.
We don’t get to change the rules, so we always win. If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top. No. We put our heads down. We get to work. In America, we do something.
And throughout her entire life, that’s what we have seen from Kamala Harris. The steel of her spine, the steadiness of her upbringing, the honesty of her example and yes, the joy of her laughter and her light.
It couldn’t be more obvious. Of the two major candidates in this race, only Kamala Harris truly understands the unseen labor and unwavering commitment that has always made America great.
Now, unfortunately, we know what comes next. We know folks are going to do everything they can to distort her truth. My husband and I sadly know a little something about this.
For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us.
See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black. I want to know — I want to know — who’s going to tell him, who’s going to tell him, that the job he is currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?
It’s his same old con. His same old con. Doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better.
Look, because cutting our health care, taking away our freedom to control our bodies, the freedom to become a mother through I.V.F., like I did — those things are not going to improve the health outcomes of our wives, mothers and daughters. Shutting down the Department of Education, banning our books — none of that will prepare our kids for the future. Demonizing our children for being who they are and loving who they love, look, that doesn’t make anybody’s life better. Instead, instead, it only makes us small. And let me tell you this: Going small is never the answer. Going small is the opposite of what we teach our kids. Going small is petty. It’s unhealthy. And quite frankly, it’s unpresidential.
So, why would any of us accept this from anyone seeking our highest office. Why would we normalize that type of backward leadership? Doing so only demeans and cheapens our politics. It only serves to further discourage good, big-hearted people from wanting to get involved at all. America, our parents taught us better than that. And we deserve so much better than that. That’s why we must do everything in our power to elect two of those good, big-hearted people. There is no other choice than Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. No other choice.
But as we embrace this renewed sense of hope, let us not forget the despair we have felt. Let us not forget what we are up against. Yes, Kamala and Tim are doing great now. We’re loving it. They are packing arenas across the country. Folks are energized. We are feeling good. But remember, there are still so many people who are desperate for a different outcome, who are ready to question and criticize every move Kamala makes, who are eager to spread those lies, who don’t want to vote for a woman, who will continue to prioritize building their wealth over ensuring that everyone has enough.
So no matter how good we feel tonight, or tomorrow, or the next day, this is going to be an uphill battle. So folks, we cannot be our own worst enemies. No. See, because the minute something goes wrong, the minute a lie takes hold, folks, we cannot start wringing our hands. We cannot get goldilocks complex about whether everything is just right. And we cannot indulge our anxieties about whether this country will elect someone like Kamala, instead of doing everything we can to get someone like Kamala elected.
Kamala and Tim, they have lived amazing lives. And I am confident that they will lead with compassion, inclusion and grace. But they are still only human. They are not perfect. And like all of us, they will make mistakes. But luckily, y’all, this is not just on them. This is up to us, all of us, to be the solution that we seek. It’s up to all of us to be the antidote to the darkness and division. Look, I don’t care how you identify politically, whether you are Democrat, Republican, independent or none of the above. This is our time to stand up for what we know in our hearts is right.
To stand up not just for our basic freedoms, but for decency and humanity. For basic respect, dignity and empathy. For the values at the very foundation of this democracy. It’s up to us to remember what Kamala’s mother told her: Don’t just sit around and complain, do something.
So if they lie about her, and they will, we’ve got to do something. If we see a bad poll, and we will, we’ve got to put down that phone, and do something. If we start feeling tired, if we start feeling that dread creeping back in, we’ve got to pick ourselves up, throw water on our face, and what? [Crowd chants back: “Do Something!”]
We only have two and a half months, y’all, to get this done. Only 11 weeks to make sure every single person we know is registered and has a voting plan. So, we cannot afford for anyone, anyone, anyone in America to sit on their hands and wait to be called. Don’t complain if no one from the campaign has specifically reached out to you to ask you for your support. There is simply no time for that kind of foolishness. You know what you need to do. So, consider this to be your official ask. Michelle Obama is asking you — no, I’m telling y’all — to do something.
This election is going to be close. In some states, just a handful — listen to me — a handful of votes in every precinct could decide the winner. So, we need to vote in numbers that erase any doubt. We need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us. Our fate is in our hands. In 77 days, we have the power to turn our country away from the fear, division and smallness of the past. We have the power to marry our hope with our actions.
We have the power to pay forward the love, sweat and sacrifice of our mothers and fathers and all those who came before us. We did it before y’all, and we sure can do it again. Let us work like our lives depend on it and let us keep moving our country forward and go higher, yes, always higher than we’ve ever gone before, as we elect the next president and vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Thank you all, God bless.
Now, before I go, I have one more job tonight. Yeah. One more job.
You all, thank you for all the love. But it is now my honor to introduce somebody who knows a whole lot about hope. Someone who has spent his life strengthening our democracy. And let me tell you, as someone who lives with him: He wakes up every day, every day, and thinks about what’s best for this country.
Please welcome America’s 44th president and the love of my life, Barack Obama.
ARCHIVO - El candidato demócrata a la presidencia, el senador Barack Obama, pronuncia un discurso en la Convención Nacional Demócrata en Denver, el 28 de agosto de 2008. (AP Foto/Alex Brandon, Archivo)
Former President Barack Obama addressed the Democratic National Convention as the keynote speaker on the second night. This is the full text of his speech.
Hello, Chicago! Hello!
Thank you, thank you! Thank you everybody, thank you!
Alright, alright, alright that’s enough. Thank you. Chicago! It is good to be home!
It is good to be home and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling fired up! I’m feeling ready to go – even if, even if I’m the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama…
I’m feeling hopeful because this convention has always been pretty good to kids with funny names who believe in a country where anything is possible. Because we have the chance to elect someone who’s spent her entire life trying to give people the same chances America gave her. Someone who sees you and hears you and will get up every single day and fight for you: the next President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris.
It’s been sixteen years since I had the honor of accepting this party’s nomination for president. I know it’s hard to believe since I haven’t aged a bit, but it’s true. And looking back, I can say without question that my first big decision as your nominee turned out to be one of my best – and that was asking Joe Biden to serve by my side as Vice President.
Now, other than some common Irish blood, Joe and I come from different backgrounds. But we became brothers. And as we worked together for eight sometimes pretty tough years, what I came to admire most about Joe wasn’t just his smarts, his experience, it was his empathy and his decency and his hard-earned resiliency, his unshakable belief that everyone in this country deserves a fair shot.
Joe Biden se despidió de la Convención Nacional Demócrata con un emotivo discurso, cediendo el liderazgo a Kamala Harris. Agradeció el apoyo y defendió sus logros, mientras los demócratas miran hacia la próxima elección presidencial. (Foto: VOA)
And over the last four years, those are the values America has needed most.
At a time when millions of our fellow citizens were sick and dying, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right. At a time when our economy was reeling, we needed a leader with the determination to drive what would become the world’s strongest recovery -15 million jobs, higher wages, lower health care costs. And at a time when the other party had turned into a cult of personality, we needed a leader who was steady, and brought people together, and was selfless enough to do the rarest thing there is in politics: putting his own ambition aside for the sake of the country.
History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger. I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend.
Now the torch has been passed. Now it’s up to all of us to fight for the America we believe in. And make no mistake: it will be a fight. For all the incredible energy we’ve been able to generate over the last few weeks, for all the rallies and the memes, this will still be a tight race in a closely divided country – a country where too many Americans are still struggling. Where a lot of Americans don’t believe government can help.
And as we gather here tonight, the people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question:
Who will fight for me? Who’s thinking about my future; about my children’s future – about our future together?
One thing is for certain: Donald Trump is not losing sleep over these questions. Here’s a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually been getting worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala. There’s the childish nicknames, the crazy conspiracy theories, this weird obsession with crowd sizes. It just goes on and on and on. The other day, I heard someone compare Trump to the neighbor who keeps running his leaf blower outside your window every minute of every day.
From a neighbor, that’s exhausting. From a president, it’s just dangerous. The truth is, Donald Trump sees power as nothing more than a means to his ends. He wants the middle class to pay the price for another huge tax cut that would mostly help him and his rich friends. He killed a bipartisan immigration deal written by some of the most conservative Republicans in Congress that would’ve helped secure our southern border because he thought trying to actually solve the problem would hurt his campaign.
Do not boo! Vote.
He doesn’t seem to care if more women lose their reproductive freedoms since it won’t affect his life.
Most of all, Donald Trump wants us to think that this country is hopelessly divided between us and them; between the real Americans who of course support him and the outsiders who don’t. And he wants you to think that you’ll be richer and safer if you just give him the power to put those «other» people back in their place.
It is one of the oldest tricks in politics – from a guy whose act has, let’s face it, gotten pretty stale. We don’t need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos. We have seen that movie – and we all know that the sequel is usually worse.
America is ready for a new chapter. America’s ready for a better story.
We are ready for a President Kamala Harris.
And Kamala Harris is ready for the job. This is a person who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a champion. As you heard from Michelle, Kamala wasn’t born into privilege. She had to work for what she’s got, and she actually cares about what other people are going through. She’s not the neighbor running the leaf blower – she’s the neighbor rushing over to help when you need a hand.
As a prosecutor, Kamala stood up for children who had been victims of sexual abuse. As Attorney General of the most populous state in the country, she fought big banks and for-profit colleges, securing billions of dollars for the people they had scammed. After the home mortgage crisis, she pushed me and my administration hard to make sure homeowners got a fair settlement. Didn’t matter that I was a Democrat. Didn’t matter that she had knocked on doors for my campaign in Iowa – she was going to fight to get as much relief as possible for the families who deserved it.
As Vice President, she helped take on the drug companies to cap the cost of insulin, lower the cost of health care, and give families with kids a tax cut. And she’s running for president with real plans to lower costs even more, protect Medicare and Social Security, and sign a law to guarantee every woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.
In other words, Kamala Harris won’t be focused on her problems – she’ll be focused on yours. As president, she won’t just cater to her own supporters, punish those who refuse to kiss the ring or bend the knee. She’ll work on behalf of every American.
That’s who Kamala is. And in the White House, she will have an outstanding partner in Governor Tim Walz.
Lemme tell you something: I love this guy. Tim’s the kind of person who should be in politics -born in a small town, served his country, taught kids, coached football, took care of his neighbors. He knows who he is and what’s important. You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some consultant, they come from his closet, and they’ve been through some stuff.
Together, Kamala and Tim have kept faith with America’s central story – a story that says we’re all created equal, that everyone deserves a chance, and that, even when we don’t agree with each other, we can find a way to live with each other.
That’s Kamala’s vision. That’s Tim’s vision. That’s the Democratic Party’s vision. And our job over the next eleven weeks is to convince as many people as possible to vote for that vision.
It won’t be easy. The other side knows it’s easier to play on people’s fears and cynicism. They’ll tell you that government is corrupt; that sacrifice and generosity are for suckers; and that since the game is rigged, it’s ok to take what you want and look after your own.
That’s the easy path. We have a different task. Our job is to convince people that democracy can actually deliver. And we can’t just point to what we’ve already accomplished. We can’t just rely on the ideas of the past. We need to chart a new way forward to meet the challenges of today.
And Kamala understands this. She knows, for example, that if we want to make it easier for more young people to buy a home, we need to build more units, and clear away some of the outdated laws and regulations that have made it harder to build homes for working people in this country. And she’s put out a bold new plan to do just that.
On health care, we should all be proud of the enormous progress we’ve made through the Affordable Care Act – providing millions of people access to affordable coverage and protecting millions more from unscrupulous insurance practices. And I’ve notice, by the way, that since it’s become popular they don’t call it Obamacare no more. But Kamala knows we can’t stop there, which is why she’ll keep working to limit out of pocket costs.
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris wave to the audience following Biden’s speech on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 19 August 2024. (Foto: EFE/JUSTIN LANE)
Kamala knows that if we want to help people get ahead, we need to put a college degree within reach of more Americans. But she also knows college shouldn’t be the only ticket to the middle class. We need to follow the lead of governors like Tim Walz who’ve said, if you’ve got the skills and the drive, you shouldn’t need a degree to work for state government. And in this new economy, we need a president who actually cares about the millions of people all across this country who wake up every single day to do the essential, often thankless work to care for our sick, to clean our streets,
to deliver our packages. We need a president to stand up for their right to bargain for better wages and working conditions.
And Kamala will be that president.
Yes she can.
A Harris-Walz administration can help us move past some of the tired old debates that keep stifling progress, because at their core, Kamala and Tim understand that when everybody gets a fair shot, we’re all better off. They understand that when every child gets a good education, the whole economy gets stronger. When women are paid the same as men for doing the same job, all families benefit. They understand that we can secure our border without tearing kids away from their parents, just like we can keep our streets safe while also building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve and eliminating bias. That will make it better for everybody.
Donald Trump and his well-heeled donors don’t see the world that way. For them, one group’s gains is necessarily another group’s loss. For them, freedom means that the powerful can do pretty much what they please, whether its fire workers trying to organize a union or poisoning our rivers or avoid paying taxes like everybody else has to do.
We have a broader idea of freedom. We believe in the freedom to provide for your family if you’re willing to work hard; the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and send your kids to school without worrying if they’ll come home. We believe that true freedom gives each of us the right to make decisions about our own life – how we worship, what our family looks like, how many kids we have, who we marry. And we believe that freedom requires us to recognize that other people have the freedom to make choices that are different than ours. That’s OK!
That’s the America Kamala Harris and Tim Walz believe in. An America where «We the People» includes everyone. Because that’s the only way this American experiment works. And despite what our politics might suggest, I think most Americans understand that. Democracy isn’t just a bunch of abstract principles and dusty laws in some book somewhere. It’s the values we live by, and the way we treat each other – including those who don’t look like us or pray like us or see the world exactly like we do.
That sense of mutual respect has to be part of our message. Our politics has become so polarized these days that all of us, across the political spectrum, seem so quick to assume the worst in others unless they agree with us on every single issue. We start thinking that the only way to win is to scold and shame and out yell the other side. And after a while, regular folks just tune out, or don’t bother to vote at all.
That approach may work for the politicians who just want attention and thrive on division. But it won’t work for us. To make progress on the things we care about, the things that really affect people’s lives, we need to remember that we’ve all got our blind spots and contradictions and prejudices; and that if we want to win over those who aren’t yet ready to support our candidate, we need to listen to their concerns – and maybe learn something in the process.
After all, if a parent or grandparent occasionally says something that makes us cringe, we don’t automatically assume they’re bad people. We recognize the world is moving fast, and that they need time and maybe a little encouragement to catch up. Our fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they’ll extend to us.
That’s how we can build a true Democratic majority. And by the way, that doesn’t just matter to people in this country. The rest of the world is watching to see if we can actually pull this off.
No nation, no society, has ever tried to build a democracy as big and as diverse as ours before. One that includes people who over decades have come from every corner of the globe. One where our allegiances and our community are defined not by race or blood, but by a common creed. That’s why when we uphold our values, the world’s a little brighter. When we don’t, the world’s a little dimmer. And dictators and autocrats feel emboldened, and over time we become less safe. We shouldn’t be the world’s policeman, and we can’t eradicate every cruelty and injustice in the world. But America can be and must be, a force for good – discouraging conflict, fighting disease, promoting human rights, protecting the planet from climate change, defending freedom, promoting peace. That’s what Kamala Harris believes – and so do most Americans.
I know these ideas can feel pretty naïve right now. We live in a time of such confusion and rancor, with a culture that puts a premium on things that don’t last – money, fame, status, likes. We chase the approval of strangers on our phones; we build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves and then wonder why we feel so alone. We don’t trust each other as much because we don’t take the time know each other – and in that space between us, politicians and algorithms teach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.
But here’s the good news, Chicago. All across America, in big cities and small towns, away from all the noise, the ties that bind us together are still there. We still coach Little League and look out for our elderly neighbors. We still feed the hungry, in churches and mosques and synagogues and temples. We still share the same pride when our Olympic athletes compete for the gold. Because the vast majority of us don’t want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided. We want something better. We want to be better. And the joy and excitement we’re seeing around this campaign tells us we’re not alone.
Fotografía divulgada por Barack Obama en su cuenta de Instagram donde aparece junto a su esposa Michelle y sus hijas, Malia y Sasha, durante el bautizo de Sasha. EFE/Barack Obama /SOLO USO EDITORIAL /NO VENTAS
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this these past few months because, as Michelle mentioned, this summer we lost her mom, Ms. Marion Robinson.
I don’t know that anybody has ever loved their mother-in-law any more than I loved mine. Mostly it’s because she was funny and wise and the least pretentious person I knew. That and she always defended me with Michelle when I messed up. I’d hide behind her.
But I also think one of the reasons we became so close was she reminded me of my grandmother, the woman who raised me as a child. On the surface, the two of them didn’t have a lot in common – one was a Black woman from right here, South Side of Chicago, right down the way, went to Englewood High School. The other a rural white woman born in a tiny town called Peru, Kansas. And yet, they shared a basic outlook on life – strong, smart, resourceful women, full of common sense, who, regardless of the barriers they encountered, and women growing up in the 40s, 50s and 60s, they encountered barriers, they still went about their business without fuss or complaint and provided an unshakable foundation of love for their children and grandchildren.
In that sense, they both represented an entire generation of working people who, through war and depression, discrimination and limited opportunity, helped build this country. A lot of them toiled every day at jobs that were often too small for them and didn’t pay a lot. They willingly went without just to give their children something better. But they knew what was true. They knew what mattered. Things like honesty and integrity, kindness and hard work. They weren’t impressed with braggarts or bullies. They didn’t think putting other people down lifted you up or made you strong. they didn’t spend a lot of time obsessing about what they didn’t have. Instead, they ?? on what they did. They found pleasure in simple things – a card game with friends, a good meal and laughter around the kitchen table, helping others and seeing their children do things and go places that they would have never imagined for themselves.
Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican or somewhere in between, we’ve all had people like that in our lives. People like Kamala’s parents, who crossed oceans because they believed in the promise of America. People like Tim’s parents, who taught him about the importance of service. Good, hardworking people who weren’t famous or powerful, but who managed, in countless ways, to leave this country just a little better than they found it.
As much as any policy or program, I believe that’s what we yearn for – a return to an America where we work together and look out for each other. A restoration of what Lincoln called, on the eve of civil war, «our bonds of affection.» An America that taps what he called «the better angels of our nature.» That’s what this election is about. And I believe that’s why, if we each do our part over the next 77 days – if we knock on doors, if we make phone calls, if we talk to our friends, if we listen to our neighbors – if we work like we’ve never worked before, if we hold firm to our convictions – we will elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States, and Tim Walz as the next Vice President of the United States. We’ll elect leaders up and down the ballot who will fight for the hopeful, forward-looking America we all believe in. And together, we too will build a country that is more secure and more just, more equal and more free.
La nominada presidencial demócrata y vicepresidenta, Kamala Harris, y su compañero de fórmula, el gobernador de Minnesota Tim Walz, se presentan en el Fiserv Forum en un mitin de campaña en Milwaukee, el martes 20 de agosto de 2024. (AP Foto/Jacquelyn Martin)
So let’s get to work. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
Former President Barack Obama hugs former first lady Michelle Obama as he is introduced during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Photo: AP/Brynn Anderson)
Warning of a difficult fight ahead, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama on Tuesday called on the nation to embrace Kamala Harris in urgent messages to the Democratic National Convention that were at times both hopeful and ominous.
“America, hope is making a comeback,” the former first lady declared. She then tore into Republican Donald Trump, a sharp shift from the 2016 convention speech in which she told her party, “When they go low, we go high.”
“His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who also happened to be Black,” Michelle Obama said of Trump.
Barack Obama, the first Black president in U.S. history, insisted the nation is ready to elect Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian heritage and would be the nation’s first female president. He also called Trump “a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.”
“It’s been a constant stream of gripes and grievances that’s actually gotten worse now that he’s afraid of losing to Kamala,” he said.
The fiery messages from two of the Democratic Party’s biggest stars underscored the urgency of the moment as Harris works to stitch together a broad coalition in her bid to defeat Trump this fall. The vice president is drawing on stars like the Obamas and other celebrities, officials from the far left to the middle, and even some Republicans to boost her campaign.
Former President Barack Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Photo: AP/Charles Rex Arbogast)
And while the theme of the night was “a bold vision for America’s future,” the disparate factions of Harris’ evolving coalition demonstrated, above all, that they are connected by a deep desire to prevent a second Trump presidency.
In an appearance perhaps intended to needle Trump, his former press secretary Stephanie Grisham — now a harsh critic of her former boss — also took the convention stage.
Trump “has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” Grisham said. “I love my country more than my party. Kamala Harris tells the truth. She respects the American people. And she has my vote.”
Sens. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, and Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent beloved by progressives, both praised Harris.
Schumer called on voters to elect another Democratic majority to the U.S. Senate. “She can’t do it alone,” he said of a prospective President Harris.
Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, said he was eager to work with Harris in the White House as well. Their policy goals, he said, are «not a radical agenda.”
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives with running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at the Fiserv Forum during a campaign rally in Milwaukee, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
As Democrats addressed the nation from Chicago, Harris faced an estimated 15,000 people in battleground Wisconsin in the arena where Republicans held their convention last month. She said that she was running “a people-powered campaign.”
“Together we will chart a new way forward,” the vice president said in remarks that were partially broadcast to the DNC. “A future for freedom, opportunity, of optimism and faith.”
Still, it was not all serious on the second night of the four-day convention.
A symbolic roll call in which delegates from each state pledged their support for the Democratic nominee turned into a party atmosphere. A DJ played a mix of state-specific songs — and Atlanta native Lil Jon ran out during Georgia’s turn to his hit song with DJ Snake, “Turn Down for What,” to the delight of the thousands inside the cavernous United Center.
And various speakers offered personal stories about Harris, who has served as a California senator and vice president, but remains largely unknown among many voters.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who would become the nation’s first gentleman if his wife wins the presidency, shared details about his relationship with the vice president — their cooking habits, their first date and her laugh, which is often mocked by Republican critics.
“You know that laugh. I love that laugh!” Emhoff said as the crowd cheered. Later, he added, “Her empathy is her strength.”
Trump, meanwhile, was out on the campaign trail as part of his weeklong swing-state tour during the Democratic convention. He went to Howell, Michigan, on Tuesday and stood aside sheriff’s deputies as he labeled Harris the “ringleader” of a “Marxist attack on law enforcement” across the country.
“Kamala Harris will deliver crime, chaos, destruction and death,” Trump said in one of many generalizations about an America under Harris.
Throughout their convention, Democrats have sought to balance a message of unity with an embrace of diversity.
Barack Obama’s speech Tuesday night made perhaps the most forceful case for that model as a logical step forward for a bitterly divided nation. In contrast to the party’s rhetoric in the recent past around race, Obama framed the Democrats’ approach as “a new way forward” for a modern society in contrast to a “divisive,” “old” and “tired” strategy of vision offered by the party’s chief opponent, Trump.
Michelle Obama also addressed race directly as she jabbed Trump, referencing a comment he made in a June debate.
“Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?» she said. ”It’s his same old con: doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make people’s lives better.»
Barack Obama returned to the convention stage 20 years after making his first appearance at a national convention, a 2004 appearance in Boston that propelled him into the national spotlight ahead of his successful presidential run. And he praised President Joe Biden, who ended his reelection bid last month and endorsed Harris.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris is seen on a video monitor after the roll call during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Photo: AP/Morry Gash)
“History will remember Joe Biden as a president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger,” Obama said Tuesday as the crowd chanted, “Thank you, Joe.” “I am proud to call him my president, but even prouder to call him my friend.”
Harris, meanwhile, cast the election in dire, almost existential terms. She implored Americans not to get complacent in light of the Supreme Court decision carving out broad presidential immunity, a power she said Trump would abuse.
She has also seized on Trump’s opposition to a nationally guaranteed right to abortion.
“They seemingly don’t trust women,” she said of Trump and his Republican allies. “Well, we trust women.”
The vice president’s speech in Milwaukee evoked some of the same themes that underlaid Biden’s case for reelection before he dropped out, casting Trump as a threat to democracy. Harris argued that Trump threatens the values and freedoms that Americans hold dear.
Someone with that record “should never again have the opportunity to stand behind the seal of the president of the United States,” Harris said. “Never again.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.,speaks during the Democratic National Convention Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (Photo: AP/Brynn Anderson)
The Democratic convention presents Fox News Channel with a delicate challenge: how to cover a party suddenly enthused about its election chances when much of the network’s audience has a different political viewpoint.
During the Democrats’ first two days, Fox personalities called the proceedings “boring” and filled with “a lot of hate.” There was a focus on demonstrations outside the arena while many of the speakers inside went unheard on the air. Presidential nominee Kamala Harris was given nicknames like “the princess” and “comrade Kamala.”
“We’re at the DNC,» Sean Hannity quipped, “so you don’t have to be.”
Fox’s telecast illustrated the challenges inherent in covering news events on networks that are filled with both breaking news and partisan political talk, sometimes mashed up — where opinion personalities like Hannity, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and CNN’s Van Jones freely mix with reporters and blur boundaries. During the GOP convention last month, the liberal-leaning MSNBC cut off Nikki Haley in favor of a discussion about how she debased herself, and ignored Ron DeSantis entirely.
The feel-good Republican gathering gave Fox News the biggest convention audience ever for a cable network, a feat at a time when millions of Americans are pulling the plug on subscriptions, and a staggering audience of 10.4 million people for the opening moments of former President Donald Trump’s acceptance speech, the Nielsen company said.
No one expects such numbers this week for Fox, where 93 percent of people who called it their main news source identified as Republican in a 2019 Pew Research Center survey. Fox’s audience has shown a marked tendency to tune away from news that doesn’t reflect its beliefs, such as the Jan. 6 committee hearings.
For Monday’s DNC coverage, Fox had 2.5 million viewers, compared to 6.9 million for the first night of the GOP session a month ago.
Not mincing words
Hosts on “The Five,» Fox’s most-watched show, were nothing if not direct in setting the stage for the Democrats’ week. “You can’t believe anything the Democrats tell you,” Jesse Watters said. “Everything is a lie … There is no joy here. The only joy is that Joe’s gone.”
Watters said “no one believes” that the economy is good, or that polls showing Harris rapidly making up ground against Trump since replacing Biden at the top of the ticket are real. Later Monday evening, Watters declared the event boring, saying “this is like a convention your boss makes you go to.” Hannity described the convention as “far-left radical protesters outside and manufactured unity, deception and lying inside.”
Fox hosts uniformly rejected the Democrats’ interpretation that Biden had committed a selfless act by giving up his re-election bid and called the president’s appearance on Monday more humiliating than valedictory. “You had to wrestle this job away from him like it was car keys from a drunk,” said Greg Gutfeld, who called former President Obama the “Barack-stabber.”
Harris was depicted as an inexperienced, risky choice. Onscreen messages, or chyrons, during Laura Ingraham’s show drove home the point: “Dems Overconfident in Their Unproven Backup,” read one. Others: “Kamala’s All Vibe, No Substance” and “Comrade Kamala Fails Econ 101.”
“This is like booking tickets on the Titanic,” analyst Keith Kellogg said.
During most of Hannity’s show on Tuesday, an onscreen camera was focused on a non-violent protest outside of the convention. “The convention has been full of a lot of hate,” Hannity said, “instead of the politics of joy, which you’ve been promised.”
Who made it and who didn’t
Fox News has made room for Democrats willing to come on its shows this week for interviews, including Harris campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingel and U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly. Fox said it has seen a 40% increase in bookings of Democrats compared with last year, and that its sister business network presents full coverage of convention speeches.
Fox says it has the same footprint on the ground for the DNC in Chicago as it did for the Republican convention in Chicago last month. It rejects the notion that it is unwilling to show the Democrats’ point of view.
“You can’t access the engaged and politically diverse audience with the scale that FNC provides anywhere else,” Fox said in a statement.
Fox carried Biden’s speech in its entirety Monday night, as well as some other moments including Harris’ short, surprise address, which occurred during Hannity’s show. Both Barack and Michelle Obama were carried on Tuesday night. Speeches by Hillary Clinton and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — both deeply unpopular with many in Fox’s audience — were also carried in full. Fox’s Dana Perino said Ocasio-Cortez made a great speech, “but it didn’t make any sense.”
Several podium appearances covered elsewhere went unheard on Fox News Channel: Olympics basketball coach Steve Kerr, UAW President Shawn Fain, Rev. Jesse Jackson, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Fox analyst Brit Hume complained that a group of women who talked about abortion policy went on too long — even though the network did not follow their remarks.
Tim Graham, director of media analysis for the conservative Media Research Center, said Fox programs to its audience in much the same way that Nicolle Wallace and Rachel Maddow say they won’t show Trump because of concerns that he’ll lie, “but it’s because they don’t want to watch it.”
Brian Stelter, author of “Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump and the Battle for American Democracy,” said that while Fox News Channel recognized the news importance of the convention, he saw it as reluctant to give its viewers an unvarnished view of what was being said.
“Fox did very little listening and a lot of talking,” he said.
Interestingly, there was an effort by the campaigns Monday to reach beyond friendly territory: The Harris campaign ran a commercial on Fox, while Trump advertised on CNN.
Fox has been particularly sensitive about not threatening audience loyalty. Concerns about its audience’s anger with Fox following coverage of the 2020 presidential election were cited in evidence presented by Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation suit against Fox. That suit was settled when Fox agreed to pay $787 million.
