Council Bluffs’ Bayliss Park was the first stop on President Obama’s three-day bus tour across Iowa.
4,300 people attended the grassroots event. Among the issues discussed by President Obama were Obamacare, his administration’s commitment to veterans, and support of clean energy.
Mr. Obama says he fundamentally disagrees with Governor Mitt Romney’s vision for the economy, saying Romney’s plan centers on a $5 trillion tax cut that will primarily benefit the wealthiest Americans.
And the President says Governor Romney’s plan would raise taxes on middle class families by an average of $2,000 per year to fund the tax breaks.
"They have tried to sell us this trickle-down theory before. And guess what? Every time it has been tried, it has not worked. It did not work then, it won’t work now. It won’t create jobs. It won’t lower our deficit. It is not a plan to move our economy forward. We do not need more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. We need tax relief for the working families.”
President Obama says during his first term, he’s cut taxes for the average Iowa family by about $3,600. Iowa also ranks first in the nation in wind-related employment, supporting between 6,000 and 7,000 jobs in the state.
The president also spoke on Obamacare, saying he stands by the law that the U-S Supreme Court upheld in June. Mr. Obama says part of being middle class in America is not losing your livelihood if you become ill.
"That’s why, because of this law, if you have a pre-existing condition, you’ll be able to get health insurance. That’s why 6.5 million young people can now stay on their parents’ plan. That’s why seniors are now getting discounts on their prescription drugs. That’s why insurance companies can’t drop your coverage or impose lifetime limits when you need it most.”
In Iowa, an estimated 638 young adults in Pottawattamie County who wouldn’t have had healthcare otherwise now have it through their parents’ plan. Across Iowa, more than 280,000 families who didn’t spend at least 80% of premium dollars on health care will receive rebates totaling more than 1.4 million from their health insurance companies.
The president’s next stop is Boone, Iowa this evening. That's followed by stops in Oskaloosa and Waterloo tomorrow and Davenport and Dubuque on Wednesday.