well i'm tom foreman in washington d.c. and here is what's coming up tonight on the big picture two thousand and twelve democratic national convention got underway earlier today as president obama prepares to tell america why he deserves four more years i will democrats rally the base in charlotte and show americans that the nation is better off with four more years of obama biden also paul ryan to a lot of speech of the r. and c. last week but his lies about medicare were the most blatantly false americans really prepared to let romney and ryan lie their way right into the white house and

despite a lack of coverage in the mainstream media the war in afghanistan is still volatile and far from over as people continue to die every day in the u.s. government find a clean exit strategy for afghanistan where are we in store for more violence in the years to come. you need to know this is the democratic national convention kicks off this week in charlotte north carolina and already we're seeing pretty stark differences between this week's d.n.c. and last week's r. and c. one week after republicans on bail the most radical major party platform in american modern history democrats have put forward their own political platform some of the planks include a full embrace of marriage equality and a woman's right to choose comprehensive immigration reform the right for unions to collectively bargain support for obamacare protection of medicare as we know it increased funding for the arts in cutting off tax breaks for job outsourcers like

bain capital you might remember the republican platform and third clue to things like a ban on pornography a ban on marriage equality a ban on gays openly serving in the military. well there are too few differences between republicans and democrats when it comes to the big issues facing the nation like war free trade and the corporate takeover of our democracy there are still huge differences between the two parties reflected in each platform differences that will affect millions of americans all democrats want to keep moving the nation forward extending civil rights and economic opportunity to more and more americans republicans want to drag us all backward to the era of the robber barons and the republicans plan to win this battle is to ask a very simple question which is this you better off today than you were four years ago the answer is fairly simple yes considering what was going on in the fall of two thousand and eight there is no doubt that america is better off today than we were four years ago as think progress points out today newspaper headlines from

september of two thousand and eight warned of a coming great depression a us economy on the brink of collapse and impending world crisis we were losing hundreds of thousands of jobs a month four years ago today we're creating jobs every month now check out these charts in the year leading up to two thousand and eight under bush we lost a net six hundred nine thousand jobs but in the year leading up to two thousand and twelve under obama we've gained a new one point eight million jobs and then there's this chart in the year leading up to two thousand and eight under bush household wealth plummeted nearly six trillion dollars but in the year leading up to two thousand and twelve under obama household wealth has increased by over six hundred billion dollars and for all the rich guys out there corporations are doing better too in the year leading up to two thousand and eight under bush corporate profits dropped nearly one hundred seventy seven billion dollars but in the year leading up to two thousand and twelve under obama corporate profits of already surged more than one hundred eighty six billion

dollars there's no question about it the united states of america is in far better shape than it was four years ago but that's not the important question democrats need to be asking their own. own question back to republicans and it's a question that should be the theme of the d.n.c. over the next few days and that question isn't are you better off today than you were four years ago is are you better off today than you were thirty years ago when the reaganomics experiment began. thirty years ago more than a quarter of the workforce was unionized today it's a tenth thirty years ago the united states was the largest dick exporter of finished good goods and in the largest creditor in the world today we're the largest importer of finished goods and the largest debtor in the world thirty years ago our national debt was below a trillion dollars today it's nearing sixteen trillion with most of that debt run up by republican presidents ronald reagan and both george bushes thirty years ago

workers' wages rose with productivity today workers' wages are stagnating while c.e.o. wages are at historic highs thirty years ago we weren't fighting endless wars in the middle east today we are thirty years ago there were fifty million americans living in poverty today there are republicans want to think want us to think that americans problems all started four years ago in reality they started thirty years ago they started with the reagan and his tax cuts his war on unions is deregulation agenda his embrace of free trade his attack on social safety nets his obsession with privatization reaganomics was carried forward by bush sr to some extent by bill clinton and in a big way by bush jr setting up the great crash of two thousand and seven in two thousand and eight and now we're here we are four years later dealing with the aftermath of thirty years of failed economic thinking mitt romney's repeating the same policies of the last thirty years president obama has tried to change things

he's tried to reorient our economy to benefit workers instead of c.e.o.'s he's ended a lot of predatory lending policies he signed the lilly ledbetter fair at fair pay for women act he's taken away from the banks as much of the student loan business in ansi palosi was running the house of representatives they produced literally hundreds of strong pieces of legislation that would have raised wages brought our manufacturing jobs home from overseas and made the rich pay their fair share for the cost of running this country almost all however were defeated by republican filibusters in the same. it's going to take a lot to undo the damage of thirty years or reaganomics but it begins by asking the right question which is not are we better off than we were four years ago but we're are we better off than we were thirty years ago that needs to be the message coming out of the d.n.c. over the next few days joining me now is senator ben cardin from maryland senator cardin welcome to the program. senator cardin.

walking to the program senator. senator can you harris. senator can you hear me. hello senator. hello senator. apparently not. ok now we're going to go to live coverage of the d.n.c. convention here's harry potter to the presidency. president obama's strength of character leads him to do the right thing even when it isn't the easy thing. some city should save detroit. but president obama made the tough and right call to save more than a million american jobs in an important iconic industry. leader reid some city should move heaven and earth to get bin laden. but

president obama made the tough and right call to bring the worst terrorists in the world to justice league. some even city couldn't take on the big banks that brought our economy to its knees but president obama made the tough and right call. so taxpayers will never again be on the hook for wall street's risky bets. some said he couldn't take on the insurance companies that were ripping us off. the president obama made the tough and right call to save lives save medicare and ensure that no one goes broke just because they get sick. his whole life. there been so many who told him what he shouldn't or

couldn't do. but america has a president who knows what we must do. present more obama has also faced down another group of naysayers and mission to the crowd of the couldn't and shouldn't the republican party has become the party of the wooden's and the wants to it they pledged on day one they wouldn't lift a finger to help and they haven't. in the depths of the great recession as millions of americans were struggling to find work. the republican leader of the senate mitch mcconnell said republicans number one goal was to make barack obama a one term president. they wouldn't cooperate to create jobs they would try to turn around the economy they

wouldn't do anything but standing in the way of president obama. now i've had a front row seat to watch the tea party take over the republican party. for three and a half years they wouldn't govern they couldn't lead and we shouldn't let them take over the senate on the white house. the if we must stop the tea party before the united states senate falls into the hands of extremists and ideologues who leave no room for reason or compromise who don't recognize common ground even when they're standing on. the ng and if they won't stand up to rush limbaugh or grover norquist what would make anyone think they would stand up for

you. to is. isee today's republican party believes in two sets of rules one for millionaires and billionaires and another for the middle class. and this year they've nominated the strongest proponent and clearest beneficiary of this rig game mitt romney. never in modern american history as a presidential candidate tried so hard to hide himself from the people he hopes to serve. when you look at the one tax return he has released it's obvious why. it's obvious why there's only been one. we learned that he pays a lower tax rate than middle class families. we learned each owes swiss bank accounts and cayle an eye on actual tears over american institutions.

and we can only imagine what new secrets would be revealed if he showed the american people a dozen years of tax returns like his father did the in the romney says we should take his word that he paid his fair share his word his word. trust comes from transparency and mitt romney comes up short on both the in c. this is about more than just a piece of paper. it isn't personal. this is about leveling with the american people and creating a level playing field for them. if we don't know how mitt romney would benefit from the policies he proposes how can we know if he's looking out for us or just him so

. the american people are still asking who is. mitt romney. we've been watching live coverage from the convention floor in charlotte north carolina will be speaking senator ben cardin. over. here is mitt romney trying to figure out when they have things that you may call. a . far left doesn't want the usa to defeat terrorism. cells neighborhood. like the olympics and the key. goal. of the book if. you know the corporate media distracts us from what you and i

should care about because they're profit driven industry that sells us no facials to garbage because that breaking news i'm having martin and we're going to break this that. you know sometimes you see a story and it seems so you think you understand it and then you glimpse something else and you hear or see some other part of it and realize that everything you thought you knew you don't know i'm tom hartman welcome to the big picture.

i'm laurin mr. welcome back to more coverage of the democratic national convention we're now looking at live coverage of the d.n.c. floor on the schedule of the d.n.c. tonight we'll hear from speaker of the house nancy pelosi senate majority leader harry reid north carolina governor bev perdue maryland governor martin o'malley and first lady michelle obama but what can we expect to hear from them we'll be joined by senator ben cardin from maryland in just a moment let's go back to the convention floor. in a generation i had the chance to go to great colleges and

a great loss and i didn't come from rich background but i was able to get scholarships and loans and those doors were open to me president obama cut the middle man out of the student loan system and he used to saving to invest in pell grants helping nearly four million additional stimulus programs have completely changed my life this is this is the promo that is being played the kind of. story of barack obama is being played right now live to the attendees at the convention at the on the convention. of the department of education doesn't he know that millions of dollars goes towards financial aid for college students. if we're serious about building an economy that lasts with the opportunity for solid middle class jobs we've got to get serious about education. i know we can do it we can build an economy that this is everybody a fair shot and we will remind the world this night is the united states of america

the greatest nation on earth thank you for. joining me in the house democratic leader nancy pelosi and the democratic women i i. i . thank you thank you thank you it was saying. i'm nancy pelosi but my. it was.

not my grandchildren call me me me for maybe politics is an extension of my role as a mother and as a grandmother for the democratic women of the house our work is not about the next election but rather the next generation. working with president barack obama we are committed to reigniting the american dream the ideal that if you're willing to work hard play by the rules and take responsibility you will have the opportunity to climb the ladder of success. the democratic women of the house are ready to join president barack obama to move america forward to have. half a quarterback tom arbonne here with me apologies for the technical dig that hole is we're going to we're trying out a reconnect with senator ben cardin. from the d.n.c.

senator cardin can you hear is that this great to be with you thank you craig good to have you with us thanks so much what do you expecting to hear tonight and throughout this convention. what think you're going to hear the difference of two visions for america i think in here thursday night president obama his record during this country around on creating jobs regulating wall street running future disasters like the small under previous administration and that's one big reason to invest in america this job growth education research infrastructure do we really want to go back to the old ozzy's of the bush years so i'd say you do see two different visions of america and we frankly i think president obama's would be very they're saying we want to continue as a nation we don't want to get back to you know i was here during the republican convention the name george w. bush was never mentioned or if it was i didn't hear it do you think that what mitt romney and paul ryan are proposing is basically

a return to bush and and and you know that variation of reaganomics well there is a reason mark president george w. bush was not part of the republican convention and there's a reason why i would very proud to present the liberal key address tomorrow. we are very much want to move this country forward and it's clear that what republicans principle object would be these two for the middle class they give tax breaks to the very well and that clearly was part of the field policies of. president bush's of these two. and the republicans didn't want that this year to get. absolute get that to what extent do you think that the democrats should be emphasizing in their convention. their vision for the future in the direction that they want to go versus calling out the republicans on either aid some of the untruths and lies that not only were dished out at the party at the convention but

they're doing daily and in television advertising or be just what the republicans policies are you know medicare for example i can think of i quite frankly think the credibility of the public it's pretty much what some of the things that they've been right call. from of the place presidential nominee to the president as you demure could people need to do this and fix their credibility and the bottom line is she's it's the it's the wrong thomas that you concern here with the outreach to medicare for our seniors cutting us. tomorrow. and the speed going to college kids it's the choices that he made the point you just assume that all americans think that's the real focus that i think we want the american people choice in this election clearly they're critical of the kids. when they see things that they go oh i didn't want her to try to use. very well said senator cardin

thank you so much for joining us tonight a pleasure to be with thank you for your persistence. it's heard news were a few days removed from republican vice presidential candidate paul ryan given beginning perhaps one of the most untruthful speeches ever at a political convention it was so chock full of lies and half truths that even former george w. bush strategist matthew dowd said this about the speech over the over the last week . paul ryan what he did in his speech i think so stretched the truth and i like paul ryan have a lot of great respect for paul ryan but the now i'm upset he said about closing the g.m. plant which post before obama took president about the simpson bowles which sensible which he opposed and then all said he faults barack obama for at some point the truth should matter of course one of the biggest deceptions of the speech was this

one about president obama's reforms to medicare. seven hundred sixteen billion dollars funneled out of medicare by president obama. in an obligation we have to our parents and grandparents is being sacrificed all to pay for a new entitlement we didn't even ask for. the greatest threat to medicare is obamacare and we're going to stop it. none of us are president obama didn't cut a single penny from medicare that would affect a single payer read it in just the opposite because seven hundred billion seven hundred sixteen billion dollars in waste fraud and corporate abuse and corporate handouts and that now by taking that out keeps the entire medicare program solvent for an extra eight years in fact paul ryan loved those kind of so much he included

them in his own budget proposal which was passed by congress as matthew dowd said at some point the truth should matter but undeterred paul ryan and mitt romney are doubling down on a lie here's a robocall their campaign is ready running echoing the same lie in fact expanding on it with other lies take a listen. it was a message from romney. to go bomb care the same health care. free obama is raiding. medicare program. makers raising taxes on families making less than one hundred twenty dollars. here come. the romney ryan plan to or many. of them that. this goal was that's a lie the ryan romney plan will end medicare as we know it for the next generation will turn into about your program but expect this lie to be told again and again

and again until november which raises a question can we trust a campaign this trying to win the white house on a big fat lie here and so that is brian darling senior fellow at the heritage foundation brian welcome back the things around me on how many times we're going to hear this medicare a lot. well it's not a line i mean. if you look at them if you look at the ryan budget that does not reflect in the ryan much the ryan kenyan freeman soon to run why he's no conservative on direction. and allowed we're. not going to bend. and. you find having to knock on programs. for children. that's not true that's only seats in line ryan wants and. i know that you're saying here is we know it but many lenders see it using rhino hunting and medicare and that's fine and true so i said medicare as we know it must

turn in about your care for people under fifty five who have you know if they're fifty four fifty five years old they've spent you know twenty thirty years of their lives pain into medicare and he is was say sorry screw you all that money is gone and you are going to get anything you get to he get about your. well you can you have an option you can choose on three. good to see in the system so i think it's giving each noise what they want to do and what they want to do in the future and you have to admit i mean obama here did read that many here find you did divert the money to this time around no it didn't part it was medicare medicare and that's where you were is actually right it took that they took money out of medicare advantage medicare advantage is the corporate part of medicare it's a hole drilled into it by republicans a couple dozen years ago and it's been filled by aig r.p. and united health care which pays its c.e.o. over a billion dollars the last two c.e.o.'s steven j.

hensley dollar bill mcguire each made over a billion dollars a thousand million dollars as c.e.o. united health care why because they're taking all this money out of medicare there's over one hundred people in a health care make over a million dollars a year. both paul ryan and president obama looked at that and said why are we giving hundreds of billions of dollars a year to medicare to then cut deals with hospitals to pay the hospitals when we can simply pay the hospitals ourselves let's negotiate a deal so they cut out they cut out united health care and the negotiated directly with the hospital and that was a seven hundred billion dollars saving and you know that both of them looked at that seriously the same way. you know i don't i mean i'm not defending these guys making so much money you spiritually you're making money off the taxpayer i think in service and liberals agree tonight we should have it was the private sector getting rich becoming millionaires off the public sector and our tax dollars my agree with you but it's

a line he really is mind you saying that these republicans are terrible they're going to end medicare you look at the paul ryan budget doesn't touch social security it's and yet amends. it's not that dramatic and to me believe the republicans are going to end all these entitlements as we know it isn't i just think it's a step too far brian. the last word with you brian darling thank you very much. thank you i will be right back. the more.

we just put a picture of me when i was like nine years old when she told the truth. i .