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Question about Barack Obama
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Question about Barack Obama
MamaPhan|boy (n): a noise with dirt on it
But you changed the question when you didn't like the initial non-political answers your received. You are a very disingenuous poster who backslides and flip flops on the questions you ask.
Just by proclaiming "I don't want to start an arugment" doesn't make it so, Pinnochio.
You most certainly are trying to be antagonistic. Why don't you do your own research? Why should we have to do it for you?
IMO - intelligence has a LOT to do with why obama should be president. he made an incredibly intelligent choice for veep - someone he knew wouldn't hide from telling him if he's wrong & someone who offsets his lack of international experience. i mean, really. who better to choose than the farking HEAD of the international relations committee? i swear i'm not saying this just because i'm from delaware, either.
you're a moron & i'm done.
MamaPhan|boy (n): a noise with dirt on it
I know you are asking KASOTO, but I feel compelled to answer your question with one of my own - are you insinuating that being educated is a BAD thing? Obama is an expert on constitutional law - I would say that's _damn good enough to be President of the United States, especially after the bozo that's been in office the last eight years.
Oh please, please PLEASE go post this over there! that would be AWESOME!
This is a ridiculous thread. Google is your friend, but based on your retaliations to every legitimate 'reason' people have posted, nothing short of 'he cured cancer, stopped global warming, and invented a longer lasting lightbulb' would be a good enough 'reason' for you.
Go vote for McCain and STFU about it.
The Mouse ~ 06.12.08 | The Froggy ~ 02.23.11
He's raised more money for campaigning than any other candidate has been able to - what is your point?
In the interest of answering your question, this is pretty much exactly what you?d get with a Google search, going to his web site bio, or turning on any sort of media the past several months, but here it is again?.in bulleted, easy to understand format
? Community Organizer (you know, that thing that McCain made fun of him for) ? improving living conditions in poor neighborhoods
? 1st African American President of the Harvard Law Review
? Civil rights lawyer and Constitutional Law professor
? Helped create the Earned Income Tax credit while in the state senate ? saving families $100 million through tax cuts
? Pushed through an expansion of early childhood education
? Worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
? First law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent.
? Lead voice in championing ethics reform that would root out Jack Abramoff-style corruption in Congress. Obama is one of the authors of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (S. 2180), which lengthen the cooling off period to two years for lawmakers and staff who seek to become lobbyists, and it would require immediate disclosure as soon as any job negotiations begin. Also sponsoring three other ethics-related bills in Congress.
? As a member of the VA committee, fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan.
? Traveled to Russia with Republican *** Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world (I wonder if Palin could see them from her house?!)
? Promoting the greater use of alternative fuels and higher fuel standards in our cars by working to bring auto companies, unions, farmers, businesses and politicians of both parties together at the table
? Has voted to restore funding to Medicare and Medicaid programs and has voted against budgets that cut these programs.
? He helped draft and introduce the National MEDiC Act (S. 1784), which promotes patient safety initiatives, including early disclosure and compensation to patients injured by medical errors. He also introduced the Hospital Quality Report Card Act (S. 2359), which will use federal hospital quality reporting requirements to inform and assist patients and other consumers in making their health care decisions.
? He introduced the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Efficiency Act (S. 2247), which would leverage the federal government's purchasing power to encourage increased adoption of technology by participating health plans.
? In 2005, Senator Obama introduced the Lead Free Toys Act (S. 2048), requiring the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ban any children's product containing lead.
? He also introduced the Healthy Communities Act (S. 2047) to identify and address problems in communities that are at high risk from environmental contaminants.
? In August 2006, Senator Obama introduced the Genomics and Personalized Medicine Act of 2006 (S. 3822), which would increase funding for research on genomics, expand the genomics workforce, provide a tax credit for the development of diagnostic tests that can improve the safety or effectiveness of drugs, and reaffirm the need to protect genetic privacy.
? He is a cosponsor of the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act (S. 1151), which was introduced by Senators McCain and Lieberman.
? Since arriving in Washington in 2005, Senator Obama has been a strong supporter of defense funding. He has supported the annual Defense Department appropriations bills and supplemental appropriations bills that fund American troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senator has also supported pay raises for the troops, efforts to improve military readiness, and the acquisition of new weapons systems. Senator Obama backs efforts to expand TRICARE eligibility and reduce TRICARE premiums so that our nation's service members, Guard members, reservists, and their families can have improved access to health care.
? Senator Obama cosponsored the Combat Meth Act (S. 103) which provides more money for fighting methamphetamines, tightens up control on the sale of meth ingredients, and provides assistance to children of meth abusers. The legislation would limit access to cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, the primary ingredient used to make methamphetamine. This bill passed the Senate on September 15, 2005, and was signed into law.
? Senator Obama cosponsored Dru's Law (S. 792) which creates a nationwide sex offender database and requires greater monitoring of sex offenders upon their release from prison. The bill passed the Senate on July 28, 2005. He also cosponsored the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. This bill increases the penalties for sex crimes against children under the age of 12, and creates a national Internet site known as the National Sex Offender Public Registry. The bill will also provide grants to local law enforcement to assist in preventing and investigating sex crimes against minors.
? Senator Obama cosponsored extension of Violence Against Women Act (S. 1197), which passed the Senate on October 4, 2005, and was signed into law. The Act provides increased funds to law enforcement to combat violence against women. It also establishes a sexual assault services program and provides grants for education programs to prevent domestic violence and encourage reporting of abuses.
?
creamy, thy will shall be done. i'm going over now.?
All that 'STUFF'?
Really?!
::headdesk::
The Mouse ~ 06.12.08 | The Froggy ~ 02.23.11
Now I'm convinced that you are touched in the head. Seriously. Just shut up and stop trying to belittle the man and his accomplishments.
all that stuff huh?
thats a whole new can of worms you just opened on yourself.
Ruby-I love you I didn't have the energy to type it all out and then dd started crying (which she is thankfully now asleep).
A final thought: If you are sincerely curious about a candidate then you absolutely need to research them we are less than a week away from a major election that is history in the making. If you already have a person you are voting for then that is great you need to do what is a privelege and go out and VOTE. (If you are voting McCain you can wait until next Wednesday to vote-jk)
It shouldn't be a obstacle, but it also shouldn't give someone an unfair advantage because people look at them and say, oh they've had to overcome all that stuff
Seriously! I can't believe you just posted that!
holy shiit i cant believe i just read that.
stuff? i'm pretty sure?lynching?should never be considered 'stuff'
Throughout his political career, Barack Obama has fought for open and honest government. As an Illinois State Senator, he helped pass the state?s first major ethics reform bill in 25 years. And as a U.S. Senator, he has spearheaded the effort to clean up Washington in the wake of numerous scandals.
In the first two weeks of the 110th Congress, Senator Obama helped lead the Senate to pass the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act, a comprehensive ethics and lobbying reform bill, by a 96-2 vote. This landmark bill was signed into law by the President in September 2007.
The final bill that the Congress passed closely mirrored and drew key provisions in a bill (S. 230) that Senators Obama and Feingold introduced in January 2007 to establish a ?gold standard? for reform. Among the provisions in the Obama-Feingold bill that were adopted by the Senate and the House were: strict bans on receiving gifts and meals from lobbyists; new rules to slow the revolving door between public and private sector service; and an end to the subsidized use of corporate jets.
Most importantly, the final reform bill contained a provision pushed by Senator Obama to require the disclosure of contributions that registered lobbyists ?bundle? ? that is, collect or arrange ? for candidates, leadership PACs, and party committees. The New York Times called this provision ?the most sweeping? in the bill, and the Washington Post said: ?No single change would add more to public understanding of how money really operates in Washington.?
In January 2006, Senator Obama laid the groundwork for the reform package that the Senate eventually adopted a year later. He started building a coalition for reform by helping to author the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act introduced with 41 Democratic sponsors. The bill proposed lengthening the cooling off period to two years for lawmakers who seek to become lobbyists and requiring immediate disclosure as soon as public servants initiate any job negotiations to become lobbyists. The bill would have opened conference committee meetings to the public and required that all bills be posted on the Internet for 24 hours before they can be voted on by the Senate. Finally, the bill would have ended all lobbyist-funded gifts, meals, and travel and strengthened the Senate office that monitors lobbyist disclosure forms. All of these provisions were incorporated in either identical or similar form into the final bill passed in 2007.
In addition, Senator Obama sponsored three other ethics-related bills in the 109th Congress that went even further on ethics, earmarks, and legislative transparency. By the time of the 110th Congress, his ideas for reform had gained support, and many of his proposals were passed by the Senate.
"As of page 2 this might be the most boring argument ever. It's making me long for Rape Day." - Mouse
I call bullshiit on this. If you've spent ANY time on this board you know that when something is posting in a mature, educated, and sensible way everone on here is very capable of replying without attacking ... but your OP was none of these things, and your other posts haven't been much better.
I can't believe you referred to hundreds of years of slavery, civil rights violations and blatant racism as 'STUFF'.
The Mouse ~ 06.12.08 | The Froggy ~ 02.23.11
My guess is that she will discredit this because. a) it's too long and b) the format is daft therefore she won't take time to read it. .insert eyeroll here.
Renewable Fuels
Senator Obama is a leading advocate for increasing the use of renewable fuels to reduce our nation?s reliance on foreign petroleum. In 2005, he enacted into law a tax credit for installing E-85 ethanol refueling pumps at gas stations across the country.
In the 109th and 110th Congress, he joined with Senator Lugar to introduce the American Fuels Act to increase domestic production, distribution, and end uses of biofuels. Among other improvements, the American Fuels Act would expand the manufacture of ethanol-capable vehicles, offer tax credits to spur cellulosic fuel production, require clean-fueled transit buses bought with federal dollars, and provide incentives to ethanol plants to invest in E-85 blending equipment on their premises.
In January 2007, Senator Obama joined Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa in reintroducing the Biofuels Security Act, which calls for 60 billion gallons of renewable biofuels in the nation?s vehicle fuel supply by the year 2030. Senator Obama also authored legislation with Senator Cochran, the Alternative Diesel Standard, to require 2 billion gallons of alternative diesels - - including agriculture feedstocks such as biodiesel - - as part of the 40 billion gallon national diesel pool.
Given that major supermarket chains are expected to comprise 15% of the vehicle fuels market in the coming years, Senator Obama has also called upon the 14 largest supermarket and discount stores that sell gas to also install alternative fuel pumps.
Fuel Efficiency
As the author of the Fuel Economy Reform Act, Senator Obama has worked to gain bipartisan support for an innovative approach to raising automobile fuel efficiency standards (also known as ?CAFE? standards) and break two decades of inaction and deadlock on reforming fuel economy laws. This proposal has attracted cosponsors from both parties ? maintaining support from long-time champions of improving fuel economy standards while attracting support from traditional opponents. The bill would establish regular, continual, and incremental progress in miles per gallon fuel efficiency by an increase of four percent annually, and preserve flexibility by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to vary the rate of improvement and how best to technologically achieve those fuel economy targets. President Bush endorsed a similar approach in his State of the Union speech in January 2007.
Investing in New Technologies
Senator Obama introduced the ?Health Care for Hybrids Act? to provide health care assistance to domestic automakers in exchange for their investing 50% of the savings into technology to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles. His proposal has been praised by President Bill Clinton, the University of Michigan?s auto research center, and numerous newspapers.
In May 2007, Senator Obama, along with Senator Harkin, authored the National Low Carbon Fuel Standard Act (S. 1324), which requires a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the national transportation fuel pool by 2020, a reduction of about 180 million metric tons of emissions in 2020 ? the equivalent of taking over 30 million cars off the road. The Obama-Harkin fuel standard embraces the growth of the renewable fuels market, including corn-based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and biodiesel as a key component of fighting climate change, while creating incentives for lower carbon emissions in their production.
Read Senator Obama?s Speech on the National Low Carbon Fuel Standard
Working to Lower High Gas Prices
Oil companies are enjoying record profits while consumers are suffering from record high gas prices. In the 110th Congress, Senator Obama has introduced the Oil SENSE Act to eliminate unnecessary tax breaks to the oil industry. A version of the bill was passed by House of Representatives in January 2007.
In the 109th Congress, Senator Obama sponsored legislation, the FILL UP Act, requiring oil companies that made at least $1 billion in profits in the first quarter of 2006 to invest at least 1% of the their total reported first quarter 2006 profits into installing E-85 pumps.
Senator Obama also worked with Congressman Rahm Emanuel to obtain several million dollars to establish the first ethanol-to-hydrogen refueling station for refueling Chicago natural gas bus fleets.
"As of page 2 this might be the most boring argument ever. It's making me long for Rape Day." - Mouse
Stopping Nuclear Terrorism and Weapons Proliferation
Senator Obama traveled in 2005 to the former Soviet Union with Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) to investigate the dangers posed by unsecured weapons. The two senators introduced legislation that was signed into law in January 2007 to help other nations detect and stop the transfer of weapons of mass destruction. The legislation also established the next generation of cooperative threat reduction efforts to destroy conventional weapons that could fall into the wrong hands. Senator Obama worked with Senator Lugar to ensure that funding was appropriated for the Lugar-Obama nonproliferation initiative.
Senator Obama also joined with Senator Hagel (R-NE) to introduce a broad bill that seeks to prevent nuclear terrorism, reduce global nuclear arsenals, and stop the spread of nuclear weapons and related technology. One provision, which was signed into law as part of the FY08 omnibus appropriations bill, requires the President to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 to keep them out of the hands of terrorists.
Pressuring Iran to Halt Its Nuclear Program
Senator Obama has called for much tougher sanctions, combined with direct, aggressive, and principled diplomacy, to halt Iran's nuclear program, its support for terrorist activity, and its threats toward Israel. In 2007, Senator Obama introduced the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act to increase economic pressure on Iran by clarifying that state and local governments can divest from companies that invest over $20 million in Iran's energy sector and by providing safe harbor for private fund managers who divest from such companies. Key provisions of Obama's bill were incorporated into the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act, which was approved by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee in July 2008.
Promoting Peace and Stability in the Middle East
Senator Obama has called for the United States to bolster its efforts to help Israel achieve peace with its neighbors, including working toward a two-state solution with the Palestinians, while ensuring Israel can defend itself against those who oppose this vision. He believes that the starting point for this effort should always be a clear and strong commitment to the security of Israel, our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy, and to the survival of Israel as a Jewish state. Senator Obama traveled to Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories in 2006 and met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to expand his understanding of the challenges that confront the region. He outlined his positions on key issues related to the Middle East in his remarks to AIPAC in 2007.
Preventing an Avian Flu Pandemic
Senator Obama was one of the first legislators to recognize the dangers of a potential avian influenza pandemic, and successfully secured $25 million for U.S. agencies working in Southeast Asia to combat and contain widespread outbreaks of avian flu. He also worked with other Senators to provide $4 billion in funding to the Centers for Disease Control to combat avian flu, including more than $3 billion to build a stockpile of antiviral drugs that had been in short supply.
Stopping the Genocide in Darfur
Senator Obama has been a leading voice urging the end of genocide in Sudan. He worked with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) to pass the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act. Senator Obama has traveled to the United Nations to meet with Sudanese officials and visited refugee camps on the Chad-Sudan border to raise international awareness of the ongoing humanitarian disaster there. Working with Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Obama secured $20 million for the African Union peacekeeping mission.
Read Senator Obama's Statement on the Continuing Crisis in Darfur
Ending the Conflict in Congo
Senator Obama wrote and passed the Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act to build on the historic election in the Congo and promote stability in the country. Senator Obama revamped U.S. policy in the Congo to include a commitment to help rebuild the country, develop lasting political structures, hold accountable destabilizing foreign governments, crack down on corrupt politicians, and professionalize the military. The bill also authorizes $52 million in U.S. assistance for the Congo, calls for a Special U.S. Envoy to resolve ongoing violence, and urges the administration to strengthen the U.N. peacekeeping force.
Fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa
Senator Obama is committed to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS, treating those already infected, and finding a cure. He has been a strong advocate for adequate funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Senator Obama has also played a direct role in promoting HIV testing, which is critical for prevention and treatment programs. During a two-week tour of Africa in 2006, Senator Obama took an HIV test in a public venue in Kenya. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that tens of thousands of Kenyans will get tested for AIDS as a result of Senator Obama's actions.
Read Senator Obama's World AIDS Day Speech
Confronting Repression in Zimbabwe
Senator Obama has advocated for a policy of pressuring the Mugabe regime to allow Zimbabweans to pursue their hopes for legitimate political change without fear of violent repercussions. He introduced a resolution in March 2007 that condemned the Zimbabwean government for repressive and violent actions against its people. The Obama resolution (S.CON.RES.25) was passed by the Senate in June 2007.
Bringing a Brutal Warlord to Justice
Senator Obama has worked to hold former Liberian President Charles Taylor accountable for his reprehensible actions. After assuming the presidency following a brutal civil war that decimated Liberia's population, Taylor created a rebel group that fought in neighboring Sierra Leone's civil war and committed a range of atrocities including rape, murder and the use of child soldiers. In July 2005, Senator Obama passed a bipartisan amendment, along with Senators Chuck Hagel, Patrick Leahy, and Judd Gregg, to provide $13 million for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Signed into law in November 2005, the Obama amendment provided critical funding to keep the Court up and running and dramatically enhanced efforts to bring Taylor to justice.
Reducing Global Poverty
Senator Obama has advocated for a more effective U.S. strategy to help those around the world who live in extreme poverty. In December 2007, he worked with Senators Chuck Hagel and Maria Cantwell to introduce the Global Poverty Act, which requires the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the U.S. foreign policy objective of cutting extreme global poverty in half by 2015 through aid, trade, debt relief, and coordination with the international community, businesses and non-governmental organizations. Senator Obama is working to get the bill, which was reported favorably out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in February 2008, passed in the Senate.
"As of page 2 this might be the most boring argument ever. It's making me long for Rape Day." - Mouse
So..... Janzy, who ya votin' for?
Lol... it shouldn't even be a question whether or not Obama is successful enough to be our president. He is obviously accomplished enough to hold the office. He's done many great things (and so has McCain!) but the issue shouldn't be just what he has done. A huge part of campaigning is to tell the people what you're GOING to do. If you like what he's going to do, great. If you don't, vote for someone else.
End of story
Actually.... not end of story. That happens on Wednesday
Primary & Secondary Education
Local public schools not only educate our students, they often provide a focus for community activity. Local school districts often serve as laboratories for innovation in education, but too often, the good ideas and effective practices resulting from this innovation remain localized. Although the federal role in education is limited, one way the federal government can make the most of its scarce resources is by fostering innovation - identifying the best programs and practices, and helping expand them around the country.
In the 110th Congress, Senator Obama reintroduced the Innovation Districts for School Improvement Act. Under this initiative, school districts would submit plans on how they would become centers of reform. Twenty districts nationwide would be selected based on the best plans to increase achievement for all students and put qualified and successful teachers in all classrooms. These districts would receive substantial federal resources but would be required to implement systemic reforms and show convincing results. Senator Obama will continue to work with his colleagues on the HELP Committee to realize these important changes in the new Congress.
More info: Senator's speech about Innovation Districts: 21st Century Education
Differences in learning opportunities during the summer contribute to the achievement gaps that separate struggling poor and minority students from their middle-class peers. In January 2007, Senator Obama reintroduced the Summer Term Education Programs for Upward Progress Act (STEP UP) to address the achievement gaps among schoolchildren in the early grades. STEP UP establishes a grant program to support summer learning opportunities to be offered by local schools or community organizations. The bill was included in a comprehensive proposal to improve U.S. competitiveness that passed the Senate in July 2007, and was signed into law in August.
More info: Obama Provisions to Make America More Competitive Signed into LawThe teacher is most important resource in every classroom for advancing student learning and achievement. Too many teachers, especially in high-needs schools, are inadequately prepared for the challenges they face, and so leave the profession. Senator Obama has introduced legislation to support a better way of teacher preparation. Teaching Residency Programs train those new to the profession in a way similar to recent entrants to the medical profession, through residencies, where novices learn under the guidance of skilled mentors. Such programs have shown success in preparing teachers in several cities, both increasing student success, and decreasing turnover of inexperienced teachers. Obama's proposal for Teaching Residencies Programs was passed by the Senate during reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
More info: Higher Education Bill Includes Obama Proposals to Improve Teacher Training, Fund Predominately Black Institutions; Obama, Emanuel Introduce Bills to Establish Teacher Residency ProgramSenator Obama worked with Senator DeMint to introduce the Education Opportunity Act in the 109th Congress. This proposal would make grants available to low-income high school students to earn college credit at their local university or community college. Such grant support for high school students, who may not have exposure to college-level programs in their school, would allow students to qualify and earn credit for at least one college class each semester, giving them a greater chance for success on their path to a college diploma.
More Info: Obama, DeMint Introduce Bipartisan Education Opportunity Act
Post-Secondary Education
Senator Obama believes that every high school graduate should have the opportunity to go to college or vocational school. Student loans provide critical financial aid for many Americans. Not long ago, financial aid arrived primarily in the form of grants. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Graduates now have more and more difficulty keeping up with loan payments. At a minimum, our government has the responsibility to ensure that the most affordable and sensible loans are available to our students. But government and students are not the only ones who need to act. Tuition costs have been rising at an average rate of 8% per year, well above the overall rate of inflation. Colleges and universities must also do their part to rein in costs and pass those savings on to students.
To address this problem, Barack Obama's first bill as a U.S. Senator was the HOPE Act (Higher Education Opportunity Through Pell Grant Expansion Act) which would help make college more affordable for many Americans. The bill would increase the maximum Pell Grant from the then current limit of $4,050 to a new maximum of $5,100. Through his work on the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Obama has worked to increase the maximum Pell Award to $5,100 next year, and to $5,400 over the next several years, an increase of 25% over current levels.
More info: HOPE Act Press Release
"As of page 2 this might be the most boring argument ever. It's making me long for Rape Day." - Mouse
If you would like to know more about any particular topic, click any of the links below.
I hope this has been sufficient for you.
Tax Reform
Our federal tax code has become increasingly complex and unfair. Tax rates should be as low as we can afford them to be; and everyone should pay their fair share. Reform options should focus on creating a system that is simple, progressive, easy to comply with and devoid of abusive shelters. When examining reform options, Senator Obama believes that we should ensure any changes to the tax code reflect the needs and everyday worries facing ordinary Americans, while also promoting America?s competitiveness in the world economy.
Good Government, Responsible Spending
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Senator Obama worked closely with Senator Coburn, to draft and ultimately pass the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. President Bush signed this measure into law in September of 2006. This important bill will...
Energy
Senator Obama believes that America must commit to a new national energy policy focused on improvements in technology, investments in renewable fuels such as wind and solar power, and greater efforts in conservation, efficiency, and waste reduction. Shifting from our current investment and consumption practices to this new direction will be one of the great leadership challenges in the coming decade.
Iraq
In October 2002, before being elected to the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama made a speech opposing the Bush Administration's plan to go to war in Iraq because he felt it was an ill-conceived venture which would "require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undermined cost, with undetermined consequences."
Foreign Policy
As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Obama has fought to strengthen America's position in the world by reaching across the aisle in an effort to prevent nuclear terrorism and weapons proliferation, stop the genocide in Darfur, and reduce global poverty.
Defense
With the nation facing unprecedented threats, it is essential that our military continues to be the best in the world. The Pentagon must adapt to face 21st century threats such as global terrorists and loose nuclear weapons in the former Soviet states. Senator Obama is working to ensure that the nation's defense capabilities are strong, agile, and prepared and that our troops are provided with the equipment they need.
Seniors
As we transition to an increasingly global economy, many Americans are at risk of being left behind through no fault of their own. Among those most affected by these changes are senior citizens, many of whom are on fixed incomes. We need to modernize our social safety net to help senior citizens meet these new challenges, but we also must preserve those elements, such as Social Security and Medicare, that have enabled us to fulfill our moral commitment to our parents and grandparents.
Crime
Senator Obama is a strong proponent of tougher measures to fight crime and provide more resources to local law enforcement officers. He is particularly concerned about the growing problem of methamphetamine, which is ravaging many communities in Illinois.
Environment
As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in the 109th Congress, Senator Obama worked to ensure our nation's environmental laws and policies balance America's needs for a healthy, sustainable environment with economic growth. He will continue to push for sound environmental policies with his colleagues in the 110th Congress.
Homeland Security
Senator Obama believes that greater attention needs to be paid to the nation?s homeland security. To that end, he has supported efforts to distribute more funds to cities like Chicago most at risk of a terrorist attack. He has also introduced legislation to strengthen chemical plant and drinking water security and to enhance disaster preparedness.
Immigration
Senator Obama shares the growing public concern about undocumented immigration in the United States. The challenge facing President Bush and Congress is how to effectively stop the flow of undocumented immigrants across our borders, better manage immigration flows going forward, and deal with undocumented immigrants who are already living and working in this country.
Education
As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Obama is committed to providing every American with the opportunity to receive a quality education from pre-kindergarten to college or vocational school to job retraining programs.
Health Care
Promoting affordable, accessible, and high-quality health care was a priority for Barack Obama in the Illinois State Senate and is a priority for him in the United States Senate. He believes firmly that health care should be a right for everyone, not a privilege for the few.
Veterans
As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama is committed to helping the heroes who defend our nation today and the veterans who fought in years past.
Ethics and Lobbying Reform
Throughout his political career, Barack Obama has fought for open and honest government. As an Illinois State Senator, he helped pass the state?s first major ethics reform bill in 25 years. And as a U.S. Senator, he has spearheaded the effort to clean up Washington in the wake of numerous scandals.
"As of page 2 this might be the most boring argument ever. It's making me long for Rape Day." - Mouse
IDK who Fenton is, but I PPH her!!
To Janzy, if you honestly think that race is not still a huge issue and obstacle in this country then you are seriously deluded. Ideally, this would not be an issue, but it is.
Just as John McCain's history as a POW shows his strength of character, Barack Obama's educational achievements and ability to rise out of his meager upbringing illustrate his strenght of character. In my opinion, he's not using his race to get an advantage he is using his strength of character that is exhibited by overcoming racial obstacles to get ahead in the election. There is a difference.
You are so full of _shit your eyes are brown. Brahim said it best - you are a flip-flopper extraordinaire, now piss off.
I'm confused. I didn't know that you were the judge of what's an accomplishment and what isn't. I'm sure if you're DC graduated from Harvard Law, you would certainly feel that he/she accomplished something. And that it most definitely benefits him in his political career, as does all education.
Carter Robert 7.18.08 | Brynn Sophia 5.24.10 | Reid Joseph 9.10.12 | Emerson Mae 1.27.14
::golfclap::
Speaking of which, did anyone see 'Chocolate News' last night? It was soooo funny.
The Mouse ~ 06.12.08 | The Froggy ~ 02.23.11