A.How is he not "up" on the issues? Thats his job, to address the issues. You might not agree with his position on the issues, but for a living he addresses all the issues.
B. I'm pretty sure that up until only recently, Hillary was getting a majority of the black vote. Blacks aren't coming out to vote just because Obama is running. Remember now, Obama is half white.
spoke of some of the voters not being up on the issues not Obama.
1. Toronto, Ontario 09-21-1996 (MAPLE LEAF GARDENS)
2. Barrie, Ontario 08-22-1998 (MOLSON PARK)
3. Toronto, Ontario 10-05-2000 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
4. Toronto, Ontario 06-28-2003 (MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE)
5. Boston, Massachusetts 09-28-2004 FLEET CENTER (NOW TD GARDEN) VFC TOUR
6. Boston, Massachusetts 09-28-2004 FLEET CENTER (NOW TD GARDEN) VFC TOUR
7. Hamilton, Ontario 09-13-2005 (COPPS COLISEUM)
8. Toronto, Ontario 09-19-2005 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
9. St. Johns, Newfoundland 09-24-2005 (MILE ONE)
10. St. Johns, Newfoundland 09-25-2005 (MILE ONE)
11. Toronto, Ontario 05-09-2006 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
12. Toronto, Ontario 05-09-2006 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
13. Sydney, Australia 11-07-2006 (ACER ARENA)
14. Sydney, Australia 11-08-2006 (ACER ARENA)
15. Melbourne, Australia 11-13-2006 (ROD LAVER ARENA)
16. Melbourne, Australia 11-14-2006 (ROD LAVER ARENA)
17. Adelaide, Australia 11-21-2006 (ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE)
18. Adelaide, Australia 11-22-2006 (ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE)
19. Perth, Australia 11-25-2006 (SUBIACO OVAL)
20. New York, New York 06-24-2008 (MADISON SQUARE GARDEN)
21. New York, New York 06-25-2008 (MADISON SQUARE GARDEN)
22. Toronto, Ontario 08-21-2009 (MOLSON AMPITHEATRE)
23. Buffalo, New York 05-10-2010 (HSBC ARENA)
24. Toronto, Ontario 09-11-2011 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
25. Toronto, Ontario 09-12-2011 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
26. Hamilton, Ontario 09-15-2011 (COPPS COLISEUM)
27. London, Ontario 07-16-2013 (BUDWEISER GARDENS)
28. Buffalo, New York 10-12-2013 (FIRST NIAGARA CENTER) FORMERLY HSBC ARENA
29. Detroit, Michigan 10-16-2014 (JOE LOUIS ARENA)
30. Ottawa, Ontario 5-8-2016 (CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE)
31. Toronto, Ontario 5-10-2016 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
32. Toronto, Ontario 5-12-2016 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
...will you still vote republican if in the off chance Huckabee wins nomination?
No. Huckabee, seems like a nice guy and all but he's pro war and so many issues I could never support him on.
If anybody but Ron Paul wins of the remaining candidates I think I will once again be voting 3rd party. And as another said maybe Ron Paul will run 3rd party after the fact.
shouldn't the president of the united states believe in saying the pledge of allegiance?
obama doesn't say it...
Like I said earlier there is some dirt on Obama. He's not the cleanest candidate. But this is complete BS. Look it up. I've seen many videos where he does pledge allegience....How can people just believe this stuff and not bother to look it up? Voting is important and it is your responsibility to check it out and not just repeat complete BS... Obama may be a crook but he does do the pledge.
I'm not sure how it all works, but can Ron Paul still choose to run as an independent? I think he could still get allot of momentum going before the election.
Yes, but apparently it may be difficult to do in some states that have rules that tend to not allow that. It's going to be interesting to see what happens there.
I posted the song on my blog, and Joe Bergevin sent me a message!:
"Thank you Talia for supporting the song, and ultimately Obama. Many talented people are giving part of themselves all over the nation to make sure he becomes president. We're thrilled that you've taken a moment to add your talent to the energy. Thanks again. Joe Bergevin."
Documents testimony at MA State House medical and marijuana decrim hearings from both family members and medical marijuana patients suffering from pain with HIV, AIDS, Hep C, Crohns Disease, Lupus, Spinal fusions, back pain, strokes, migraines and more.
Also features quotes from Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick.
Candidates for President and whether they support marijuana reform:
Democrats: Barack Obama (Endorsed by MA Governor Patrick) and Hillary Clinton do not. *Mike Gravel does.
Republicans: *Ron Paul does.
Music from Leon Rich "Sweet Mary".
A large number spoke in favor of medical marijuana and marijuana decrim, not one person testified against the bills.
NOT ONE!
Contact Governor Deval Patrick and ask him to support marijuana decrim.
Massachusetts State House
Office of the Governor
Room 360
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617.725.4005 888.870.7770 (in state)
since they make such a big deal about "band not supporting a candidate" yet matt stone jeff and mike rock around barack, does that mean ed has someone else in mind?
They played the video a long time before Adam Smith, Knuckles, & Gregoire were even there.
I didnt recognize Bergevin when he came out , but I recognized Pat Wright and then Matt of course
It was fun, but my friend had the time wrong that Obama was actually going to speak so she had to leave when he was only halfway done.
I stayed till the end though- everyone was on their feet for most of it.
Then I had a good time @ the food circus listening to the high school students discuss political candidates.
Very energizing but wont be able to make the caucus
However- those of you who arent registered to vote but will be 18 by november election- can register to vote and participate at the caucus- bring your ID if that is you
You must be the change you want to see in the world
-Gandhi
( Contrary to what acquaintances of Krist have said a few months ago . Ha! )
You must be the change you want to see in the world
-Gandhi
0
unsung
I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
Why would any citizen vote for Obama? He is going to tax us blind. Do any of you Obama supporters read what his economic plan is or do you just follow the media?
Ralph Nader just joined the race, though he has not declared a ticket yet (Independant, Green or some other is what he said)
Ed likes Ralph, or at least he used to.
Ralph Nader just joined the race, though he has not declared a ticket yet (Independant, Green or some other is what he said)
Ed likes Ralph, or at least he used to.
Just in the interest of full disclosure. His running mate is Matt Gonzalez.
Why would any citizen vote for Obama? He is going to tax us blind. Do any of you Obama supporters read what his economic plan is or do you just follow the media?
Barack Obama's Plan
Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief
Obama will cut income taxes by $1,000 for working families to offset the payroll tax they pay.
Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families: Obama will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. The "Making Work Pay" tax credit will completely eliminate income taxes for 10 million Americans.
Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama will ensure that the IRS uses the information it already gets from banks and employers to give taxpayers the option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return. Experts estimate that the Obama proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Trade
Obama believes that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American economy and create more American jobs. He will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security.
Fight for Fair Trade: Obama will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs. He will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world and stand firm against agreements like the Central American Free Trade Agreement that fail to live up to those important benchmarks. Obama will also pressure the World Trade Organization to enforce trade agreements and stop countries from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and nontariff barriers on U.S. exports.
Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement: Obama believes that NAFTA and its potential were oversold to the American people. Obama will work with the leaders of Canada and Mexico to fix NAFTA so that it works for American workers.
Improve Transition Assistance: To help all workers adapt to a rapidly changing economy, Obama would update the existing system of Trade Adjustment Assistance by extending it to service industries, creating flexible education accounts to help workers retrain, and providing retraining assistance for workers in sectors of the economy vulnerable to dislocation before they lose their jobs.
Technology, Innovation and Creating Jobs
Obama will encourage the deployment of the most modern communications infrastructure to reduce the costs of health care, help solve our energy crisis, create new jobs, and fuel our economic growth.
Support Job Creation: Barack Obama believes we need to double federal funding for basic research and make the research and development tax credit permanent to help create high-paying, secure jobs. Obama will also make long-term investments in education, training, and workforce development so that Americans can leverage our strengths - our ingenuity and entrepreneurialism - to create new high-wage jobs and prosper in a world economy.
Invest in U.S. Manufacturing: The Obama comprehensive energy independence and climate change plan will invest in America's highly-skilled manufacturing workforce and manufacturing centers to ensure that American workers have the skills and tools they need to pioneer the first wave of green technologies that will be in high demand throughout the world. Obama will also provide assistance to the domestic auto industry to ensure that new fuel-efficient vehicles are built by American workers.
Create New Job Training Programs for Clean Technologies: The Obama plan will increase funding for federal workforce training programs and direct these programs to incorporate green technologies training, such as advanced manufacturing and weatherization training, into their efforts to help Americans find and retain stable, high-paying jobs. Obama will also create an energy-focused youth jobs program to invest in disconnected and disadvantaged youth.
Boost the Renewable Energy Sector and Create New Jobs: The Obama plan will create new federal policies, and expand existing ones, that have been proven to create new American jobs. Obama will create a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that will require 25 percent of American electricity be derived from renewable sources by 2025, which has the potential to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs on its own. Obama will also extend the Production Tax Credit, a credit used successfully by American farmers and investors to increase renewable energy production and create new local jobs.
Deploy Next-Generation Broadband: Obama believes we can get broadband to every community in America through a combination of reform of the Universal Service Fund, better use of the nation's wireless spectrum, promotion of next-generation facilities, technologies and applications, and new tax and loan incentives.
Protect the Openness of the Internet: Obama supports the basic principle that network providers should not be allowed to charge fees to privilege the content or applications of some web sites and Internet applications over others. This principle will ensure that the new competitors, especially small or nonprofit speakers, have the same opportunity as big companies to innovate and reach large audiences.
Invest in Rural Areas: Obama will invest in rural small businesses and fight to expand high-speed Internet access. He will improve rural schools and attract more doctors to rural areas.
Labor
Obama will strengthen the ability of workers to organize unions. He will fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama will ensure that his labor appointees support workers' rights and will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers. Obama will also increase the minimum wage and index it to inflation to ensure it rises every year.
Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Obama cosponsored and is strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to assure that workers can exercise their right to organize. He will continue to fight for EFCA's passage and sign it into law.
Fight Attacks on Workers' Right to Organize: Obama has fought the Bush National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) efforts to strip workers of their right to organize. He is a cosponsor of legislation to overturn the NLRB's "Kentucky River" decisions classifying hundreds of thousands of nurses, construction, and professional workers as "supervisors" who are not protected by federal labor laws.
Protect Striking Workers: Obama supports the right of workers to bargain collectively and strike if necessary. He will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
Raise the Minimum Wage: Barack Obama will raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that full-time workers earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs.
Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud
Obama will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. He will also make sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage options, and he will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners.
Create a Universal Mortgage Credit: Obama will create a 10 percent universal mortgage credit to provide homeowners who do not itemize tax relief. This credit will provide an average of $500 to 10 million homeowners, the majority of whom earn less than $50,000 per year.
Ensure More Accountability in the Subprime Mortgage Industry: Obama has been closely monitoring the subprime mortgage situation for years, and introduced comprehensive legislation over a year ago to fight mortgage fraud and protect consumers against abusive lending practices. Obama's STOP FRAUD Act provides the first federal definition of mortgage fraud, increases funding for federal and state law enforcement programs, creates new criminal penalties for mortgage professionals found guilty of fraud, and requires industry insiders to report suspicious activity.
Mandate Accurate Loan Disclosure: Obama will create a Homeowner Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score, which will provide potential borrowers with a simplified, standardized borrower metric (similar to APR) for home mortgages. The HOME score will allow individuals to easily compare various mortgage products and understand the full cost of the loan.
Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures: Obama will create a fund to help people refinance their mortgages and provide comprehensive supports to innocent homeowners. The fund will be partially paid for by Obama's increased penalties on lenders who act irresponsibly and commit fraud.
Close Bankruptcy Loophole for Mortgage Companies: Obama will work to eliminate the provision that prevents bankruptcy courts from modifying an individual's mortgage payments. Obama believes that the subprime mortgage industry, which has engaged in dangerous and sometimes unscrupulous business practices, should not be shielded by outdated federal law.
Address Predatory Credit Card Practices
Obama will establish a five-star rating system so that every consumer knows the risk involved in every credit card. He also will establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with unfair practices.
Create a Credit Card Rating System to Improve Disclosure: Obama will create a credit card rating system, modeled on five-star systems used for other consumer products, to provide consumers an easily identifiable ranking of credit cards, based on the card's features. Credit card companies will be required to display the rating on all application and contract materials, enabling consumers to quickly understand all of the major provisions of a credit card without having to rely exclusively on fine print in lengthy documents.
Establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to Protect Consumers: Obama will create a Credit Card Bill of Rights to protect consumers. The Obama plan will:
Ban Unilateral Changes
Apply Interest Rate Increases Only to Future Debt
Prohibit Interest on Fees
Prohibit "Universal Defaults"
Require Prompt and Fair Crediting of Cardholder Payments
Reform Bankruptcy Laws
Obama will reform our bankruptcy laws to protect working people, ban executive bonuses for bankrupt companies, and require disclosure of all pension investments.
Cap Outlandish Interest Rates on Payday Loans and Improve Disclosure: Obama supports extending a 36 percent interest cap to all Americans. Obama will require lenders to provide clear and simplified information about loan fees, payments and penalties, which is why he'll require lenders to provide this information during the application process.
Encourage Responsible Lending Institutions to Make Small Consumer Loans: Obama will encourage banks, credit unions and Community Development Financial Institutions to provide affordable short-term and small-dollar loans and to drive unscrupulous lenders out of business.
Reform Bankruptcy Laws to Protect Families Facing a Medical Crisis: Obama will create an exemption in bankruptcy law for individuals who can prove they filed for bankruptcy because of medical expenses. This exemption will create a process that forgives the debt and lets the individuals get back on their feet.
Work/Family Balance
Obama will double funding for after-school programs, expand the Family Medical Leave Act, provide low-income families with a refundable tax credit to help with their child-care expenses, and encourage flexible work schedules.
Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act: The FMLA covers only certain employees of employers with 50 or more employees. Obama will expand it to cover businesses with 25 or more employees. He will expand the FMLA to cover more purposes as well, including allowing workers to take leave for elder care needs; allowing parents up to 24 hours of leave each year to participate in their children's academic activities; and expanding FMLA to cover leave for employees to address domestic violence.
Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave: As president, Obama will initiate a strategy to encourage all 50 states to adopt paid-leave systems. Obama will provide a $1.5 billion fund to assist states with start-up costs and to help states offset the costs for employees and employers.
Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities: Obama will double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve a million more children. Obama will include measures to maximize performance and effectiveness across grantees nationwide.
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit: The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit provides too little relief to families that struggle to afford child care expenses. Obama will reform the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by making it refundable and allowing low-income families to receive up to a 50 percent credit for their child care expenses.
Protect Against Caregiver Discrimination: Workers with family obligations often are discriminated against in the workplace. Obama will enforce the recently-enacted Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines on caregiver discrimination.
Expand Flexible Work Arrangements: Obama will create a program to inform businesses about the benefits of flexible work schedules; help businesses create flexible work opportunities; and increase federal incentives for telecommuting. Obama will also make the federal government a model employer in terms of adopting flexible work schedules and permitting employees to request flexible arrangements.
Comments
Obama must have a chance. The smear campaign is kicking into high gear.
I have a close friend who voted for Bush twice. Does that make my confidante a war crimminal and me a war crimminal?
Just asking as it seems related to the article you posted.
I care more about his stance on the war, economy, health pans, crime, and world standing.
Nuclear fission
spoke of some of the voters not being up on the issues not Obama.
2. Barrie, Ontario 08-22-1998 (MOLSON PARK)
3. Toronto, Ontario 10-05-2000 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
4. Toronto, Ontario 06-28-2003 (MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE)
5. Boston, Massachusetts 09-28-2004 FLEET CENTER (NOW TD GARDEN) VFC TOUR
6. Boston, Massachusetts 09-28-2004 FLEET CENTER (NOW TD GARDEN) VFC TOUR
7. Hamilton, Ontario 09-13-2005 (COPPS COLISEUM)
8. Toronto, Ontario 09-19-2005 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
9. St. Johns, Newfoundland 09-24-2005 (MILE ONE)
10. St. Johns, Newfoundland 09-25-2005 (MILE ONE)
11. Toronto, Ontario 05-09-2006 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
12. Toronto, Ontario 05-09-2006 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
13. Sydney, Australia 11-07-2006 (ACER ARENA)
14. Sydney, Australia 11-08-2006 (ACER ARENA)
15. Melbourne, Australia 11-13-2006 (ROD LAVER ARENA)
16. Melbourne, Australia 11-14-2006 (ROD LAVER ARENA)
17. Adelaide, Australia 11-21-2006 (ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE)
18. Adelaide, Australia 11-22-2006 (ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE)
19. Perth, Australia 11-25-2006 (SUBIACO OVAL)
20. New York, New York 06-24-2008 (MADISON SQUARE GARDEN)
21. New York, New York 06-25-2008 (MADISON SQUARE GARDEN)
22. Toronto, Ontario 08-21-2009 (MOLSON AMPITHEATRE)
23. Buffalo, New York 05-10-2010 (HSBC ARENA)
24. Toronto, Ontario 09-11-2011 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
25. Toronto, Ontario 09-12-2011 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
26. Hamilton, Ontario 09-15-2011 (COPPS COLISEUM)
27. London, Ontario 07-16-2013 (BUDWEISER GARDENS)
28. Buffalo, New York 10-12-2013 (FIRST NIAGARA CENTER) FORMERLY HSBC ARENA
29. Detroit, Michigan 10-16-2014 (JOE LOUIS ARENA)
30. Ottawa, Ontario 5-8-2016 (CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE)
31. Toronto, Ontario 5-10-2016 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
32. Toronto, Ontario 5-12-2016 (AIR CANADA CENTRE)
for the least they could possibly do
If anybody but Ron Paul wins of the remaining candidates I think I will once again be voting 3rd party. And as another said maybe Ron Paul will run 3rd party after the fact.
http://www.mikecann.net/2009/02/best-smoking-song-poll.html
Vote on Our Best Smoking Poll with Pearl Jam song!
http://www.mikecann.net/2009/02/best-smoking-song-poll.html
Vote on Our Best Smoking Poll with Pearl Jam song!
http://www.mikecann.net/2009/02/best-smoking-song-poll.html
Vote on Our Best Smoking Poll with Pearl Jam song!
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
www.bebo.com/pearljam06
6/30/98 Minneapolis, 10/8/00 East Troy (Brrrr!), 6/16/03 St. Paul, 6/27/06 St. Paul
that song is horrible
pure crap
"Thank you Talia for supporting the song, and ultimately Obama. Many talented people are giving part of themselves all over the nation to make sure he becomes president. We're thrilled that you've taken a moment to add your talent to the energy. Thanks again. Joe Bergevin."
That's awesome!!
Documents testimony at MA State House medical and marijuana decrim hearings from both family members and medical marijuana patients suffering from pain with HIV, AIDS, Hep C, Crohns Disease, Lupus, Spinal fusions, back pain, strokes, migraines and more.
Also features quotes from Massachusetts Governor, Deval Patrick.
Candidates for President and whether they support marijuana reform:
Democrats: Barack Obama (Endorsed by MA Governor Patrick) and Hillary Clinton do not. *Mike Gravel does.
Republicans: *Ron Paul does.
Music from Leon Rich "Sweet Mary".
A large number spoke in favor of medical marijuana and marijuana decrim, not one person testified against the bills.
NOT ONE!
Contact Governor Deval Patrick and ask him to support marijuana decrim.
Massachusetts State House
Office of the Governor
Room 360
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617.725.4005 888.870.7770 (in state)
Fax: 617.727.9725
TTY: 617.727.3666
Email: mass.gov@state.ma.us
Ron Paul 2008 — Hope for America
http://www.mikecann.net/2009/02/best-smoking-song-poll.html
Vote on Our Best Smoking Poll with Pearl Jam song!
I found it to be inspiring and also appreicated the diversity of people in it.
Yes, I'm a sucker for anything shown in ASL - you'd see it at 2:09 and also at 4:10.
I enjoyed listening to different instruments in this video.
I'm actually feeling inspired.... anyone wants to pop it?
YES, WE CAN!
http://www.dipdive.com/
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
did you go to the rally today? i was there it was amazing. very inspirational. matt looked very excited to be there.
https://www.facebook.com/Bring.Pearl.Jam.To.Israel
They played the video? I must have missed it - was it before Gregoire introduced Obama? I was outside...
And so it goes...
I didnt recognize Bergevin when he came out , but I recognized Pat Wright and then Matt of course
It was fun, but my friend had the time wrong that Obama was actually going to speak so she had to leave when he was only halfway done.
I stayed till the end though- everyone was on their feet for most of it.
Then I had a good time @ the food circus listening to the high school students discuss political candidates.
Very energizing but wont be able to make the caucus
However- those of you who arent registered to vote but will be 18 by november election- can register to vote and participate at the caucus- bring your ID if that is you
-Gandhi
But more likely he is torn between Obama and Bilary.
Krist has come out in his column for Obama however.
( Contrary to what acquaintances of Krist have said a few months ago . Ha! )
-Gandhi
Ed likes Ralph, or at least he used to.
Just in the interest of full disclosure.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/29/MNFCVATTD.DTL
define "us"?
Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief
Obama will cut income taxes by $1,000 for working families to offset the payroll tax they pay.
Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families: Obama will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. The "Making Work Pay" tax credit will completely eliminate income taxes for 10 million Americans.
Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama will ensure that the IRS uses the information it already gets from banks and employers to give taxpayers the option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return. Experts estimate that the Obama proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Trade
Obama believes that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American economy and create more American jobs. He will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security.
Fight for Fair Trade: Obama will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs. He will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world and stand firm against agreements like the Central American Free Trade Agreement that fail to live up to those important benchmarks. Obama will also pressure the World Trade Organization to enforce trade agreements and stop countries from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and nontariff barriers on U.S. exports.
Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement: Obama believes that NAFTA and its potential were oversold to the American people. Obama will work with the leaders of Canada and Mexico to fix NAFTA so that it works for American workers.
Improve Transition Assistance: To help all workers adapt to a rapidly changing economy, Obama would update the existing system of Trade Adjustment Assistance by extending it to service industries, creating flexible education accounts to help workers retrain, and providing retraining assistance for workers in sectors of the economy vulnerable to dislocation before they lose their jobs.
Technology, Innovation and Creating Jobs
Obama will encourage the deployment of the most modern communications infrastructure to reduce the costs of health care, help solve our energy crisis, create new jobs, and fuel our economic growth.
Support Job Creation: Barack Obama believes we need to double federal funding for basic research and make the research and development tax credit permanent to help create high-paying, secure jobs. Obama will also make long-term investments in education, training, and workforce development so that Americans can leverage our strengths - our ingenuity and entrepreneurialism - to create new high-wage jobs and prosper in a world economy.
Invest in U.S. Manufacturing: The Obama comprehensive energy independence and climate change plan will invest in America's highly-skilled manufacturing workforce and manufacturing centers to ensure that American workers have the skills and tools they need to pioneer the first wave of green technologies that will be in high demand throughout the world. Obama will also provide assistance to the domestic auto industry to ensure that new fuel-efficient vehicles are built by American workers.
Create New Job Training Programs for Clean Technologies: The Obama plan will increase funding for federal workforce training programs and direct these programs to incorporate green technologies training, such as advanced manufacturing and weatherization training, into their efforts to help Americans find and retain stable, high-paying jobs. Obama will also create an energy-focused youth jobs program to invest in disconnected and disadvantaged youth.
Boost the Renewable Energy Sector and Create New Jobs: The Obama plan will create new federal policies, and expand existing ones, that have been proven to create new American jobs. Obama will create a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that will require 25 percent of American electricity be derived from renewable sources by 2025, which has the potential to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs on its own. Obama will also extend the Production Tax Credit, a credit used successfully by American farmers and investors to increase renewable energy production and create new local jobs.
Deploy Next-Generation Broadband: Obama believes we can get broadband to every community in America through a combination of reform of the Universal Service Fund, better use of the nation's wireless spectrum, promotion of next-generation facilities, technologies and applications, and new tax and loan incentives.
Protect the Openness of the Internet: Obama supports the basic principle that network providers should not be allowed to charge fees to privilege the content or applications of some web sites and Internet applications over others. This principle will ensure that the new competitors, especially small or nonprofit speakers, have the same opportunity as big companies to innovate and reach large audiences.
Invest in Rural Areas: Obama will invest in rural small businesses and fight to expand high-speed Internet access. He will improve rural schools and attract more doctors to rural areas.
Labor
Obama will strengthen the ability of workers to organize unions. He will fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama will ensure that his labor appointees support workers' rights and will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers. Obama will also increase the minimum wage and index it to inflation to ensure it rises every year.
Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Obama cosponsored and is strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to assure that workers can exercise their right to organize. He will continue to fight for EFCA's passage and sign it into law.
Fight Attacks on Workers' Right to Organize: Obama has fought the Bush National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) efforts to strip workers of their right to organize. He is a cosponsor of legislation to overturn the NLRB's "Kentucky River" decisions classifying hundreds of thousands of nurses, construction, and professional workers as "supervisors" who are not protected by federal labor laws.
Protect Striking Workers: Obama supports the right of workers to bargain collectively and strike if necessary. He will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
Raise the Minimum Wage: Barack Obama will raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that full-time workers earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs.
Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud
Obama will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. He will also make sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage options, and he will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners.
Create a Universal Mortgage Credit: Obama will create a 10 percent universal mortgage credit to provide homeowners who do not itemize tax relief. This credit will provide an average of $500 to 10 million homeowners, the majority of whom earn less than $50,000 per year.
Ensure More Accountability in the Subprime Mortgage Industry: Obama has been closely monitoring the subprime mortgage situation for years, and introduced comprehensive legislation over a year ago to fight mortgage fraud and protect consumers against abusive lending practices. Obama's STOP FRAUD Act provides the first federal definition of mortgage fraud, increases funding for federal and state law enforcement programs, creates new criminal penalties for mortgage professionals found guilty of fraud, and requires industry insiders to report suspicious activity.
Mandate Accurate Loan Disclosure: Obama will create a Homeowner Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score, which will provide potential borrowers with a simplified, standardized borrower metric (similar to APR) for home mortgages. The HOME score will allow individuals to easily compare various mortgage products and understand the full cost of the loan.
Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures: Obama will create a fund to help people refinance their mortgages and provide comprehensive supports to innocent homeowners. The fund will be partially paid for by Obama's increased penalties on lenders who act irresponsibly and commit fraud.
Close Bankruptcy Loophole for Mortgage Companies: Obama will work to eliminate the provision that prevents bankruptcy courts from modifying an individual's mortgage payments. Obama believes that the subprime mortgage industry, which has engaged in dangerous and sometimes unscrupulous business practices, should not be shielded by outdated federal law.
Address Predatory Credit Card Practices
Obama will establish a five-star rating system so that every consumer knows the risk involved in every credit card. He also will establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with unfair practices.
Create a Credit Card Rating System to Improve Disclosure: Obama will create a credit card rating system, modeled on five-star systems used for other consumer products, to provide consumers an easily identifiable ranking of credit cards, based on the card's features. Credit card companies will be required to display the rating on all application and contract materials, enabling consumers to quickly understand all of the major provisions of a credit card without having to rely exclusively on fine print in lengthy documents.
Establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to Protect Consumers: Obama will create a Credit Card Bill of Rights to protect consumers. The Obama plan will:
Ban Unilateral Changes
Apply Interest Rate Increases Only to Future Debt
Prohibit Interest on Fees
Prohibit "Universal Defaults"
Require Prompt and Fair Crediting of Cardholder Payments
Reform Bankruptcy Laws
Obama will reform our bankruptcy laws to protect working people, ban executive bonuses for bankrupt companies, and require disclosure of all pension investments.
Cap Outlandish Interest Rates on Payday Loans and Improve Disclosure: Obama supports extending a 36 percent interest cap to all Americans. Obama will require lenders to provide clear and simplified information about loan fees, payments and penalties, which is why he'll require lenders to provide this information during the application process.
Encourage Responsible Lending Institutions to Make Small Consumer Loans: Obama will encourage banks, credit unions and Community Development Financial Institutions to provide affordable short-term and small-dollar loans and to drive unscrupulous lenders out of business.
Reform Bankruptcy Laws to Protect Families Facing a Medical Crisis: Obama will create an exemption in bankruptcy law for individuals who can prove they filed for bankruptcy because of medical expenses. This exemption will create a process that forgives the debt and lets the individuals get back on their feet.
Work/Family Balance
Obama will double funding for after-school programs, expand the Family Medical Leave Act, provide low-income families with a refundable tax credit to help with their child-care expenses, and encourage flexible work schedules.
Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act: The FMLA covers only certain employees of employers with 50 or more employees. Obama will expand it to cover businesses with 25 or more employees. He will expand the FMLA to cover more purposes as well, including allowing workers to take leave for elder care needs; allowing parents up to 24 hours of leave each year to participate in their children's academic activities; and expanding FMLA to cover leave for employees to address domestic violence.
Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave: As president, Obama will initiate a strategy to encourage all 50 states to adopt paid-leave systems. Obama will provide a $1.5 billion fund to assist states with start-up costs and to help states offset the costs for employees and employers.
Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities: Obama will double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve a million more children. Obama will include measures to maximize performance and effectiveness across grantees nationwide.
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit: The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit provides too little relief to families that struggle to afford child care expenses. Obama will reform the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by making it refundable and allowing low-income families to receive up to a 50 percent credit for their child care expenses.
Protect Against Caregiver Discrimination: Workers with family obligations often are discriminated against in the workplace. Obama will enforce the recently-enacted Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines on caregiver discrimination.
Expand Flexible Work Arrangements: Obama will create a program to inform businesses about the benefits of flexible work schedules; help businesses create flexible work opportunities; and increase federal incentives for telecommuting. Obama will also make the federal government a model employer in terms of adopting flexible work schedules and permitting employees to request flexible arrangements.
wonder if we will see any PJ involvment in the race
??