Senator Barack Obama: I'll restore America's promise

[babylonsister]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20081019/OPINION01/810190320/1036/Opinion

Obama: I'll restore America's promise

Sen. BARACK OBAMA is the Democratic nominee for president. • October 19, 2008



This is a defining moment in our history. Our economy is in crisis. Our housing market is in shambles. It's increasingly difficult to buy gas or groceries; to save or to retire. In so many cities and towns across America, it feels as if the dream that so many generations have fought for is slowly slipping away.

It's a moment when the values that have made America what it is are threatened by the politics and policies of Washington. On-your-own, trickle-down policies have devastated our middle class and shaken the foundations of our economy.
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If we want to keep the promise of America alive, the ways of Washington must change. And they must change now.

Our improbable journey to change Washington started in Iowa nearly two years ago. During this time, I have had the privilege of meeting thousands of Iowans who have spoken with me directly about the challenges they face and the type of new leadership they are looking for in Washington.

After 26 years in Washington, Sen. John McCain suddenly says he'll bring about that change - but the policies he's proposing tell a different story. At a time when families are struggling on Main Street, McCain wants to give $200 billion in tax breaks to the biggest corporations in America. He wants to give a $700,000 tax break to the average Fortune 500 CEO, but not one dime of direct relief to more than 100 million middle-class Americans. And he's a self-professed "deregulator" who has called for less regulation at least 20 times in just the last year.

This time, this election, is our chance to stand up and say "enough." This is our chance to fix our economy and restore opportunity for all Americans. So let me spell out what change would mean in an Obama administration.

Change is a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it. It's why I will cut taxes for 95 percent of all workers and their families. In fact, no family making less than $250,000 will see a tax increase - because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle class. And unlike McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas and start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.

Change is finally keeping the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. My plan will lower premiums by up to $2,500 for the typical Iowa family. If you're not covered, or don't like your coverage, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. This is personal for me. I watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she battled cancer in her final months, and I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

Change is a comprehensive plan for American energy that will free us from our dependence on oil from the Middle East in 10 years. We'll create entire new industries that will put 5 million Americans to work in good-paying jobs that can't be outsourced. We'll retool our factories to build the cars of the future. And we'll invest in the next generation of affordable, clean energy, in the process saving you money and reducing the greenhouse gases that are heating up our planet. These investments will help create thousands of additional jobs right here in Iowa.

And at a time when we're spending $10 billion each month in Iraq while it sits on a $79 billion surplus, I will end this war in Iraq responsibly. We'll finish the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan, rebuild our military to meet future conflicts, and form new alliances to defeat the threats of the 21st century. And I will make it absolutely clear to the world that America is ready to lead again.

Doing these things won't be easy. But we're Americans. Our destiny isn't written for us - it's written by us. And at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. We cannot afford to let this moment pass us by. If you stand with me on Nov. 4, then you and I will change America together.