Why should WV vote for Obama? (Union: vacation, jobs, health care)

[Big_Al]

Byrd's endorsement- it's soooooooo funny. Harborlady, you are right- it's a move to cut off his ties to KKK.
Let's look at this from the other angle: a black candidate got an endorsement from a former KKK member.
Should voters trust such a candidate who get endorsements from :
1- black racist, 2-white racist, 3-hamas-rasists?
Obama is a phony. i wish him to lose.

[harborlady]

My choice between hillary or obama was looking at what mess we're in, and knowing who can deliver right now. I voted for hillary because she knows the system she has to deal with to deliver. The system is sick for everyone, (even for her, and she said as much politely) but its what we have to work with today.

Obama is saying no to the system, it needs to change, and he's going to get above the system to change it. Can he really do that alone? He's acting like a 3rd party candidate but endorsed by dems. Can dems let go of their power in 2 party system to make a level playing field? I don't know about that... they've had a vested interest to keep status quo just like repubs. Obama can't do it alone. Even if he were president his authority would be limited. House and senate could make him a lame duck president his first day on the job.

I only know we need someone capable of miraculous stewardship to bring us all together for real & get to work on too many serious problems every which way. There's still a hole in the ground where WTC used to be. New Orleans is still a symbol of neglect and incompetance for every soul in america who can bear to look.

[harborlady]

Originally Posted by WordWrangler

That said, if you can't find Obama's positions on issues, go to his website, barackobama.com and find the word "Issues" on the top banner.....


AND, being a Mountaineer forever myself, I have to take issue with the idea that Michelle Obama is "angry" and "above the general welfare" of Americans. Read her history and tell me that she wouldn't make a remarkable foreign ambassador. This woman appeared "angry" when people were ridiculously badmouthing her husband. Do you know a wife out there who wouldn't defend her husband to the death if necessary? I'd think WVians would have a better respect for someone whose main problem is that she can't help but state her mind.

First part- BELIEVE ME I WISH I COULD! I can't get his website to work. Everytime I go to the issues page, some kind of invasive cookie tries to attach to my macintosh, it resists to the point where it crashes the ISP. I can't even send an email to obama headquarters to let them know as result. Not a good idea to ask McCain where Obama stands on economics, is it? lol Google hits around it all reference the website, or talk around it, but there is no list for me. My biggest unanswered question is how is he going to pay for these dreams? He hasn't in any debate or speech.

Do I think it's wrong that michelle defends her husband? No way. Do I think she's exhibited herself to be a first lady, ready to take on the responsibility for representing the whole country?
In most of the world, this is equivalent to being a Queen. I've not seen her willing to fill the role. Maybe obama needs to quit telling the press to 'leave my wife out of this', because she really IS supposed to be in this, right along with him. Right along with all of us. We're all supposed to be in this together. We the people.

[x1x]

Perhaps this is why Obama has received all the votes and led Clinton because his web site is placing tracking cookies on peoples computers and he knows what issues they are seeking by knowing what sites they visit and how many times they visit Clinton's web site, I wonder if this could be a issue of violation of privacy or unfair tactics Obama has been useing to collect information?

[italianbluesboy]

As for myself, I voted for Ron Paul. 5% of West Virginia Repub's voted for him, 10% for Mike H., and also a few for Rudy and Romney. These were protest votes against McCain and the Republican establishment that offered him up. Also I protest the hijacking of my voting voice in the primary by the state Republican elite stealing most of the delgates at a caucas where I had no say. But getting back to the orignal meaning of the thread many people in southern WV still think Obama is a Muslim. Even when you tell them the facts about him they say something to the effect of "I don't care whut you read about him on thuh innernet, you athiest liberal pinko. I still think he's a Muzlim!" These people that I have grown up with have bought lock, stock, and barrel into the idea that if the Republicans stay in power gay marriage will go away, abortion will become illegal, every kind of weapon from flintlocks to street sweepers will remain available, and the USA should continue to be Isreal's puppy, since they are God's chosen people. So, no, Obama doesn't represent most of southern WV. But I'm not most of southern WV.

[David Kennedy]

While we still have a Constitution and a Bill of Right's, "These People" have the right to pursue happiness in their own way as long as it does not hamper the actions or the pursuit of happiness of others...

Each is entitled to her/his opinion...period.

When this all shakes out, Obama will take Wv with a very slim margin. The invisible powers have annointed him to be the next king...and the electorial college will speak.

With him in charge and a solid majority of Demo's in Congress our problems will be over...they have told us so. Gas prices will go down to $1.50 per gallon, everyone will have a nice new home, everyone will have a great job, and everyone will have full, no cost medical care...even for out pets...

We are dawning on a new age...'The Age of Obamaness' harmony and peace abounding.. a new dimension...love will guide the planet...and we will have a chicken in every pot...now where's that pot?

I'm changing my name to Ken Rockefeller...sounds good...I like it!

Have a great weekend everyone, I'm going to Hilton Head to play golf...to much insanity up here...enjoying this great country while we still have it...

[x1x]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

While we still have a Constitution and a Bill of Right's, "These People" have the right to pursue happiness in their own way as long as it does not hamper the actions or the pursuit of happiness of others...

Each is entitled to her/his opinion...period.

When this all shakes out, Obama will take Wv with a very slim margin. The invisible powers have annointed him to be the next king...and the electorial college will speak.

With him in charge and a solid majority of Demo's in Congress our problems will be over...they have told us so. Gas prices will go down to $1.50 per gallon, everyone will have a nice new home, everyone will have a great job, and everyone will have full, no cost medical care...even for out pets...

We are dawning on a new age...'The Age of Obamaness' harmony and peace abounding.. a new dimension...love will guide the planet...and we will have a chicken in every pot...now where's that pot?

I'm changing my name to Ken Rockefeller...sounds good...I like it!

Have a great weekend everyone, I'm going to Hilton Head to play golf...to much insanity up here...enjoying this great country while we still have it...

I don't no what you had for breakfast this morning DK, Perhaps you could share it with us? So we all can live this dream,

[WordWrangler]

Originally Posted by harborlady

I can't even send an email to obama headquarters to let them know as result. Not a good idea to ask McCain where Obama stands on economics, is it? lol My biggest unanswered question is how is he going to pay for these dreams? He hasn't in any debate or speech.

I sent the email for you letting them know of your problem. I don't have a Mac so I've got no idea what to tell you about that... if my computer doesn't work I tend to just cry and swear at it till something happens.

As far as his economic plans, let me add here some of what is spelled out on his site.

The Problem

Wages are Stagnant as Prices Rise: While wages remain flat, the costs of basic necessities are increasing. The cost of in-state college tuition has grown 35 percent over the past five years. Health care costs have risen four times faster than wages over the past six years. And the personal savings rate is now the lowest it's been since the Great Depression.
Tax Cuts for Wealthy Instead of Middle Class: The Bush tax cuts give those who earn over $1 million dollars a tax cut nearly 160 times greater than that received by middle-income Americans. At the same time, this administration has refused to tackle health care, education and housing in a manner that benefits the middle class.
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.

Barack Obama's Record

• Housing: In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the current subprime crisis began.
• Predatory Lending: In the Illinois State Senate, Obama called attention to predatory lending issues. Obama sponsored legislation to combat predatory payday loans, and he also was credited with lobbying the state to more closely regulate some of the most egregious predatory lending practices.
• American Jobs: Barack Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 to provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of full-time workers in America relative to those outside the US; maintain their corporate headquarters in America; pay decent wages; prepare workers for retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who serve in the military.

For More Information about Barack's Plan

Read the plan
Read the plan for small businesses
Read the plan to protect homeownership and crack down on mortgage fraud
Read the Speech
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OB CLINTON
33 18 Total Delegate




New Homepage FeatureBarack Obama - Brightcove

[WVUPharm2007]

I disagree with the idea that Byrd endorsed Obama just for his image. In his most recent book written prior to Obama announcing his run for office, Byrd mentioned how excited he was to see a young professor of constitutional law in the Senate. He went on further to speak of his bright future and oratory skills. He really does like the kid.

[Retired Navy]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

While we still have a Constitution and a Bill of Right's, "These People" have the right to pursue happiness in their own way as long as it does not hamper the actions or the pursuit of happiness of others...

Each is entitled to her/his opinion...period.

When this all shakes out, Obama will take Wv with a very slim margin. The invisible powers have annointed him to be the next king...and the electorial college will speak.

With him in charge and a solid majority of Demo's in Congress our problems will be over...they have told us so. Gas prices will go down to $1.50 per gallon, everyone will have a nice new home, everyone will have a great job, and everyone will have full, no cost medical care...even for out pets...

We are dawning on a new age...'The Age of Obamaness' harmony and peace abounding.. a new dimension...love will guide the planet...and we will have a chicken in every pot...now where's that pot?

I'm changing my name to Ken Rockefeller...sounds good...I like it!

Have a great weekend everyone, I'm going to Hilton Head to play golf...to much insanity up here...enjoying this great country while we still have it...

"The invisible powers".....I love that!!! Back in the sixties MOST of these folks were called Hippies. Then they went to law school and were called Yippies. Now they're elected representatives and called politicians and are robbing us blind. Where is Forrest Gump when we need him!!?? LOL!!!