JOBS, ECONOMY and POVERTY "We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage, whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma." - Barack Obama, Denver, Aug 28, 2008   While wages remain flat, the costs of basic necessities are increasing. Personal savings rate is now the lowest it's been since the Great Depression.  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. We need to restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. We need to increase federal funding for basic research and make the research and development tax credit permanent to help create high-paying, secure jobs.   There are nearly 37 million poor Americans. Even when a parent works full-time earning minimum wage and EITC and food stamps are factored into their income, families are still $1,550 below the federal poverty line because of the flat-lined minimum wage.  Republicans in Congress consistently voted against raising the minimum wage.  We need to raise the minimum wage and index it to inflation to make sure that full-time workers can earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs such as food, transportation, and housing. Transitional jobs and career pathway programs will create jobs and help the American highly-skilled manufacturing workforce and manufacturing centers to pioneer the first wave of green technologies that will be in high demand throughout the world.	IRAQ and HOMELAND SECURITY "Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves: protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and science and technology." - Barack Obama, Denver, Aug 28, 2008   At great cost, our troops have helped reduce violence in some areas of Iraq, but even those reductions do not get us below the unsustainable levels of violence of mid-2006. Moreover, Iraq's political leaders have made no progress in resolving the political differences at the heart of their civil war.  The military is being severely strained by repeated and lengthy deployments. The Army and Marine Corps are facing a crisis as 40 percent of their equipment is either in Iraq or being repaired.   The best way to press Iraq’s leaders to take responsibility for their future is to make it clear that we are leaving.  We need aggressive diplomatic effort to reach a new compact on the stability of Iraq and the Middle East. This effort will include all of Iraq’s neighbors, to secure Iraq’s borders; keep neighboring countries from meddling inside Iraq; isolate al Qaeda; support reconciliation among Iraq’s sectarian groups; and provide financial support for Iraq’s reconstruction.
HEALTHCARE "Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American..." - Barack Obama, Denver, Aug 28, 2008   Healthcare costs rise at an alarming rate, along with health insurance and pharmaceutical companies' profits.  Of all Western developed nations, we are the only one that does not provide healthcare to its citizens.  The nation faces epidemics of obesity and chronic diseases as well as new threats of pandemic flu and bioterrorism. Yet despite all of this less than 4 cents of every health care dollar is spent on prevention and public health. We need a new national health plan for all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, that is affordable.   Democrats care about our families, not through slogans, but through action such as pre-natal care.  Republicans are against stem cell research because they are concerned with "life", yet they continually cut programs that assist children once they are born.  A universal health plan will guarantee eligibility regardless of pre-existing conditions, provide comprehensive benefits, with affordable premiums, co-pays and deductibles.	QUALITY EDUCATION and SECURE RETIREMENT "Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses, and the time to protect Social Security for future generations." - Barack Obama, Denver, Aug 28, 2008   Six million middle and high school students read significantly below their grade level. A full third of high school graduates do not immediately go on to college. American 15 year olds rank 28th out of 40 countries in mathematics and 19th out of 40 countries in science. Almost 30 percent of students in their first year of college are forced to take remedial science and math classes because they are not prepared. Instead of wasting billions with FEMA and an occupation of Iraq, we need to spend the money on our schools, train teachers and pay them a decent salary, ensure our children's future and the future of our country.   The U. S. ranks 13 out of 16 in affordability of education by the Educational Policy Institute.  As the richest country in the world, we should be ranked first.   Our seniors are falling through the cracks because of an incomprehensible prescription drug program.  Their pensions are disappearing because companies fail to honor their promise to their workers.  Social security and Medicare is in trouble yet the Republican Congress take no action.  What kind of future do we have heading this direction?
ENERGY and ENVIRONMENT "And for the sake of our economy, our security and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East..." - Barack Obama, Dencer, Aug 28, 2008   Our gasoline, electric and gas bills have sky-rocketed, while energy companies make massive profits.  America's 20-million-barrel-a-day oil habit costs our economy $1.4 billion a day, and $500 billion in 2006 alone. Every single hour, we spend $41 million on foreign oil.   The gas pipeline has leaked oil all over Alaska, yet the Bush administration wants more drilling there.  Instead of promoting renewable energy sources, the Republicans want us to go back to coal, yet they are unwilling to make coal-burning plants reduce their pollution.  As a result of climate change, glaciers are melting faster; the polar ice caps are shrinking; trees are blooming earlier; more people are dying in heat waves; species are migrating, and eventually many will become extinct.   We need to implement a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary.  We need the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial-scale renewable energy, invest in low-emissions coal plants, and begin the transition to a new digital electricity grid.	ETHICAL LEADERSHIP and CIVIL RIGHTS "Our government should work for us, not against us.  It should help us, not hurt us.  It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence but for every American who's willing to work." - Barack Obama, Dencer, Aug 28, 2008   The atmostphere of influence peddling has so permeated the Republican administration, the voice of us common folks are no longer heard.  The Republicans' culture of corruption has permeated every branch of government. We need to reverse the politicization that has occurred in the Bush Administration's Department of Justice. Pay Inequity Continues: For every $1.00 earned by a man, the average woman receives only 77 cents, while African American women only get 67 cents and Latinas receive only 57 cents. Hate Crimes on the Rise: The number of hate crimes increased nearly 8 percent to 7,700 incidents in 2006. Efforts Continue to Suppress the Vote: A recent study discovered numerous organized efforts to intimidate, mislead and suppress minority voters. Disparities Continue to Plague Criminal Justice System: African Americans and Hispanics are more than twice as likely as whites to be searched, arrested, or subdued with force when stopped by police. Disparities in drug sentencing laws, like the differential treatment of crack as opposed to powder cocaine, are unfair.