Breaking Ground with Barack

With the 2008 election approaching and several politicians declaring their bid for the presidency, it is apparent that 2008 is an election year unlike any other. For the first time in our nation’s history, the Democratic Party has a woman and an African American seeking a presidential nomination. Being a Democrat, I support many views of Hilary Clinton. However, when it comes to issues dealing with the environment, healthcare, and the War in Iraq, I feel the political views of Barack Obama will be most beneficial to our nation. If the 2008 presidential election were held tomorrow, I would vote for Democrat Barack Obama.

To Barack Obama, "America the Beautiful" is much more than a song title. Keeping America beautiful will rank extremely high on Obama’s political agenda if he is elected president. According to Obama’s official website, he feels we have an obligation “to leave this earth in a better condition than we found it.” To achieve this goal, Obama plans to implicate new environmental laws and policies that will result in healthier communities and a cleaner environment. In an effort to limit pollution, global warming, and our nation’s craving for oil, Obama seeks to unite automobile manufacturers and politicians from both parties to encourage the use of alternative fuels and hybrid energy powered vehicles.

In addition to preserving the environment, Obama also aims to promote healthcare across the nation. America has the best medical technology in the world, yet millions of Americans do not have the resources to access it. Therefore, Obama has placed great emphasis on making healthcare coverage affordable for all Americans. Barackobama.com states that there are 36.5 million poor Americans, and too many of these poor Americans are single mothers struggling to raise their children. The Obama plan will not only require that all children have healthcare coverage, but it will also create a National Health Insurance Exchange, which will create rules and standards for private insurance companies, ensuring reasonable rates. The plan will also force employers to attribute a portion of pay roll to pay for national healthcare costs, but most importantly, every American will be eligible, and no one will be turned away.

Obama’s ideas will clearly preserve the environment and healthcare, but most importantly his ideas will promote freedom. Above all other items on his agenda, Barack Obama has called to bring home our troops, and end the war in the Middle East. As Illinois State Senator in 2005, Obama called for a reduction in the number of U.S. troops, a time frame for a phased withdrawal, and improved reconstruction efforts to restore basic services in Iraq. In 2007, Obama proposed a plan for the removal of all American troops by Mar. 31st, 2008, with the exception of those remaining overseas to serve as “basic force protection.” These troops would counter-terrorism efforts and continue to train Iraqi security forces. Obama expressed his frustration on his website revealing that, “[He is] not opposed to all wars, [he is] opposed to dumb wars….Let’s finish the fight with Bin Laden and al-Quaeda , through effective coordinated intelligence…”

Overall, Barack Obama’s ideas to promote a healthier American standard of living reflect his Ivy-League education and eight years as Illinois State Senator. He is more than qualified to assume the position as Head of State. If Obama’s policies were to turn into action America would again be beautiful, our nation would again prosper, and his insightful leadership would ensure life, liberty, and justice for years to come. His views of the environment, healthcare, and the War in Iraq will result in my vote come election day.