My fellow Americans, our nation has reached a crossroads. We have a choice. We can continue on the flawed path we are on now, or we can embark upon a totally new path: one of prosperity, not depression, one of alliance, not nation building, one of global leadership. This may seem like a daunting task, but I have the utmost confidence in this nation. When our nation comes together as a community, there is nothing, I repeat, nothing, which we cannot accomplish. We have weathered a Great Depression, we have fought countless wars, and we have sent a man to the moon: We can overcome the issues that face us today, just as we have always done. I am so honored that you have chosen me to be the leader of this great country of ours, and if we all work together, we can build this community into something that will truly reflect the abilities and determination of the American people.
One of the great travails of our day and age is the state of the economy. America is a country of much strength, of many resources. Our past history shows we are a people willing to tackle any challenge with creativity and determination. While today’s economic problems seem numerous and overwhelming, opportunities abound that will permit us to craft policies predicated on the interconnections among these problems and our ability to address them simultaneously. I believe the American people have the confidence and determination to confront these serious economic dilemmas. They have every right to expect, from us in government, the ideas, strategies, and policies to move our country forward. We will emphasize the interconnections among these economic problems and the desirability of constructing a program of policies that are interrelated and offer a comprehensive approach to our country’s economic recovery. I will do my utmost to help correct this travesty by first cutting taxes for ninety-five percent of all workers. Other deserving people, such as seniors, homeowners, the uninsured, and those seeking to send a child to college will also receive generous tax cuts. People who have hoped to support themselves, to be their own boss, will once again be able to pursue their own vision. This, in turn, will give back to the community, new jobs will be created, goodwill will be forged between neighbors, and important interpersonal ties will be reformed. In fact, there will be temporary tax credits for anyone who creates new jobs here, within the United States. These new jobs will give back to the community also, for productive, dignified workers will be enthusiastic leaders and contributors. For instance, the American auto industry, a deeply troubled sector, can be seen instead as an opportunity, not a liability. It is in fact one of the keys to ending our dependence on foreign oil. For where better to produce the newest generation of fuel efficient cars then here, in the United States of America? We can once again take our place as one of the global leaders in innovation. It will create new jobs, support the innumerable small business suppliers that depend upon the industry, and help the environment, a cause I am deeply committed to.
Many people see this time as an economic recession. I view it instead as a time of opportunity, an opportunity for the American people to once again come together as a unified nation. We have never before failed to come together and repair any difficulty or crisis. Through the coming four years, a program to create a significant amount of jobs will address the work needs of millions of Americans. I am committed to an extensive public works program that will bring millions of good paying job to our economy while at the same time addressing our country’s infrastructural, manufacturing, and other productive needs. The wounded solider coming back from the war will be capable of paying for a new education, the laid-off worker will find a place in the revived auto-industry, and the people on Mainstreet will have a renewed ability to initiate their businesses. New job opportunities will open for the purpose of securing our future energy supply. An important aspect of our economic recovery program will be the development of new green sector jobs, an effort that will simultaneously bolster employment as we address the compelling need to move our economy off of fossil fuels to alternative energy sources.
Our economy will also be strengthened by dynamic and robust foreign trade efforts. We are a country of ingenuity and creativity, whose knowledge and ideas should be transported globally. Americans have a unique character; one that must always be shared. We are also a country of great opportunities, including new technology and expertise. As president, I want to see our country expand its opportunities to share that expertise, those technologies, and those products beyond our borders. In doing so, we will be committed to trade that is both free and fair, both for our partners and ourselves. One step towards such a future includes my agenda to amend North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), to bring down the barriers between Canada and Mexico, because we are not simply Americans, we are people who strive and hope and desire just like any other. While fully committed to bringing down barriers to trade among the three North American countries, we must do so in a manner that respects fair trade policies, living wages, and safe working conditions, which ensure productivity with social justice.
My fellow Americans, by amending NAFTA we will be directly addressing an issue that evokes strong passions on both sides: immigration. Immigration is not some viral disease, rather it is a tradition that dates back to the establishment of this nation on Ellis Island. Like millions of you, my story is one of immigration. My father immigrated here from Kenya years ago, pursuing the dream of freedom and opportunity. We must remember the words of the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt who said those entering though Ellis Island “were the men and women who had the supreme courage to strike out for themselves, to abandon language and relatives, to start at the bottom without influence, without money, and without knowledge of life in a very young civilization.'' The immigrants entering today are very much the same. My home-state of Chicago reflects a vibrant immigrant community of Mexican, Polish, and Irish communities who enrich our city and neighborhoods. We are generous and welcoming people, but we are operating under a broken system. The issue of morality here calls into question what it means to be an American, tugging at the very core of our inner principles. Many of the Mexican immigrants are just like you and me: they struggle to support their families and so they feel that immigration is the only option. They may be breaking the law but they do so only with the best motives. It is a difficult task to penalize these people just for their pursuit of a better, rather just a livable, lifestyle, but the line must be drawn. We will undergo various measures to address this problem; the first of which must be through our revision of NAFTA. I firmly believe if the Mexican economy enjoys good health it will decrease the flow of undocumented immigrants, a number that is estimated to be around 10 million, to the United States. The proper approach in doing this will be to review NAFTA with the “intent to analyze the aspects that need adjustments, insofar as they could be causing economic, labor or other types of problems on the societies of the three countries.” Let me tell you a story. Juan Pablo Iglesias Montoya is a farmer of a small cornfield in Sinoloa who is experiencing the brutality of our free trade agreement. While he struggles to compete with the lower prices and superior goods of the American agriculture system, he finds it difficult to support his family. Such a scenario is commonplace in the current Mexican economic situation. The only alternative to such standards is immigration to the land of opportunity: the United States of America. You see this issue must be solved from the inside-out and once we re-establish the course of economic growth in the United States, we will shift focus to President Calderon and the economic status of Mexico. We want to take a global stance here, making a more cooperative international relationship. We will work jointly with Mexico in the UN and other international forums, and through bilateral framework, we will advance the interests both nations share.
We are one community of Americans and together we will stop the dysfunctional bureaucracy that now controls the immigration system and we will work for the betterment of the American people and the strengthening of our country’s security. We must create a more efficient and more just system of establishing citizenship. With the present overabundance of demand for citizenship, the application process takes far too long. There is a multitude of people who wish to be a part of our opportunity-rich and hopeful nation, but because the current bureaucracy makes the process so lengthy and difficult, there are millions who take the path illegally. Once the bureaucracy becomes efficient, there will be less of a wait to apply for citizenship and less of a need to cross the border illegally. So many people around the world seek a new life in America simply because they want the futures of their families, and particularly of their children and their grandchildren to be more prosperous and livable. This has always been the promise of America. This is the American dream. It is more than just a issue of nameless people crossing our borders, it is an issue of family— of families who deserve to be together, and who endure terrible hardship and take terrible risks to help each other, and to provide for each other. While we must work to secure our borders, we must also be mindful of the necessity of keeping families together whenever we can.
The first step that we must take to accomplish an efficient immigration system starts at our borders. In order to preserve the integrity of our borders, there must be greater enforcement and an increase in personnel, as well as improved infrastructure and technology. To protect our nation’s security, it is crucial that we have a strong base at our borders. Additional personnel should be equipped with better technology as well as real time intelligence. With improved border security, fewer families will risk dying in the desert while attempting to enter the United States illegally, and more will be encouraged to legally apply for citizenship.
Finally, it is important that we do not look at immigration as an issue of them versus us. We are not defending America against those who wish to come here legally in order to work and to contribute, we are only protecting America against unregulated entry, and against those who would wish to do us harm. In this way, the United States will lead as it has always led, not only by the legal example of just and efficient border enforcement, but also as the moral leader in world affairs.
When we reassert our global leadership, we will become the great hope that we once were and make a positive impacts on the global community. In order to do this we must continue our Global War on Terror, but in new ways. I was opposed sending our troops into Iraq in 2003, and I stand by that decision today. Though I am optimistic about the future of Iraq and Afghanistan, I will not deter from defending democracy at a moment's notice. But my main mission in Iraq is to end the war. Our troops have fought gloriously in Iraq, and now it is time for our heroes to return home. The troops remaining in the region will continue in their efforts to train and support the Iraqi security forces as long as the Iraqi leaders move towards political reconciliation and away from sectarianism. I will pressure the Iraqi government to take responsibility for their future and help provide stable country for their citizens. I will immediately begin to focus on the resurgence of al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will demand that the Afghan government to do more to control the terrorism within its borders. We must help the Afghans solve this problem. We will refocus our military resources in the region and fight to secure our safety and security. I will increase the troop levels in Afghanistan, press our allies in NATO to do the same, and dedicated more resources to revitalize Afghanistan’s economic development. This problem will only be solved through a joint effort of many nations and America will be an example of global leadership in the fight for good. My administration will strive to make the world a safer place from this foe, and Americans will be proud that it was this country that led the fight against terrorism
Diplomatic relationships are an integral part of winning the fight against terrorism. Times are challenging not only in America but also around the world, my fellow Americans do not let that deter you, we can and we will overcome these hard times. Let us, as global leaders of the world, not be divided by our differences but rather united by our common goals.
To obtain safety and security we, as a nation, must open up discussion between regions not close our doors to them. Unity is not only a theme for America but a theme for the world. Without unity we all struggle alone. Great challenge leads to opportunity, these challenges will help America reopen the path ways of communication between nations. We will increase nonmilitary aid to Pakistan and hold them accountable for securing the border region with Afghanistan. We will reorganize and strengthen NATO to protect against new threats, and renew alliances to ensure that our allies contribute their fair share to our mutual security. We will expand humanitarian activities that build friendship and attract allies worldwide. “We must neither retreat from the world nor try to bully it into submission — we must lead the world, by deed and example.”
A vital part, of not only national unity, but global unity is open discussion between friend and foe alike. We will be fearless in reaching out to our global neighbors. America embraces its place in the global community and acknowledges that America is strongest when we act alongside out allies. We will have tough and direct diplomacy with Iran. Now is the time to use the power of American diplomacy to pressure Iran to stop their illicit nuclear program, support for terror, and threats towards Israel. We will have a strong partnership with Israel, America’s strongest ally in the Middle East. We will engage our alliances in meeting the common challenges of the 21st century. “America cannot meet the threats of this country alone, but the world cannot meet them without America.”
Now it is the time for a new era of global cooperation which will strengthen old partnerships and build new long lasting ones. We will maintain strong ties with allies such as Japan, South Korea, that go beyond bilateral agreements. A strong engagement in world affairs will help to heal America’s bruised image around the world. “The American moment has not passed, the American moment is here. And like generations before us, we will seize that moment and begin the world anew.” We open our arms to the global community, to discuss innovative programs to better our world for the next generation
And it is in our dedication to the next generation that America will once again prove itself to be a world leader. The idea of public, democratic education began in America. We were once the world leader in our commitment to our children and their knowledge. This administration promises that the concept of hope and the belief in everyone’s potential will lead America and the next generation to becoming a global leader in education once again. To accomplish this, we must form a new standard for education. The 21st century students of America should be able to lead the world once again in creativity, achievement, and success. In order for America to succeed and make this dream a reality, closer attention must be given to Early Childhood Education, K-12 Education, and Higher Education.
But in order for our plan of action to begin, something must be done about the unfunded mandate, No Child Left Behind. In order to create a successful education system, the children of America must be recognized individually. It is unrealistic to expect teachers to provide students with the education they need when most are consumed throughout the year with teaching their students how to do well on standardized tests that often do not contain practical skills or knowledge assessment necessary for success in the 21st century. No Child Left Behind will be reformed, and by doing so the standardized test will be removed. Students will instead be taught in a more individualized manner, which will help better them for their future. Most importantly, schools that are in need of improvement will no longer be punished. They will be supported.
The only way for education to become a success in America once again will be for us to acquire a strong and solid workforce of teachers. Every teacher that walks into a classroom will be trained to handle the job. They must be regarded highly for they are the ones who are crucial to the learning process. By creating mentoring programs that pair experienced teachers with new recruits, the system will grow and develop, eventually becoming an incentive driven network of educators. Rewarding accomplished educators with an increase in pay will motivate others to reach the same point. Educators that consistently excel in the classroom are valued members of this community and deserve to be recognized and adequately compensated.
Our administration will also address the shrinking number of American teens enrolling in college. Higher education leads to better jobs with higher pay and a better living situation for Americans. With the current economic crisis and the cost of a college education rising, it has become nearly impossible for some to attend college. The average college student leaves college with nineteen thousand dollars in debt and between 2001 and 2010 an estimated two million academically qualified students will forgo a college education because they cannot afford it. We will change that and make college a reality. With an opportunity tax credit, the first four thousand dollars for college will be provided and will cover two-thirds of the cost of tuition at an average public college or university. We will simplify the financial aid process for families in need of additional funds by putting it directly on your tax form. By supporting programs like GEAR, UP, TRIO, and Upward Bound, we will help students of lower income families recognize college as an option. With the help of Congress, the new administration, college will become an achievable goal for American children.
But all of this would be nothing without a good foundation, which begins with Early Childhood Education. While I was in the Senate, I created Illinois’ Early Learning Council to improve that foundation, and I plan to do the same while I am in office. By developing Early Childhood Education programs in our country America can rise ad a leader in education. Me Zero to Five Plan will help children in the earliest time of learning by encouraging states to move towards voluntary, universal preschool. We will for Early Head Start and Head Start. Two programs which provide necessary health and education services to low-income families. We will provide affordable, quality childcare for those families as well, so that no child is left uncared for. The children of America deserve a complete education, without holes or roadblocks in the way. They deserve the promise of prosperity that so many believe America holds.
Our children can only receive a good education if they are healthy and attending school every day. Every year children miss at least one day of school due to an illness. For those students who only miss one day, it is not hard for them to catch up, but when children miss weeks of school, they then struggle. In order to avoid these preventable absences, our children must have access to a reliable health care system.
School systems will play an important role in keeping our children healthy. Now, only a quarter of the schools adhere to the nutritional standards for food. We will work together to create a healthy environment for these students who are the future of our great nation.
Every child in this country will be guaranteed healthcare. No longer will our children be missing school because they are sick due to not having health insurance because of the high costs. Every year children around the country are turned away from treatment because they have no health insurance, and could not pay for what was needed. The lives of these children are at risk, and the need for their health insurance is a necessity.
Children will not be limited to one health insurance plan; they will still receive options of plans to choose from. Even when the children have grown, they will be able to stay on their parents plan until they are 25. They should not have to worry about paying their own healthcare when they are going to school, and trying to pay off the loans they have taken out.
Our health insurance program as it stands is not only inadequate for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens: it fails all Americans. This administration will offer meaningful reform of the system. People who are happy with their current healthcare, will not have to change their existing insurance. These folks will be given the option to stay with their current healthcare, and the only difference is that they will be saving 2,500 dollars a year. For those without health insurance they will be given a choice of new, affordable health insurance options. Everyone deserves the right to feel secure when they go to the doctor, and especially in these hard economic times no one should not have to worry about having to take out a loan to pay off their medical bill.
The ability to pick which plan will give the American people the freedom that is rightfully theirs, but the program will be better. For example, in the past people with pre-existing conditions either had to stick to their health plan or remain uninsured due to the high cost. Many people had to get reverse mortgages after they used all of their retirement money on treatments that were not covered, but that will not be the case anymore. Everyone will be able to get the same treatments regardless of any pre-existing conditions without having to fight the uphill battle the insurance companies.
Along with being insured, prescription drugs will also be lowered to insure its accessibility to everyone that needs them in order to live life normally. Generic medication will be more readily available. This plan will unite the country by giving every single American the same opportunity for good health, and increase the progress here in America. A healthy and robust populace will translate to a healthy and robust American economy and a new generation of leaders whose capabilities are heightened by their good health.
There is another issue that is the foundation of good health and that is the health of our planet. This administration believes that we have a responsibility to not only take care of the health of this nation’s citizens, but must also protect our environment. Clean water, clean air, and a well-balanced natural world will simply support our health as a nation. The most pressing threat to our planet’s well-being is our current energy culture.
We cannot continue our current energy usage and policies if we hope for the environment to sustain itself. As I have said, energy is quite possibly the most pressing issue facing us today. It incorporates issues regarding the economy, the infrastructure, the environment, diplomacy, and national security. In order for a clear new energy policy to be set, it is necessary to first analyze the problems posed by the current practices with regard to energy.
Currently, about 40% of our energy needs are met by petroleum. As we consume nearly 21 million barrels per day, it is clear that we will not be able to maintain this trajectory with a resource that is finite. We cannot continue to be the number one consumer of a resource in which our production ranks at a distant third.
Though we consume nearly 21 million barrels daily, we only produce about 8 million barrels a day. This discrepancy is made up through importing oil from other countries, many of which are located in the Middle East. Essentially, this system makes us dependant on foreign nations for a very large segment of our energy supply. Furthermore, many of those nations we buy from do not share our interests, nations such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Not only does this give foreigners a large amount of control over our economy, but it also leads to our intervening in areas we would prefer to avoid. Iraq is the best example of this.
In addition to the diplomatic and sustainability problems presented by petroleum, the production and usage of oil severely damages the environment. First off, the extraction of oil is a major undertaking, both on land and off shore. On land, the creation of pumps, roads, and pipelines can severely disrupt local environments. Such concerns have, up to this point, prevented much proposed drilling in wildlife conservation areas, especially in Alaska. Offshore, the creation of oil platforms disturbs ecosystems of the sea floor, killing many plants which some sea animals require in order to survive. When oil is then transported, there is an even greater risk of environmental damage due to pipe leaks and tanker spills. The Exxon Valdez accident stands as a stark example of the intensive long-term damage that can be created as the result of a single accident.
The burning of oil and other fossil fuels (such as coal, which is a major source of electricity and heating) is one of the major contributors to global warming. As we are the largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, any initiative undertaken to combat global warming would require our genuine participation in order to make serious headway. This, so far, has not been the case as we still have not ratified the 1992 Kyoto Treaty which set benchmarks for the reduction of greenhouse gases. However, the reduction of greenhouse gases would not only require the gradual weaning off of oil, but also the exploitation of existing technologies such as fuel-efficient light bulbs and hybrid cars.
The recent spike in oil prices has brought the issue of energy to the forefront of the political arena with two major approaches being proposed. One calls for the increased drilling of oil, which would increase environmental damage to increase the extraction of a finite resource. This would only temporarily inflate supply to bring down prices. The other approach is to develop an entirely new energy system: a system of clean, renewable energy with an entirely American infrastructure. Such an approach would do wonders to improve the health, not only of our environment, but our economy as well.
Currently, about 40% of our energy needs are met by petroleum. As we consume nearly 21 million barrels per day, it is clear that we will not be able to maintain this trajectory with a resource that is finite. We cannot continue to be the number one consumer of a resource in which our production ranks at a distant third.
Though we consume nearly 21 million barrels daily, we only produce about 8 million barrels a day. This discrepancy is made up through importing oil from other countries, many of which are located in the Middle East. Essentially, this system makes us dependant on foreign nations for a very large segment of our energy supply. Furthermore, many of those nations we buy from do not share our interests, nations such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Not only does this give foreigners a large amount of control over our economy, but it also leads to our intervening in areas we would prefer to avoid. Iraq is the best example of this.
In addition to the diplomatic and sustainability problems presented by petroleum, the production and usage of oil severely damages the environment. First, the extraction of oil is a major undertaking, both on land and off shore. On land, the creation of pumps, roads, and pipelines can severely disrupt local environments. Such concerns have, up to this point, prevented much proposed drilling in wildlife conservation areas, especially in Alaska. Offshore, the creation of oil platforms disturbs ecosystems of the sea floor, killing many plants which some sea animals require in order to survive. When oil is then transported, there is an even greater risk of environmental damage due to pipe leaks and tanker spills. The Exxon Valdez accident stands as a stark example of the intensive long-term damage that can be created as the result of a single accident.
Our dependence on finite energy sources and our stance on climate change have been the causes of a growing crisis; however, as a nation characterized by innovation, we are ready to address the situation. America has overcome great challenges before. In this election, the people of the United States have proven that we are ready to reassume global leadership as proponents for a healthy earth. Although individuals have worked hard to begin the journey towards clean technology and energy independence, they have lacked sufficient support from their own government. This new administration is determined to invest in renewable energy, end our addiction to foreign oil, address the global climate crisis, and create millions of new jobs. America can no longer afford to cripple our economy and strain the budgets of working families because of our addiction to foreign oil. It is time for a sustained and shared effort by our government, our businesses, and most importantly, the American people.
The journey begins with determination from the local level and extends into a movement towards global cooperation. While we work together to reduce our own green house gas emissions 80 percent, as president, I will reconnect with the United Nations to reestablish our position as a global leader on addressing climate change. However, the struggle will come from our own unity. And the determination must start at home. We will lead as role models for a healthy planet.
We will begin by promoting energy efficiency. If we come together to reduce our energy consumption, lower energy bills will put money back into the pockets of every American family.
As president, I will assure that the Federal Government becomes a leader on the path to a clean energy economy. As we rework the Kyoto Treaty abroad, all government buildings will become energy efficient and our government will invest in our own economy to promote progress and innovation––Progress towards affluent working families and millions of new jobs and innovation towards renewable energy alternatives and eliminating America’s carbon footprint.
Instead of giving in to special interest groups’ prerogatives for investment in foreign oil, we will invest in a clean energy economy and new manufacturing and engineering strategies. Electric vehicles, clean technology, and a government-funded Green Job Corps will promote a bright future for America. We will invest in the sale and purchase of energy-efficient automobiles, allowing for the sustainable natural beauty that American is known for. The manufacturing centers of America, known as having the most advanced workforce in the world, will have government support to convert to high-demand technology of the future. As a result, workers will develop even more technical skills to compete with other workers on an international level. With the creation of a Green Jobs Corps, five million new jobs will jumpstart our economy and tackle climate change simultaneously. Training in energy-efficiency will provide American workers with the opportunity to find stable, high-paying jobs and build skills to move up the career ladder. 837,000 troops who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan are now veterans. The new energy economic plan will embrace veterans into new jobs. Modernized industry partners will create career pathways and educational programs for our valued veterans.
Unity and teamwork at the local, state, federal, and international level will free Americans from economic oil dependence. There is no longer a difference between economic growth and the preservation of our environment. We are on the verge of an era of new technology, and America will prepare itself to lead in this innovation. Every citizen will benefit. The economy will prevail with millions of new jobs. Americans will eliminate our mark on the environment and prevent the disastrous effects of climate change. Our national community is capable of unifying behind our economy and behind our earth to achieve healthy and prosperous lives.
NEED CONCLUSION!
