Obama can change America

It seems that for every election I can remember, it has always been claimed that, “this election is the most important election you will ever vote in.” As Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton ask Oregon Democrats for their support this May, many may not understand what their vote may truly decide.

We, for once, actually do have the opportunity to vote in what could be one of the most important elections we will ever be a part of, but first we have to get there.

When we do get there, will we be deciding between John McCain and the same old party-driven, diseased Washington politics with no likelihood of making any real difference? Or will be choosing between John McCain and Barack Obama?

It would be easy to tell you to vote for Obama under the reasoning that Hillary Clinton is a bad candidate. While those reasons are readily available, the argument to vote for Obama is not because Clinton is the other option. There is sufficient merit to vote for Obama solely supported by his campaign and character.

Upon opening Barack Obama’s campaign Web site, visitors are greeted with a fact, a statement, a declaration that is the defining spirit of his campaign: “1,500,000 people own a piece of this campaign.” He has funded his run for president entirely from the donations of his supporters, while staying true to his words and never taking money from a lobbyist.

It is important to Obama that should he enter the White House, he will do so owing his job to one interest group, the American people. Having a President free from obligations to special interest groups would be a step in the right direction for this country.

Because of the current economic policies, we live under a government that leaves no real tax relief for lower-income citizens, rewards corporations who do not act in the interest of Americans and that has let us seemingly slip into a recession. Obama’s economic plan can gain back what this country has lost?money and jobs?while shifting tax breaks to those who need them in the middle class. He will stop the financial rewards given to corporations that ship jobs away from the United States.

As he states in his economic plan, “The time has come to bridge the growing divide between Main Street and Wall Street. The American Dream is slipping out of reach for many families whose paychecks aren’t meeting the increased costs of their medical bills and tuition payments.”

And what will Obama do for the college student? Will he tend to higher education? Well, for starters, the first $4,000 of your tuition would be free through his American Opportunity Tax Credit. In addition, he wants to make the financial aid application a whole lot easier while expanding the Pell Grant for lower-income students, which is pretty much all of us. This expansion would raise the maximum amount offered by over $1,000.

Though it is not enough to correct the problems of today, we have to navigate the road carrying us into the future. Obama wishes to pave this road with his ideas for everything from environmental issues to healthcare.

The threat of our environment mounts on the horizon. Obama knows that our energy needs must be addressed, and while dealing with this issue he can create new jobs for Americans. If we can actively engage this problem, we can put ourselves into a cycle of ingenuity and employment for a healthy environment. Our current way of life, which relies far too greatly upon fossil fuels and old technology, must change.

The same road can lead us to much needed healthcare solutions. We have a weak and failing system compared to what the rest of the world has proven is possible. With universal healthcare, every American would have coverage; it would remove the moral dilemma of our system that pits saving people, against making a profit.

It is one feat to say these things, as Obama has, and it is another to get them done. Perhaps that is the defining aspect of Obama’s campaign and what may set him apart from Hillary Clinton; he can actually do it. Many have stood for great policies and made many promises on the way to Washington, D.C., only to find that they could not have the effect they thought they could through the blockades of party politics and special interests.

If there is one candidate who can truly fight through that mess, someone who can bridge the party divide and fix the problems plaguing the United States and that remove us from our government, it is Barack Obama.