Barack Obama: The Right Experience, the Right Choice

When I hear someone question Barack’s experience, I am compelled to ask that person to clarify what they mean by “experience.” The dictionary defines experience as “the apprehension of an object, thought, or emotion through the senses or mind; (a) active participation in events or activities, leading to the accumulation of knowledge or skill: a lesson taught by experience; a carpenter with experience in roof repair; and (b) the knowledge or skill so derived.

Each of the presidential candidates has experience on various levels. It is not enough to look at their experience but rather what has each one done with the knowledge they derived from active participation in events or activities. What did they do with lessons learned – were these lessons honed into a skill or did they become empty, null and void bearing no fruit, i.e., creating no value. The goal of experience should be to create value for oneself and others.

As the people, let's take a look at our collective experience that we have gained thus far, focusing on two vital issues in our society today:

• Health Care: 47 Million Americans are without health care. Insurance premiums are through the roof and the average American finds it difficult to impossible to pay for health insurance. We keep hearing from Hillary Clinton over the past 15-20 years about how she has fought long and hard, collecting many wounds on the battle field for health care. Over the past 10 years, a considerable amount of lobbying dollars has been spent: PHARMA $115,008,600.00; Blue Cross/Blue Shield $90,163,317.00; the American Medical Association $157,247,500.00; and the American Hospital Association $138,084,144.00 are among the top spenders. And, this year there are 4,481 registered lobbyists who lobby on behalf of health care issues, Medicare and Medicaid running around Washington. At the end of the day, all those lobbyists and all that money have left us with 47 million Americans without health insurance. And, too many Americans who do have health insurance are under-insured; especially the most vulnerable –- our children and the elderly. So, Hillary Clinton’s experience seems to be in collecting lots of the money from special interests groups and lobbyists. This, she does very, very well. This is the way that Washington works. This is the experience and skill that Hillary has gained. Our collective experience with the health care crisis – it’s only gotten worse.
• Education: We have to import engineers, doctors, technicians, etc., from other countries because our public school system has lost the ability to teach our children. In fact, we are taught to fear our children, and to have low expectations to none for our children. We heard all about the village that it would take to raise a child. Even a book was published and read to children in a few select urban centers (we were treated to some well-planned photo opts on the national news). And the only thing that came out of the village was that the village-you-know-what enacted the “No Child Left Behind Act,” which, in fact, made certain that not just our children, but the teachers and administrators are left behind. In hind sight, I guess you could say that all things being equal, everyone is in the same place – left out. Yet education is a top campaign and lobbying issue. Over the past 10 years, 14,328 registered lobbyists have been running around our nation’s capital and millions of dollars have exchanged hands. Once again, Washington experience shows just how you can collect that money. This is the kind of experience that Hillary and some other candidates have to offer. And yet, our collective experience with the education crisis – it’s only gotten worse.

I could go on and list issue after issue with the same result. So what have we learned from this experience? What lesson have we been taught? It’s time to elect someone who is not wedded to the special interests groups and whose decisions are not indebted to the dollars of lobbyists. It’s time to elect someone who can, is and will continue to stand up for justice and the American people. Someone who will not let the voices of millions of Americans go unheeded. That someone is Barack Obama. Barack Obama has the kind of experience we need and are looking for.

Historically, throughout his many years of public service, Barack Obama has shown sound judgment, integrity, the courage to fight for justice and true leadership. Barack is the single candidate who can genuinely change the politics of Washington, move us past partisan infighting, and build the consensus to meet the major challenges of our day.

Already, Barack has defined his brand of leadership with frank and thoughtful plans to end the war in Iraq; promote national security and rebuild alliances abroad; provide affordable, high-quality health care to every American; put America on the path to energy independence; improve teaching and learning in all of America's classrooms; and reduce the power of special interests to steer our national agenda.