Obama stresses benefits of education
Friday, February 25, 2005
Printable FormatSenator also encourages MII to reopen union negotiations during visit to Lincoln College
by Paul Ayars
Copley News Service
LINCOLN - Freshman U.S. Sen. Barack Obama held a town meeting Thursday at Lincoln College, where he emphasized the need for a well-educated work force.
A mix of local college and high school students and townspeople pretty much filled both sides and lined the floor of the Davison-Sheffer Gym to hear the Chicago Democrat.
"What a great crowd," Obama said, then kidded, "I appreciate all the students being here instead of taking exams."
On a more serious note, he said the nation's students must be well-educated to be competitive in today's global economy.
"We've got global competition. It's not going to go away. You're not going to wish it away," Obama said.
He said his sister is a teacher, and he understands the quality and commitment teachers bring to their work. He noted that teachers unions strongly supported his successful run for the Senate.
"My first job is to say thank you to those who voted me," Obama said. "Those who didn't, I'm going to get your vote next time."
As a benefit approaches Saturday for Lincoln's striking MII Inc. workers, Obama talked to union representatives for 15 minutes before the meeting. During the meeting he called for contract negotiations to reopen.
"I encourage MII to open up negotiations with the union so we can have some communications," Obama said to the applause of the several hundred students and townspeople. "You can't have a situation where one side refuses to talk. I hope they can move forward on this."
"I'm just glad he was here," said Troy Poole, union steward for Carpenter's Local 644. "I appreciate his time. He said he'd make every effort to see what he can do."
Contract talks broke off last fall, and the plant's 96 union employees have been on strike since November.
The company since has hired 65 permanent replacement workers.
Easing away from the MII situation, Obama said he once worked at a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop.
"Chocolate ice cream gets real hard. Your wrists hurt. Carpal tunnel (syndrome, although) they didn't call it that," he said.
On the international front, Obama said, "I was extremely encouraged (by the recent Iraqi elections). They went better than we could have hoped."
But he urged the Bush administration to "finish the job" of the war in Iraq, and conceded he is not optimistic American troops will be able to leave before the end of 2006.
Obama said returning servicemen "did a spectacular job under extreme circumstances and deserve praise for all their efforts."
As for Social Security, Obama said the Bush administration favors allowing a percentage of contributions to go into private accounts.
Obama said that would escalate the erosion and threaten future Social Security benefits for today's young adults.
But "if we don't do anything, the system will run out of money to pay all it should to cover recipients by 2042," he said.