Obama listens to residents' concerns
Thursday, July 7, 2005
Printable FormatPEKIN DAILY TIMES
By Sharon Woods Harris
PEKIN -- U. S. Sen. Barrack Obama said Tuesday that there are two things that his mother taught him -- there is no such thing as a free lunch and you shouldn't expect something for nothing.
In terms of politics, those are wise words, Obama said at his 26th Town Hall Meeting Wednesday in the community room at the Pekin Public Library. He spoke to a standing-room only crowd expressing its concerns about the nation and the local community.
During the course of the hour-long question-and-answer session, Obama fielded questions on Community Development Block Grants, environmental concerns, health care, the budget and taxes, a national database for sex offenders, the shortcoming of the Department of Children and Family Services, aid to Haiti and other poorer nations, veterans benefits and the federal budget.
Obama said he is a little frustrated that important issues on which he campaigned have not been brought up for debate on the Senate floor, such as a solid energy policy and health care.
"There's a tendency when somebody gets sent to Washington, no matter how much their idealism and their good intentions, after a while there's a tendency to start representing Washington to the voters instead of representing the voters to Washington," said Obama.
He is holding the community and town meetings around the state to hear about what people care about, what concerns they have and what they are angry about.
Maria Carroll of Peoria, the program coordinator for Haitian Hearts, asked about Haiti's poverty and unstable political situation.
Obama said he favors a congressional fact-finding mission to Haiti. He said additional aid is needed there, but it must come with strings attached to ensure it is used properly and not to line the pockets of politicians, as happened in his father's native Kenya.
There is a misconception that America is spending a huge amount on foreign aid, he said. In reality, the U.S. only dedicates about 1 percent of the annual budget to foreign aid. Obama said in terms of the other industrial nations of the world, the U.S. is one of the lowest contributors.
"These failed states are part of what encourages terrorism," said Obama. In other poverty-stricken countries, Obama said, there are diseases such the Asian bird flu that could cause a pandemic that could kill millions of Americans if those countries don't have the resources they need.
A cancer victim from Canton said he's been told that his income is too high to get assistance from the Veterans Administration.
"I didn't say when they drafted me in 1950 that I was making too much money to serve," said the man.
In Illinois, said Obama, veterans are getting less money than in any other state. He said he met with Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson and found he is dedicated to fixing that problem.
The problem, Obama said, is the current administration is trying to balance the budget after Bush's tax breaks two years ago. Most people got a $300 to $600 tax break, but, said Obama, the wealthy, such as Warren Buffett, got a $355 million tax break.
Under the current rules, veterans who are not impoverished are being turned away from treatment, Obama said. He said the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will come back and need the services of the VA. Obama said if the troops are going overseas and making the ultimate sacrifice, the government should take care of them.
Obama said the government is running a $400 billion deficit annually.
"Essentially, what we are doing is running this credit card that we're going to then hand to our kids," he said. "That's like $150,000 each child in America is born with -- it's like a birth tax."
One man questioned how the schools can keep up with the mandates of No Child Left Behind. Obama acknowledged the law has some flaws, but that everyone agrees accountability is needed. He said China is producing six engineers for every one America is and America will depend on the technology of engineers in the future.
The state of Illinois, he said, will have to rethink how it funds schools -- property tax funding is an unfair and inadequate method, he said.
Another man was worried about the environment. Obama said the U.S. needs to rethink its energy policy and the use of fossil fuels. He said the demand for oil will only increase as China and India expand car usage in their developing countries. Obama said cars have to be made more fuel efficient.
"We can't keep financing Saudi Arabia and Iran" through oil dependence, he said. He also added that as fuel demand is increasing, Americans are driving gas hogs.
On the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Obama said he hopes Bush will consult both Democrats and Republicans.
"If you believe as I do, for the most part, that women should be able to make the tragic, difficult decision about what to do with their own bodies, then you're going to feel very passionate on that side," said Obama. "And I think a number of people legitimately believe that abortion is definitely wrong, then you're going to be equally passionate about that.
"And the court is where those two things come together. ... A lot is going to be at stake, particularly around some of the social issues like abortion, how we treat gays and lesbians, and stem cell research. A number of those issues are going to be coming up again and again before the court over the next 10, 20 or 30 years."
Obama said if the administration is interested in confirming a nominee with broad bipartisan support rather than simply fanning the ideological flames, then Congress can undertake the confirmation process more easily.