Barack Obama: A Call To Service For America

Hey, we really need to renew our shared spirit of working together in the USA, and Barack's serious about it.

Our country needs someone to remind us of what our values are, and then we can remind the whole world that the America they believe in is still around.

He just gave a really good talk here:

To restore America's standing, I will call on our greatest resource - not our bombs, guns, or dollars - I will call upon our people. We will grow the Foreign Service to renew our commitment to diplomacy. We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity.

I will expand our military, while offering those who serve the promise that they will get the training, equipment, and care they deserve - and that they can trust we will never, ever, send them to fight in a misguided war. And we'll enlist veterans to help other veterans find jobs; to counsel vets who are confronting homelessness, mental health and substance abuse problems; and to pitch in at VA hospitals and nursing homes.

And we'll use technology to connect people to service more extensively and effectively. We turn to websites like craigslist to find apartments and jobs. So we'll expand USA Freedom Corps to create an online network where Americans can browse opportunities to volunteer. You'll be able to search by category, time commitment, and skill sets; you'll be able to rate service opportunities, build service networks, and create your own service pages to track your hours and activities. This will empower more Americans to craft their own service agenda, and make their own change from the bottom up.

(I'm flattered that he mentioned CL, but that's not consequential; what matters is the renewal of our values.)

Comments

[FirstForty]

All of you who are throwing stones at this man...what are you looking for? For the first time in a generation we MAY have a leader who is trying to inspire us. If we dont give him a chance, we have no chance. A house divided can not stand....

He is only a man and will not be perfect, be he has my vote and my money. Bring it on!

[escobar]

Expand the military?
If you build it, they will use it.
Too bad he doesn't talk about a TVA like programs to build public owned alternative energy projects rather than spend more on organizing killers.
If he has volunteer corps to send world wide to help people, I suggest they go to Detroit first.

[LeeFromVA]

Barack Obama motivates and inspires me. I am 45 years old and I have NEVER felt this passionately about a candidate. I've donated money to a campaign for the first time in my life. He makes me want to be a better person. He makes me believe that this country can actually turn around and gain back the respect that we've lost. Why is it so easy for some people to try and shoot him down? Maybe they've lost the ability to believe.

[Qbear]

"what matters is the renewal of our values.) "

McClurkin told me EVERYTHING I needed to hear about Obama's "values."

uh.....I'll PASS!

[prettypony]

Think twice about Obama...
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2007/12/not-a-christmas.html

[araelr]

Barack does NOT remind me of what's good about America. If you want a man who skips important votes and then criticizes others for taking stands, then sure. I want a candidate who will actually do what they say they'll do.

[Tellmethetruth]

This was reported in Amy Goodman's Democracy Now on August 10th, 2007.

"Cheney Urges Military Strikes on Iran
Vice President Dick Cheney is reportedly urging President Bush to directly confront Iran by launching airstrikes at suspected Iranian training camps inside Iraq run by the Quds force, a special unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. According to the McClatchy newspapers, Cheney made the proposal several weeks ago but the idea was opposed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. On Thursday President Bush warned Iran that it would face consequences if they continue to arm and train insurgents in Iraq.

President Bush: "One of the main reasons that I asked Ambassador Crocker to meet with Iranians inside Iraq was to send the message that there will be consequences for people transporting, delivering EFPs, highly sophisticated IEDs that kill Americans in Iraq. Prime Minister Maliki is visiting in Tehran today. His message, I"m confident will be, stabilize, don"t destabilize. And the sending of weapons into Iraq is a destabilizing factor."


"Sen. Biden Suggests Criminal Charges Against Bush Officials
Impeachment has been making headlines recently in the city of Kent, Ohio. Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden has suggested criminal charges could someday be filed against members of the Bush administration. In a recent interview with Newsweek, Biden said there are alternatives to the impeachment of President Bush. Biden said: "I think we should be acquiring and accumulating all the data that is appropriate for possibly bringing criminal charges against members of this administration at a later date."


Please note: This Iran war plans have been going on for a number of years which Joe Biden as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee is aware of, as well as the intelligence reports of the CIA which were actually made public 1 year ago after the Democrats took control of Congress.

See again Amy Goodman - Democracy Now. August 10th, 2007.

http://www.democracynow.org/2007/8/10/headlines#7

[Xiexie]

More wide-eyed dreamy Obama words. The man can do a great speech--I'll give him that. His votes don't match his words many a time. I want actions, not floaty speeches.

[May2002]

If Ohama is my hero and leader I admire, Mr. Craig's my hero too because his way of conducting his business is so inspiring and ethical. Can you imagin in the society places so much value on being rich and accumulating wealth, Mr. Craig can resist all the temptation and runs his business according to what is the right things to do.

I respect you without reservation and use your services often.

[realitytrumpsbull]

I think it's ALL bullshit until and unless they
figure out how to get federal spending under
control. Until that happens, they can make
alllllllllllll the promises they want...

[itmaybetoolate]

Is homophobia one of our american values? Obama thinks so. He is a traditional politician - an opportunist who will play to people's worst prejudices to get their votes (google Donnie McClurkin for more information).

[Spookcatcher]

Bye, Bye Obama! Americans are poor! We have been Bankrupted, stripped of our civil and property rights, made out to be left or right, and told that while we are buried in debt, with $3 gas to quit driving but don't stop spending. We are working 2 or more jobs and losing are helth. Our homes are at risk and our schools have been turned into prison day camps because they forgot how to teach kids and refuse pay teachers a living wage. Meanwhile EVERY POLITICIAN , including OBAMA becomes RICH all the while we are being brainwashed into how great they are, hoow they are protecting our interests, and how much "WE" can do for them! Bullshit! Give me back the Constitution. Get some real healthcare provided for EVERY American. Quit taking money from lobbyists, and put some Wall Street Con Artists in Jail, Stay out of other Nations with our Military, and start taxing the rich, fix our schools, and then after about a decade if evrything starts to show we have restored a middle class, given a safety net for the poor again, improved our environment, and Taken us off an oil dependent Foriegn Policy, then maybe politicians will have earned their the right to ask, again, for Americans to give something up. Politicians, you need to DO YOUR JOB FIRST! RIGHT NOW WE NEED THE HELP!

[DontSpin]

I love this guy. He really is the only candidate who makes me feel positive about him without feeling negative about any other candidate. I don't have disrespect for other candidates, but Obama is just the best choice for us.

[coonce]

He has a dream. A dream of a better America.

What more can one ask for?

[May2002]

I am another highly motivated fan of Obama. I just cannot wait but seeing him to be our next president.

Go Obama go!

Obama 2008!!!!!