Illinois Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama

I have been greatly impressed by Barack Obama's ability to inspire in both his manner of speaking and his message; it takes me back to the legendary 60s with JFK, MLK, and to a lesser degree LBJ and Eisenhower.

However, I see no direction in Obama's speeches at a time when a direction is greatly needed. The issue that supersedes all others is the environment, and the creation of a sustainable economy.

Investment in infrastructure is the key to building a great society. Eisenhower's signature initiative was the Interstate Highway system that was transformative. JFK inspired the Moon Mission and the Peace Corp, and LBJ then took them to the next level with the Great Society. And we can't ignore Nixon and the Environmental Protection act.

The ringing tones of the 60s were MLK's "I have a dream" and JFK's "Ask not..." and "We go to the moon, not because it is easy, but because it is hard..."

After the depression and the wars, two hugely negative times, the US was ready for a positive era, an era when the impossible of conventional wisdom was seen as possible, and then delivered with great benefit to all.

Where is the call to action, to confront the unsustainable economy of the US and the world, to see this as not only the greatest challenge, but also the greatest opportunity?

Where is the

"We will end the use of fossil fuels and build a sustainable economy by 2040, not because it is easy, but because it is hard, and because the rewards will benefit current generations of Americans, future generations of Americans and the world."

As an aside, I bet that healthcare and social security become much easier problems to deal with. The greater industry required to build the infrastructure of a sustainable economy will create the jobs that pay for healthcare and retirement, as well as moving our nation to a lifestyle where we are more active and eating better.

Or should we look to Richardson?

Could you ask Senator Obama about if he supports the Cold War Medal Act for 08 NDAA(Sec 556)by keeping it in the bill as well getting Senators Levin and McCain to Support its passage?

Would you consider expanding the gas-guzzler tax created by the Energy Tax Act in 1978 to include SUV's and other large, non-commercial vehicles in an effort to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions and to cut back on US petroleum consumption?

Laura,

I was able to meet briefly Senator Obama in N. Conway last evening, but was unable to get this question in. Odd as it may seem, I do not object to paying taxes, so long as they are fair, cover all of our necessary spending and are as low as possible. With our current 20,000 page tax code, I cannot be assured that any of these are true. I believe a reasonably intellegent adult should be able to understand the taxes he/she is expected to pay, without having to hire an accountant for even simple personal taxes. Does the Senator believe the tax code needs to be fixed? If so, what would he change and how would he get our congress and the attached special interests to pass it?

Brian
N. Conway

Senator Obama has had a lot to say recently about education, and I'm sure this topic will come up in today's discussion.

I'd like to know what he thinks we might be able to do to help teach each of our children to become a creative and imaginative member of society, and to instill in them a desire to excel in whatever career they choose to pursue.

Most of us understand that it's very important for every child to have an excellent basic education.

But this alone won't give us the next iPod, or a solution for the world's energy problems. In order for us to be more competitive in world markets, our country needs to produce a steady supply of new innovations, and I think schools could and should do a lot more to help develop tomorrow's leaders.

What specific steps would the Senator take to make this happen? I don't think we would want the most important products of the 21st century to come from other countries.

Thanks!

Hi Laura. I would greatly appreciate your asking Senator Obama this question:

Senator Obama, I am conservation voter and an undecided voter. Jeff Bradley reported a week ago on NPR that The world's largest purchaser of oil is the Pentagon. As commander in chief, how would you address this enormous negative contribution by our defense department to the energy and climate change problem. I cannot listen to The Exchange this morning as I will be at work, but look forward to your answer when I listen to the re-run this evening. A Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Rachel
Dublin

I've been told that Senator Obama believes the main obstacle to solving the country's most important problems is the partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats, and that overcoming that partisan divide is the centerpiece of his campaign.

In my experience, the partisan divide exists mainly inside the beltway. A committed, life-long Democrat, I get along well with friends, colleagues and neighbors who are Republicans. Almost all of them are decent people with whom you can have a normal conversation. Most of their party's leaders, however, are not like that. They are radical extremists and bullies who have shown they will stop at nothing to get their way -- smearing the good Senator as "Barack Osama" for example, as Mitt Romney did recently.

I'm tired of being pushed by these bullies, and want leaders who will fight back against the radical right who have taken over the Republican Party. I want a leader in the White House who will push back forcefully against their agenda, not bargain with them so they only get 80% of what they want.

To my ears, calls for transcending partisanship seem Pollyannish. Can the Senator reassure me that this central theme of his campaign is not unilateral disarmament?

Gore/Schwarzenegger Forum: Please ask the Senator if he will commit to attend the energy forum in December that is being organized by Vice President Gore and Governor Schwarzenegger.

Mr Obama, I'm interested in what you think of the No Child Left Behind Act. I'm not an educator, but I've yet to talk with one that's supportive of the program. In their words, NCLB forces them to greatly minimize the scope of the educational experience that they provide. It narrows the curriculum, almost exclusively, towards the testing that, ultimately, *they* will be graded on. Further, it focuses educator's efforts on raising the performance of the lowest performing students, as intended, but with the consequence that no resources are left for the higher performing students. In effect, we've gone from leaving one group behind, to leaving different group behind. How can we provide a national education that addresses the needs of *all* students? My own suggestion is to reconsider the value of homework (see The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn). I think it's possible that removing traditional homework from our educational system might be a foundational step towards a new attitude among both students and teachers.

Scott Badger
Jackson

Hi, because of the large number of phone calls and emails for Senator Obama today, the question I sent in could not be asked. Maybe it could be asked if he comes back for another show.

In the recent past, it seems that the outgoing administrations make one last try for peace in the Middle East. And it always fails.
Do you think that with the strong political, financial, and military ties between the United States and Israel that the United States can
be an honest productive broker of peace on its own?
What priority would your administration give to achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and would it come sooner rather
than later?

I was out and about, so I could not listen live, but did want to thank you for posting the audio file so I can listen when convenient.

What is happening to Mr. Obama's positions on various issues. He seems to be changing positions faster than one can adapt. Public campaign financing, guns, religion....... Mr Obama does not seemto have the wheel-base to stand in one place long enough to figure him out. It is clear he would like higher taxes and he believes the government is our answer to most all the nation's problems. When is the last time you have seen the government enter something and fix it? We are not entitled to anything, we need to earn our way. Ask Carl Marx.......