Can you show up this senator and name any accomplishments of Barack Obama????

His accomplishments are all over the news and celebrated worldwide. Where are yours?

1) As a newly elected "no-name" senator from Illinois, was chosen to give the keynote speech at the 2004 DNC.

2) Raised more money during a primary (mainly through grassroots internet operations) than any other candidate ever.

3) Re-added the words "change" and "hope" to the political vocabulary of the US.

4) Helped Clinton to further polarize the American people.

During the first (8) eight years of Obama's elected service he sponsored over 820 bills. He introduced:

233 regarding health care reform,

125 on poverty and public assistance,

112 crime fighting bills,

97 economic bills,

60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills,

21 ethics reform bills,

6 veteran’s affairs and many others.

His first year in the U.S. Senate, he authored 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427. These include:

**the Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006 (became law)

**The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act(became law)

**The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act(passed the Senate)

**The 2007 Government Ethics Bill(became law)

**The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill(In

committee), and many more.

Since entering the U.S. Senate, Senator Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1096. An impressive record, for someone who supposedly has no experience

1991-First African-American president of the Harvard Law Review.

2004-third African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

While Illinois senator....

creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax, credit which in three years provided over $100 million in tax cuts to families across the state.

His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go on line and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent.

NOW- he is the first African American to win the presidential nomination of a major political party.

a million) As a newly elected "no-call" senator from Illinois, substitute into chosen to offer the keynote speech on the 2004 DNC. 2) Raised extra money contained for the duration of a time-honored (especially by means of making use of grassroots guidance superhighway operations) than different candidate ever. 3) Re-greater beneficial the words "replace" and "desire" to the political vocabulary of the U. S.. 4) Helped Clinton to bigger polarize the american human beings.

I give him the accomplishment of speaking the truth and trying to change America for the better.

He hasn't openly declared his allegiance to the richest 1% of Americans or his contempt for the poorest 99%.

1. Got elected as senator

2. with no experiences, got the party nominee

That is two accomplishments, that most people could not do

Mr. Obama did not bring revolution to Springfield in his eight years in the Senate, the longest chapter in his short public life. But he turned out to be practical and shrewd, a politician capable of playing hardball to win election (he squeezed every opponent out of his first race), a legislator with a sharp eye for an opportunity, a strategist willing to compromise to accomplish things.

It's good to hear that Obama can play hardball because he will certainly need that skill to defeat the overtly negative and subtly racist attacks that will be hurled against him both from Democrats resistant to change and Republicans deeply concerned about an electoral landslide with Obama at the top of the ticket (something they will not be worrying about if Hillary is the Democratic nominee).

At the same time, it does appear that Obama has the ability to reach across the aisle and work with the opposition party to get things done:

He positioned himself early on as a protégé of the powerful Democratic leader, Senator Emil Jones, a beneficiary of the Chicago political machine. He courted collaboration with Republicans. He endured hazing from a few black colleagues, played poker with lobbyists, studiously took up golf.

By the time he left Springfield in 2004, he had built not only the connections necessary to win election to the United States Senate but a record not inconsistent with his lofty rhetoric of consensus building and bipartisanship.

Fixing some of the most pressing problems our country faces will certainly require a degree of bipartisanship although less will be required in an Obama presidency because our majority margins in both houses of Congress are likely to be greater. Still, the Senate has the filibuster rule so we will be better off with a president who does not serve as a lightning rod effectively galvanizing rank-and-file Republicans to oppose each and every initiative that the next president will put forward.

Obama's soaring oratory has been matched with a clear sense of practicality that his opponent accuses him of lacking:

"He came with a huge dose of practicality," said Paul L. Williams, a lobbyist in Springfield and former state representative who is a supporter of Mr. Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. Mr. Williams characterized Mr. Obama's attitude as, "O.K., that makes sense and sounds great, as I'd like to go to the moon, but right now I've only got enough gas to go this far."

On top of all this Obama has a solid record of achievement in the Illinois Senate that included reaching across the aisle and negotiating difficult legislation like campaign finance reform:

With the assistance of Senator Jones, Mr. Obama helped deliver what is said to have been the first significant campaign finance reform law in Illinois in 25 years. He brought law enforcement groups around to back legislation requiring that homicide interrogations be taped and helped bring about passage of the state's first racial-profiling law. He was a chief sponsor of a law enhancing tax credits for the working poor, played a central role in negotiations over welfare reform and successfully pushed for increasing child care subsidies.

I encourage you to read the entire NY Times story.Also, from early 2007 CBS has a story on his Illinois record. Obama had a solid pro-choice record on abortion:

He had a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council for his support of abortion rights, family planning services and health insurance coverage for female contraceptives.

He supported gun control but sometimes went against gun control advocates:

Obama regularly supported gun-control measures, including a ban on semiautomatic "assault weapons" and a limit on handgun purchases to one a month.

Obama parted company with gun control advocates when he backed a measure to let retired police officers and military police carry concealed weapons.

The idea that Obama will be a tool of big business isn't supported by examining his Illinois record:

Obama occasionally supported higher taxes, joining other Democrats in pushing to raise more than 300 taxes and fees on businesses in 2004 to help solve a budget deficit.

That's one reason Illinois business groups gave Obama a low rating, while labor groups praised him. But even Obama's allies say he refused to become a rubber stamp for their legislation.

Obama took on tough issues and demonstrated he could work with the other side:

During his last two years, Democrats controlled the chamber and he was the go-to guy on a variety of issues. He helped pass legislation overhauling Illinois' troubled capital punishment system and was a key figure in requiring a massive statewide study of traffic stops to look for signs of racial profiling. Although police groups opposed the legislation, they say Obama listened to their concerns and accepted some of their suggestions to improve the bill.

Even when he was in the political minority, Obama sometimes played a critical role. He helped write one of the rare ethics laws in a state known for government corruption and worked on welfare reform with Republicans.

He stood up for gays, the poor and average working people:

He sponsored legislation to bar job and housing discrimination against gays, and he helped create a state version of the earned income tax credit for the poor. Obama also led efforts to reject federal rules that would have put workers' overtime checks in jeopardy.

Some key votes:

Voted to end $300 million worth of tax breaks for businesses. (2004)

Voted for having Illinois endorse embryonic stem cell research. (2004)

Voted against restrictions on public funding of abortion. (2000)

Successfully co-sponsored a prescription drug discount buying club program for seniors and the disabled. (2003)

Unsuccessfully co-sponsored ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation. The measure became law after Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate. (2003)

Successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform called the Gift Ban Act. (1998)

The bottom line is that Obama's got plenty of substance to match the style, he has stood up for progressive causes throughout his career, and he can lead us to a huge victory in November.

*****crickets*****