The following is the reply I received from Barack Obama concerning the question of U.S. and European Union relations.
The reply begins below:
Dear Matthew,
Thank you for taking the time to write to me. Your priorities, experiences and perspectives are important to me, and I appreciate your taking the time to inquire about our relations with the European Union.
We must rebuild relations with our closest allies, and your question goes to the heart of why I am running for president. At the core, the Democratic primary contest and the 2008 general election are about national priorities and national values. The 2008 elections will not only be a referendum on George W. Bush's agenda over the past 8 years; they will also be about who the American people are most confident can chart a new course and draw the nation together in pursuit of its common purpose.
President Bush stands behind his decisions to stay the course in Iraq, pursue a "go-it-alone" foreign policy, and rely on tax cuts for the wealthiest among us to strengthen the economy and improve the lives of working Americans. He is unapologetic about allowing industry executives and lobbyists to write government policy or injecting politics into the decisions of federal prosecutors.
I hold an alternate vision - one that invests in education, job creation and the environment; seeks to break the hold that oil companies and foreign producers have on our economy through conservation and the development and use of renewable sources of energy; acknowledges the importance of fundamental civil liberties to our society; preserves the integrity of Social Security and Medicare; reforms our social contract so that Americans enjoy health and pension security in the global economy; and insists that the government live within its means and reduce the national debt. I am running for president to build a national consensus behind strengthening the economy, improving the quality of life for all Americans, including the most vulnerable among us, unleashing the creative energy of American ingenuity to build a 21st century economy, restoring America's reputation and leadership in the world, and defeating the forces of terror.
Some pundits, and my opponents, like to suggest that my two and a half years in the United States Senate are a liability for my campaign. Two and a half years may not be a long time, but I can assure you it is long enough to know that things in Washington must change. That is why I am running my campaign out of Chicago, not Washington, D.C., and concentrating on meeting with and listening to people who live outside our nation's capital.
I have been gratified by the amount of grassroots interest my campaign has generated so quickly. As I travel the country, my campaign headquarters is receiving thousands of personal emails a week from people like you. This volume of mail reflects the importance individual citizens place on this election. Although I am unable to address each of the concerns raised in these communications individually, you can be assured that collectively they are helping shape my vision of where our country should go.
Again, thank you for writing.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
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