2:14AM Friday October 31st
For the third time in the last six months I have awoken in the middle of the night from a dream where I am serving candidate Barack Obama in his quest for the American Presidency. In each dream, the last thing I remember before waking up is working for the man who I now fully expect to the next president of the United States. It is unusual for me, a fairly heavy sleeper, to be so awoken. It is unusual for me to wake up from any dream except when, in the dream itself, I am very disturbed. In these dreams of Obama, I am not disturbed, I am excited. I am excited about Obama’s chances for remaking America. I am so excited in fact that I am thrust from the dream into reality, and awoken with a mission, a mission to serve this country and Barack Obama.
In an election season, the big philosophical or ideological differences between the candidates are discussed frequently. We know the difference between Barack and Senator McCain on the big issues: the War, Health Care, and the Economy, for example. But rarely are the smaller policy differences put forth--in the specific but nonetheless important areas.
For example, this article from ZDNet clearly and succinctly outlines and grades the differences on tech policy:
This is especially important in Ohio, where top-rate schools provide huge potential for technology development.
Also, Barack has shown that sound policies draw support where you least expect it: this radio story from statenews.org details how many Republican farmers are drawn to Barack because of his support for Ethanol. Ohio is a corn-growing state, and in fact, as their site details, the American Corn Growers Association endorsed Barack in August.
Finally, a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch gives a glimpse into how many Ohio veterans are left behind--more so than in the rest of the States:
By some measures, Ohio is one of the worst places in the country to be a disabled veteran. They average $8,090 per year in disability compensation; the average in New Mexico, one of the best states for disabled veterans, is $12,891. Ohio's disabled veterans ranked next to last in average compensation in 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Only Indiana veterans received less money. In 2005, Ohio ranked last.The state of Ohio has its own problems. Applying for disability compensation is so complicated that most veterans can't do it by themselves. All over the country, they rely on service officers funded by the state or county, or on service officers from veterans groups to help them. Ohio has no way of tracking how good the officers are. No state employee regularly interacts with the Cleveland office, helping to guide claims through the process or receiving feedback on how to better submit those claims. More-successful states do.
By some measures, Ohio is one of the worst places in the country to be a disabled veteran.
They average $8,090 per year in disability compensation; the average in New Mexico, one of the best states for disabled veterans, is $12,891.
Ohio's disabled veterans ranked next to last in average compensation in 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Only Indiana veterans received less money.
In 2005, Ohio ranked last.
The state of Ohio has its own problems. Applying for disability compensation is so complicated that most veterans can't do it by themselves. All over the country, they rely on service officers funded by the state or county, or on service officers from veterans groups to help them.
Ohio has no way of tracking how good the officers are. No state employee regularly interacts with the Cleveland office, helping to guide claims through the process or receiving feedback on how to better submit those claims. More-successful states do.
Barack, much more so than his opponent, actually has policies that directly address what these Ohio veterans go through. And one of them, Ben, in Lancaster, knows it:
Jeff Fields’ assertion that John McCain has not been a friend to veterans during his time in the Senate is absolutely correct.Every year between 2004 and 2007, McCain voted against a Republican-proposed Veterans Administration health-care bill for troops coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008, he did not vote at all on the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act, yet spoke out against it. This bill was a bipartisan effort by Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and would have paid a veteran’s tuition rather than only some of it, as the GI Bill does today.McCain loves to espouse that he has been awarded a perfect voting record by veterans groups. In 2008, the Disabled American Veterans gave McCain a 20 percent rating out of 100 percent. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave McCain a D rating. The Vietnam Veterans of America have McCain down for nine votes with them, 15 votes against them.In contrast, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has an 80 percent rating from the DAV and a B-plus from the IAVA.
Jeff Fields’ assertion that John McCain has not been a friend to veterans during his time in the Senate is absolutely correct.
Every year between 2004 and 2007, McCain voted against a Republican-proposed Veterans Administration health-care bill for troops coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2008, he did not vote at all on the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act, yet spoke out against it. This bill was a bipartisan effort by Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and would have paid a veteran’s tuition rather than only some of it, as the GI Bill does today.
McCain loves to espouse that he has been awarded a perfect voting record by veterans groups. In 2008, the Disabled American Veterans gave McCain a 20 percent rating out of 100 percent. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave McCain a D rating. The Vietnam Veterans of America have McCain down for nine votes with them, 15 votes against them.In contrast, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has an 80 percent rating from the DAV and a B-plus from the IAVA.
(Click HERE to join Ohio Veterans for Obama)
Barack's platform is so right for Ohio, he even has a policy specific to restoring the Great Lakes!
What policies are important to you? Let us know in the comments section below!
