Barack Obama and His Childhood in Indonesia 75

The electoral campaign for the next president of the United States is still a hot issue until recent days, especially because one of the candidates is an Afro-American and thus grabs public’s attention, even the world, and Indonesia as well. Why? Because, apparently, Barack Obama spent his childhood in Jakarta in late 1960’s after his mother, Ann Durham, married to an Indonesian student named Lolo Soetoro, who was pursuing an MA degree in East-West Center, University of Hawaii. Then Obama was brought to his new family in Indonesia.

It came to my interest when I found out that Barry, his childhood nickname, also attended a local school twice in an elite Jakarta region: SD Assisi and SD Besuki Menteng (SD or ‘Sekolah Dasar’ in Indonesian means elementary school). Even though rumors said that these two schools are a ‘base-camp’ for future Islamic fundamentalists, but in fact SD Assisi is a private Catholic while SD Besuki Menteng is a locally superior public school which accepts students from various religious backgrounds. Obama’s years in Indonesia were memorable for some of his ex-schoolmates as well as his teachers. He was known among his friends for his smartness and not to mention his naughtiness towards girls. Following is an excerpt from Voice of America (VOA)-Indonesian Program News

“Barack Obama’s background is indeed unique. After Obama’s mother was divorced with a Kenyan origin, she married to Soentoro, an Indonesian citizen when Obama was still six years old. He was then brought to Jakarta together with his new family. What was Obama like when he was a child? Here are comments from his childhood fellows: ‘he used to be a naughty boy particularly among his female seniors. Once he destroyed the school’s fence which made from bamboos.’ ‘In a creative writing lesson, other students said that they wanted to be a doctor or pilot, but Barry claimed that he wanted to be a president.’ ‘He is smart, as he studied not only at school, but also did a correspondent course abroad.’ On his fifth grade, Barry moved back to Hawaii to live with his grandparents..."

Here is also another excerpt about ‘Barry’ Obama’s childhood in Indonesia from Al-Jazeera News that you can listen to in English:

Well, whether or not he would be elected as the next American president, ‘Barry’ or Barack Hussein Obama will always be remembered as the only one candidate who spent his early years in Indonesia, something that is worth for us to learn from, the Indonesian people.

The Menteng kid in U.S. presidential race

This is surely a first -- the U.S. presidential campaign relates on a personal level to Indonesians.

That is because one of the candidates, Barrack Obama, a Democrat, attended a state elementary school in Menteng, Central Jakarta.

The school, SDN Menteng 01, or SDN Besuki as it was called when Obama was a student, is located on Jl. Besuki in Menteng, a prestigious residential area.

Media reports in the U.S. that it was a radical Islamic school or madrassa led the international and local media to check on the school, much to the bemusement of locals -- for the mere acronym SDN points to a secular state-owned institution. Such state elementary schools accept students of all religions, as the principal told the media.

But Obama's old school is a little bit different from other state elementary schools in Jakarta because of its location. Menteng was well-known for being posh back when other current prestigious residential areas like Kebayoran Baru had not yet been established. Menteng is still to this day an exclusive area, home to many diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador, high-ranking government officials and military generals.

SDN Menteng 01 counts among its graduates the grandchildren of former president Soeharto and vice presidents Try Sutrisno and Hamzah Haz.

Jakartans in the 1960s were not worried about radicalism in their midst, which makes the reports from the U.S. even more ridiculous.

People here do understand, however, the sensitivities in the U.S. today regarding "radical Islam".

Still, many people here are likely to believe the reports originated from a group of Americans always keen to spread groundless paranoia against anything related to Islam, especially when it comes to politics. The allegation against Obama is also evidence that many Americans do not know much about Indonesia.

For locals it is no wonder that Obama's family enrolled him in such a state school if they could not afford the international schools that most expatriate children attend.

While Obama's involvement may give the U.S. elections a personal touch for Indonesians, whether or not he wins really won't make a difference in their daily lives; they are busy just dealing with bird flu, dengue and flooding.

Still, that doesn't dampen the pride many here feel that a man with an Indonesian background (although he was "one of our own" for just two years) has announced he is a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Pos Kota, a well circulated Jakarta-based daily, expressed exactly this sentiment. It ran a story, titled Bocah Menteng Calon Presiden AS (A Menteng kid a U.S. presidential hopeful) in its Jan. 22 edition.

Thanks to the allegations against Obama, SDN Menteng 01 itself is now much more well known. Principal Kuswadijanto says he has been busy with visitors from the international media and the U.S. Embassy looking to interview school staff.

Obama's former schoolmates and teachers are undoubtedly proud of the achievements of little Barry Soetoro, as the boy called "curly eyelashes" was known in those days.

In the event that he wins, his former schoolmates and teachers at SDN Menteng might look forward to shaking hands with the new president of the United States -- who just like many of them, used to take food from vendors outside the school without paying until his parents came to settle the bill.

Indonesians pray for Obama to win US presidency

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - While the US presidential campaign is raging, many Indonesians have made up their minds that candidate Barack Obama would make a great president, with his childhood time in the country making him a local favourite.

Obama, 46, was enrolled in two primary schools in Jakarta in the late 1960s.

"We are very proud to have one of our students being a candidate in the United States presidential race," Kuwadiyanto, headmaster of the SDN (State Elementary School) Besuki, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

SDN Besuki is a highly regarded public school which accepts students from various religious backgrounds. Subjects taught are in accordance with the national curriculum and non-Muslim students receive religious instruction in their own religion in a separate classroom.

Obama, who was born in the US state of Hawaii, moved to Indonesia at age 6 after his American mother, Ann Dunham, married Muslim Indonesian Lolo Soetoro following the end of her marriage to Obama's Kenyan father. Attending schools in Jakarta until age 10, Obama returned to Hawaii to live with his maternal grandparents.

"This is absolutely unique that the US presidential campaign relates on a personal level to Indonesians," Kuwadiyanto said.

He said that since the news came out that Obama had attended the school, he has been interviewed by many foreign journalists.

"We were really surprised to hear the news," Kuwadiyanto said, adding that he hoped Obama's childhood experiences would help him bring Indonesia and the US closer if he becomes president.

Teachers, schoolmates and friends in Indonesia remember the young Obama as a smart student.

The SDN Besuki, now known as SDN Menteng 01, is located in the posh Menteng residential area, one of the most affluent parts of Jakarta.

Founded in 1934 by the Dutch colonial administration for the children of the Dutch colonists and Indonesian nobility, the school has attracted mostly middle-to-upper-class students, among them several children and grandchildren of the late Indonesian dictator Suharto.

Today the school, which has 474 students, is one of the country's model schools and part of the Association of South-East Asian Nations' coalition of model schools.

"I wasn't aware Obama was ever enrolled here before the news surfaced - after he won a number of (Democratic primary election) states in February," Kuwadiyanto said.

Achmad Solichin, vice principal of the SDN Menteng school, expressed hope that if Obama is elected president, he would bring a new perspective on religion, in particular Islam.

"Although he never embraced Islam, at least he knew about Islam in Indonesia," he said.

Before attending the SD Besuki school, Obama went to a Catholic school, Franciscus Assisi, where an old document showed he enrolled as a Muslim, the religion of his stepfather. The school required that each student choose one of the five sanctioned religions when registering - Muslim, Catholic or Protestant, Buddhist and Hindu.

"He spent three years here in this school," said Israela Darmawan, 64, Obama's first-grade teacher in 1968. "We recognize him as Barry Soetoro because he was registered here as Barry Soetoro."


Physical characteristics

Darmawan said he remembered Obama for his physical characteristics - exceptionally tall, with black skin and curly hair.

"He was really different from the others - tall and heavy. Obama was a bright kid, had sharp skills in math. At the beginning, Obama seemed a little shy but he quickly picked up the local language," Darmawan said. 'He wrote an essay titled, I Want to Become President.' "

"We will be very proud," if Obama is elected president, Darmawan said.

A group of about 20 of Obama's former Indonesian school friends early this month formed an Obama fan club as a way of showing their support for the Illinois senator.

Obama also has a following among the current generation of Indonesian school children.

"I will pray for Obama to win the Democratic nomination and eventually become the US president," said Joy Power, a 10-year-old pupil at Francisus Assisi.

Many Indonesians have expressed hope that if Obama is elected president he would be able to improve the relations between Indonesia and the US.

Although Jakarta has close security ties with Washington, a number of policies of President George W Bush's administration, particularly in the Middle-East, are unpopular in predominantly Muslim Indonesia.

One of Obama's old school friends, Emirsyah Satar, said he remembered Obama as a good sportsman, particularly at football playing marbles.

"When he spent his school time at SD Besuki, Obama was one of the best players of marbles and football," said Satar, who is also the president-director of the national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia.

"This (ability) must help him win the presidential nomination and eventually become the US president." (*)

Acts Barack Obama Become Book

Jakarta - Since 2006 Google has been tracking the impressions, the impressions Barack Obama in Jakarta. Install the former house, friends of the small, and finally get the stories of small Obama is very interesting. Now, the stories become the 'book'.

On the goodwill We Media publisher, the book with the title 'A Trace Barack Obama in Jakarta' have been circulating in book stores, including Gramedia Mount Agung and, in the experience, since the end of March 2008 and then.

"From the author of many books quoted without permission, why is not their own?" That's our motivation at that time.

Some because of this, of course stories Obama also interesting for the people of Indonesia. This is the second book that launched Google, after mid-February 2008 and born on Soeharto book titled 'Last Days After compressing Soeharto Impressions'.

Books about Obama that we as a 'detikcomFiles' This contains stories about Obama while

in Indonesia between 1967-1972. All the small U.S. senator who is now a potential U.S. president from the Democratic Party is published in www.detik.com by journalists Install.

Stories about Barack Obama made with the language of good, relaxed, and arranged with titles such as fiction books. Try just read the story Obama with the title 'ribbing Chocolate Flavored paste', 'sound of gunshot-doran Forest in Asisi,' and 'Journey to the Rawa Bilal'. There are still many interesting stories that can be followed, which can make you laugh and shake one's head-head shake one's head.

Yes ... the small Barack Obama is Eman imprint for the small-friend. Barry - that Barack Obama disapa by children in Menteng Geng - a figure that gregarious, friendly and jocular. He often made monthly by the month-sepermainanya friends in the area of Jl. H Ramli Central, Menteng Dalam, South Jakarta.

Impressions, the impressions Barack Obama always followed by Google. From mid-2006, since Obama still has not ensure forward as March, until early 2008, Google continues to follow the news Obama. Foreign media, then, also inspired sleuth Obama in Jakarta.

"Why-because Google, I attend many journalists, including journalists, foreign journalists," said Adi Zulfan, a friend of small Obama is help Google find impressions-impressions Barack Obama. Adi above services, Google can also go to the home of former Obama to the current owners still left shaped like the 1970s.

Irma D Sukanti, a friend of Obama is also a friend sepermainan Maya Soetoro, younger Obama, also helps narrate stories experienced with Obama and his family. Depression also provide a special photo Obama small time. Install a photo published this time is to circulate everywhere.

Rony Amir also has many stories about the small, with Obama. Google monesz also help find friends Obama mother, Ann Dunham. Been a while, until Google to stop a hospital in East Jakarta, Ann Dunham friend because it is waiting for her husband who lie sick.

All stories Barack Obama is finally a book with 120 pages thick. In the day, Obama book the works of journalism this nangkring Install shelves in a special book shelves Obama and social politics. The price is not expensive, only Rp 20,000

Barack Obama elected 44th president

Barack Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois, shattered more than 200 years of history Tuesday night by winning election as the first African-American president of the United States.

A crowd of nearly a quarter-million jammed Grant Park and the surrounding area in Chicago, where Obama addressed the nation for the first time as its president-elect at midnight ET. Hundreds of thousands more — Mayor Richard Daley said he would not be surprised if a million Chicagoans jammed the streets — watched on a large television screen outside the park.

“If there is anyone out there who doubts that America is a place where anything is possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” Obama declared.

“Young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled, Americans have sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of red states and blue states,” he said. “We have been and always will be the United States of America.

“It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America,” he said to a long roar.

McCain notes history in the making
Obama congratulated his opponent, Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, for his “unimaginable” service to the United States, first as a prisoner of war for 5½ years in North Vietnam and then for nearly three decades in Congress.

McCain called Obama to offer his congratulations at 11 p.m. ET, Obama’s chief spokesman, Robert Gibbs, told NBC News. Obama thanked McCain for his “class and honor” during the campaign and said he was eager to sit down and talk about how the two of them could work together.

“The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly,” McCain told supporters in Phoenix, saying that he “recognized the special significance” Obama’s victory had for African-Americans.

“We both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still have the power to wound,” McCain said.

“Let there be no reason for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth,” said McCain, who pledged his support and help for the new president.

President Bush called to congratulate Obama and promise a smooth transition of power on Jan. 20, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

“Mr. President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters,” said Bush, who invited Obama and his family to visit the White House as soon as it was convenient.

The president also called McCain to say that he was proud of the senator’s efforts and that he was “sorry it didn’t work out.”

“You didn’t leave anything on the playing field,” Bush said.

Broad, deep victory
Campaigning as a technocratic agent of change and not a pathbreaking civil rights figure, Obama swept to victory over McCain, whose running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was seeking to become the nation’s first female vice president.

Obama beat McCain by 52 percent to 46 percent, and he could realistically claim a mandate with nearly two-thirds of the Electoral College. As of Wednesday afternoon, he had 349 electoral votes compared to 173 for McCain, with only North Carolina and Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District left to declare.

And Obama should have a strongly supportive Congress to work with. Not since 1993 has an incoming president had such strong majorities in both houses of Congress.

Democrats will hold 258 of the 435 seats in the House and at least 54 of the 100 seats in the Senate, where t wo independents also caucus with the party. Four seats remained undecided, meaning the party mathematically could reach a procedurally important “supermajority” of 60 or more votes in the Senate, but NBC News projected that it would not reach that threshold.

Surveys of voters as they left polling places nationwide encapsulated the historic nature of the victory by Obama, the son of a Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas. As expected, he won overwhelmingly among African-American voters, but he also won among women and Latino voters. And he won by more than 2-to-1 among voters of all races 30 years old and younger.

That dynamic was telling in Ohio and in Pennsylvania, where McCain poured in millions of dollars of scarce resources. Obama won both, along with Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and New York, all states with hefty electoral vote hauls, NBC News projected.

McCain countered with Texas and numerous smaller states, primarily in the South and the Great Plains.

In interviews with NBC News, aides to McCain said they were proud that they had put up a good fight in “historically difficult times.”

A senior adviser said McCain himself was “fine” but that he felt “he let his staff and supporters down.”

Barack Obama on the issues 20

What are your top three priorities with regard to immigration?

We need to work in a bipartisan way to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. First, on security, comprehensive reform has to mean gaining operational control of our borders by using better technology, improving infrastructure, and making smart choices about where we deploy resources on the Southern and Northern borders. These actions can strengthen our security while discouraging people from taking the risk of crossing the border illegally. Second, at the workplace, we need a simple, but mandatory electronic system that enables employers to verify the legal status of the people they hire. Third, we need to bring the 12 million undocumented people out of the shadows. We need to be realistic about the fact that they are here, we can't deport them, and they have become an integral part of our society. We need to give this population a chance to pay a fine, to have provisional status in the country, and to get into the back of the line for citizenship.

Barack Obama on the issues 19

What would be your top three overall priorities if elected?

My top priority as president will be ending this war in Iraq, a war that should have never been authorized and never been waged. In doing so, I will work to keep our country safe from terrorists and to restore American credibility around the world. Providing universal health care to the 47 million Americans who currently do not have it will be another top priority of my administration, as will combating global warming and putting our country on the path toward energy independence. But all of the issues that I have focused on in this campaign -- whether it's creating a 21st century education system and fighting poverty or achieving comprehensive immigration reform and strengthening our economy -- are vitally important and must be prioritized by the next president. And all of these issues share one thing in common: in order to fully address them, we have to do more than change political parties. We have to fundamentally change our politics and transform the way business is done in Washington.

Barack Obama on the issues 18

If elected, would you keep the current ban on funding for embryonic stem cell research in place? Why or why not?

No. Each year, 100,000 Americans will develop Alzheimer's disease, with impaired memory, ability to understand, and judgment. Over 1 million adults will be diagnosed with diabetes this year, and risk complications that include blindness, damaged nerves and loss of kidney function. We all know or have met individuals with spinal cord injuries, including national celebrities, local war heroes and loved ones from our own families and circles of friends, who are struggling to maintain mobility and independence. For most of our history, medicine has offered little hope of recovery to the 100 million individuals affected by these and other devastating illnesses and injuries. Until now. Recent developments in stem cell research may hold the key to improved treatments, if not cures, for those affected by Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury and countless other conditions. For this reason, I am a proud supporter of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The president was wrong to veto it, and I will make sure that it is finally signed into law when I'm president.

Barack Obama on the issues 17

Do you think gun control has an impact on crime rates in the United States?

Yes, I do think that reasonable gun control measures reduces violent crime and saves lives. I respect the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms. But we can't deny that gun violence has taken the lives of too many Americans. I believe that through common-sense measures, we can keep guns from those who may pose a threat, while also protecting the rights of legitimate hunters and sportsmen.

Do you think tighter restrictions should be in place for those buying a firearm?

I support reasonable, common-sense measures to limit such occurrences. I would close the gun-show loophole and require mandatory background checks on purchasers at gun shows. That loophole has been exploited by everyone from foreign terrorists to the Columbine High School shooters. Closing it would not impair the rights of hunters and other lawful gun owners. I also believe that we should make the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent. Those weapons belong on a foreign battlefield, not on our streets. Finally, I support making guns in this country child proof. This is, again, a common-sense solution: guns and kids don't mix.

Barack Obama on the issues 16

Should the federal government have a role in seeking an end to poverty? What would you do, specifically, to deal with poverty?

The federal government has a critical role to play in eradicating poverty. It's a moral outrage that in the richest nation on earth, 37 million Americans are living in poverty. I will increase federal funding for anti-poverty programs. In addition to passing my universal health care plan, I will fully fund the Community Development Block Grant program and create an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. I will increase funding for transitional jobs and career pathways programs and I'll provide greater supports for exoffenders and their families. I will ensure that minimum wage is indexed for inflation. And I will expand eligibility and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to benefit 12 million Americans. Additionally, I have called for the creation of a new program that replicates the success of the Harlem Children's Zone -- an all-encompassing, all-hands-on-deck anti-poverty effort that is literally saving a generation of children in a neighborhood where they were never supposed to have a chance. As president, an important part of my plan to combat poverty will be to replicate the Harlem Children's Zone in twenty cities across the country. These 'Promise Neighborhoods' will focus on addressing concentrated, intergenerational poverty in our cities. We'll train staff, we'll have them draw up detailed plans with attainable goals, and the federal government will provide half of the funding for each city, with the rest coming from philanthropies and businesses. I will also create a White House Office of Urban Policy and have the Director of that Office report directly to me. Finally, I will provide families the support they need to raise their children. I will provide more financial support to fathers who make the responsible choice to help raise their children and crack down on the fathers who don't. And I'll help new mothers with their new responsibilities by expanding a pioneering program known as the Nurse-Family Partnership that offers home visits by trained registered nurses to low-income mothers and mothers-to-be. My plan will assist approximately 570,000 first-time mothers each year.

Barack Obama on the issues 15

What is your position on the proposed constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman?

I oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment.

What is your position on civil unions between same sex partners?

I support civil unions.

Do you support the Roe v. Wade decision or would you like to see this decision overturned? Why or why not?

I have been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as president. I oppose any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case.

Barack Obama on the issues 14

What changes, if any, would you attempt to implement in national education policy?

As President, I'd launch a campaign to recruit and support hundreds of thousands of newteachers across the country, because the single most important factor inside the school building for a student's achievement is the person standing in front of the classroom. I will treat teachers like the professionals they are, making sure they get the pay they deserve, while working with them to develop the high standards we need. We need to create real career opportunities that reward successful teachers, motivate them to stay in the profession, and take advantage of their skills to help mentor new teachers. Teachers and educators need time to plan lessons and learn. That time should be made available each week and in the summer time. And teachers and principals should be paid for this additional work. We can't ignore that the achievement gap is a problem across the country. To tackle this problem, the first thing we have to do is close the gap that exists between children before they enter kindergarten by providing high-quality preschool opportunities to all children. Far too few Latino and African-American children are enrolled in early childhood education programs, despite the proven successes of such programs. As president, I will increase funding for Head Start and expand access to Pre-K. My plan to attract and retain high-quality teachers in high-needs districts will also go a long way toward closing this achievement gap. I have proposed grant funding for prospective teachers to serve residencies with school districts similar to training in other professional fields like medicine. Prospective teachers will learn from mentor teachers, with stipends provided to teachers-in-training in exchange for a commitment to teach in that district once they complete the program. This will provide effective training of new teachers in high-needs districts.

Barack Obama on the issues 13

Do you support the No Child Left Behind program? Why or why not?

The goal of the No Child Left Behind Act is the right one -- ensuring that all children can meet high standards -- but the law has significant flaws that need to be addressed. However, unfulfilled funding promises, inadequate implementation by the Department of Education, and shortcomings in the design of the law itself have limited its effectiveness and undercut its support among many people who care deeply about our schools and our students. The shortcomings of NCLB, however, shouldn't end the conversation. They should be the start of a conversation about how we can do better. One of the greatest troubles of No Child Left Behind is that we have spent too much time preparing students for tests that do not provide any valuable, timely feedback on how to improve a student's learning. We need tests and measurements, but we should ensure that they are useful to improve student learning. As president, I will support the creation of testing models that will: provide educators and students with timely feedback about how to improve student performance instead of arriving with too little too late; measure readiness for college and success in an information-age workplace by testing reading comprehension, writing skills, and other critical thinking skills; and indicate whether individual students are actually making progress toward reaching high standards. Good teachers with the tools to do their jobs should not have to teach to the test. They should be able to teach a rich curriculum.

Barack Obama on the issues 12

Would you roll back tax cuts that were supported by the Bush administration?

Yes. I support the tax cuts for low and middle income families and will work to make them permanent in a fiscally responsible way. These are the families facing the greatest economic challenges and anxiety, and they are the ones who should benefit first. I do not support making permanent Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy. Rather than providing expensive, deficit-financed tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest Americans, we should be working to fix our tax system to help the middle-class. Extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy simply does not do that.

Barack Obama on the issues 11

If elected, would you balance the budget? If you answered yes, how soon would you do it?

I am committed to restoring fiscal discipline and reforming our current budget and tax system. The most important first step we can take on that path is to restore pay-as-you-go spending rules so that we do not dig ourselves into deeper debt. My priorities will not increase the deficit. I will pay for each of the investments I call for by either cutting other spending or finding new revenue sources. If in the end I can't find enough offsets to fund all of my priorities, I will prioritize them. I will protect the tax cuts for the middle class, but I will repeal the unnecessary tax cuts for oil and gas companies and for the wealthiest Americans.

Barack Obama on the issues 10

What are the three most important things you would do to promote economic growth and prosperity?

First, I will make strategic, long-term investments into American infrastructure to create more high-wage jobs. I will expand federal funding for basic research, make the tax credit for research and development permanent, and expand the deployment of broadband technology, so that businesses can invest in innovation and create high-paying, secure jobs. And I will make investments in education, training, and workforce development so that Americans can leverage our strengths -- our ingenuity and entrepreneurialism -- to create new high-wage jobs and prosper in a world economy. Second, I will fight against trade agreements that undermine American competitiveness and use trade as a tool to grow American jobs. I will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world and stand firm against agreements like the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) that fail to live up to those important benchmarks. Third, I will promote digital inclusion. Getting broadband Internet access into every home and business in urban America at an affordable rate could give low-income people increased opportunities to start businesses and engage actively in our communities.

Barack Obama on the issues 9

Do you agree or disagree with the argument that only the wealthiest Americans are benefiting from the current economic growth? Why or why not?

Today's economic growth and federal economic policies disproportionately benefit the wealthiest of Americans, many of whom have armies of lobbyists and political fundraisers at their disposal. Special interests that have spent billions of dollars lobbying Washington have received preferential tax treatment, scores of congressional earmarks and favorable regulatory decisions at the expense of low and middle-income Americans. My top priority in Washington is to put America's interests before the special interests and ensure that the benefits of globalization and economic growth are distributed more fairly in our society.

Barack Obama on the issues 8

Do you support affirmative action? If you do, why do you think it is a benefit to our country? If not, what do you think would be gained by changing or eliminating it?

I support affirmative action. When there is strong evidence of prolonged and systemic discrimination by organizations, affirmative action may be the only meaningful remedy available. Affirmative action programs, when properly structured, can open up opportunities otherwise closed to qualified minorities without having an adverse impact on the opportunities for whites. And while I support affirmative action for minorities, I also support efforts to increase opportunities for qualified students from low-income college to attend colleges and universities -- regardless of their race.

Barack Obama on the issues 7

What are your top three priorities with regard to immigration?

We need to work in a bipartisan way to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. First, on security, comprehensive reform has to mean gaining operational control of our borders by using better technology, improving infrastructure, and making smart choices about where we deploy resources on the Southern and Northern borders. These actions can strengthen our security while discouraging people from taking the risk of crossing the border illegally. Second, at the workplace, we need a simple, but mandatory electronic system that enables employers to verify the legal status of the people they hire. Third, we need to bring the 12 million undocumented people out of the shadows. We need to be realistic about the fact that they are here, we can't deport them, and they have become an integral part of our society. We need to give this population a chance to pay a fine, to have provisional status in the country, and to get into the back of the line for citizenship.

Barack Obama on the issues 7

Should the government have a role in encouraging development of energy efficient technologies and sustainable energy resources? If yes, how would you do it?

Yes, I will dramatically increase federal investment in advanced clean-energy technologies and energy efficiency. I believe that the U.S. can and should be a global leader in the development of alternative energy sources, such as ethanol and other biofuels, as well as wind and solar. We should set benchmarks for production so that more companies will invest in production and create distribution facilities where the average consumer can access biofuels for cars designed to run on them. And I believe nationally we must get more energy from renewable sources and support a goal of 20% renewable energy by 2020. We have vast potential in this country to produce clean renewable energy and reduce our reliance on dwindling domestic natural gas reserves. The investment certainty provided by a significant RPS will encourage innovation, bring down the costs of renewable power, encourage necessary investment in new transmission, inspire new domestic industries, and strengthen rural economies. I will also create the 5-E (Energy Efficiency, Environmental Education and Employment) Disconnected Youth Service Corps. This program will directly engage disconnected and disadvantaged youth in energy efficiency and environmental service opportunities to strengthen their communities while also providing them with practical skills and experience in important career fields of expected high-growth employment. The program will engage private sector employers and unions to provide apprenticeship opportunities.