Obama has an awe-inspiring legislative career. Given the pundit misinformers on CNN confusing our friends and neighbors-- it is crucial that we are familiar with Obama's list of legislative accomplishments and experiences. Samza is a little curious as to how many found this information new and useful (see poll). Obama supporters may find themselves in the glorious position of responding to some variation of "Obama is just as inexperienced as xxx." If so, don’t forget to mention these things as your opponent crumbles in shame.
I can imagine portions of this are posted in a story or diary elsewhere, but to comply with the rules, I did check Obama "resume" and Obama "legislative career" and did not find this exact information. I hope that at least some of you/us already have this committed to memory (see poll below). But – in case you find yourself in the enviable position of responding to some variation of "Obama is just as inexperienced as Palin" don’t forget to mention these things as your opponent skulks away in defeat.
Senator Barack H. Obama, J.D.
Best Selling Author
Constitutional Scholar, Professor of Constitutional Law
UNITED STATES SENATOR from Illinois
Member, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Chairman, Subcommittee on European Affairs
Member, Subcommittee on African Affairs
Member, Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Member, Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs and International Environmental Protection
Member, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Member, Subcommittee on Children and Families
Member, Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
Member, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Member, Subcommittee on Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration
Member, Subcommittee on Investigations
Member, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security
Member, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Elected in 2004, Barack Obama has sponsored 136 bills since Jan 4, 2005. Obama has co-sponsored 653 bills during the same time period.
Recent Selected Obama sponsored bills that Samza admired:
Passed Senate
Jun 26, 2007 S.Con.Res. 25: A concurrent resolution condemning the recent violent actions of the Government of Zimbabwe against peaceful opposition party activists and members of civil society.
Scheduled for Debate
Apr 24, 2008 S. 2433: Global Poverty Act of 2007
Introduced
Jun 3, 2008 S. 3077: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008
Introduced
Oct 4, 2007 S. 2147: Security Contractor Accountability Act of 2007
Introduced
Jul 26, 2007 S. 1885: Military Family Job Protection Act
Obama's eight years Reprenting 650,000 people of District 13
Highlights of ILLINOIS STATE LEGISLATURE 1997-2004
a SHORT SELECTION OF THE Bills Obama Successfully Sponsored:
- Health Care Justice Act, a study of ways to implement a universal health care system statewide.
- Requirement that law enforcement videotape interrogations of suspects for serious crimes.
- Successfully sponsored law enforcement study of the race of people pulled over for traffic tickets.
- Co-sponsored a prescription drug discount buying club program for seniors and the disabled.
- Successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform called the Gift Ban Act.
Samza-Selected (based on contrast to McSame and/or distortions of voting record) Excerpts of State Senate Voting record:
--Voted to raise the minimum wage in Illinois.
--Helped pass a 5 percent earned-income tax credit for low-income working families in 2000;
--Voted for having Illinois endorse embryonic stem cell research. (2004)
--Voted to let retired police and military police carry concealed weapons. (2004)
One good one dear to Samza’s heart, but that was not successful: Obama worked hard in his sponsorship of a measure to expunge some criminal records and create an employment grant program for ex-criminals. But it was not successful (2002) . He was also instrumental in the passage of an overhaul of the state's troubled death penalty system in 2003, but was not sponsor.
To me, it also matters that Obama is widely traveled, has met numerous world leaders, and has lived and worked in various regions of this great country (East-coast, West-coast, Midwest). Some might be somewhat suspicious of a person who has essentially lived all her life in the area of birth to suddenly aspire to world politics. Some might laugh at the silly pundits who say Palin is just as qualified as Obama... but it is not funny when the news anchors don’t laugh, too. Like when Minnesota Governor Pawlenty told Tom Brokaw (meet the press 8.31.2008) that the only legislative experience Obama had was 2 year in the Senate...and followed this with the assertion that Palin has more experience. Brokaw??? Do you need a hearing aid? And it would be tragic if any Kos readers did not have these facts ready to spout should we find ourselves in a position to detail Obama’s record to anyone. Sorry if this is redundant (I didn't find this information here); and, it never hurts to be reminded.