Obama for America Daily Talking Points March 28, 2008

Obama for America Daily Talking Points

March 28, 2008

Bob Casey endorses Barack Obama

• Today, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey is endorsing Senator Barack Obama. Working families in Pennsylvania have few stronger advocates than Senator Casey. And that is why they can trust him when he says that Senator Obama is the one candidate who can take on the special interests, and bring Democrats and Republicans together so we can make health care affordable, strengthen our economy, and put the American dream within reach for every American.

Fighting for Main Street, not just Wall Street

• In a major economic address yesterday, Barack Obama outlined a comprehensive plan that makes it clear that he is the best choice to renew the American economy. He is the one candidate who will stop favoring the special interests and deliver the change we need for Americans who are struggling. As President, he will take action to face the foreclosure crisis, set up 21^st century rules of the road to prevent the kind of abuses that led to our current recession, and pursue an agenda of opportunity to reclaim the American Dream for working Americans.

• Back in September, Senator Obama spoke at NASDAQ and his words could not have been more prescient. He made it clear that Wall Street cannot succeed while Main Street is hurting. Our free market has created prosperity that is the envy of the world, but when it's abused for short term gain, we all suffer - sadly, that's become painfully clear throughout the subprime crisis. What was bad for Main Street has become bad for Wall Street. That's why Barack Obama will restore the fundamental truth that is at the heart of America 's success: that each American does better when all Americans do better.

• In his remarks, Senator Obama made it clear that special interests are a big cause of the problems we face. Under Democratic and Republican Administrations, instead of finding the right balance between the role of government and the market, Washington has given special interests the power to put their thumb on the scale. The result has been a distorted market that creates bubbles instead of steady growth; a market that favors Wall Street over Main Street , but ends up hurting both.

• John McCain's plan for economy is the same as George Bush's - do nothing to help Americans facing foreclosure, and extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Barack Obama believes that the job of a president is to lead. That's why he'll work to help Americans facing foreclosure keep their homes at rates they can afford. And that's why he has a comprehensive plan to prevent mortgage fraud, close the bankruptcy loophole for mortgage companies, and provide a tax credit for homeowners.

• It's time for 21^st century rules of the road to keep pace with our 21^st century financial industry. If we let special interests set the agenda, we'll never prevent abuses that lead to the cycle of bubble and bust. But while Senator Clinton put off the tough questions and proposed turning to voices from the past, Barack Obama is ready to lead. His pragmatic principles for regulation will protect the American people and American business. If you borrow from government, you should be regulated. If we want to prevent abuses of the public trust, we need more transparency. If we want to protect the American people, we need to regulate dangerous practices like predatory lending that fall through the cracks.

• Barack Obama believes that the bedrock of our economic success is the American Dream. At a time when costs are rising and wages can't keep pace, he'll pursue a comprehensive agenda to advance opportunity for all Americans. Instead of endless tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, he'll give a tax cut to workers and seniors. He'll cut costs to make health care available for all Americans, rebuild our schools, make college affordable, and create millions of new jobs through investments in energy independence and infrastructure.

Barack Obama is the President we need to make our economy work for Wall Street and Main Street . He knows that the only way we're going to make real progress on the challenges we face is by bringing the country together and pushing back against the special interests. That's the change we need in Washington so that we can do what's right for our economy and the American people.