Barack Obama in 2007 Democratic primary debate at Drexel
On Civil Rights:
The politics of fear undermines basic civil liberties
What we cannot continue to do is operate as if we are the weakest nation in the world instead of the strongest one, because that’s not who we are and that’s not what the US has been about, historically. It is starting to warp our domestic policies,
as well. We haven’t even talked about civil liberties and the impact of that politics of fear--what that has done to us, in terms of undermining basic civil liberties in this country, what it has done in terms of our reputation around the world.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Energy & Oil:
Fuel efficiency and Middle East stability help on fuel costs
Out of the $90 that it’s costing right now for a barrel, about 30% of that is just risk. It’s not dictated by supply and demand. If we can lower the rhetoric, with respect to military action in the Middle East, that will have an immediate impact. One of
the things that we have to do with respect to conservation is to increase fuel efficiency standards on cars. We have to make that commitment by doing what I did, talking to the auto makers and providing them the incentives to start making those shifts.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Health Care:
Tackle insurance companies on reimbursement system
We need to deal with the insurance companies. On Medicare and Medicaid, the reimbursement system is not working the way it should.
Instituting a universal health-care system that emphasizes prevention will free up dollars that potentially then can go to reimbursing doctors a little bit more.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Health Care:
Help young people deal with the cost of medical education
We’ve got to deal with the cost of medical education. We have to deal with college costs generally, and that’s why
I put forward proposals to get banks and middle men out of the process and expand national service to encourage young people to go into these helping professions where we need a lot more work.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Immigration:
Illegal immigrants’ lack of ID is a public safety concern
There is a public safety concern [with denying driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants].
We can make sure that drivers who are illegal come out of the shadows, that they can be tracked, that they are properly trained, and that will make our roads safer. That doesn’t negate the need for us to reform illegal immigration.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Principles & Values:
Don’t know if life beyond earth; focus on life here on earth
Q: The three astronauts of Apollo 11 who went to the moon back in 1969, all said that they believe there is life beyond Earth. Do you agree? A: I don’t know. I don’t presume to know. What I know is there is life here on Earth, and we’re not attending to
life here on Earth. We’re not taking care of kids who are alive and not getting health care. We’re not taking care of senior citizens who are alive and are seeing their heating prices go up. As president, those are the people I will be attending to first
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Social Security:
The wealthy should pay a bit more on the payroll tax
Social Security is not in crisis; it is a fundamentally sound system, but it does have a problem, long-term. We’ve got 78 million baby boomers, who are going to be retiring over the next couple of decades. That means more retirees, fewer workers to
support those retirees. We are going to have to do something about it. The best idea is to lift the cap on the payroll tax, potentially exempting middle-class folks, but making sure that the wealthy are paying more of their fair share, a little bit more.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Tax Reform:
Restore progressive tax; close loopholes; relief to seniors
There has to be a restoration of balance in our tax code. We are going to offset some of the payroll taxes that families who are making less than $50,000 a year get a larger break. I want to make sure that seniors making less than $50,000, that they get
some relief in terms of the taxes on their Social Security. Those kinds of progressive tax steps, while closing loopholes and rolling back the Bush tax cuts to the top 1 percent, simply restores some fairness and a sense that we’re all in this together.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Technology:
Increase funding for math and science research & education
If we want to development math and science curriculums, we’ve got to make math and science jobs attractive, which means increasing research grants. This is something that is important not just for our competitiveness, but also for our long-term national
security. And when Bush requests $196 billion for next year’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is seeing a flatlining of investment in science research, that makes it more difficult for us to encourage our children to go into sciences.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Technology:
Airlines got into trouble after deregulation
The airlines got into trouble after deregulation, and it has continued and compounded. They have tried to make more money. They’re seeing better solvency, but they’ve done it on the backs of consumers. Anybody flying commercial knows that service has
gone down & deteriorated. We have to make sure there’s enough airport capacity. We’ve got to place, potentially, restrictions on some flights & encourage airlines to deal with the problems of remote areas having difficulty in terms of making connections.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On War & Peace:
Committed to Iran not having nuclear weapons
Q: Would you pledge that Iran will not develop a nuclear bomb while you are president?A: We are committed to Iran not having nuclear weapons. We have been governed by fear for the last 6 years. Bush has used the fear of terrorism to launch a war that
should have never been authorized. We are seeing the same pattern now. It is very important for us to draw a clear line and say, “We are not going to be governed by fear. We will take threats seriously and take action to make sure that the US is secure.”
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On War & Peace:
Iran military resolution sends the region a wrong signal
That is a continuation of the kinds of foreign policy that rejects diplomacy and sees military action as the only tool available to us to influence the region. What we should be doing is reaching out aggressively to our allies, talking to our enemies and
focusing on those areas where we do not accept their actions, whether it be terrorism or developing nuclear weapons, and talking to Iran directly about the potential carrots that we can provide in terms of them being involved in the World Trade
Organization, or beginning to look at the possibilities of diplomatic relations being normalized. We have not made those serious attempts. This kind of resolution does not send the right signal to the region. It doesn’t send the right signal to our allie
or our enemies. As a consequence, over the long term, it weakens our capacity to influence Iran. There may come a point where those measures have been exhausted & Iran is on the verge of obtaining a nuclear weapon, where we have to consider other options
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On War & Peace:
Clinton has not been consistent on the Iraq War
Q: Was Sen. Clinton’s answer to the opposition of the Iraq war question consistent, in your view?A: I don’t think it’s consistent with the Iran resolution, for example, which specifically stated that we should structure our forces in Iraq with an eye
toward blunting Iranian influence. It is yet another rationale for what we’re doing in Iraq, & that’s a mistake. We’ve got to focus on diplomacy. The president has to lead that diplomacy, which is why I’ve said I would convene a meeting of Muslim leaders
upon taking office because I think we have to send a strong signal that we are willing to listen and not just talk, and certainly not just dictate or engage in military action. But the real key for the next president is someone who has the credibility of
not having been one of the co-authors of this engagement in Iraq. I am in a strong position to be able to say I thought this was a bad idea in the first place. We now have to fix it. We have to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
Page last updated: Nov 30, 2018