Obama, Warner talk economy in Martinsville

By Sarah Arkin

Published: August 20, 2008

Jobs, the economy and energy were the hot topics of discussion Wednesday during presidential candidate Barack Obama’s town hall meeting at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville.

“People are worried about the future. Obviously here in Martinsville and Henry County people have gone through some very tough times,” Obama said. “When you’ve got entire industries that have been shipped overseas. Thousands of jobs being lost. That’s tough. All across the country people are struggling.”

A common thread through Obama’s speech was how jobs and the economy are directly linked to energy and the nation’s security.

U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner, a former Virginia governor, prefaced Obama’s speech with his analysis of the nation’s energy policy:

“Let’s borrow money from China to buy oil from countries who don’t like us,” he said.

Warner said Obama has a plan to change that.

“The economy’s changing,” Obama said, “we’ve got a global economy.”

“There are all kinds of opportunities out there for energy, for things like biodiesel,” the Democratic Illinois senator said. “The question is where do those investments go.”

He proposes $15 billion a year in new energy technologies, including wind, solar and electricity grids for electric cars.

“And that’ going to put people back to work right away,” Obama said.

“Some of these old plants that have shut down, they’re going to be building wind turbines and solar energy.”

Preparing for the future

A number of times in his speech, Obama pointed out that the government can’t do everything. People are going to have to do their part, too, he said.

“The obligation of local communities like Martinsville and Henry County (is) putting in place the infrastructure and education system to take advantage of these new opportunities, (which means) partnering immediately with the community college here, universities here, to make sure young people are getting trained for these jobs of the future.”

“We’re not going to bring back every job overnight, but create a climate of long-term economic growth,” he said.

Part of that also has to do with changing the tax structures and incentives.

Obama proposes $1,000 tax breaks for middle-class families. Companies who ship jobs overseas, he said, will not be given tax breaks. Those who bring jobs to the U.S. will.

residents react to Campaign stop

A number of Danvillians showed up for the event. Five members from the United Steelworkers Local 831 were among the crowd.

Byron Taylor, the chairman of the political education committee, said he got a call Tuesday night from the president of USWA saying there were five tickets available for Danville. Taylor said he was surprised and very pleased he could find people to go.

Some people who came didn’t try to get tickets to see Obama, but did want to come to show their support for his Republican opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Shirley Foster, whose husband used to work at Fieldcrest Mills in nearby Eden, N.C., said John McCain is a “real American hero (who) deserves to be president.”

When talking about the trade policies that took her husband’s job away, she pointed out that “Democrats had a hand in it, too.”

Bill Clinton signed the NAFTA treaty after all, Foster said.

Laurie Moran, president of the Danville-Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce, attended the event as part of the Workforce Investment Initiative.

“I’m excited,” she said. ‘I think it’s important that all candidates have the opportunity to learn about issues in this area.”

‘An American issue’

In the question and answer session, people raised a number of issues from veteran’s benefits to immigration.

With a grandfather who served in World War II and a grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line, Obama said he was “offended” when he used to watch veterans in Chicago consistently receive poor health care.

“I believe if you serve your country, your country should serve you just as well,” Obama said.

He pointed out that McCain originally opposed U.S. Sen. Jim Webb’s veteran’s bill guaranteeing better educational benefits for soldiers.

“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” Obama said, “it should be an American issue.”

He said it’s also important to understand what it means to be an American.

“Let’s remember that we’re a nation of immigrants,” Obama said, “...and also a nation of laws.”

He said the nation has to protect its borders and crack down on employers “giving illegal workers a magnet.”

It comes down to the American dream, Obama said.

“The idea that if we work hard and we sacrifice, the next generation’s going to be a little bit better off than we were … people aren’t sure anymore,” he said. “The American dream is slipping away. That’s what’s at stake in this direction. We have to fundamentally change how America does business.”

Contact Sarah Arkin at registerbee.com or (434) 791-7983.