Enough with the mudslinging. Please tell me why I should vote for Obama. I will honestly listen.

[BigBearJohn]

I don't want comparisons of him vs. the other candidates.

Please tell me specifically why I should vote for him.
What specifically will he do for me (a middle-class American)?
I'm taking my blinders off for the moment. I will honestly
listen. I'm not expecting platitudes or slogans like "change."

Now, I know a lot of you will simply tell me to look it up.
If that's your opinion -- so noted.

[sandnsea]

1. He did it in Illinois

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/legisnet90/sponsor/OBAMA.html

Scroll down and see his Amendment to make Health Care A Right in the Illnois Constitution.

And then watch Kerry make the case, not because you value his opinion, but because he makes the case so well when he talks about the ability to move people along with the wisdom to implement the right policy.

http://kerryvision.net/

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Huh? You vote for Obama if you seriously think he...

will make the best President.

Other than that, I got nuthin'

And, ummm... nobody else has much, either, to tell the truth. They gots lotsa numbers and facts an' stuff, but don't know what YOU want in a President.

It's your mind to make up, and I can't see why anyone would feel the need to rise to this challenge.

[BigBearJohn]

3. It's not a challenge of any kind. It's a simple question. What will he do for the middle class?

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Damned if I, or anyone else, knows. Past...

records and campaign promises don't mean much, except as a gauge on how important candidates see the issues, and which way they tend to go.

What "middle class" are you talking about? It ranges from people whose incomes are not keeping pace with necessities to people who can make relatively painless adjustments to handle things.

Are you talking about home sellers who are of the right age and neighborhood to recognize a tax-free $500,000 profit on a house they paid $20,000 for, or home buyers who are trying to figure out how to make the mortgage on that $520,000 house?

People with secure jobs and a defined benefit pension or those who've been through several jobs in their lifetimes with no accrued benefits? Or the self-employed? With kids in public achool, private school, or home schooled? With property taxes or income taxes taking a bigger chunk of the paycheck?

The "middle class" is not homogenous.

[Big Blue Marble]

4. Because he wants to change the tone of political discourse in our county.

The reason I support Barack Obama is because he wants us to lift ourselves out of the destructive politics that has
besieged this country for the last three decades. This has been a stupid way to elect our leaders. Each time it is over,
half the country is furious at the other half and nobody wins except the multi-national corporations and dysfunctional
leadership that has been misguiding this country for over thirty years.

Normal politicians will appeal to your fears and/or your greed. Obama is a different kind of politician. As some
have said the kind of politician that comes around once in a generation.

He is asking us to find common ground with the people of the right and they with us. He is calling us to move forward together. He speaks to the best that is in each of us. He says it time to come together as one people to start to solve the
difficult challenges we face. He understands the road ahead for America is going to be difficult. He wants us
to hear the hard truths of our future. He will ask us to sacrifice, to be strong. And he knows that the best way
to make it now is together. This then is his real message: "The audacity of hope" to take the risk to be our better selves.

[Double T]

6. The people on the left want to help their fellow Americans and have prosperity for ALL.

The people on the right want ALL the prosperity for THEMSELVES and don't give a damn what happens to the rest of US. Obama, Jesus Christ and even God Almighty aren't going to change THAT and the right and left will NEVER and can NEVER come together. HOPE isn't going to change that either.

[Rageneau]

7. As I understand it, he'll bring peace on earth and the age of aquarius and hootnannies

Barack will charm the Republicans so much, they'll sit down with us and we'll break bread together, and pet each other's dogs, and wash each others' feet in church, and all start working with each other to build a better and happier America.

Sure, that'll work.

[ladjf]

8. "Your criticism of Barack is an opinion not a fact"

However, since almost every post on DU is an opinion, I'm not bothered by that.

Further, I agree with the point you are trying to make.