Our Platform for Outlining Colorado’s Future

Reasons  to agree: Reasons  to disagree: Probable interest  of those who agree: They agree with the argument, outside of any interest or alterior motivation (30%) Confirmation bias (you decide that you don't like Obama, and so this becomes the prism that you see him. People always root for the home team, because over time they start to show interest, and then each new story tells them they were correct. When the other team acts badly, you get mad. When your team acts badly, you feel justified. You continue to identify with Obama, because you once did).  Your a Republican. He is on the other team. He is the enemy.  Party Affiliation Group-ism (Republican) .  Racism . Political laziness and issue crossover  (15%) Probable interest  of those who disagree: They agree with the argument, outside of any interest or alterior motivation (30%) Pro black racial preference Liberal guilt (environment) . Liberal guilt (race) .  Party Af...

As our society becomes more mobile and interconnected, the need for 21st-century transportation networks has never been greater. However, too many of our nation's railways, highways, bridges, airports, and neighborhood streets are slowly decaying due to lack of investment and strategic long-term planning. President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that America's long-term competitiveness depends on the stability of our critical infrastructure. They will make strengthening our transportation systems, including our roads and bridges, a top priority. In the Recovery Act and his first budget proposal, the President made investment in high speed rail a key investment.

President Obama did not grow up hunting and fishing, but he recognizes the great conservation legacy of America's hunters and anglers and has great respect for the passion that hunters and anglers have for their sports. Were it not for America's hunters and anglers, including the great icons like Theodore Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold, our nation would not have the tradition of sound game management, a system of ethical, science-based game laws and an extensive public lands estate on which to pursue the sport. The President and Vice President recognize that we must forge a broad coalition if we are to address the great conservation challenges we face. America's hunters and anglers are a key constituency that must take an active role and have a powerful voice in this coalition.

In the past, government funding for scientific research has yielded innovations that have improved the landscape of American life — technologies like the Internet, digital photography, bar codes, Global Positioning System technology, laser surgery, and chemotherapy. At one time, educational competition with the Soviets fostered the creativity that put a man on the moon. Today, we face a new set of challenges, including energy security, HIV/AIDS, and climate change. Yet, the United States is losing its scientific dominance. Among industrialized nations, our country's scores on international science and math tests rank in the bottom third and bottom fifth, respectively. Over the last three decades, federal funding for the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences has declined at a time when other countries are substantially increasing their own research budgets. President Obama and Vice President Biden believe federally funded scientific research should play an important role ...

From  http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/additional-issues "President Obama and Vice President Biden are committed advocates for children. They will make sure that every child has health insurance, expand educational opportunities for low-income children , extend resources for low-income families, support and supplement our struggling foster care system, and protect children from violence and neglect." Who isn't against violence towards children? They will make sure every child in the world has health insurance, or just America? The above paragraph is all I saw on the whole website, specifically dedicated to "child advocacy". I didn't see many specifics... But should Obama "expand educational opportunities for low-income children?  To many people, this is the most noble type of activity that a president could be engaged in. However, before stone me for daring to question something that seems so obviously beneficial, please consider the following: The Fed...

From  http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/additional-issues : "Our nation's creativity has filled the world's libraries, museums, recital halls, movie houses, and marketplaces with works of genius. The arts embody the American spirit of self-definition. As the author of two best-selling books — Dreams from My Father  and  The Audacity of Hope   — President Obama uniquely appreciates the role and value of creative expression." This is all about trying to make artist like Obama. Romney, Cheney, and Bush also had best selling books! Does this also make them "uniquely" qualified?  Obama was wrong, in 2010 to spend $167.5 million on the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Reasons  to agree: Publicly financed art is too easily censored The federal government is too broke to be spending money on the arts.  The arts in America get enough money from the private sector that they don't need money from the federal...

In June of 2006, then-Senator Obama delivered what was called the most important speech on religion and politics in 40 years. Speaking before an evangelical audience, then-Senator Obama candidly discussed his own religious conversion and doubts, and the need for a deeper, more substantive discussion about the role of faith in American life. He has continued to foster open dialogues on faith across the political spectrum throughout his career. The President believes a healthy discussion of faith in a pluralistic society includes the need for religious people to translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values during public debate, and sincere respect on all sides. President Obama has found common ground in the importance of faith in the global battle against AIDS in particular.

Progress The President signed an Executive Order establishing a  White House Council on Women and Girls  to provide a coordinated Federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families. The President signed the  Affordable Care Act , which gives all Americans better health security, with a particular focus on women specific needs: In 2014, the new law makes it illegal for insurance companies to deny any woman coverage because of a pre-existing condition or charge more because of health status or gender. Up to 15 million women who now are unin¬sured could gain subsidized coverage under the law and 14.5 million insured women will benefit from provisions that improve coverage or reduce premiums. Access to care is also expanded, including guaranteeing choice of a primary care provider within a plan’s network, including OB-GYNs and pediatrician...

Progress The President signed an  Executive Order  establishing the  White House Office of Urban Affairs . The  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  included broad support for urban communities. To broaden access to affordable housing, the Act provides for $1 billion in increased funding for the Community Development Block Grant; $4 billion in increased public housing capital funds; $2 billion in payments to owners of project based rental assistance properties to keep them affordable; $2 billion in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds to purchase and rehabilitate forclosed homes; and $1.5 billion in Homelessness Prevention Funds to keep people in their homes; To expand educational opportunity for low-income students, the Act provides for $13 billion in Title I funds to go to K-12 education in disadvantaged school systems; To strengthen workforce development, the Act provides $3.95 billion in increased workforce investment training dollars to keep our workers skil...

"To help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative." -PRESIDENT OBAMA, APRIL 25, 2009 Progress The President issued a  Presidential Memorandum  to the heads of executive departments and agencies ordering them to compile recommendations for an open government directive on transparency, participation, and collaboration in government. The Recovery Act  calls for a comprehensive plan for national broadband, and the FCC is developing a plan due in February, 2010. The Recovery Act also provides for $7.2 billion for broadband internet access nationwide, including grants for rural broadband access, expanding computer center capacity, and sustainable broadband adoption initiatives. The President launched  Recovery.gov , an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology. The President issued an  Executive Order  to restore scientific...

Progress The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010  provides vital tax relief and investments in our workers that will create jobs and accelerate economic growth. The law: Extends middle class tax cuts to prevent a typical working family from facing a tax increase of over $2,000 on January 1 Provides a 2% payroll tax cut to 159 million workers – providing the typical working family with an additional $1,000 tax cut Allows businesses to expense 100% of key investments this year  – estimated to spur $50 billion in new investment Continues the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides up to $10,000 for four years of college and is helping over 9 million students and their families afford higher education Extends expansions of the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit that the President fought for, providing a tax cut for 15.7 million families with about 29.1 million children The  American Recovery and Reinvestment ...

Progress The President  signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act , a hallmark piece of legislation. The Serve America Act will increase the size of AmeriCorps from 75,000 volunteers to 250,000 by 2017. The Act also creates a Social Innovation Fund that will invest in ideas that are proven to improve outcomes and "what works" funds in federal agencies to promote effective and innovative programs. The  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  included $201 million in funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service to support an expansion of AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps VISTA programs.   Guiding Principles President Obama has always been a strong supporter of empowering ordinary people to do extraordinary things by improving their local communities through service. President Obama asks how we – through both existing organizations and individual action – can take an active role in America’s economic recovery and improve our fellow citi...

"To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations. We must do it without putting at risk current retirees, the most vulnerable, or people with disabilities; without slashing benefits for future generations; and without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market." -PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, JANUARY 25, 2011 Progress Many seniors are struggling in the face of the economic downturn, having seen their savings fall, and we acted quickly to help provide relief.  The  Recovery Act provided a one-time payment of $250 to retirees, other Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans, and SSI recipients. Fifty-six million retirees and other individuals received this one-time payment, totaling $14 billion. In light of continued economic hardship for too many seniors, the President has called for Congress to enact another $250 Economic Re...

Progress The  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  included broad support for rural communities. The Recovery Act provides USDA with a total of $27.6 billion, most of which will fund increased benefits to low income families through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ($20 billion); The Act also provides $6.9 billion in discretionary appropriations for rural development activities such as construction and renovation of rural water and wastewater systems, low income housing loans, broadband infrastructure in rural areas, rural business programs, and construction of Forest Service facilities; The Act provides $800 million for biofuels research and development, loan guarantees for renewable power projects, including biomass facilities, and extends tax credits for biomass-based electricity for three additional years; and, The Act provides $700 million in mandatory farm disaster assistance. Guiding Principles President Obama believes in nurturing strong, robust, and vi...