Obama’s campaign shows change

To the editor:
    In contrast to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama is committed to exposing the old established channels of corruption found in Congress, state government and among the large group of lobbyists. Many politicians in government have focused primarily on self-promotion and individual monetary rewards.
    Without doubt, Obama will support major increases of taxation upon the wealthiest, while reducing their huge tax breaks. He will challenge the “earmarks” of pork barrel special interests of members of Congress, and establish federal programs to increase the incomes of the middle class and establish steady income for the working poor.
    He has pledged to create major federal jobs programs for the unemployed to upgrade our infrastructures of roads and bridges and a federal housing program for new and improved neighborhoods. He has pledged a new “green” economy with many new “green” jobs, to reduce our dependence on oil from the Middle East.
    Internationally, Obama will work for this country to once again become a world leader for world peace, and to assure an international reduction of nuclear materials. He promotes all international agencies such as the UN and the Geneva Peace Accords.
    In contrast to Obama’s program for change, it appears likely that Clinton would continue to work through old Washington commitments which will not challenge the fundamental flaws of old Washington policies and prejudices. With her long view of politics, derived from her Washington experiences dating from 1004 to present day, is there evidence that she could become a new, more open presidential national leader? Would she provide new American leadership to challenge the decades of the old American self-image of dominant player on the world stage?
    Finally, a major point, during this Democratic campaign, Obama raises his huge amounts of monetary support independently without the reliance of federal or corporate funding. These independent monetary sources allow him to remain independent from corporate and big-money donations tied to special interests.
    All in all, issues of race and gender may be factors in this presidential race, but the real difference between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is their approach to changing American methods of American government and American relations to the rest of the world.
Frances Wirta
Houlton