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Barack Obama's New Ad, "Bootstraps" Should Be Entitled "Only When Convenient"

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Barack Obama's New Ad, "Bootstraps" Should Be Entitled "Only When Convenient" 

Barack Obama's new ad, "Bootstraps" should really be entitled "Only When Convenient". 

Obama's story of having to work through school and growing up with a single parent deserves its due respect; however, it does not cover up the fact that he has cowered under political pressure and has yet to show why he deserves the Latino vote.  

When has Obama stood with the Latino community on immigration, healthcare or education reform?  Where are the signed bills showing his leadership?  Where are the news stories and articles showing Obama challenging his own Party for immigration reform?  Why hasn't he introduced legislation himself? 

In three years as a U.S. Senator Obama has only produced one bill: promoting relief in the Congo. 

Attending an immigration rally march or visiting Latino neighborhoods doesn't hide the fact that Obama has been absent to Latinos, voted to derail the immigration reform, and voted to provide funding for the border wall -all the while telling Latino audiences that he opposes the wall.

Latinos need someone who understands that Americans are hurting, they need relief at the pump, accountability in our schools, and someone who is willing to put the needs of this country before political aspirations.  That person is not Barack Obama. 

WELFARE REFORM CLAIM  

Obama Ad Claims He Passed Legislation To Reduce Welfare Claims By 80 Percent:

"In The State Senate, He Passed A Law That Helped Reduce The Welfare Roles By Over 80% By Helping Families To Secure Jobs." (Obama Ad, http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/07/bootstraps.html)

FactCheck.Org Says Obama Can't Take Credit For Welfare Reform:

FactCheck.Org Says Obama Can't Take Credit For Reducing Welfare By 80 Percent. "But we don't think Obama alone, or even Obama and the four other sponsors of the Illinois law, can take credit for all of this. It was the federal law, hammered out by Clinton and the Republican Congress, that set the wheels in motion and forced states to act." (FactCheck.Org, "Obama's Work Claim," http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obamas_work_claim.html, 7/2/08)

IMMIGRATION REFORM CLAIM

 Obama Ad Claims He Has Stood Up For Immigration Reform:

"And Despite The Political Pressure, Obama Has Stood With Us For Immigration Reform..." (Obama Ad, http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/07/bootstraps.html)

Obama Not Heavily Involved In Bipartisan Immigration Reform Compromise:

Obama Included Himself While Praising Senators Who Attended Early Morning Meetings In Which Immigration Legislation Was Crafted. Obama: "[I] want to congratulate the Judiciary Committee and Arlen Specter for the outstanding work he did [on immigration reform]. And then, since the Judiciary meeting, there has been a series of meetings, coordinated by John and Ted, specifically I want to cite Lindsey Graham, Sam Brownback, Mel Martinez, Ken Salazar, myself, Dick Durbin, Joe Lieberman, who have had to wake up early -- anybody I'm missing -- who've actually had to wake up early to try to hammer this stuff out." (Sen. Barack Obama, Press Conference, 4/6/06)

• Senate Staff Members And Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) Recalled That Obama Had Not Been At The Early Legislation-Crafting Meetings He Claimed To Attend. "To Senate staff members, who had been arriving for 7 a.m. negotiating sessions for weeks, it was a galling moment. Those morning sessions had attracted just three to four senators a side, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) recalled, each deeply involved in the issue. Obama was not one of them." (Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Weisman, "Both Obama And Clinton Embellish Their Roles," The Washington Post, 3/24/08) 
   

Obama-Backed Amendments Dealt "Potentially Fatal Blows To The Fragile Coalition Backing The Bill":

Obama "Backed 11th- Hour Amendments" To The Bipartisan Immigration Bill That Imperiled The Immigration Reform Compromise. "[L]ast summer, with the presidential nominating race well under way, Obama backed 11th-hour amendments - supported by labor, immigrant rights, and clergy groups - that Republicans saw as imperiling the fragile compromise. None of those measures passed. But Obama was part of a 49-to-48 majority that voted to end after five years a temporary worker program that had been a cornerstone of the immigration deal. The vote, backed by labor, was seen as a major setback to bipartisan negotiations." (Ariel Sabar, "For Obama, Bipartisan Aims, Party-Line Votes," Christian Science Monitor, 4/17/08)

Obama "Voted For One Amendment ... Designed To Insert A Deadly ‘Poison Pill' Into The Bipartisan ‘Grand Bargain' On Immigration Reform." "But then, on the floor of the Senate last week, Obama voted for one amendment - backed by the AFL-CIO and sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) - designed to insert a deadly ‘poison pill' into the bipartisan ‘grand bargain' on immigration reform." (Mort Kondracke, Op-Ed, "Pandering To Base, 2008 Candidates Risk More Division," Roll Call, 6/14/07)

Obama Proposed An Amendment That Was Seen As Part Of An Effort To Offer "Potentially Fatal Blows To The Fragile Coalition Backing The Bill." "They first had turned back a Republican bid to reduce the number of illegal immigrants who could gain lawful status. They later rejected two high-profile Democratic amendments. One would have postponed the bill's shift to an emphasis on education and skills among visa applicants as opposed to family connections. The other, offered by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., would have ended a new point system for those seeking permanent resident ‘green cards' after five years rather than 14 years. All three amendments were seen as potentially fatal blows to the fragile coalition backing the bill, which remains under attack from the right and left." (Charles Babington, "Immigration Deal Survives Senate Challenges, Backers Cautiously Optimistic," The Associated Press, 6/7/07)

Obama Voted For "Poison Pill" Amendments Designed To Kill Immigration Reform Compromise:

Obama Voted In Favor Of Lowering The Annual Visa Quota For Guest Workers From 400,000 To 200,000. "Bingaman, D-N.M., amendment no. 1169 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Bingaman amendment would lower the annual visa quota for guest workers from 400,000 to 200,000 per year." (S. 1348, CQ Vote #175: Adopted 74-24: R 27-21; D 46-2; I 1-1, 5/23/07, Obama Voted Yea)

OBAMA'S LACK OF LEADERSHIP

In The 109th Congress, Obama Was Lead Sponsor On 61 Bills. (S. 697, Introduced 4/5/05; S. 918, Introduced 4/27/05; S. 969, Introduced 4/28/05;S. 1180, Introduced 6/7/05; S. 1194, Introduced 6/8/05; S. 1426, Introduced 7/19/05; S. 1630, Introduced 9/7/05; S. 1638, Introduced 9/8/05; S. 1685, Introduced 9/12/05; S. 1770, Introduced 9/26/05; S. 1920, Introduced 10/25/05; S. 1975, Introduced 11/8/05; S. 2045, Introduced 11/17/05; S. 2047, Introduced 11/17/05; S. 2048, Introduced 11/17/05; S. 2125, Introduced 12-16/05; S. 2149, Introduced 12/20/05; S. 2154, Introduced 12/20/05; S. 2179, Introduced 1/18/06; S. 2201, Introduced 1/26/06; S. 2247, Introduced 2/6/06; S. 2257, Introduced 2/8/06; S. 2259, Introduced 2/8/06; S. 2261, Introduced 2/8/06; S. 2280, Introduced 2/14/06; S. 2286, Introduced 2/14/06; S. 2319, Introduced 2/16/ 06; S. 2348, Introduced 3/1/06; S. 2358, Introduced 3/2/06; S. 2359, Introduced 3/2/06; S. 2441, Introduced 3/16/06; S. 2446, Introduced 3/16/06; S. 2484, Introduced 3/30/05; S. 2506, Introduced 4/4/06; S. 2984, Introduced 5/23/06; S. 3155, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3156, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3157, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3158, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3159, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3160, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3161, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3162, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3163, Introduced 5/25/06; S. 3243, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3244, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3245, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3249, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3250, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3251, Introduced 5/26/06; S. 3475, Introduced 6/7/06; S. 3554, Introduced 6/21/06; S. 3627, Introduced 6/29/06; S. 3631, Introduced 7/11/06; S. 3694, Introduced 7/19/06; S. 3757, Introduced 7/27/06; S. 3822, Introduced 8/3/06; S. 3969, Introduced 9/28/06; S. 3988, Introduced 9/28/06; S. 4069, Introduced 12/7/06; S. 4102, Introduced 5/25/06)

• Only One Of These (1.6%) Has Passed The Senate (The Bill Went On To Become Law). S. 2125, a bill to "promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo" became law in December 2006. (S. 2125, Became Law 12/22/06)

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