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Forum Post: What can we do about the poorest among us?

Posted 11 years ago on Oct. 22, 2012, 6:16 p.m. EST by VQkag2 (16478)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

President Obama:

Last December, on World AIDS Day, I addressed a ONE Campaign event called "The Beginning of the End of AIDS." I spoke about building on President Bush's historic work with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. I announced new commitments to fight the pandemic at home and abroad. I urged our allies to join us as we work toward a once seemingly impossible goal - an AIDS-free generation. Thanks to the work of organizations like the ONE Campaign, this goal is now within our reach.

Some of the policies I announced that day were new. But the values behind them were ones I've held my entire life. My mother was an anthropologist who worked to improve the lives of poor people around the world. She taught me that no matter who we are or where we come from, we have an obligation to not only embrace our shared humanity but also our shared responsibilities. I ran for president in part because I believe our country should reflect a common creed that says, "I am my brother's keeper. I am my sister's keeper."

That's why, even as we faced the worst financial crisis in generations, we didn't forget those who live in the shadow of disease, hunger and poverty. We stayed true to our commitments and our values. We rebuilt our alliances. And millions of people are better off because we did.

Living up to these ideals and obligations is in our national security interest. Hunger, disease and poverty can lead to global instability and leave a vacuum for extremism to fill. So instead of just managing poverty, we must offer nations and people a pathway out of poverty. And as president I've made development a pillar of our foreign policy, alongside diplomacy and defense.

It starts with the fight against global hunger. Spikes in food prices are dangerous, and will grow if a surging global population isn't matched by surging food production. I've announced a new alliance to lift 50 million people out of poverty by supporting locally directed food security programs. We're recognizing the important role played by smallholder farmers, especially women, in building thriving economies. And we're focusing on maternal and child nutrition.

We're also working with Africa's people and leaders to responsibly invest in agriculture and increase productivity. Together, we're mobilizing private capital to fast-track new agricultural projects. We'll speed up innovations such as better seeds and better storage. We're helping African farmers gain access to agricultural data, from satellite imagery to weather forecasts to market prices, right on their mobile phones.

And we will continue the fight against HIV/AIDs and other pandemics. My administration increased our commitments to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria to record levels. We're on track to help 6 million people get HIV/AIDS treatment by the end of 2013 - 2 million more than our original goal. Over the next five years, we aim to reduce vaccine costs, immunize more than 250 million children, and prevent 4 million premature deaths. We've lifted the so-called global gag rule that restricted women's access to family planning services abroad. And we're doing more than ever to combat human trafficking, which threatens public health across borders.

The next four years will be full of tough choices. Some will argue that as we continue to grow our economy by investing in a strong middle class we must put our other commitments on hold. That choice is false - and it's not one we have to accept. As long as I am your president, I will not write off "the least of these." What makes us strong is reflecting our most cherished values - making sure America remains not only the place where if you work hard, you can get ahead, but also that last, best hope of Earth.

That's how we'll move forward, and build a better future together.

26 Comments

26 Comments


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[-] 0 points by bensdad (8977) 11 years ago

How can any sane American not vote for this guy?
I don't care if you hate abortions
I don't care if you love guns
I don't care if you are a gekkoian capitalist
How can any sane American not vote for this guy?

[-] 3 points by LetsGetReal (1420) from Grants, NM 11 years ago

How can any sane American not vote for Obama? Simply pay attention to what he does instead of what he says.

[-] 2 points by Mooks (1985) 11 years ago

Seriously. Obama is like that guy at the carnival talking up some awesome sideshow and then after you pay the fee and walk in you realize it is just a chain smoking dwarf. Nothing special.

One thing he will undoubtedly be successful in is his post-presidency speaking career, whether that starts in 2012 or 2016. In fact, I wonder if he really even cares if he wins considering the kind of cash he will be making once he is done being president.

[-] 0 points by TheRazor (-329) 11 years ago

This.

[-] 1 points by Postman0917 (-46) 11 years ago

“How can any sane American not vote for Obama?”

It’s easy. Once you learn the facts about how insanely corrupt our tag-teaming 2party fake democracy really is, how Obama is just another puppet of Wall-Street, the Military Industrial Complex and the Top 1%, the (“not“) in your statement seems to magically disappear for some reason, due to logic and common sense, until it reads: How can any "sane" American "vote" for Obama? or for Romney? or for any of the other corporate owned puppets who continue to make “a mockery” of our so called fake “democracy”?

[-] 0 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

It's a good argument that republicans are suffering from a type of insanity.

We just need to find a name for the syndrome.

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[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

Pretty good. Sean H-insanity might flow a little better. And I suppose we should say: Sean H-insanity syndrome, or Sean H-insanity-itus?

[-] 0 points by Postman0917 (-46) 11 years ago

It's a good argument that both republicrat and demoblican "voters" are both suffering from a type of insanity...and there is already a name for it, it's called "Dangerously Retarded" with Stockholm Syndrome.

[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

Your so wise.

Thanks

[-] 0 points by Postman0917 (-46) 11 years ago

You're so welcome.

Anytime :-)

[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

Any wisdom on what to do with the poor.

[-] 0 points by Postman0917 (-46) 11 years ago

Certainly. (concerning what to do with the poor) We could just ignore them for the most part and never talk about them at all or do hardly anything at all to help them, and continue the status quo like Obama has done for the past 4 years. Or, if we really cared about the poor, we could make eliminating poverty in America our #1 top priority. We could talk about it everyday on every news channel. We could declare a war on poverty in America (and eventually the world) and treat it as A State of Emergency. We could sign into law FDR’s Second Bill of Human Rights that would guarantee every American a home to live in, universal healthcare and a job that pays a decent living wage. We could also declare Peace on Earth as a state of emergency (A Humanitarian War Against War) and do everything within our power to end all current wars and to prevent all future wars, freeing up Trillions upon Trillions of tax-dollars that could be put to much better use, like for example, improving the lives of us Americans who actually live here. We could enter into a New Era of Human Rights, Human Dignity and Human Respect, of True Freedom and Independence and True Democracy, where the lives of every single one of us matters, where no one is left behind, where Humanity is valued over profit and greed, where exploitation and disenfranchisement is no longer tolerated. We could do so much and our Humanity could become so great. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH4pbRAm4LM

Or, we could just keep things as they are, keep supporting the status quo, keep marching towards the cliff and keep working like exploited slaves our entire lives for peanuts and worship rich people forever until they kill us all with nuclear bombs and we become extinct. It’s up to you :-)

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

Well I like all those goals, especially the passing of FDR's second bill ofrights & your suggestions on war.

You are pretty clear about what we should not do.

What would you propose we should do achieve these goals.

[-] -2 points by Grimreaper2 (-318) 11 years ago

How much does the DNC pay you to to spout this nonsense.

[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

How much the RNC pay you?

[-] -2 points by Grimreaper2 (-318) 11 years ago

I will never promote that garbage!

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

Sound like RNC garbage to me!

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[-] 4 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

"retarded" that is an inappropriate slur.

Please refrain.

[+] -5 points by Grimreaper2 (-318) 11 years ago

That's all you have. You and your kind are failures. You have throughout history been failures.

[-] 3 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

History? I'm not that old.

[-] -2 points by Grimreaper2 (-318) 11 years ago

So you espouse Leftism with no knowledge of the murderous history of that system/philosophy? Why would anyone. Listen to your prattle?

[-] 2 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

Because I am civil and honest. I know a great deal about history. And I am very effective at challenging right wing propaganda.

Why have you continued to respond. I can't speak for anyone.

Maybe it's my disarming charm.

LMFAO!

[-] -3 points by Grimreaper2 (-318) 11 years ago

Why do you promote the DNC garbage? Or maybe they aren't garbage to you.

[-] 0 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Says the guy who is bombing people and allowing the banks to destroy the entire planet.

Oh ya, and promoting Monsanto guys to the FDA. What a load of shit.

"Republicans 4 Obama" would be a great yard sign.

[-] 0 points by VQkag2 (16478) 11 years ago

We must protest against the drone bombings and support the help for the poor.

Protest for stronger fin regulations and support middle class tax relief.

Complicated but if you are sophisticated enough you might be able to handle it.

Or just rant and rave against Pres Obama and offer no solutions.

One or the other.

[-] 3 points by hchc (3297) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

There are plenty of solutions, and we are working on any number of them any given week.

The solutions are easy. The organizing is the complicated part. Part of the reason is people like you who perpetuate blatant bullshit to their circles, knowing damn well its bulllshit.

Humoring those who speak blatant lies is not part of the formula.

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