President's Speech

"This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers and the promise of future generations. 
OBAMA: And fellow Americans, Democrats, Republicans, independents, I say to you, tonight, we have more work to do... 
(APPLAUSE) 
... more work to do, for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now they're having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay 7 bucks an hour; more to do for the father I met who was losing his job and chocking back the tears wondering how he would pay $4,500 a months for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits that he counted on; more to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her who have the grades, have the drive, have the will, but doesn't have the money to go to college. 
Now, don't get me wrong, the people I meet in small towns and big cities and diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solves all of their problems. They know they have to work hard to get a head. And they want to. 
Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you: They don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or by the Pentagon. 
(APPLAUSE) 
Go into any inner-city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach kids to learn. 
OBAMA: They know that parents have to teach, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. They know those things. 
(APPLAUSE) 
People don't expect -- people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice."

     This paragraph is form the speech President Barack Obama gave in the Democratic National Convention in 2004. This portion of the speech covers many good points. He touches the same points and reaches the people going through real problems, these real problems. There are similar points in his other speeches about poverty, education, and racism that are in this speech, but unlike his other speeches this part touches the point that "people don't expect the government to fix all of their problems". The president is giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. He expresses the will of the people. That they want to move forward. That if just for once people stopped thinking about themselves the world will be a better place because we the people will make it a better place, and we should be teaching our children this "will power". Only like this the country will move forward and remain united despite our differences. 

     Out of the speeches I heard from President Obama I found this portion of this speech the most important because unity is very important and it is hard for people to work together with others different from them. Human beings are selfish. Therefore I don't agree when he says that "people don't expect the government to solve all their problems". President Obama talks about unity, but this unity is hard to achieve when people want to leach off of the government. Some people do expect the government to solve all there problems. They don't want to work hard. This sickens me, because I am one of the people that is out there working hard, trying to get ahead. I have to get my bachelors to get a decent career because i can't pay my rent with a minimum wage job, i already have an associates but every company has raised the bar, they don't want to hire Registered Nurses with their associates degree they want a bachelors degree. I'm busting my behind while there are people out there that are leaching off of the government through welfare. Now the government i threatening to stop the welfare program, the people that really need this help are going to pay the price for the selfish people. How can unity be reached when this is going on? People are always taking advantage of others. Not everyone see's the bigger picture, they don't want to work together to reach a bigger goal. It is hard to see the bigger picture when you are just trying to survive. President's Obama's vision is clear, unity, we all have to work together to make this world that we live in abetter place, not for ourselves but for our future family. The future of this world. But this is just a dream right now, I dont think this contry is capable of complete unity.