I listened to Pres. Bush speak today with a stance that promotes free trade. I voted for the man and have defended his positions many times. When I look around me, I see factories closed, gas prices rising, food prices sky rocket because of the alternate fuel projects. Has no one noticed that a pound of butter is $4.79 this past week? Meanwhile I notice politicians becoming very rich from service to our country. Whether it is a mayor of a city, a governor of a state, a judge (family, supreme or appellate), a congressman or a president, they greatly increase their personal wealth from personal deals made in office. I travel around the country and see cities like Rochester, NY reduced to vacant lots as they demolish what was once Kodak, a major employer now reduced to rubble. This situation is repeated across the country. Pres. Bush said reeduction is the key to this dilema. My son is in technology in Massachusetts. They are outsourcing his company to Brazil. Congress reponds to this oozing of jobs by awarding defense contracts to foreign countries. Meanwhile the kickbacks and private deals make them rich while they promise us the world and deliver nothing. Just look at the Clintons. I am a non believer in any politician holding my interest as "primary" in their agenda. We furnish them homes, clothing, protection, a good wage, expense accounts and the best food and booze money can bye. They repay us with betrayal. Meanwhile fuel prices sky rocket to "nudge" americans and ecologist to back off on protecting lands in Alaska or air quality. Pres Bush used this in todays speach. Leverage is a great tactic in business, but this leverage is impacting families in a critical way. Politicians know this and laugh as they "control" the pressure. They try to make us believe that markets cannot be manipulated. That may have been true in history, but not today. Not with corporate trades and institutional trading. I hear the common man cry out for help. I hear the rhetoric of politics. No one is protecting the people. I am ashamed of my congress and my president.

Just remember he REQUESTED $500M, not received. No one expects to get all their earmarks approved, especially when in the minority party.

The question to ask is who are the companies which will provide the work for the monies earmarked, especially in the energy sector.

Hillary will not release anything from her side. both her and Bill have been doing dirty business that is why they are together despite the shame Bill has caused. they have something in Common" lack of Trust"

THis is OBAMA's economic plan for the nation.

Its safe to say that men will give BIRTH to babies.. before we see Hillary release all of her earmarks, and iam talking since she took on the role as senator.

First Barack release his tax returns and now his earmarks.Damn !!! I had no idea a few HONEST politician were still alive.

Obama 08 ..where his movement of millions reign supreme

Obama is a crook and a criminal who needs to be investigated. So far, the media has pussyfoot around him. He needs to come out and clearly denounce his association with the other criminals Rev. Jermey Wright, William C. Ayers, and Tony Rezko.

Of course, this is only the start of Obama's dirt. If he becomes the nominee, the Republicans will eat him alive.

The question to ask is why is there so much money to be earmarked? This is ridiculous!!! Meanwhile we don't have money to repave roads and keep schools in good shape. What right does the federal government have to spend my money on the chicago botanical gardens. this is what is wrong with the government. Oh, and according to obama's plan...he will tax us even more. the money is already there...there is just too much!

$500 M? What a crook Obama is.

Hey "Cjvwise1",
Welcome to the new economic darwinism, based on introduction of governmental mutant policy strains. What does Obama say, we're the ones we've been waiting for? Based on this earmark approach to governing its pretty clear why he's waiting to get more power.

Earmarks are representatives trying to get money for their district, and not allowing Washington to tell us what we can and cannot have from our government. There is nothing wrong with earmarks. The main problem is corporate welfare (tax breaks and no collection of taxes from corporations, who ship jobs overseas) why does Bill Gates need a tax cut or a tax exemption? To create jobs overseas, while encouraging low wage illegal immigrants to flood our borders, and buying talent from other countries while ignoring the job pool from within the US. An open border and flood of unskilled workers, destroys the wage structure and destroys the middle class. All canidates (especially McCain) support this. If you think anyone of these canidates will do one thing for the American worker, just look at what NAFTA, GAT, and the WTO have done since their inception to our economy. Hell when Clinton first came in office, Michael Moore did a segment on the people who were laid off with upper middle class jobs, and had to take two jobs to replace their income; So in Clinton's eyes it was a net gain of +1 job, even though they were downsized and had to take an extra lower paying job to get by. That is what is supposed to be the great economic plan of the Democrats, whie Republicans just want to give tax cuts for the wealthy and to the corporations who don't even pay taxes in the first place thanks to tax havens overseas. The real plan to save the economy is to stop all of this welfare paying for the defense of countries that can afford to pay for their own national defense. Why are we in 700 countries, why aren't those troops back home securing the border? (You know that pesky Homeland Security thing???) We are a poorer nation and our security is threatened by being spread too thin overseas, and investing everywhere except our own country. A country that is financially unsound and who is protecting the soverignity of everyone but their own border, cannot and will not stand.

Why has it taken so long for the press to ask these question? Now that it's too late? Thanks for nothing, ABC. You and all the others, trumpeting Obama for months, and now that's he's a certain victor, you turn on him, making John McCain look better. Perhaps this was your insidious plan all along. Sadly, the liberal sheep bought it lock, stock and barrel. I hope you idiots enjoy 4 more years of republican hell!

WestCoastMessenger,

Clinton spent 5 times more then Obama did on earmark. Is THAT her economic plans??? Is this were my tax dollars are going???

Hillary once again covering her footsteps. As a woman I feel truly bad of watching how Hillary creates webs of distortions and lies around her, and how many of US fall into her web.

Now, we are seeing the shady side of Obama. How strange that Crown was unaware of the request, but then thats the way that Obama has been getting away with all trash thrown at him. He lets his so called "buddies" answer for him as he is not man enough to take it himself without turning into a whinning baby. It's beyound me all the things that have come up about him and people still have the odasity to protect him. All I say is that God help us if this man is elected president. If we think our nation is in bad shape now, wait and see what it will turn out to be by electing Obama for president. I, for one am not going to be responsible for putting him in office, I would rather vote for McCain.

how did you come to that conclusion westcoast those were PAST earmarks not future earmarks. Where are hillarys? from what is being said she only plans to release last years. Just one more thing that Obama does to surpass hillary. Notice how the clinton clan never voluntarily gives out information and when they are asked to they take as long as possible to get it out there. Gives them ample time to do any covering up that needs to be done.

obama 08

Shame on Obama for not repudiating his pastor!

Looks good. I support Obama. He's very very smart; I like his position on the issues and his plans to implement them. I think he can unite the country and will be an inspirational and effective leader.

You will not see hers that in itself will tell you she is dirty,underhanded and being bought by the big companys which she will owe favors to IF she gets in the White House(Notice I said, IF>>>>> ...Sick of it time for the little guy here boys and gals....

On My Faith and My Church
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.

Obama's interview in the CNN did not make any damage control.. There is already big damage to his credibility and his judgment. The new pastor in his life now is a ridicolous solution..by the way.. Americans are not born stupid.. that is why this nation is the most powerful nation in the world because of people who are smart enough to know the difference between the truth from lies. between a good person and a slime politician.. and between a fair and a inflammatry statements. What Obama should do is to be man enough to withdraw from the race because the democratic party needs someone who can beat Mc Cain. He should retain the American pride of accepting the fact that his candidacy has already ended, he is doomed to fail in the general election. Save the democratic party

Obama is in trouble now... Why did the likes of Ophra and Rober de Niro and all the Hollywood people support him and did not know about his association with shady characters including his piritual adviser. Damage control can not be at this time.. Obama should withdraw tosave the democratic party. Democratic voters must ask for Obama to withdraw now before the prty is divided

Obama withdraw from the race.. Save the democratic party.

obamas friends do not sound hopeful now and no change here with the remarks of his friend Rev? Wright same old politics SAME OLD RACIST REMARKS THAT ARE USUALLY ATTRIBUTED TO REPUBLICANS

Hillary Clinton refuses to release her earmarks for 2007 and 2008 and she refuses to release her Tax Returns for 2006 and 2007, eventhough she claims to support "transparency in government" apparently she is above reproach. Why won't Hillary release these? Is she hiding something? By the time she is demanded to release them, we will all be duped and Hillary would have stolen the Nomination!

This is the same James Crown who Obama calls a friend and political supporter/fundraiser. The same man he say he didn't approach for even a conversation when Crowns company was laying off hundreds of workers in Obamas home state. Also crowns son/nephew runs Obamas Illinois campaign office. So you will pardon me if i don't believe there was nothing to his relationship with Rezko. Obama and his cronies are like school boys; if we all stick to the same story we will be fine no matter how ludicrous it sounds!

At least Mr. Obama has the honesty to reveal his earmark requests. Sorry, the same can not be said for Mrs. Clinton. The most the public was able to gather is that her earmark requests far exceeded Mr. Obamas. WHY DO YOU THINK SHE IS STALLING?

Just wait for the fireworks to begin after she reluctantly releases hers. This begs the question: "Just what dirt and skulduggery is she hiding?"

READ PEOPLE!!! HE RELEASED THIS INFORMATION JULY 2007, ITS NOW APRIL 2008. HOWEVER HILLARY HAS NOT YET RELEASED HER EARMARKS. HOW DARE THE POT CALL THE KETTLE BURNT!!

Should these earmark request be public information? If not, why aren't they?!