Visits to Europe, Middle East round Obama swing

WASHINGTON--Presumptive presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will meet with British, French and German leaders as part of
overseas travel this summer to also include stops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. On Saturday morning, the Obama campaign, confirming the visits to Europe, said Israel and Jordan will also be part of the swing.
Read more

New state law bars sex offenders from social networking Web

GARY -- Registered sex offenders convicted of crimes involving children no longer will be allowed to use social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook under a new state law that takes effect next week, officials said Friday.

read more | digg story

Unity Music

In honor of today's Unity Rally, I made this music. It is generational--meaning people my age will remember it.
If you noticed, this play list started out being specifically for the rally but I got selfish and way off track today and much of my personal taste in music (eclectic) is present here. I'm part Hippie--just skip the ones you don't like.
It is a shame that I didn't finish this play list until after the event.
I think the Senators looked just great on stage today. Us Democrats are really pulling it together--in spite of what you hear on the news. Average Americans are loving both Barack and Hillary and are glad to see them making steps forward for the country. Here's the story:

UNITY, N.H. - Rivals turned allies, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made a display of unity Friday in a hamlet named for it, their first joint public appearance since the divisive Democratic primary race ended.
Read more

Expect gas to hit, surpass $5 a gallon :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

As oil hit $140 a barrel for the first time ever Thursday, analysts say people in markets such as Chicago could pay more than $5 a gallon for gasoline in the near future.

read more | digg story

Social Infrastructure: Can We Measure Change?

As fiscal constraints force the federal government to make difficult choices about which programs to fund, a new MacArthur initiative is using research and benefit-cost analysis to strengthen the case for more evidence-based policy making.

The Power of Measuring Social Benefits is a $35 million policy research initiative that seeks to challenge the view that social spending is too often wasteful and ineffective. Its intention is to strengthen the case for social policy making that is more firmly grounded in evidence-of-effectiveness and complementary benefits to recipients and society.

"U.S. leadership is essential to building a better, safer world,”
said MacArthur President Jonathan Fanton in a recent address May 22
to the City Club of Chicago.
“The MacArthur Foundation is hoping for a new day in America’s relations with the world: a spirit of partnership, a willingness to engage, an openness to dialogue, a determination to regain its leadership in setting norms that call forth humankind’s best values,” he said.

However, measuring social mobility was only one of the issues
discussed Thursday at the Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at an Economic Competitiveness Summit.
Presumptive Presidential Candidate (D) Sen. Barack Obama (IL), after addressing the crowd, led a lively and informative panel discussion in how to keep America competitive.
The panel touched on a five-point 21st Century plan developed by Obama that focuses on energy, education, healthcare, infrastructure and innovation.

"These challenges are real. How we deal with them will shape the prosperity of every single American and the future of America's leadership," Obama said.

Members of the panel agreed with the plan in whole, adding that investing in early education to correct the parent knowledge deficit that is often blamed for a child's slow start in kindergarten.
Life decisions made by parents negatively affect children. An education system comparable to private, upper class education is needed.

A panel member observed that intellectualizing the country could help to change the way Americans think about improving social infrastructure. Minds and behaviors have to change about education and teaching in order for the country to move forward.

However, with that, a workforce changing from a service based economy to knowledge based, needs thought and a plan. A panel member said only 8 of the country's 30 fastest growing industries require an education. The panel member did not clarify whether or not those industries are service based or knowledge based.
Obama said school curriculum should match industry needs.

Decisions in healthcare include how to insure the steel industry's workforce and keep its promises to retirees. A U.S. Steel executive said retiree healthcare costs tops $500 million and climbs higher each year, by 10 to 15 percent.

Barack Obama on Supreme Court decision to strike D.C. handgun ban

I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms, but I also identify with the need for crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues our streets through common-sense, effective safety measures. The Supreme Court has now endorsed that view, and while it ruled that the D.C. gun ban went too far, Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe. Today’s ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country.

As President, I will uphold the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun-owners, hunters, and sportsmen. I know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne.

We can work together to enact common-sense laws, like closing the gun show loophole and improving our background check system, so that guns do not fall into the hands of terrorists or criminals. Today's decision reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe.

Still leading in the polls Obama, dems looking to win 2004 battleground states

(CNN) — A set of polls released Thursday shows Barack Obama leading John McCain in four critical battleground states — Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado and Minnesota.
Read more

Big endorsement, campaign unity on Democratic agenda

(CNN)—The AFL-CIO endorsed Sen. Barack Obama Thursday, kicking one of the broadest grassroots mobilizations in recent history into “high gear.”
Read more

(CNN) — After 17 months of vigorously promoting her own candidacy, Hillary Clinton made her debut on Thursday as an official backer of Barack Obama.
Read more

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) – Michelle Obama says the country is closer than it's ever been to truly supporting working families, in large part because of her husband's former rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Read more

Listen to Barack's I Pod--Sort of

In a refreshing sign that math and hope can just get along, Barack Obama predictably sewed up the delegate count on Tuesday night and defeated Hillary Clinton in what turned out to be a long, contested Democratic primary. And now, for the first time ever, a black man is on track to inhabit the White House, fulfilling Parliament-Funkadelic's dream of turning Washington, D.C., into Chocolate City.
(Say What?!)
Read More