Barack Obama: The American Dream Candidate

"The time has come to bridge the growing divide between Main Street and Wall Street. The American Dream is slipping out of reach." — Barack Obama

In this year's presidential election, it is clear which candidate will work the hardest to help working people: Senator Barack Obama.

Restoring the American Dream

For the last eight years, working families have been battered economically. Barack Obama understands the challenges that working people face -- and he has a plan to restore the American Dream for every American.

As President, Barack Obama will:

Strengthen workers' rights -- Barack Obama believes that the right of workers to join together in unions is a fundamental human right. As President, he would support workers' rights by banning the permanent replacement of striking workers, increasing funding for the protection of workers' health and safety on the job, punishing corporations who violate workers' rights, and ensuring workers' freedom to organize by passing the Employee Free Choice Act.

Put the American Dream back in reach -- The Obama economic plan will put the American Dream within reach of every working family by providing universal health care coverage, reforming abusive lending practices by banks, credit card companies and payday lenders, making college affordable for every American, and expanding paid sick days, paid family leave and after-school programs.

Jumpstart the economy -- to get the economy moving again, Barack Obama would cut taxes for workers and their families, establish a $10 billion fund to prevent foreclosures, and extend unemployment insurance for workers who need it.

Promote fair trade, not job-destroying "free" trade -- Barack Obama will protect our jobs by ending tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas, revising NAFTA so it works for American workers, and investing to help workers retrain to get

Create good-paying American jobs -- As President, Barack Obama will create jobs for America's workers by ending tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas, rewarding companies that support American workers, and investing to create the Green Jobs of the future.

Preserve retirement security -- To ensure that every American worker can retire with dignity, Barack Obama's plan will protect Social Security, strengthen retirement savings, and provide affordable health care to seniors.

Get all the details -- download the complete Obama economic plan (PDF format)

Barack Obama Endorsed by Change to Win Unions

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

“Senator Obama understands the challenges working people face every day,” [General President Jim] Hoffa said. “He is the candidate in the best position to lead our movement to restore the American dream for working people in this country. Senator Obama will fight for better wages, real health care reform, stronger retirement security, fair trade and an end to the outsourcing of good jobs. He understands the importance of giving workers a voice at work and will fight for strong unions to help rebuild America’s middle class.”

SEIU

Members of the Service Employees International Union endorsed Obama to achieve economic justice, quality, affordable healthcare for every American, the freedom for workers to unite in unions, and an end to the Iraq war.

Pauline Beck, a home health care worker in Oakland, CA, said, “Barack is the right candidate for workers. He will change our country.” Senator Obama spent a day with Beck last August, helping her care for an elderly patient and spending time with Beck’s family.

UFCW

Our country requires a change—change that restores America to a place of opportunity and security, where hard work is respected and those who do it are protected.

Our countryrequires change that brings the security working people require to improve their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren.

Senator Obama understands the needs of working people. As a community organizer, he understands that America must restore the balance between working America and corporate America. He will fight to level the playing field on behalf of workers across our country. He will fight to regain the rights and protections workers have lost after too many years of the Bush Administration.

UNITE HERE

“Barack Obama began his career organizing working families who were trying to pick up their lives as their industries were leaving them behind. As he entered politics, we knew that he would understand our members and we supported him from the start,” explained General President Bruce Raynor. “Our organization and our members will do everything in our power to see that he reaches the White House this fall, because we know he will bring working Americans with him.”

Laborers

The men and women of LIUNA, who go to work every day building and servicing America, will support a candidate that will stand up for working families. Senator Obama is that candidate," said LIUNA General President Terence M. O’Sullivan. "He will fight for good jobs and a stronger economy, he will fight for the necessary resources to build our basic infrastructure, such as highways, bridges, dams and schoolhouses, and he will lead our country forward with health care reform and true retirement security.

O’Sullivan said, "Senator Obama offers the promise of a new day in American politics, a day in which millions more working voters participate in the process and a day in which the voices of working people rise above corporate money in Washington, D.C."

UFW

“Throughout his career, beginning as a community organizer to his present position as Senator, Barack Obama has shared the values of the United Farm Workers. He understands the tremendous role played by our country’s farm workers in helping to feed our nation. Sen. Obama stands firm in his conviction for comprehensive immigration reform. He has been a strong supporter of the UFW-sponsored AgJOBS – legislation that would help stabilize our nation’s agricultural workforce.

As President, he will continue to hold fast to his convictions by signing comprehensive immigration reform, increasing the minimum wage and making sure every American has affordable and quality health care. The United Farm Workers will do everything in our power to make sure Barack Obama reaches the White House this fall, because we know he will be a voice for all working Americans,” said UFW President Arturo Rodriguez.