MARK BENNETT: Obama offering plans to fix nation’s woes

TERRE HAUTE — As Barack Obama emphasized each misstep and misplaced priority of the Bush administration, and then offered a remedy, his voice rose, and his enthusiastic supporters rose to their feet.

Many came to the 4-H Arena of the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds on Saturday afternoon to hear what the Democratic presidential candidate would do about the lost jobs, spiraling health care costs, the Iraq war, expensive gasoline, unaffordable college tuitions and the home mortgage mess. Obama answered each concern with a plan.

Americans want solid strategies from the guy who will inherit this tangle of blues. Even if they favor George W. Bush’s political persuasion, most are ready for a president who will more clearly express their intentions. But, as Billy Joel once sang, “Honesty is hardly ever heard, and mostly what I need from you.” And along with their initiatives and plans, Obama and his Republican opponent John McCain should remember the country needs some pure honesty.

Even if it’s not exactly what we want to hear.

Saturday’s crowd applauded loudly when Obama explained how he would fix the No Child Left Behind Act initiated by President Bush in 2001. Obama eloquently enumerated its flaws, notably a lack of funding to support the higher academic standards it calls for in public schools. He intends to meet with educators to find a better way to assess schools and students, without overemphasizing standardized tests. Music and arts programs wither while teachers end up “teaching for the tests,” and Obama said a revamped federal program would alleviate that problem.

Then, as he wrapped up a three-part answer about education reforms, Obama added a necessary reminder.

The president, Congress, governors, state legislators, mayors, city councils and school boards can only do so much.

“If we’re going to improve our education, there’s another factor involved, and it is parents,” Obama said. “Parents have to turn off the television set. Parents have to turn off the video games for a while. Parents have to instill a thirst for knowledge and meet with your teacher and make sure your kid’s doing their homework and setting high standards, and making sure your kids are getting enough sleep. Those are all things that are going to improve education as well.”

As that thought settled in, Obama continued, “We’ve got to take some responsibility and not just expect that the schools are going to do it for us. And that’s something that a president can talk about, and we haven’t heard that enough from our current president.”

A few minutes later, the subject turned to college tuition costs. Make no mistake, that expense has rocketed beyond almost any other. In the past decade, the average tuition rates at Indiana public universities have risen 105 percent. A million Hoosiers lack adequate work force skills. It’s a problem.

Obama described his American Opportunity Tax Credit, making the first $4,000 of college tuition free for most people.

But as the ovation began, Obama clarified that his program would be linked to a commitment toward national service.

“I didn’t want to just say, ‘Here’s the money, and you’ve got nothing to give back,’” he said. “My attitude is, we’ve got individual responsibilities and mutual responsibilities. So, we are going to tell every student, you get a $4,000 tuition credit, to every student every year, in addition to whatever Pell grants or other programs are already in place. But in exchange, you participate in some form of community service. You can do it while you’re in school, or you can do it once you’ve graduated, but [then] work in an underserved hospital, work in an underserved school, join the Peace Corps, join the military. There’s all kinds of ways of serving, but give something back so the country can benefit from your skill and your energy and your passion.”

Of course, President Kennedy famously put Americans’ desires back on their own shoulders a half-century ago.

Obama didn’t quote the ask-not speech. But the implication was understood throughout this pole barn on the south side of Terre Haute, a Hoosier city all too familiar with struggles this year, with layoffs, flood damages, and sons and daughters serving in the Middle East.

Getting results won’t be painless or a spectator sport. If Americans truly want oil independence, for example, we’ll have to be willing to part with our massive SUVs and oversized trucks. Obama detailed a plan to provide incentives to car manufacturers to develop electric cars, and to convert dying or dead auto plants into electric-car battery factories. Currently, we trail Japan in that type of technology, he said.

He then tapped into that Kennedy nostalgia, reminding his listeners that such a commitment isn’t without precedent in the U.S.

“We need to have the same attitude JFK had when he said we’re going to go to the moon in 10 years,” Obama said. “At that time, we didn’t have any clue how we were going to get there.”

Parents participating in their kids’ education. Collegians serving in the Peace Corps after graduation. Changing our car-buying habits. Obama, McCain or any other president can only lead and inspire in those causes. Otherwise, it’s up to us to take that responsibility.

Mark Bennett can be reached at mark.bennett@tribstar.com or (812) 231-4377.