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Obama, McCain offer stark differences
The choice between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain presents rural Hoosiers with a stark difference over which candidate will be best for them. Indiana is just over 29 percent rural, representing more than 1.3 million people.

Sen. Obama, from our neighboring state, has compiled a record that is rural and farmer-friendly. He has laid out a detailed blueprint for his vision for tackling the challenges faced by our small towns and rural communities in his Rural Plan.

By sharp contrast, is Sen. McCain’s 25-year record in Washington of opposing progress for rural people? Time and again, McCain voted against the interests of family farmers.

Several issues serve to highlight the major differences between the two nominees. On health care, Obama wants to help rural areas recruit and retain doctors and health professionals by ensuring fairness for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.

McCain is silent on this issue; but, his history of voting against funding for community health centers dates back to 1983, his first year in Congress.

Obama’s plan to promote rural America’s leadership in developing renewable energy includes developing the next generation of advanced biofuels, including cellulosic ethanol; expanding locally owned biofuel refineries, increasing the Renewable Fuel Standard to 36 billion gallons by 2022 and creating a Clean Technologies Deployment Venture Capital Fund to spur commercialization of wind, solar and other green power sources.

Indiana is now home to seven ethanol plants with another dozen either proposed or under construction. These facilities will create more than 800 direct jobs and are adding millions in new farm income.

McCain has voted at least nine times between 1992-2006 against tax incentives for renewable energy and at least 12 times against renewable and alternative fuel mandates. McCain is the true “Dr. No” when it comes to support for homegrown alternative fuels that expand our local tax base and clean our air.

McCain rails against investments in agricultural research at our land grant colleges and universities like Purdue as “pork barrel spending” while Obama recognizes that this research, education and extension is a major reason Americans pay the lowest food prices in the world and our farmers are the most efficient and productive. Indiana is ranked 10th in the nation for farm exports, producing three percent of the country’s farm output.

Sen. McCain has also voted against legislation in the 2002 Farm Bill to encourage agricultural trade with Cuba. A 2002 study by Texas A&M University found that U.S. farmers lose $1.24 billion annually in lost export sales to Cuba and Indiana ranks 15th among the top 20 states in annual potential agricultural exports of more than $29 million.

On the other hand, Sen. Obama wants to break down trade and investment barriers to maintain the American farmer’s competitiveness around the world. He will help producers develop global marketing networks through the use of new electronic transaction systems and special promotion programs.

Forestry is also a critical component of our state’s rural economy accounting for $17 billion in economic impact. We are the nation’s top producer of wood office furniture, manufactured homes, wooden caskets and coffins and hardwood plywood products. In 1990, John McCain voted to allow the export of unprocessed timber from federal lands – so that the value-added jobs would take place overseas, at offshore sawmills and factories. Barack Obama will work to keep our timber sector jobs here at home.

I am passionate about electing Barack Obama because he agrees with Thomas Jefferson who said in 1785 that “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.”

My heritage began with both sides of my family performing their patriotic duty during the American Revolution. The Fox clan crossed the Ohio River in 1815, the year before Indiana’s statehood and our family today remains stewards of the land with three generations living on our farm.

Rural America needs an ally in the White House not a proven adversary. That friend and ally is Barack Obama.

Melina Fox
Greensburg, Ind.
10/16/2008