OAK PARK COALITION FOR

Swept into office in a landslide vote for change, President-Elect Obama has pledged bold initiatives and he has asked for our input.  Join members of our community helping to shape solutions to the unprecedented domestic and global crises we all face.  Panelists will share their vision for the future, and discuss policy recommendations that can bring about real change.  Panelists will speak on the top priorities for the Obama Administration, including the economy, energy, health care, and foreign policy.  A discussion will follow. Summary of discussion and recommendations will be submitted to Change.gov.

This event is also registered on the Obama-Biden Transition Web Site

Moderator:

James Thindwa, Executive Director of Chicago Jobs with Justice

Panelists:

• The Economy:  Bill Barclay, an economist with expertise in financial product creation and business strategic planning. He is a participant in the Chicago Political Economy Group (CPEG) and will describe their jobs program proposal, which argues for many of the newly created jobs to be in the public sector, advocates the job creation potential of green technologies, and outlines methods of financing the program that recognizes the high levels of wealth and income inequality in the U.S. today.
   

• Energy:  Robin Rich, an organizer for the United Steel Workers District 7 office, will discuss the USW’s involvement in the Blue Green Alliance, a national partnership between labor unions and environmental organizations, and the commitment to the vision of green job creation.
   

• Health Care:  Dr. Quentin Young, National Coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program, an organization of 15,000 physicians who support single-payer national health insurance, will explain the need for a single-payer system. Dr. Young, MD, has been a leader in public health policy and medical and social justice issues. Dr.Young has served as President of the American Public Health Association and in 1997 was inducted as a Master of the American College of Physicians. In 1980, Dr.Young founded the Chicago based Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, of which he is currently Chairman.
   

• Foreign Policy:  Bamshad Mobasher, DePaul University professor and a national steering committee member of United for Peace and Justice. He regularly speaks on Iran and U.S. Foreign Policy. He will address why a progressive Obama foreign policy with a peaceful posture in the broader Middle East region must be the cornerstone of U.S. national security, as well as an integrated part of the solution to the global economic crisis. He will also discuss the changing role of the anti-war movement in the face of new political conditions at home and in the Middle East region.

For more information please contact: Bill Barclay: 708-386-1371; chocolatehouse@sbcglobal.net

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