Barack Obama

it great to be back in cedar rapid __PUNCT__ where we made so mani friend throughout thi campaign __PUNCT__

thi morn i met with some folk who been devast by the recent flood __PUNCT__

like so mani peopl across the midwest __PUNCT__ thei seen their home damag __PUNCT__ their live turn upsid down __PUNCT__ and their futur fill with uncertainti __PUNCT__

i seen the flood damag here in iowa and i visit commun that have been devast in my home_state of illinoi __PUNCT__

now is the time for america to stand by those who have suffer so much __PUNCT__ while help them get back on their feet __PUNCT__

we need to make sure that these commun have access to the disast assist that can help busi reopen and peopl rebuild their live __PUNCT__

and we must make a firm commit to rebuild stronger leve and higher floodwal so that we prevent thi kind of devast instead of simpli respond to it __PUNCT__

we know that cedar rapid need more than immedi assist __PUNCT__ becaus the problem that you face in your daili_live go beyond thi year storm __PUNCT__

i often said that thi elect_repres a defin moment in our histori __PUNCT__

you work_harder for less __PUNCT__ and for too mani american __PUNCT__ the dream of opportun is slip awai __PUNCT__

that why the decis we make over the next few year will shape a gener __PUNCT__ if not a centuri __PUNCT__

given the serious of the issu __PUNCT__ you think we could have a seriou debat __PUNCT__

but so far __PUNCT__ even the media ha point out that senat_mccain ha fallen back on predict polit attack and demonstr fals statement __PUNCT__

but here the problem __PUNCT__

all of those neg_ad that he run won't do a thing to lower your ga_price or to lift up the debat in thi countri __PUNCT__

the fact is __PUNCT__ these washington tactic do the american_peopl a disservic by try to distract us from the veri real challeng that we face __PUNCT__

that start with energi __PUNCT__

for decad __PUNCT__ washington ha fail the american peopl on energi __PUNCT__ and that failur ha led directli to our current crisi __PUNCT__

georg_bush bush_approach wa to let the oil_compani write hi energi_polici __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ we can't afford four more year of more of the same __PUNCT__

we can't afford to let dictat hold our nation_secur hostag becaus of our energi depend __PUNCT__

we can't afford to endang our planet becaus we can't shake an addict to oil __PUNCT__

and we can't afford more tax_break for oil_compani while thei make record profit and you pai___MONEY__ for a gallon of ga __PUNCT__

just todai __PUNCT__ we learn that exxon mobil made nearli __MONEY___billion last quarter __PUNCT__

think about that __PUNCT__ __NUM___billion billion_dollar __PUNCT__

no u. __PUNCT__ corpor ha ever made that much in a quarter __PUNCT__

but while big_oil is make record profit __PUNCT__ you ar pai record price at the pump __PUNCT__ and our economi is leav work_peopl behind __PUNCT__

for far too long __PUNCT__ we had an energi_polici that ha work for the oil_compani __PUNCT__ i think it time that we had an energi_polici that work for the american_peopl __PUNCT__ and that a chang that we can't wait ani longer to make __PUNCT__

the choic in thi campaign could not be clearer __PUNCT__

senat_mccain propos a corpor_tax tax_plan that would give __MONEY___billion each year to the oil_compani __PUNCT__ includ __MONEY___billion for exxon __PUNCT__ mobil alon __PUNCT__

he propos a ga tax holidai that will pad oil_compani compani_profit and save you __PUNCT__ at best __PUNCT__ half a tank of ga over the cours of an entir summer __PUNCT__

so under my oppon plan __PUNCT__ the oil_compani get billion more and we stai in the same cycl of depend on big_oil that got us into thi crisi __PUNCT__

that a risk that we just can't afford to take __PUNCT__

not thi time __PUNCT__

instead of offer ani real plan to lower ga_price __PUNCT__ senat_mccain tout hi support for georg_bush bush_plan for offshor oil drill __PUNCT__

but even the bush_administr acknowledg that offshor oil drill will have littl impact on price __PUNCT__

it won't lower_price todai __PUNCT__

it won't lower price dure the next administr __PUNCT__

in fact __PUNCT__ we won't see a drop of oil from thi drill for almost ten_year __PUNCT__

while thi won't save you at the pump __PUNCT__ it sure ha done a lot to rais campaign dollar __PUNCT__

last month __PUNCT__ senat_mccain rais more than a million_dollar from oil and ga compani execut and employe __PUNCT__ most of which came after he announc hi drill plan in front of a bunch of oil execut in houston __PUNCT__

thi is not a strategi design to end our energi_crisi __PUNCT__ it a strategi design to get politician through an elect __PUNCT__ and that exactli why washington ha fail to do anyth about our energi depend for the last thirti_year __PUNCT__

it time to eas the burden on work_famili __PUNCT__

that why i support energi rebat that will provid immedi relief for the american_peopl __PUNCT__

you won't have to trust the oil_compani to pass the save on to you __PUNCT__ you will get these rebat directli __PUNCT__

we do need to bring down ga_price __PUNCT__ and as presid __PUNCT__ i will __PUNCT__

it time to crack down on specul who manipul the market __PUNCT__

it time to close the loophol that allow them to game the system __PUNCT__

it time to make washington work for the american_peopl __PUNCT__ not the special_interest __PUNCT__

that what we can do to bring down ga_price __PUNCT__

and we do need to increas domest_product __PUNCT__ and as presid __PUNCT__ i will __PUNCT__

right now __PUNCT__ oil_compani have access to __NUM___million million_acr where thei aren't drill __PUNCT__ includ___NUM__ __NUM___million offshor __PUNCT__

instead of simpli give the oil_compani more __PUNCT__ it time to give them a choic __PUNCT__ us the land you have __PUNCT__ or lose access to it __PUNCT__

if we drill in the __NUM___million million_acr that ar avail __PUNCT__ we can doubl our domest oil_product and increas natur_ga product by __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__

now if i thought that we could solv all our problem by open up area for drill outsid the exist moratorium __PUNCT__ i be for it __PUNCT__

but the truth is __PUNCT__ that kind of drill is not the answer to thi crisi __PUNCT__

america consum __NUM__ percent of the world produc oil __PUNCT__ but our nation hold less than __NUM__ percent of the world proven oil_reserv __PUNCT__

even more drill will leav us with a perman oil deficit __PUNCT__ while we still be danger energi depend __PUNCT__

i don't want to look up in four year and see that oil_compani and opec still have our economi in their grip __PUNCT__

we can't have a polici that tinker around the margin while go down an oil compani wish list __PUNCT__ it time to fundament transform our energi_economi so that it work for the american_peopl __PUNCT__

my plan make that chang __PUNCT__ my oppon doesn't __PUNCT__ and that the clear differ in thi elect __PUNCT__

my energi plan will invest __MONEY___billion over the next ten_year to establish a new american_energi sector __PUNCT__ and senat_mccain won't __PUNCT__

we creat up to five million_american american_job __PUNCT__ good_job __PUNCT__ job that can't be outsourc __PUNCT__

and we help american_manufactur __PUNCT__ particularli in the auto_industri __PUNCT__ convert to green_technolog __PUNCT__ and help worker learn the skill thei need to stai ahead in the global_economi __PUNCT__

i support invest in altern_energi __PUNCT__ and senat_mccain ha oppos them __PUNCT__

and as presid __PUNCT__ i invest in renew_energi like wind_power __PUNCT__ solar_power __PUNCT__ and the next gener of homegrown biofuel __PUNCT__

that how america is go to free itself from our depend on foreign_oil __PUNCT__ not through short __PUNCT__ term gimmick __PUNCT__ but through a real __PUNCT__ long __PUNCT__ term commit to transform our energi sector __PUNCT__

that what we can choos to do in thi elect __PUNCT__

we also got to chang how we us energi __PUNCT__

i fought for higher fuel_effici standard in the senat __PUNCT__ and when i presid __PUNCT__ we doubl our fuel mileag standard over the next two decad __PUNCT__

thi will save_america half a trillion gallon of ga __PUNCT__ that the equival of cut the price of a gallon of ga in half __PUNCT__

and i provid tax_credit and loan_guarante for our automak to help them make thi transit __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ on of the fastest __PUNCT__ easiest __PUNCT__ and cheapest wai to conserv energi and us less oil is to make_america more energi_effici and more competit with the world __PUNCT__

that why __PUNCT__ when i presid __PUNCT__ i will call on busi __PUNCT__ govern __PUNCT__ and the american_peopl to make_america america___NUM__ percent more energi_effici by __NUM__ __PUNCT__

when all is said and done __PUNCT__ my plan will creat entir new industri and thousand of new busi __PUNCT__ while work to strengthen our nation_secur and save our planet __PUNCT__

these step ar not far __PUNCT__ off __PUNCT__ pie __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ the __PUNCT__ sky solut __PUNCT__ the american_peopl ar readi to make thi chang __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ there ar wait_list for fuel __PUNCT__ effici car __PUNCT__

i seen a steel_mill in pennsylvania that ha becom the home of a new wind_turbin factori __PUNCT__ a small_busi in nevada power entir by solar_power __PUNCT__ and farmer here in iowa who ar test the new __PUNCT__ effici gener of biofuel that can drive our economi __PUNCT__

across the planet __PUNCT__ countri like germani and the unit_kingdom have alreadi implement clean_energi polic __PUNCT__

now it america turn to lead __PUNCT__

thi elect __PUNCT__ at thi moment in histori __PUNCT__ is too import for half __PUNCT__ measur __PUNCT__

we start thi campaign over eighteen_month month_ago on the step of the old statehous in springfield with a simpl belief that it wa time for the american_peopl to seiz_control of our destini so that we could take thi countri in a new direct __PUNCT__

after i announc my run for the presid __PUNCT__ our veri first campaign stop wa right here in cedar rapid __PUNCT__

it wa the dead of winter __PUNCT__

the skeptic predict we wouldn't get veri far __PUNCT__

the cynic dismiss us as a lot of hype and a littl too much hope __PUNCT__

and by the fall __PUNCT__ the pundit in washington had all but count us out __PUNCT__

but the peopl of iowa believ that thi moment could be differ __PUNCT__

you believ that democrat __PUNCT__ independ __PUNCT__ and republican could come togeth behind a common_purpos __PUNCT__

you believ that with our nation at war and our american_dream slip awai __PUNCT__ thi time __PUNCT__ washington had to chang __PUNCT__

that what it go to take to work for a new energi futur __PUNCT__

now is the time to rise abov the old polit and a broken energi_polici __PUNCT__

now is the time to move in a bold __PUNCT__ new direct that lift up our economi and secur our countri __PUNCT__