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Knowing Your Candidates Flipping through channels on the television yesterday, I was bombarded with red, white, and blue; updates on the presidential debates. Democrats and Republicans flood my screen with constant smiles and reassurances of change; they all look so appealing with their ideas for my future. But who can I believe? Who should I vote for? Although most students at Lafayette are under the voting age, the ones able to vote need to do so with as much information as possible. Here is information on the frontrunners of the debates so far which include, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton for the Democrats, and Mike Huckabee and John McCain for the republicans, and their views on four hot topic issues: Abortion, the War, the Environment and Social Security. Graduating from Columbia University in 1983, Barack Obama went on to earn his law degree from Harvard and recently became a Senator for Illinois. Obama believes that women should have the right to choose to have an abortion, and in 2007 he voted against the banning of partial birth abortion. He also upholds that stem cell research can cure more than 70 known diseases, and passed the bill in 2004. Barack admits that there are no good options for Iraq, just bad ones, and worse ones. He wants to evacuate the troops by 2013 although there is no promise or set plan. He supports the military but believes that Bush's actions were impatient and ignorant and does not support the War in Iraq. On the environment, Obama hopes to reduce the use of mercury and lead in products, and protect the National Parks and forests. He reinforces his green ideology by driving a hybrid car. Obama does not want to privatize social security and he thinks that cutting benefits and raising the retirement age is the wrong answer. Hilary Clinton, a graduate of Yale Law School and former first lady, recently won the New Hampshire primaries. Clinton is pro-choice, and supports parental notice and family planning for abortions. Like Barack, Hilary openly opposes the war and wants to withdraw the troops by 2013. She wants to cut funding for Iraq, but not for the troops. Although she thinks Iraq is a mess, she thinks the Iraqis can clean up from where they are at now, and the US troops should be redeployed as soon as possible. On environmental issues, Hilary wishes to give more funding to the EPA to better air quality, and she wants to clean up Katrina to increase immigration into the area again. Clinton is extremely against privatizing social security, and believes that social security helps families, not just retirees. Like Obama, she has not yet spoke of a specific alternative. Mike Huckabee, the second place finisher in the recent Iowa primaries, was the Governor of Arkansas for 11 years, and an ordained minister. Huckabee is extremely against abortion, and believes that stem cell research creates a life to end a life. On the war in Iraq, he believes it was a poor idea for President Bush to invade Iraq, but now that we are involved, we cannot just back out. He also supports going into Pakistan to further search for leaders of al-Qaeda. Huckabee also has a green heart. An advocate for flexible clean water, he fully supports conservation and wishes to increase cleanup of heavily polluted rivers and streams. For social security, he would like to personalize, not privatize. By making personal retirement accounts, everyone is responsible for their own future. Mike also wants to replace payroll tax and fund Social Security with FairTax. Although John McCain and Mitt Romney appear to be close in the polls, McCain recently won the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. John is a senior US Senator from Arizona and a navy retiree. Although McCain does not agree with Roe vs. Wade, he does not prosecute abortion. He would like to restrict abortions to rape victims, and never allow partial birth abortions. He also supports stem cell research. For the war in Iraq, McCain wishes to continue the surge because it’s working, and does not want to bring home the troops, until the Iraqi government is able to lead itself, the majority of violence has ceased, and al-Qaeda is brought down. Although Mike wants to preserve the US National Parks and he thinks that park visitor fees should go towards an increase in conservation, in 1997 he voted No on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. On Social Security, McCain advocates personal savings accounts and thinks that workers should be able to invest privately. Although the elections are not until November, everyone should be well informed on the candidates and their issues. An ignorant voter can put the wrong person in office and ruin the future of America. For additional information on the candidates and issues, go to: www.ontheissues.org |
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