Agreement the most important aspect
Chris Busby
Turn on any national news station and you will hear political rhetoric spewing. Day in and day out you hear about Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. John McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joseph Biden. Health care, energy, education, national security, Iraq, the economy – the list goes on without any agreement or accord.
It is not hard to imagine how our representatives find argument in even the simplest topics and politicize even the most important issues. Whether it’s stem-cell research, global warming or energy, it seems members of our government still cannot seem to reach agreement on the most fundamental aspects. They can’t agree that perhaps stem-cell research does have some practical value. They can’t agree that we, as a nation, are endangering the earth by our lack of environmental standards. They can’t agree on common-sense solutions for energy.
What is most important in the next presidency is not any one issue as much as the ability to end partisan warfare. It has been said over and over, but now is the time to listen to the other side.
The next president must be willing to challenge his party and force them to look to the other side for help. Should either party have both Congress and the presidency, it is important we make long-term solutions that are agreeable to the majority and don’t favor the extremes of either party.
Busby, an English sophomore, can be reached via [email protected]
Voters shouldn’t hinge so much on one man
Abdul Khan
Well, I hope everyone is ready and waiting to hear all kinds of impossible promises. The four biggest politicians in America will begin squaring off in a promise-the-world free-for-all.
America demands things that are impossible of the president. Everything has to come down to his word, apparently. He runs the whole enchilada. When there is a problem with No Child Left Behind, it is the president. When CHIPs and SCHIPs hit the skids, the president is the locus of blame.
Of course these politicians are going to lie. Of course they are going to promise change. But how can they do it alone?
This government has been built into the hands of many people, including the citizens. The Constitution says the president should be a statesman and a diplomat. The president should be the face and voice of America, but don’t expect him to be able to solve everything.
Most government actions that affect your everyday life happen at the state level.
This year, try to look for the candidate you think best speaks for the people, but remember the president’s policy is little more important than the lobbyists. Vote all the way down the ballot. Inform yourself of the people running in your state. Actual implementation is the duty of your state.
Khan, a political science and history junior, can be reached via [email protected]
Political narrative neglects major issues
Alana MousaviDin
Usual topics of debate during an election year seem to be the same issues that are important to every U.S. citizen. They range from Social Security to health care and from foreign policy to abortion. These have and will remain hotly debated topics. But what about the other things we find important?
Namely, the war. Let’s end it and get our soldiers home safely and quickly. The plan of action for cleaning up is also of the utmost importance.
The topic of oil also encompasses many items: lowering our foreign oil dependency, putting a price cap on oil and becoming more self reliant with U.S. oil.
Eliminating, or at least massively reducing the national debt should be of great importance to both parties.
Health care is something every citizen needs, but only a few can afford. Making it universal would benefit everyone. The candidates need to address this with real plans of action, not rhetoric.
The elimination of state-required standardized testing should be at the top of the candidates’ lists as well.
Other topics of great interest that need to be discussed among the presidential candidates are the housing market, price gauging during times of stress, increasing medical research funding and reforming our immigration policies.
MousaviDin, a communication junior, can be reached via [email protected]
