Spring Break
The Issues
What really matters
Benjamin Wills
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Election '08
For those planning on voting, it would be advantageous of you to remember what you are voting for and what the people you elect represent. Here are the top ten issues effecting the youth. You can check out any of the candidate's websites how they feel about any of these issues.
Economy
We are in a recession. For anyone who doesn't believe that, they are wrong. A bottle of Coke cost's $1.39. The dollar today is as powerful as $1.93 was the year I was born (1986). The Congressmen and President that we will be voting for will determine how to strengthen our economy over the next four years, which ironically is when most of the Gainesville State students will be entering the work force.
Obama: Would stimulate the Economy by giving tax cuts to the middle class, seniors and unemployed.
McCain: Would lower corporate tax rates from 35% to 25%.
Energy
As a nation, we rely almost completely on imported oil. Linking this issue to economy, today I paid $4.19 for a gallon of gas. We are all "feeling" our reliance on oil right now in the wake of the recent hurricanes. At the time this article was written, the great state of Georgia has almost completely run out. Everyone on the ballot has ideas of how we can reduce this dependency. Energy rebates, gas tax holidays, drilling, new technologies, and renewable energy.
Obama: Wants to invest $150 billion over the next 10 years in clean energy.
McCain: Wants an energy strategy based on technological prowess of American industry and science.
War
Either you support the war or you don't. It's pretty clear which candidates support either way. I encourage any voter to make sure they know as much as possible about what has gone on in the Middle East over the past few years before you make your final decision on this issue.
Obama: Opposed military action in Iraq, wants to bring all troops home within 16 months if he is elected President.
McCain: Voted in 2002 for military use in Iraq, does not believe in setting a timetable on leaving.
Abortion
This one is for the ladies. Should you have a right to chose or not? At what stage in the womb is life determined. This is the monster issue that probably won't go away during our life times. However, restrictions change on it every once in a while. The most recent debate on the topic was whether or not parents should be notified if their child chooses to go this route. It is almost certain that a Congressman will have to voice his opinion on this issue if not vote on it.
Obama: Supports Roe v. Wade.
McCain: Disagrees with Roe v. Wade
Health Care
Millions of Americans do not have health care. Remember when you're at the polls, lots of those people are kids who's families can't afford health care or who's parents choose to not purchase it. Either way, it's sad when little kids are sick and can't get medicine. Is it the parent's fault? Directly, yes. But we all lose when children die.
Obama: Wants to create national health care for those who do not have employer-provided health care or qualify for federal programs. Allows individuals under 25 to be covered in their parents plans.
McCain: Opposes government programs for health care, believes that competition improves the quality of health insurance.
Guns
The 2nd Amendment in our Constitution protects our right to bear arms. Gun rights and restrictions have been a hot topic in American politics since the birth of our nation. Should people be allowed to own handguns? Who shouldn't be allowed to? What kind of background check should be required for one to obtain a firearm? Both of the presidential candidates have strong interpretations of this right.
Obama: Supports instant criminal background checks for people purchasing guns and that gun laws should apply at gun shows, would call to reinstate a ban on assault weapons.
McCain: Supports instant criminal background checks for people purchasing guns and that gun laws should apply at gun shows, opposes a ban on assault weapons, supported a child safety lock amendment for gun control.
Education
We are fortunate to go to college. We were even more fortunate to have our high school provided for us. States spend more of their budget on Education than anything else. It is important that we continue to educate the youth for free, and continue to have programs like "The Hope Scholarship" so that all hard working kids can have the same opportunities.
Obama: Supports No Child Left Behind but wants to change it and address significant flaws, proposes scholarships that will cover four years of undergraduate or two years of graduate teacher education.
McCain: Supports No Child Left Behind. Wants to reward good teachers, and find bad teachers another line of work.
Immigration
Illegal immigration will be a battle fought in America until the end of the world. Millions of Hispanics have come illegally to America to get jobs that native citizens or legal immigrants may have wanted. They also add to the population enough that more jobs are created. More people means more doctors, restaurants, cars, etc…
Obama: Voted to construct a 700 mile fence along the U.S and Mexico border.
McCain: Voted to construct a 700 mile fence along the U.S and Mexico border.
Environment
Greenhouse gasses could be raising the temperature. Could regulation on industry really do something to stop global warming? How much would drilling for oil destroy the environment? The climate is changing. Could America or people in general be responsible for a changing environment?
Obama: Would like for America to be a global leader in efforts to stop global warming.
McCain: Would support the use of new energy sources like nuclear, would like to reduce the countries use of greenhouse gasses through advanced technologies.
Social Security
Does social security affect students right now? Not most of us, however we all will want it once we have the opportunity to retire. We're paying for it now, so I certainly hope we get a taste.
Obama: Opposes privatizing Social Security, wants a payroll tax that will keep Social Security for at least the next fifty years.
McCain: Wants to supplement Social Security benefits with individual investment accounts. Believes we need to work hard to fix Social Security so that future generations will be assured to have the ability to retire.
* All information gathered on the candidates was gathered from CNN.com.
Economy
We are in a recession. For anyone who doesn't believe that, they are wrong. A bottle of Coke cost's $1.39. The dollar today is as powerful as $1.93 was the year I was born (1986). The Congressmen and President that we will be voting for will determine how to strengthen our economy over the next four years, which ironically is when most of the Gainesville State students will be entering the work force.
Obama: Would stimulate the Economy by giving tax cuts to the middle class, seniors and unemployed.
McCain: Would lower corporate tax rates from 35% to 25%.
Energy
As a nation, we rely almost completely on imported oil. Linking this issue to economy, today I paid $4.19 for a gallon of gas. We are all "feeling" our reliance on oil right now in the wake of the recent hurricanes. At the time this article was written, the great state of Georgia has almost completely run out. Everyone on the ballot has ideas of how we can reduce this dependency. Energy rebates, gas tax holidays, drilling, new technologies, and renewable energy.
Obama: Wants to invest $150 billion over the next 10 years in clean energy.
McCain: Wants an energy strategy based on technological prowess of American industry and science.
War
Either you support the war or you don't. It's pretty clear which candidates support either way. I encourage any voter to make sure they know as much as possible about what has gone on in the Middle East over the past few years before you make your final decision on this issue.
Obama: Opposed military action in Iraq, wants to bring all troops home within 16 months if he is elected President.
McCain: Voted in 2002 for military use in Iraq, does not believe in setting a timetable on leaving.
Abortion
This one is for the ladies. Should you have a right to chose or not? At what stage in the womb is life determined. This is the monster issue that probably won't go away during our life times. However, restrictions change on it every once in a while. The most recent debate on the topic was whether or not parents should be notified if their child chooses to go this route. It is almost certain that a Congressman will have to voice his opinion on this issue if not vote on it.
Obama: Supports Roe v. Wade.
McCain: Disagrees with Roe v. Wade
Health Care
Millions of Americans do not have health care. Remember when you're at the polls, lots of those people are kids who's families can't afford health care or who's parents choose to not purchase it. Either way, it's sad when little kids are sick and can't get medicine. Is it the parent's fault? Directly, yes. But we all lose when children die.
Obama: Wants to create national health care for those who do not have employer-provided health care or qualify for federal programs. Allows individuals under 25 to be covered in their parents plans.
McCain: Opposes government programs for health care, believes that competition improves the quality of health insurance.
Guns
The 2nd Amendment in our Constitution protects our right to bear arms. Gun rights and restrictions have been a hot topic in American politics since the birth of our nation. Should people be allowed to own handguns? Who shouldn't be allowed to? What kind of background check should be required for one to obtain a firearm? Both of the presidential candidates have strong interpretations of this right.
Obama: Supports instant criminal background checks for people purchasing guns and that gun laws should apply at gun shows, would call to reinstate a ban on assault weapons.
McCain: Supports instant criminal background checks for people purchasing guns and that gun laws should apply at gun shows, opposes a ban on assault weapons, supported a child safety lock amendment for gun control.
Education
We are fortunate to go to college. We were even more fortunate to have our high school provided for us. States spend more of their budget on Education than anything else. It is important that we continue to educate the youth for free, and continue to have programs like "The Hope Scholarship" so that all hard working kids can have the same opportunities.
Obama: Supports No Child Left Behind but wants to change it and address significant flaws, proposes scholarships that will cover four years of undergraduate or two years of graduate teacher education.
McCain: Supports No Child Left Behind. Wants to reward good teachers, and find bad teachers another line of work.
Immigration
Illegal immigration will be a battle fought in America until the end of the world. Millions of Hispanics have come illegally to America to get jobs that native citizens or legal immigrants may have wanted. They also add to the population enough that more jobs are created. More people means more doctors, restaurants, cars, etc…
Obama: Voted to construct a 700 mile fence along the U.S and Mexico border.
McCain: Voted to construct a 700 mile fence along the U.S and Mexico border.
Environment
Greenhouse gasses could be raising the temperature. Could regulation on industry really do something to stop global warming? How much would drilling for oil destroy the environment? The climate is changing. Could America or people in general be responsible for a changing environment?
Obama: Would like for America to be a global leader in efforts to stop global warming.
McCain: Would support the use of new energy sources like nuclear, would like to reduce the countries use of greenhouse gasses through advanced technologies.
Social Security
Does social security affect students right now? Not most of us, however we all will want it once we have the opportunity to retire. We're paying for it now, so I certainly hope we get a taste.
Obama: Opposes privatizing Social Security, wants a payroll tax that will keep Social Security for at least the next fifty years.
McCain: Wants to supplement Social Security benefits with individual investment accounts. Believes we need to work hard to fix Social Security so that future generations will be assured to have the ability to retire.
* All information gathered on the candidates was gathered from CNN.com.
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posted 12/21/09 @ 2:46 PM EST
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posted 3/02/10 @ 3:31 PM EST
Thanks for this detailed list of issues.
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