STUDENTS SPEAK OUT ON PRIMARIES
By ADAM BEAN
Clarion Staff Writer
I think it’s fair to say that there’s something
special about the presidential primary elections currently taking place in America. For the first time in my memory, voters, especially young voters, seem personally connected to the candidates’ fight for the White House. It’s as if there’s an electric charge surrounding each and every ballot that is cast. Intrigued by the excitement surrounding
our primary elections, I talked with some students to get their thoughts on the surge of election activity.
While the political views and affiliations of the interviewees varied, most of the students
interviewed attributed the excitement and public interest surrounding the primary elections to a combination of social issues and a desire for change in America.
“Americans are hungry for change,” said Tim Fish, an MATC student and member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. He explained, “Obama is different in the sense that he’s a minority and he can relate to the issues facing
minorities in America today.”
Fish went on to say that there wouldn’t be nearly as much excitement over the elections if Senator Barack Obama wasn’t in the race. “We already have a basic understanding of what she [Sen. Hillary Clinton] is all about.” stated Fish. “But Obama brings a message of hope and change.”
Another MATC student, Austin Hillebrandt, thinks much of the buzz surrounding
the election is due to Obama being young, articulate and riding the wave of negative sentiment over Bush’s war in Iraq. Hillebrandt’s main concerns are about national security and creating a “true free-market economy” in the United States. Hillebrandt also believes too much money is wasted on election campaigns and that campaign
spending should be capped.
Student-voter Helen Dixon hopes the excitement surrounding the presidential primaries
will lead to a better America regardless
of the sex or race of the candidate. Dixon expressed concern that many voters seem to be focusing more on the historical aspect of an African-American male and a woman running for president, and not how those candidates address important social issues.
Dixon explained that issues such as healthcare, college tuition and U.S. military engagements were key concerns for her. “Hopefully something will be done about healthcare so that everyone benefits, not just a handful of people,” she said.
Mike McFadden, veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and student at MATC, says he could foresee Obama being “our generation's President.” McFadden explained that Obama seems to take stances on issues such as the war in Iraq and education that do more to benefit Americans in the college age group.
I couldn’t be happier to witness the energetic
participation and interest in political activities that is currently taking place among my peer group. On the day of Wisconsin’s primary election, college students came to my apartment door four times to remind my fiancée and me to go vote. Such is the way it should be.
It is our job as voters to hold our representatives
accountable for the decisions they make on our behalf. If we don’t hold our leaders accountable, nobody else will.
Regardless of what presidential candidate ends up in the Oval Office, I hope we continue
to witness such high levels of political participation throughout the course of the primaries, general election and beyond. |
