2008 Woodie Awards
Bush vs. Kerry: How does a first-time voter choose?
Sarah Mitchell
Issue date: 10/31/04 Section: Feature-ELECTION 2004
- Page 1 of 3 next >
With the barrage of posters, leaflets, commercials, radio advertisements and three highly publicized debates, there's probably no one left on campus that doesn't understand the importance of the upcoming November election. It's another election year, the first that many Assumption students can actively participate in. The campus has been flooded with opportunities to register and advice on how to cast your vote. But how does a first-time voter actually go about deciding which candidate to support?
As a college student, the next four years signify a critical time period in our lives. Most of us will be graduating and moving into the "real world"- and many of the issues that the candidates are disputing will suddenly take on a larger significance. What will the state of our economy be? What will the job prospects look like? Will we be sharing the benefits of a national surplus or struggling under the burdens of debt?
Democrats tend to follow a liberal policy while Republicans mostly favor a more conservative approach. According to respective websites of the two major parties, Democrats describe their party's platform as one based around "protecting the interests of working Americans and guaranteeing personal liberties for all" while the Republicans have built their party's platform around the belief that "individuals, not government, can make the best decisions" for America.
The following summary highlights where the two primary candidates, Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic Senator John Kerry, stand on several issues of importance to college students. While no one but you can decide how you vote, understanding the beliefs that drive each candidate may assist you in choosing the next leader of our country.
ABORTION
BUSH:
o Opposes all abortions except in rare cases (namely rape, incest, or a significant threat to mother's life)
o Describes partial-birth abortion as a "brutal and violent practice"
o Supports parental consent laws, saying parents have "a right to a say in all medical decisions of their minor children"
As a college student, the next four years signify a critical time period in our lives. Most of us will be graduating and moving into the "real world"- and many of the issues that the candidates are disputing will suddenly take on a larger significance. What will the state of our economy be? What will the job prospects look like? Will we be sharing the benefits of a national surplus or struggling under the burdens of debt?
Democrats tend to follow a liberal policy while Republicans mostly favor a more conservative approach. According to respective websites of the two major parties, Democrats describe their party's platform as one based around "protecting the interests of working Americans and guaranteeing personal liberties for all" while the Republicans have built their party's platform around the belief that "individuals, not government, can make the best decisions" for America.
The following summary highlights where the two primary candidates, Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic Senator John Kerry, stand on several issues of importance to college students. While no one but you can decide how you vote, understanding the beliefs that drive each candidate may assist you in choosing the next leader of our country.
ABORTION
BUSH:
o Opposes all abortions except in rare cases (namely rape, incest, or a significant threat to mother's life)
o Describes partial-birth abortion as a "brutal and violent practice"
o Supports parental consent laws, saying parents have "a right to a say in all medical decisions of their minor children"