| Show g r Feel 1 Tug lUk i U u n of vl Recruiters I Iu rUI I Ir r Evelyn Nieves The Washington Vas Post RENO The students passing through the quad on the way to classes the other day could not help but notice Robert Lee They had lots of competition for their atten atten- organizations tion campus lined up in a train of folding tables along the walkways were holding their annual membership fair but Lee was the guy in the suit Si Sign n up for the College Republicans he asked every passing student Help reelect reelect reelect re- re elect George Bush Lee despite his baggy to was supposed olive suit the University of blend in on Nevada at Reno campus At graduated from 23 and newly Colorado State he is part of a crew of 60 field coordinators Party has that the Republican dispatched to 40 states in a recruitment recruitment recruit recruit- massive to peer-to-peer of ment drive The goal to swell the course is Republican ranks among 18 year to in time for the November elections especially especial especial- ly ly in the important all-important swing states a state that In n Nevada recent polls say is is up for foi grabs its going extremely well Lee said Weve recruited about College Republicans in this state state- beyond our goal of in just a few weeks In what promises to be a banner year for young voters- voters polls and anecdotal evidence from myriad vote the operations suggest that more year to plan to vote this year than in any year the since year olds won right to vote in the 1972 Republicans seem to be grabbing grabbing grabbing grab grab- bing their share A Washington Post-ABC Post poll taken shortly after the Republican National Convention showed support for President Bush among college students increasing by 14 percentage points since Aug 1 while Sen John F F. Kerry's support dropped 14 percentage points Kerry's support among voters 18 to 29 dropped from 63 percent to 49 percent that month while Bushs Bush's share of the young vote increased to 46 percent a point 28 turnaround in five weeks Still polls released over thelast the thelast thelast last week show that the race has tightened since the Republican Convention nearly nearly nearly near near- ly back into a statistical dead heat Surveys by the Harvard University Institute of Politics show that fully half of col col- col- col lege-age lege voters are fluid in their politics swing politics swing voters in other words words who who can be persuaded persuaded persuaded per per- which way to vote based on particular issues rather than political gies For college students the war in Iraq the economy specifically job opportunities ties ties and and anxiety over rising tuition rates seem to top most lists of concerns But because neither candidate owns any of those issues at this point young people remain one of the most sought-after sought voting blocks up for grabs this elec elec- tion Republicans have been aggressive But the out vote efforts by Democrats and groups working to help unseat Bush this year also smell suc suc- cess The Century Democrats' Democrats Young Voter Project which has launched a massive voter registration and mobilization effort in three swing states states Minnesota Minnesota Oregon and Missouri Missouri has has made nearly per in-per- son contacts with young people people people peo peo- registered Democratic voters and signed up volunteers as of last week week before before a major weeklong week- week weeklong weeklong long push to register and recruit college Democrats that begins this week John Torrence 20 a philosophy philosophy philosophy philos philos- ophy major at the University of Nevada Reno involved with the Young Democrats club said that the Republican convention was the best recruiting device the organization organization organization has had thus far Right after that we had over people show up for our meeting he said His table well trafficked was busier than the Republicans' Republicans club with club with students picking up bumper stickers and buying buying buying buy buy- ing 1 buttons The College Republicans were seated across from the College Libertarians and a willow tree away from the Young Democrats Students stopped by often and picked up Bush- Bush Cheney bumper stickers or asked for buttons though far fewer signed a form to join the club But Kriston Whiteside 22 a senior political cal science major who was presiding over the club table said they were having no trou- trou See College Voters continued on page 4 Healthcare continued from page 3 s to offer more employers health coverage to lower paid employees and their families famines Critics have argued the bill would soar far beyond estimates estimates esti estimates esti- esti trillion mates closer to one I dollars in a time of increasing federal deficits At the heart of the Kerry plan is a small business taxI tax 50 percent ent and andI credit of up to p I 1 1 I t an employer relief package In catastrophic cases the government government government gov gov- would cover a large portion of the medical bill saving small businesses from what can be crippling es Kerry plans to lower the out of pocket costs employers face when offering benefits packages making insurance more affordable According to his the proposed overhaul is forecast to provide 95 of Americans insurance while keeping the structure of the healthcare system intact In accordance with the president president president pres pres- ident Kerry believes much of the rising cost of healthcare to tobe tobe tobe be caused by inefficiencies and medical malpractice law law- suits In opposition to the presidents president's Medicare prescription tion drug package Kerry has been a strong advocate for the importation of prescription drugs from Canada A recent study found Americans pay more per capi capi- r ta for health care than any other first world nation In Canada which boasts universal sal healthcare coverage only 2792 is spent yearly per capita on healthcare France is nearly identical at 2561 while America spends nearly with millions of citizens citizens citizens citi citi- citi- citi zens without coverage In the current election health healthcare care has become a major issue while both parties propose different solutions millions anxiously wait |
