OCR Text |
Show Monday Editorial Barack Obama: the necessary change this country needs The United States of America and its unparalleled influence will usher in the 44th President amid economic turmoil, an ineptly executed and imperialistic war, and leadership concerns " held by the majority of the citizenry. The presidential election is monumental, and the future hangs in the balance. Politics, imperfect and partisan, will never answer every problem facing America. The contrary is audacious at best. Left in a quagmire of hopelessness, America needs a leader to restore hope to the nation. Hope, the word that has been hijacked and redefined this election by Obama detractors in linguistic derision, can be restored. The messy endeavor of American Democracy is fraught with religious, class, and social disparities that are not going away any time soon, nor should we want them to. Our diversity is among the greatest characteristics of our society. Political efficiency and social 'unity' is the domain of fascists. But, with the nation's economy shaken up the way it has been of late, the quagmire of the Iraq war and the vitriolic exchange of religious strife, all converging on the dialogue of the public sphere, we now find ourselves approaching a tipping point. McCain, taking for granted the archaic premises of a revisionist past, is not the one to pull us back from it. What Americans need now is to be empowered with a new vocabulary; one we can't get from Sen. John McCain. McCain's history is full of clumsy ideas informed by an idiom constructed from the corpses of dead metaphors that have been crushed under the weight of the concrete realities that define our times. It is likely that McCain's sleazy smear campaigns have been prompted by his own realization of this. However, Obama is very clear about what he wants to do. Ultimately, Obama's motives have nothing to do with plans and policies that will change our country. They have everything to do with convincing ordinary citizens that they cannot believe in him; that they must believe in themselves. The power to save America from its past foibles doesn't rest with the president, but with the people. True American patriotism goes beyond salvation of a country: it's about the will to act, the altruistic love to help us help ourselves. At this point,, in the aftermath of the Bush administration, America thinks she needs a Superman. Reflected in the mirrors of history, the eyes of the world look upon American voters hoping to see the ascension of a leader strong enough to undo the damage of the-past eight years. Obama's willingness to engage in diplomacy with our nation's enemies is a better strategy than McCain's 'might makes right' rhetoric. Who else should we negotiate with if not those who we call our enemies? Exhausting assertive diplomacy with regard to each country's interests before the use of force is crucial to rebuilding our global credibility. Obama also supports a superior health care plan that brings us toward providing every American with the adequate health carecoverage. McCain's plan, which would tax your health care benefits to give you a tax credit by which to purchase health care muddles the healthcare debacle even further and according to the journal Health Affairs, would result in five million more Americans uninsured within five years. Though not perfect, Obama's plan would utilize government subsidies to provide insurance for low-income workers and reduce the number of uninsured by 18 million in 2009 and by 34 million in 2018, according to a report by the Urban Institute/Brookings Institution. Sen. McCain, theself-proclaimed maverick, made his riskiest decision to date with his political-suicidal selection of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska to join him on the ticket as the vice-presidential nominee. The tidal wave of facts showing Gov. Palin's ineptitude concerning the vice president position has had a chilling effect on McCain's electability. McCain's troubling temperament has a worrisome inevitability when in the middle of a crisis situation. Obama's on the other hand is much more reassuring. Difficult decisions must be dealt with delicately and definitively, and Obama's cooler head prevails in this election. The editorial board at UVU Review feels that Sen. Barack Obama can give Americans the confidence they need in the face of these crises, and the effectual hope and change that can carry this country during the next four years. October 27, 2008 Op-Editorials Vote third party • Third party candidates a better choice MERINDA PEARCE & TRENT BATES Lead designer & Asst. Photo editor One of the pitfalls that the American people fall into is relying on their political party to have all of the answers. While political parties have been around since before the founding of the country, we, as a country, have been drifting further apart through political parties. We are divided like the North and the South in the late 19th century. What once was the United States of America is now Red States and Blue States. We must rely on the candidate choices of the two major parties. If we do not vote for one of the two candidates chosen for us, people tell us we are wasting our vote. I say. No more. If enough people vote for a third party candidate, then that will send a message to the two main political parties as well as the rest of America. That message will be, "We want something outside of the conventional box. We want someone who is not corrupted." This is especially important when choosing a congressperson. They are the greediest kind of politician. It has become customary for candidates to tell us what we want to hear regardless of the truth. We experienced this during the current election, in which even the news media has involved itself. After months of political coverage, it seems that the news organizations of America will soon have nothing to report on, at least until the President-elect makes a mockery of his office by making a decision that "Joe the plumber" doesn't agree with. Certainly your candidate will not be the one who makes such a blunder - but then again, did you catch the vague answers both candidates gave during the debates? Vote Republican for the Judicial Branch SPENCER SHELL Opinions editor Despite my personal beliefs that Barack Obama would be a better president for the United States, I am voting Republican for John McCain. This is mainly to do the fact that whoever is going to be president next will have a huge impact on filling vacancies in the US Supreme Court. Even though positions are life-tenured, five' of the nine justices are over the age of 70. Chances are that at least one of them will die in the next four years, and with the extremely influential decisions that the Supreme Court makes in relation to abortion rights, race-based policies and terrorism, I want a more conservative justice to be appointed. Having all three branches of the government leaning left is not equal and balanced. Independent, and Voting for John McCain the right to feel safe in our own country. He wants to improve our education system and make it worthy of the promises we make to John McCain is the best picl^ for presi- our children and ourselves. And this is only dent! the beginning. He has served this country with dignity He doesn't just stand and say these things and respect. He is a hero, father, husband -- he puts them into motion. He has plans and a man who is worthy to be the presi- and is ready to take action. dent. The war in Iraq, debt, Russia, immiHe is not the most popular among his gration, the economy, education, same-sex peers, because he says and does what he marriage, healthcare, American energy — all really believes in. Joe Lieberman, a juare issues being discussed as we choose the nior Senator from Connecticut, said, "John next president. McCain had the guts to say in 2003 to the Bush administration, Secretary Rumsfeld, Some people ask, "What made me choose? Why do I want John McCain for 'our policy in Iraq is failing, we need more president?" There I was, undecided, watch- troops' when everybody else was saying ing Barack Obama and John McCain debate pull the troops out. McCain has said, 'I'd the issues live on television, both trying to rather lose the election than lose this war, reach out to the viewer (people like me), because winning this war is too important for the security of the United States.' Now "Vote for me!" He definitely is not the best speaker and his policy is working. Iraq is succeeding." he is old, but as he spoke he clarified what he John McCain served 23 years in the Navy. believed in, made strong stances, and prom- He was a prisoner of war for five and a half ised certain actions. And I agreed with him. years during the Vietnam War. He conveys He has the experience, the good-judgment, who he is, what he is a capable of, and what and the knowledge of what needs to be done America really is. and how to do it. In his closing statements, John McCain He wants budget spending to stop. We said at the last presidential debate, "As a need to get ourselves out of debt. He has a long line of McCains that has served our plan to create millions of American jobs. country for a long time, in war and in peace, He believes in our troops, and that we can it's been a great honor of my life. And I've win and are winning the war in Iraq. He be- been proud to serve. And I hope you'll give lieves that a government "of the people, by me an opportunity to serve again. I'd be the people, and for the people" must remain honored and humbled." ever faithful to that noble charge. He beSo let's do him the honor, and vote for lieves in a more secure border, that we have John McCain. MARY MEGAN AULT Opinions writer Objectivity vs. candidate endorsement The majority of newspapers could be considered "views"papers, rather than "news"papers. AMIE WELLS Asst. News editor I don't believe that a newspaper can stay objective on the front-page and endorse a candidate on the editorial page. One of the main arguments for a newspaper editorial board choosing to endorse a candidate for president is that the practice is a long-standing tradition in journalism. Some newspaper editors don't seem to understand that a large amount of voters don't "get' why newspapers choose to endorse a candidate. It is, indeed, a long-standing tradition that dates back in the 18lh century when newspapers were often associated with political parties. The last time I checked, newspapers are no longer affiliated with any political party. A good majority of readers are suspicious of newspapers and do not trust the "news." So, why would any paper want to damage credibility with their readers by endorsing a candidate? Nowadays, the public can be easily swayed to vote for one candidate over another. A lot of voters don't fact-check before they go to the polls, and end up taking someone's opinion as truth ~ even if it's not entirely correct. Furthermore, voters have a tendency to cast their ballot due to talking points of media outlets, and not their own research of a candidate's platform. I disagree with the endorsement of a candidate by any newspaper and believe that a newspaper that chooses to do so jeopardizes their credibility with its audience. Newspapers need to present the facts, without opinion. Furthermore, they should be encouraging their readers to vote - not who to vote for. |