The Battle for the White House
Coverage inside
Page 2 College counties voting Page 3 N.C. Republican platforms Page 4-5 Presidential platforms Page 6 N.C. Democratic platforms Page 8 ASU faculty voters
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Students get involved in campus preparations for upcoming elections by JOSHUA FARMER Senior News Reporter
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The upcoming elections have caused students to get more involved in the election process, with organizations such as College Democrats and Republicans. This has made the campaign atmosphere exciting, said President of College Democrats Lia Poteet. Students across campus in organizations have also gotten involved in the campaign process. “[W]e have registered well over 5,000 people to vote on campus,” Poteet said. “The excitement level is very high. We are really looking forward to getting students out to vote and seeing the results
from all our hard work.” Chairperson for the College Republicans Kelsey Crum said College Republicans have never been “more excited” for a Presidential candidate. “The members of our club are mobilized and ready to volunteer,” Crum said. “From painting the tunnels before games to making phone calls, we have a very motivated group.” Chancellor Kenneth Peacock said he noticed that students are more interested in knowing what the candidates will do for the county, state and country. “I’ve been watching the debates closely,” Peacock said. “I don’t like it when people say who won after the debates. I
professor, said. Strickland said she had received questions regarding the elections in her classes, too. “Because I teach a State and Local Government class, my emphasis has been on how President Obama and Gov. Romney view federal-state relationships,” Strickland said. Strickland said she has never seen such an emphasis on job creation from both candidates. “It’s fascinating to see this emerge as a primary issue because presidents really have very little control over job creation and fiscal policy,” she said. Students don’t have to wait until they are older to get involved, Bush said. “Students can engage right now, and many do,” Bush said.
like to decide for myself.” Carrie Bush is a political science professor specializing in economic development and local government. “[S]tudents here at Appalachian are quite interested in learning about the issues, candidates and processes surrounding the current elections,” Bush said. ”In fact, part of their feedback has been that they want more class content focused around the elections. In government and justice studies many activities lend themselves to direct application and learning about our democratic institutions and government.” “Every general election year is equivalent to the Super Bowl for political scientists,” Ruth Strickland, a political science
How College Counties Voted in 2008 c o m p i l e d b y C h e l s e y F i s h e r, N e w s E d i t o r
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Wake County Democratic
New Hanover County Republican
Watauga County Democratic
Orange County Democratic
Pitt County Democratic
Jackson County Democratic
Republican Platforms 3
compiled by Julieanne Pike, Intern News Reporter
PATMcCRORY
VIRGINIAFOXX
DANFOREST
STEVEROYAL
running for N.C. Governor
running for U.S. Representative
running for N.C. Lieutenant Governor
running for N.C. Treasurer
• Wants to reform education to provide two different types of diplomas: one that would certify students ready for a career or community college, and one that would prepare students for four-year colleges • Supports removing the cap on charter schools • In favor of offering a wide range of online courses, adding access and flexibility to school systems • In favor of performance-based pay for teachers • Plans to support economic growth by developing a comprehensive transportation and infrastructure plan • Wants to change the tax code by reducing income taxes and eliminating the death tax
• Continue to support higher education • Help find better ways to achieve energy independence without destroying economy or killing jobs • Help repeal Affordable Care Act • Supports better control of our borders • Supports comprehensive social security reform • Believes in protecting life at all stages and encourages strong family values • Supports bill that would allow veteran retirees to have a tax-free retirement
• Believes public education decisions should be made at the local level • Wants to opt out of the Affordable Healthcare plan • Supports small government and lower taxes for businesses • Wants to abolish excessive regulations placed on businesses
• Wants to protect the pension funds with an independent audit • Opposes “big money” because of its influence on politics • Wants the Treasurer’s office to be transparent
JONATHANJORDAN running for N.C. House of Representatives – District 93
• Wants to exempt North Carolina from the Affordable Care Act by passing the Healthcare Freedom Protection Act • Provide funding for education in the classroom • Advocate for protecting children from neglect and abuse • Reduce regulation on businesses
CHERIEBERRY running for N.C. Commissioner of Labor
• Employee safety is Berry’s top priority • Injury and illness rates have lowered since she’s been in office
DEBRAGOLDMAN running for N.C. Auditor
• Plans to crack down on corruption and eliminate fraud, abuse and waste • Will exhibit leadership and fiscal responsibility • Wants to save taxpayer’s money by prioritizing audits
STEVETROXLER running for N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture
• Wants to focus on food safety • Plans to promote North Carolina agricultural products • Hopes to add more jobs to agribusiness • Wants to expand the agricultural economy
JOHNTEDESCO running for N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Wants to eliminate wasteful spending • Supports teaching children critical thinking skills and accountability rather than teaching to test • Supports performance-based pay for teachers • Give education authorities more control
MIKECAUSEY running for N.C. Commissioner of Insurance
• Plans to make the department more responsive to the needs of North Carolinians • Plans to allow more options for health care for residents • Will fight to protect the benefits and retirement plans of emergency personnel • Will make much-needed changes to the automobile insurance system
EDGOODWIN running for N.C. Secretary of State
• Wants to reduce wasteful spending • Opposes increase in taxes • Allowing companies to grow by less government regulation and taxes • Believes competition in health care will lower costs
DANSOUCEK running for N.C. State Senate – District 45
• Plans to reduce taxes • Indexing spending increases to inflation and population growth will decrease spending
Source: Respective candidates’ official websites, vote-nc.org
4 Pursue a North American Energy Partnership Empower states to control onshore energy development
PRESIDENTIAL CAND
Eliminate redundancy in federal retraining programs by combing programs and funding streams, centering as much Encourage private-sectoractivity as possible in a single led development of new enagency ergy technologies Give states authority to manage retraining proOpen offshore areas grams by block granting for energy development federal funds
Ensure accurate assessment of energy resources
Amend NLRA to guarantee the secret ballot in every union certification election Support states in pursuing Right-toWork laws
Energy
•Initiate permanent, across-the-board 20 percent cut in marginal rates
•Eliminate taxes for taxpayers with AGI below $200,000 on interest, dividends and capital gains •Remove the Death Tax •Repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM Libertarian Party Gary Johnson:
Believes federal spending needs to be significantly cut Put educational funding into the classroom Abolish the IRS and enact the Fair Tax Believes in reducing federal involvement in the economy Opposes the Affordable Care Act
Constitutional Party Virgil Goode:
Encourage greater private sector involvement in retraining programs Facilitate the creation of Personal Reemployment Accounts
Labor
•Repeal Affordable Care Act which will result in savings of $95 Billion. Romney believes the act is unfair toward the federal government, and states can regulate health care. Romney said he plans to work to repeal act starting on his first day in office.
S P E N D I N G
•Maintain current tax rates on interest, dividends and capital gains
Photo Courtesy | Gage Skidmore/Flickr
TA X E S
Restore transparency and fairness to permitting and regulation
Fix NLRA to guarantee all pre-election campaigns last at least one month
Human Capital
•Reduce Foreign Aid and save $100 million.Romney wants to stop borrowing money from countries that disagree with America’s interests, and offer foreign aid instead. •Eliminate Title X Family Planning Funding and save $3 million. •Reduce subsidies for
The National Endowments For The Arts And Humanities, The Corporation For Public Broadcasting, and The Legal Services Corporation which would save $600 Million. •By privatizing Amtrak. Romney estimates $1.6 Billion dollars would be saved. Amtrack currently recieves $1.6 billion in taxpayer funds every year. In 2008, 41 percent of Amtrack’s 44 routes lost money Forty-one of Amtrak’s 44 routes lost money in 2008 with losses ranging from $5 to $462 per passenger.
Following the Constitution would result in less government spending Opposes amnesty to illegal immigrants and stresses the importance of ending illegal immigration Believes that the United States needs to be free of foreign fossil fuels and utilize offshore drilling Wants to reform the tax code by eliminating Death Tax and Income Tax and establishing a more simple tax system Opposes the Affordable Care Act
DIDATE PLATFORMS Photo Courtesy | Pete Souza/whitehouse.gov
Education
• Set goal to cut tuition growth in half over next decade • Launched “Race to the Top,” causing 46 states to raise standards for college and career readiness • Plans to recruit 100,000 science and math teachers over the next decade • Capped payments of federal student loans at 10 percent of income • Doubled funding for Pell Grants so more Americans can afford college • Invested $2 billion in community colleges
Health Care
Seniors
• Fought against attempts to cut Social Security benefits • Extended the life of Medicare Trust Fund by 8 years and got rid of $716 billion in fraud, waste and abuse
Women’s Health
Energy
•Reduce oil imports in half my 2020
• Expand reform tax credit to cover 50 percent of small businesses’ health care costs by 2014
•Support safe development of America’s 100-year supply of natural gas
• 3.1 million young Americans now have health insurance
•Get 80 percent of electricity from clean sources by 2035
•Invest in wind and solar power
• Found $716 billion in savings in Medicare and added 8 years to Medicare Trust Fund • 100 million Americans lifetime caps were lifted • Expanded access to preventative services for 54 million Americans
Justice Party
Rocky Anderson:
5
• Supports DREAM Act
• Fought against defunding of Planned Parenthood • Ended women being charged higher for health care than men • Made sure health insurance companies cover birth control, mammograms and other cancer screenings
Immigration
• Wants to pass comprehensive immigration reform • Announced policy to end deportation of young immigrants who were brought to America as children • Proposed rule to allow certain undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens to apply for legal status inside the United States
Supports free college education or comparable job training Wants to make the financial sector more transparent Plans to take aggressive action on environmental issues
Green Party
Jill Stein:
Foreign Policy
• Plans to end war in Afghanistan by 2014 • Worked to gain support of Russia and China to pass international sanctions for the Iranian government • Filed twice as many trade complaints with China than last administration • Worked with Israel by making it clear that all options are on the table to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran • Ordered raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound
Jobs/the economy
• Eliminate tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs overseas • Provide incentives for companies that create jobs in America • Make middle class tax cuts permanent • Bring businesses and researchinstitutions together to ensure futures jobs will be in America • Extend tax credits that support clean energy
Provide millions of green jobs through the Full Employment Program Change the tax code to create higher taxes for the upper class and tax cuts for the lower and middle class Reduce the military budget Provide a tuition-free education Opposes privatization of public school systems Against teaching to test and performance-based pay for teachers
Democratic Platforms 6
compiled by Julieanne Pike, Intern News Reporter
WALTERDALTON
ELISABETHMOTSINGER
LINDACOLEMAN
running for N.C. Governor
running for U.S. Representative
running for N.C. Lieutenant Governor
• Wants to restore education funding • Plans to increase investment in community colleges and technical education • For each long-term unemployed worker a business hires, Dalton will provide a $2,000 tax credit • Wants to pilot a Train-to-Hire program to encourage employers to hire unemployed workers • Will partner with law enforcement to protect children from predators
• Is in support of cleaner, alternative energy and less of a reliance on fossil fuels for the benefit of the planet • Believes in women’s right to choose the best reproductive health options for themselves as well as access to contraception • Is in support of marriage for all to ensure the stability of the family • She will protect Medicare in Washington for senior citizens who have worked hard their entire lives and deserve health care • Has emphasis on a strong middle class to help ensure a stable economy
• Will work to restore education funding • Opposes efforts to privatize the public education system • Wants to offer investments and incentives to attract biotech and clean energy industry to N.C. • Plans to work toward an energy independent state • Wants to harness regional strengths to create opportunity for North Carolinians
BETHWOOD
running for N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction
CULLIETARLETON running for
N.C. House of Representatives – District 93
•Has three-part job creation plan involving priority to local companies at N.C. contracts, rewards for hiring N.C. residents and creating a closer relationship between businesses and community colleges • Opposes cuts to funding for education • More support for teachers, professors and staff
JOHNBROOKS running for N.C. Commissioner of Labor
• Wants to create a training facility to educate vocational education teachers • Will prioritize lawmaking and evaluating and revising existing labor laws • Suggests adding educational and enforcement components to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration program to reduce workplace injuries
running for
N.C. Auditor
• Plans to uncover poor accounting practices and wasteful spending • Work to improve the efficiency of audits • Wants to develop better contracting practices that could save the state money
WALTERSMITH running for N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture
• Wants to improve production methods through technology and innovation • Wants to diversify farms • Supports sustainable farming practices • Plans to market North Carolina agricultural products
JUNEATKINSON
• Plans to improve achievement in children • Wants to prepare every child for the future • Supports paying teachers well • Will work to prepare children for a global economy
WAYNEGOODWIN running for N.C. Commissioner of Insurance
• Plans to expand the Seniors Health Insurance Information Program to provide more guidance to senior citizens • Understands the necessity of a competitive insurance market and low insurance rates • Wants to represent all emergency service workers and first responders in state government
JANETCOWELL running for N.C. Treasurer
• Will work to protect pensions for teachers, firefighters and public employees • Emphasizes financial literacy in education • Will fight to maintain the state’s AAA bond rating • Supports conservative debt management
ELAINEMARSHALL running for N.C. Secretary of State
• Supports raising the salary for teachers • Wants to reduce the focus on standardized testing • Supports health care reform with a public option
ROYCARTER running for N.C. State Senate – District 45
• Committed to education funding and restoring pay and insurance benefits for teachers • Wants to end job loss in education • Supports economic growth by bringing more jobs to the district
Source: Respective candidates’ official websites, thepoliticalguide.com
7
Students abroad face voting challenges in 2012 election by LINDSAY BOOKOUT
debates via the internet when I have the chance, and of course have seen videos that people have sent to me of important sections of the debate for discussing,” Bonville said. Studying abroad definitely hindered his participation in this election, Bonville said. InTapp seeks to increase international understanding and direct involvement with other cultures and countries by providing a leadership outlet for internationally focused students, according to intapp.appstate. edu. They promote studying abroad and work directly with students who do, as well. “I personally haven’t
News Reporter
While International Appalachian, an organization that works with students studying abroad, hasn’t seen an issue with students out of the country voting while abroad, some students have still missed the opportunity. Senior biology major Brian Bonville is studying abroad in Brazil, but will not be voting in this year’s election. Bonville said he would have voted, but he missed his ballot sending opportunity because he was without internet for several weeks, therefore missing his chance to send an absentee ballot. “I have watched the
heard anything about [voting while abroad] being an issue,” Kelsey Wayne, secretary for InTapp and senior global studies major, said. Rohan Jyothinagaram, a senior psychology and sociology major, is studying abroad in the United Kingdom and will be voting in this year’s election. Jyothinagaram had his absentee ballot mailed to him. He does not have a television, so he has not been able to watch the debates. He has been paying attention to the campaigns mostly through the internet. “I believe it’s important to know what’s going on,” Jyothinagaram said. “You can’t complain if you don’t vote.”
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Majority of faculty, staff registered as democrats, trained to work ‘independent’ from political beliefs by ANDREW CLAUSEN
News Reporter
Faculty and staff are registered mostly as democrats, according to ncsbe.org. Of all faculty and staff registered in Watauga County, 35.62 percent were found to be registered democrats. Second was unaffiliated voters with 20.35 percent, third was republicans with 8.76 percent, and only two faculty members were third party. However, 497 faculty and staff were not registered in Watauga County. Kelsey Crum, chairperson of College Republicans, didn’t find these numbers surprising. “Universities, by nature, are liberal bodies,” Crum said. “The reasons for this are varied, but in general, universities are focused on the theoretical.” President of College Democrats Lia Poteet said, although she was biased, she thought teachers and professors support the party that is “best for their students.” “Faculty and staff at Appalachian are likely to lean democratic for the same reason most teachers in primary, secondary and higher education do,” Poteet said. “Democratic policies are far better for education.” Co-Director of the government and justice studies department Adam Newmark said that while people may think that faculty are onesided, “it may or may not be the case.” “I don’t think this matters in a vast majority of classes, or at least it shouldn’t matter in most classes,” Newmark said. “There is a tendency to inflate party-ship with ideology. If you’re registered democrat, you must be liberal, and if you are republican, you are conservative. I would say most of the faculty is very moderate.” Crum said she believed that professors teach “about the theoretical,” which doesn’t have an “application in the real world.” “This scenario has perpetuated itself for decades,” Crum said. “It has given birth to the liberal campus environment [that] students have to navigate their way through while on campus.” Newmark believes that just because you are democratic or republican “doesn’t mean you can’t do your job.” “We’re trained to do our job independent from politics,” Newmark said. Newmark pointed out that the studies that find universities to be mainly liberal single out certain universities and ignore others. “They also ignore business and engineering schools and just focus on social sciences,” Newmark said. “They are just concerned with making their point.”
College of Education
College of Business
Democrat Republican Unaffiliated Not Registered in Watauga County Third Party
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