response to Clinton and Obama visit to plymouth

With out a doubt our Plymouth community has been very fortunate to have what sees to be the two front runners for the democratic nomination visit us. I was not impressed with what either had to say thought even though they are both very good publiuc speakers, both of their messages were weak . They just seemed to be very vague on how they will acomplish their plans with Health Care and Iraq. Actually Mrs. Clinton didnt even speak about those two issues. She spoke of how we , as college students , will benefit and giving more kids the oppurtunity to go to college. I guess as college students we must not care about Health care or the war in Iraq or arent important enough to talk about major issues. She didnt even really mention plans for either in her speech. Those are the things are a major concern to our country and me. I felt it was slap to our community by not speaking on such issues, that we must not be that important to her . Mr. Obama does give great promise but I dont trust that he gave us enough reasons to believe him and his ability to deliever Health care and an end to Iraq. I just believe that both of them left a great deal of holes and questions, and Mrs. Clinton should have atleast allowed for the topics of Health care and Iraq to be addressed. I think people that waited outside of the Hub wanted these issues addressed.

Sabato suggests Electoral College changes

Noted Presidency Scholar and Media commentator Larry Sabato has written a new book, A More Perfect Constitution in which he makes suggestions on how to reform the Electoral College. Sabato is advocating the call for a Constitutional Convention to improve and change the Constitution. Sabato explains his ideas to the readers at Daily Kos which you can read at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/17/165535/19 and you can get further information at Sabato's website, http://www.amoreperfectconstitution.com This might help you write your second essay!

Hillary Clinton vs Barack Obama

If you like politics at all, then in the last few weeks Plymouth State would've been the place for you. In the past few weeks, we have had 3 Presidential candidates speak to us about their plans for the future, and for the future and next four years or our nation. Two of those candidates are the front runners of the Democratic Nomination. New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

The first of these candidates was Obama. He arrived at PSU last Tuesday, October 9th. Loads of people, both students of Plymouth State and towns people from Plymouth. We all squeezed into the HUB Courtroom to hear what he had to say. Barack Obama had a lot of good points. He, along with countless Americans and pretty much everyone who was there that night, is frustrated with an administration who has an all talk no action policy, and an administration who lied to us as Americans and told us that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when there were none. Obama also talked about a health care plan that I feel is 100% accurate. His health care plan is such. Barack Obama's salary is paid for by us, the tax payer. His health care plan says that all Americans, young and old, will have the exact health care plan that he himself has. His philosophy is that if we, the American tax payer, is paying for his salary than we as Americans shouldn't get a health care plan less than the one he himself enjoys.

I was actually fortunate enough to ask Obama a question and this is what I asked. "In 2002 we had a situation where former Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez wrote a memorandum to George W. Bush telling him to secretly opt of his obligations to the Geneva Convention. Then in 20o4 we had a situation at Abu Ghraib, a special camp in Iraq where many Iraqi's were illegally tortured. What is you're stance on torture and how do you feel about the actions of Bush and Gonzales?" He followed this up by saying "No torture." He said that he does not and has never condoned torture because it's inhumane. As for the actions of Bush and Gonzales he said that what they did was inexcusable and would never happen with him as President.

As for Hillary, her speech, which occurred two days later, only focused on the lowering of College tuition and related college issues. I felt that Clinton used people, like the girl from Laconia, NH. The girl ho was there was a junior in HS and was tops in her class, but with a single parent household, didn't know how she' be able to afford college. After she told her story I felt that Hillary was too fake in saying that she felt bad and had compassion for what was happening to them. I felt that what Hillary wanted to do wasn't a very good idea, notably her wanting to get rid of the FAFSA because we spend "100 million hours" a year filling out the paper work, which is a complete lie because there's no paper work for the FAFSA, it's all online. I don't like how she's going to raise the Pell Grant and the Hope Tax but never said how she'd get the money. Not to mention the the Pell Grant wouldn't go up to $5400, according to her, until 2012, which would be the senior year in college, for the current seniors in HS. I had some agreements with her on some of her issues, but for the most part i disagreed with all of her stand points.

Having said all of this, I am a very strong supporter of Barack Obama. He's a great man, he's confident about what he believes in, and one thing I see in him, that I don't see in the other candidates is that he's excited to change America. That's something you don't see in Presidential hopefuls these days. I have, and will continue to support Senator Obama on his quest to be the nest President of the United States.

Project Vote Smart: I project smarter voters...

I read a few articles in the New York Times, and browsed the internet for quite some time with little luck of an interesting topic to write on. Finally, I stumbled upon a website: www.vote-smart.org. Essentially, Program Vote Smart, is a non-biased website devoted to education of voters. Well, voters with internet access, anyways. The website introduces it visitors with several options to learn of candidates by means of party, location, platform, opinions on individual issues, as well as their past experience. In a way, it's a lot like viewing the resumès of the different candidates.

One of what seems to be a positive trait of the website is the fact that it remains as close to un-biased as possible. The directors of the Project or program have methods set up that in order to serve on the board you must join with a member politically opposite of you. For example:

"No one can join the Project's board without a political opposite. People as diverse as former Presidents Carter and Ford, former Senators McGovern and Goldwater, former Governor Dukakis, former Congresswoman Ferraro and current Senator McCain have served on the Project's board, supporting the efforts of the Project's students and volunteers, and ensuring balance and strict impartiality in PVS programs and services." (Taken from About Us)

Important members of congress, past presidential hopefuls, etc, work for this organization, and I had never even heard of it, until tonight. One of the aspects of this website that I found unaccomodating is that nowhere was there any sort of spanish, or other language translation.


"Most of us at Project Vote Smart are not paid and those who are receive only minimal salaries to cover living expenses. We will not accept funding from corporations, PACs or any organization that support or oppose candidates or issues. This effort will be financed by you and other Americans or not at all. Although we could sure use your help, YOU DO NOT NEED TO HELP US IN ANY WAY. Our programs and services are free to all Americans." (taken from 'About Us' page of website)

^^The above is one of the policies that this program sets regarding monies.

In general I feel as though this is a useful program only partially exhibited by means of website. Another aspect of this program is actually a tour bus that goes around to colleges and major cities giving presentations about the different candidates of all the different parties including third parties.

Hillary Clinton on Higher Education

Hillary Unveils Plan for Higher Education at Plymouth State University

Senator Hillary Clinton proposed her plan to make colleges affordable for America’s families, in a packed event at Plymouth State University on October 11, 2007.

She addressed the crowd of students, faculty and staff, and community members touting that "One of the keys to a strong and confident America is a system of higher education that is accessible to all who are motivated to seek it out," said Clinton, adding that she understands how much more difficult it is now to begin, continue, and finish a college education than it was 20 years ago.

She outlined seven points in which she would be able to aid American families:

• Lowering the cost of college through a $3,500 tuition tax credit, enough to cover more than 50% of the cost of tuition at the average public institution for many families
• Increasing the Pell Grant
• Strengthen Community College
• Create a Graduation Fund to Increase Graduation rates
• Providing additional aid for people who do public service
• Simplifying student aid
• Providing clear information about the real cost of college well in advance to help families

“When it comes to higher education – we shouldn’t be playing catch-up with the world – we should be leading it. Because the skills and knowledge of our workforce will determine whether America can compete and win in the global economy,” Clinton said.

This speech was a set part from Barack Obama’s speech two days prior at Plymouth State University, Senator Clinton identified a problem and went out and gave examples how she would fix the problems that she identified. Whereas her opponent, gave a general speech on how he would change things, but then gave no examples or define plans on how he would do so.

There was also a clear difference in their ability to answer hard questions, where as Obama searched for words as he stumbled to complete thoughts, Clinton answered them with a laser targeted wit and masterful answers and justification for her thoughts.

"Change is just a word if you don't have the strength and experience to make it happen," she said, adding later that her experience on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue make her the strongest candidate for president in what she admitted was a very strong field.

"It's a good problem to have so many candidates," she said, adding that she knows how the senate works and her 35 years in a range of professions that include both public- and private-sector experience qualify her to be president.

"I admit I'm thrilled at the prospect of being the first woman president," she said candidly. "But I'm not running because I'm a woman. I'm running because I'm the best-qualified person to do the job."

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