The One and Only?

By Julie Stauder

Davis (DE)- During the Democratic debate on Tuesday evening in SOC 118, senator John Edwards claims to be the only candidate with fully thought out plans to guide the United States to change.

All democratic candidates feel similar on many important issues. However, Edwards seemed to attack Obama and Clinton on their slightly different plans. All the candidates addressed their feeling on issues of immigration, the war in Iraq and health care. Although they all have good intentions for our nation, Edwards demanded attention and set his plan away from the others. Is Edward’s planning better than Obama and Clinton? Or are Obama and Hilary’s plans more realistic?

Edwards claimed to be the only candidate whose number one concern is poverty. He said, “We are the richest nation, yet over 37 million Americans live in poverty, and it needs to change.” He also mentioned that he was the only candidate who has a plan to give health care to all Americans; by taxing the rich high, this dream would become a reality. Is it plausible that America will soon be poverty free, and every American will have health care? Although we all vision this way of life, is this a rational dream? This is not only a national problem, but a world wide issue. We have been fighting these problems for years, yet things have got worse. How can these problems really be solved?

Finalizing the debate, Edwards took control once again, pointing out that all the candidates want change, but what sets him apart from the rest is that he has the sources and the plans to actually change the system. Is John Edwards the one and only candidate best to be our president?

The Republicans: The Republican debate took place Tuesday evening after the Democrats. John McCain, Rudy Giulliani, Erica Huckabee, and Ron Paul voiced their opinions on the top issues. All but Ron Paul do not want to back out of the War in Iraq. McCain says if elected, “he has the military experience to gain success. Backing out of Iraq will make our nation look weak.” My question is: What will McCain do differently? And if backing out makes us appear weak, what do we look like for invading their country? We have been in Iraq for five years now, and have spent billions of dollars and lost many soldiers; how can we attain success?

I was interested in having in interview with McCain to address these questions, however after his campaign agreed, they never followed through. I am disappointed not having my questions answered, but McCain really got my attention at the debate voicing his number one issue: the environment. McCain also stated he was the only republican candidate who wants to secure our boarders. McCain, like Edwards, noted his differences, setting him away from the other candidates.

All republican candidates spoke their piece, yet McCain took control and voiced he was the only candidate right for the job. Who do you choose?

Giuliani on Everyday Issues

By John Pham

Davis (DE) - It is not everyday that a small, local newspaper gets to interview one of the presidential candidates. Even though we can’t afford a real exclusive interview, an email interview will suffice. Who is the candidate you ask? Well it is the former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani. In the interview, we talked about the everyday issues that the locals of Davis might be concerned with.

As in my previous article, I talked about how the education system is in a freefall and below average compared to other countries on the international stage. Giuliani believes that the whole K-12 system needs to be reformed to meet international levels. “I will bring the educational decision making into the hands of the parents, the individuals that know the children best,” replied Giuliani, “I will create a federal voucher program to help children in failing schools.”

Ever since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the Sacramento valley has been in a state of fear. Experts believe that our levee systems could end up like that of New Orleans. There have been inadequate amounts of the funds to repair the levee system. Giuliani proposes that more money will be needed to upgrade the levee systems that were built in the 1900’s. In case of a severe flood in the Sacramento valley, he wants to be prepared by expanding training opportunities and creating teams like the Urban Search and Rescue Teams.

In the past, Giuliani supported President Bush’s tactics of using domestic surveillance. He stated that “we have to remain a country that has the Patriot Act, a country that has electronic surveillance to use to find out about these plots that may be being planned.” Bush and Congress have been heavily criticized for passing a law that violates personal privacy. Giuliani is still in favor of it, but believes that Bush’s administration misused the Patriot Act. “I support finding terrorists,” says Giuliani, “…I still believe that if electronic surveillance is being used on those people who are high risk, and then I am in favor of it.”

Crime rates might be dropping but violent crime rates is on the rise. New York City has one of the lowest crime rates among other metropolitans. Giuliani plans to implement the same safety system as he did in New York City to the rest of the country. “I would love to have the American people be able to sleep soundly at night knowing that an increase in public safety officials is doing their job.”

Giuliani plans to introduce a new tax form called the Fair and Simple Tax Form which consists of only three tiers: 10%, 15%. 30%. “This new format will make the often confusing tax system simpler for the average American,” says Giuliani, “While making it simpler it will also be able to save an average American family of four, which makes $80,000 a year, an estimated $2,207in federal income tax.”

For the final question, I asked him about his current campaign strategy. With him losing in every state so far, especially Florida, where he focused everything, what are his thoughts and what does he have planned? “I believe that Americans have been able to hear my message and they will want my standards in homeland security and taxes, be something by whoever will be in the White House. This is not the last America will hear of Rudy Giuliani.”

That is a testament of a great American.