Due to the recent provocative and controversial statements of several presidential candidates, the polarization between the Democrats and Republicans has grown to an even larger scale.
Seniors Jasmine Grant and Ariella Yendler weigh in on candidates and their opinions.
“I think the issues of the world are changing, and politics will have to change with it,” Grant said. “In my opinion, Republicans are stagnant. The world requires spontaneity, and they lack it.”
The conservative statements of Republican candidates Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney have led to a negative opinion of the party in general among some students.
“I am pretty disappointed in the Republican candidates,” senior Ariella Yendler said. “They’re all for cutting down government spending, which is really what we need right now, but on the other hand, they’re also anti-abortion. I can’t vote for them because of that.”
Grant believes that taking government class this semester has allowed her to gain a greater understanding of politics.
“You realize that you know a lot, but it makes you more aware of it, and it makes you want to go out and learn more,” Grant said.
Yendler attributes many of her opinions to discussions held in her government class with teacher Jerry Sheehy and economics with teacher Todd Dwyer.
“I haven’t looked at any of the independent candidates, but apparently they’re a ‘wasted vote,’ as we called it in government,” Yendler said.
The issue of third-party candidacy has always been hotly contested, and the recent disapproval of the Republican Party has led both Grant and Yendler to entertain the possibility of a third option.
“I find that I’m actually leaning toward the Green Party,” Grant said. “Though they don’t have any sway in the election because they’re a third party and the U.S. has a two-party system.”
Yendler believes that the country’s belief in a two-party system has led to complications in the elections.
“I think we shouldn’t have a party system; it’s part of what makes it so hard to vote for candidates,” Yendler said. “We’ve conformed to a certain set of ideals, and it’s really hard to have a differentiation between them.”
2012 Republican candidates: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum
General election date: November 6
Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island primaries take place on April 24
Voters wishing to participate in the general election on Nov. 6 must have registered by October 9
As of April 6, the number of delegates per Republican candidate is:
http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/primaries/delegates
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“I haven’t looked at any of the independent candidates, but apparently they’re a ‘wasted vote,’ as we called it in Government,” Yendler said. “I might just do the Stephen Colbert thing and write in Rick Perry with a big “A” for America,” Yendler said.
“The fact that there are these old, Caucasian guys sitting on those abortion boards needs to be changed,” Grant said. “People who are actually affected by abortion should be the ones deciding on it.”
“You can’t win without having millions under millions and dollars and super PACs, and I think that’s wrong with our society,” Grant said. “I don’t know how to avoid it, but I just know that it’s wrong.”
Religion has always been a much
“Those references to “our founding fathers were Christian,” are irrelevant, because this is the 21st Century.”
“I think [religion] is not a state problem, it shouldn’t be a part of the election,” Yendler said.
