FEATURES
9
February 2012 The Galleon
River talks politics
It’s 2012, and the pressure is on for five front-runners in the coming presidential election. Four students - and one teacher - weigh in on the choices for Commander-in-Chief this November.
wt Gingric e h N
Gingrich served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 19951999 .
Ro
n Paul
Ron Paul is a Texas congressman and military veteran.
“Our country needs one thing and one thing only right now: jobs. Newt Gingrich knows how to create jobs. It’s up to us to make sure he gets the chance because we’re running out of time until our economy sinks into stagflation. Newt’s plan for jobs isn’t some ideological, ego-driven design that we’ve seen candidates resort to. Rather, it’s based off of Reagan’s policies that led our country out of a similar recession in the 80s. Deregulation of businesses, encouragement of free market capitalism, and lowered tax rates will restore our economic success. Now, more than ever, we need a president with a rock-solid, productive past.”
Joey Goldman, 12
“Perhaps the least known and least discussed candidate in this year’s presidential campaign is Ron Paul. Paul has dazzled young voters with his lax drug policies and his stance on foreign policy. Paul believes that the United States should remain “isolated” from the rest of the world’s small disputes and domestic issues, and he wants to decrease the worldwide influence of the military. Paul is not a stereotypical Republican: he favors gay marriage and believes the government should not meddle in the social aspects of people’s lives, while he stands by his pro-life beliefs. Ron Paul offers a real change for the better for all American citizens.”
Nick Carbo, 12
S ck i R
“Santorum is a former senator, and well-experienced in government policy. I do feel that even if you don’t agree with what he thinks, which I don’t necessarily, he at least has some convictions. People have been telling him to stop caring about the issue of gay marriage for years, but that hasn’t changed his persistance. Unlike Romney, who has gone from pro-life to prochoice in his lifetime, at least Santorum sticks to his values.”
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Rick Santorum was previously a Pennsylvania senator.
[Editor’s note: Lampman does not endorse Rick Santorum’s campaign]
Aaron Lampman, AP U.S. History Teacher “In Mitt Romney’s plan for Jobs and Economic Growth, he proposes lower tax rates on low-income and middle income citizens that will help foster growth of American small businesses. Romney plans to fix our financial debt by cutting spending and capping it at 20% of our GDP, reforming Medicaid and Social Security. Romney is clearly the most rational and moderate of the Republican field, and has declared that “...abortion should be safe and legal in this country.” Romney has first-hand experience in the private sector, creates jobs for the American people and looks at social issues from a rational and modern standpoint.”
M
R itt
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Romney was a businessman and currently serves as Governor of Massachusetts.
Danny Jaffe, 11
a
ack Obam r Ba
“President Barack Obama entered his presidency in a difficult economic and military period with the intention of helping America back to stability and progressing forward. He has. Obama’s administration has seen the development of 2.6 million private sector jobs, the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and the repeal of the archaic and intolerant “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. He is incredibly invested in the reform and success of the American education system, and has saved or created some 300,000 teaching positions. An activist for equal rights, he is working to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans and to guarantee women equal pay in the workplace. In an election year marked by smear campaigns and attacks on other candidates, our president has demonstrated only a desire to continue working for the benefit of American security, financial stability and personal freedoms.”
Caroline Posner, 11 Photos courtesy of Google Images
Obama is the 44th president of the United States.
Juniors take the spotlight on wsrh
The juniors of Mr. Weddle’s first period TV Production class will produce and star on the morning announcements until seniors return for Spring Fling week.
Photos by Julie Bergman
On left, juniors Lisa Marie Checo and Lexie Kessler read the announcements from a teleprompter. On right, the WSRH crew of juniors broadcasts the morning annoucements to Spanish River classrooms.