Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4 — Tuesday, November 8, 2016
MAX RYZSTAK | COLUMN
A
s a young, conservative dealing with are this complex Republican, this and serious, your ballot truly election has been representing you is important. very disappointing. Ever Writing in candidates can send since Republican presidential a message to the country, to the nominee Donald parties and to the Trump entered the candidates. race, he’s hijacked That’s why, this the conversation year, I chose to and kept the nation’s write in Speaker focus away from of the House Paul actual policies and Ryan (R). Seemingly proposals. As it is opposite of Trump, highly unlikely that Ryan has the policy Republicans like experience needed myself, who are to proudly represent MAX unsatisfied with Republican RYZSTAK the Trump, will vote Party. His agenda of for Hillary, a relatively large helping everybody — people of percentage of the American all races, religions and cultures electorate is left without a — can move the Republican candidate who accurately Party into the future. He represents a significant doesn’t just understand the proportion of their political actual specifics of his policies; opinions. he also has the ability to Personally, I cannot support explain these complex and Trump due to his lack of firm specific policies to the masses. policy positions. His absence of From his speeches to his social positive vision and knowledge media campaigns and videos, of actual solutions don’t make Paul Ryan can communicate him qualified to be president. with a wide variety of people. Whether regarding trade, He knows how to help those immigration, social issues, suffering and he knows how to international policy or taxes, bring people of all backgrounds Trump understands neither together. Ryan’s way of the fundamental problems communicating with the public nor the potential solutions. is in stark contrast with the He doesn’t recognize how to embarrassing methods of bring people together, how Trump. Ryan can diversify to lead a nation or how to the party and make it proud, conduct himself. Democratic whereas Trump will do the presidential nominee Clinton, exact opposite. on the contrary, has the What’s unique about Ryan temperament, but not the is that his “A Better Way” policy, to be president. package of ideas represents a Thankfully, however, comprehensive set of solutions citizens have the opportunity for many of our nation’s to choose beyond the two major problems. He lays out actual party candidates by writing proposals on issues varying in their candidate of choice. from poverty to national While chances for write-in security to health care to the candidates actually winning Constitution and sends a clear are next to nothing, fully message through his solutions. exercising my right to vote Whether or not you agree as a person who represents with this vision or not, many my values and ideas gives candidates fail to provide their me the opportunity to take a goals for America in the policies stand against both Trump and they propose. Paul Ryan is Clinton. A lot of people think different; he is educated on the exercising this right is a joke, policy and can inspire people but when the issues we are with his proposals.
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FROM THE DAILY
A
Be sure to vote smart
month ago, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held an 11-point lead over Donald Trump. As of Monday night, that had dwindled to a 3-point lead. Michigan hasn’t gone red since 1988, but in the last three days, President Barack Obama and presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have all targeted Michigan voters. Monday, Obama campaigned for Clinton at Ray L. Fisher Stadium taking a personal approach: He made it clear that not voting or voting in support of Trump would be a personal insult to him and reverse the eight years of work his administration has done. Michigan’s status as one of the only states that doesn’t have early voting and that historically has low turnout at the polls are two of many reasons why candidates are targeting our state, and are the exact reasons why it is so important to vote today. In particular, millennials have been criticized in the past for not showing up to the polls, so this is our call to students: Vote today and make the headlines “Millennials defeat Trump.” Given these historical statistics, and given that Trump has been polling higher in Michigan leading up to Election Day, it’s vitally important for students to have a strong presence at the polls. There are a lot of resources for students on campus that make it easier to vote: ridesharing services such as Zipcar, Lyft and Uber are all working to get the vote out. For example, Zipcar is making 7,000 cars free nationwide between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Election Day. Lyft and Uber also have certain Election Day discounts to varying degrees, which students should keep in mind if physically getting to the polls is a problem financially or logistically. On campus, students themselves are mobilizing by hosting watch parties, holding rallies, making
posts on social media and offering rides to polling locations. Some professors have given passes to students who have demonstrated they will use class time to go vote, which is commendable. Each student’s vote has a wide-ranging impact, from the international political arena to our campus community here in Ann Arbor. In the past weeks, the University community has faced racist incidents that have injured our already-poor campus climate. Because of Trump’s dangerous rhetoric, a vote against Trump is a vote to stop this type of hatred on campus. Though there has been a shift among student voting for Clinton instead of third parties or alternative write-in candidates, according to a Michigan Daily polling data, it is important to keep
Why I wrote in Paul Ryan
in mind that unless a candidate has officially registered to be a write-in candidate, a vote for that candidate will not count. It’s also important to know your rights as a voter. You have a right to vote in private, free from intimidation or interference. If you think your rights are being violated, notify a poll monitor at your location of voting. These people should be easily identifiable and will know what to do in case of suspected illegal activity. You can also file a civil rights complaint to the Department of Justice by calling the Civil Rights Division at (800) 253-3931 to reach the Discrimination Complaint number or (202) 307-2767 to reach the Voting Section of the Department of Jusice. Be sure to vote, and vote smart.
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Hillary Clinton, President of the United States Chuck Warpehoski, City Councilmember for the 5th Ward Laurence Deitch and Denis Ilitch, University Regents Ballot proposal to extend term lengths for Ann Arbor Mayor and City Council members
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
— President Barack Obama during remarks at Ray L. Fisher Stadium on Nov. 7.
COLLIN KELLY | OP-ED
T
Vote blue down the ballot affordability to investing in infrastructure, from environmental protection to criminal justice reform, Clinton has detailed plans to overcome the incredible challenges our next president will face. But one race alone will not determine the future of our country, our state or even our community. Democrats have a strong chance to take back the U.S. Senate, and the House of Representatives could be in play as well. Clinton alone cannot pass the sweeping reforms this country desperately needs — Congress must turn blue, too. We’ve seen what a hostile Republican majority has done to President Obama’s agenda, and it’s safe to assume the obstruction and gridlock would continue if Democrats don’t win control of Congress. We all know the stakes of this election. I would never argue that the presidential election isn’t the most important race on the ballot — especially for this vitriolic election. But even if progressive dreams come true and the White House, Senate and House of Representatives all go blue, much of that may still be for nothing in Michigan if Democrats do not win back the Michigan House of Representatives. Michigan state government is currently under full Republican control, and we desperately need an institutional check on that. Despite winning more total votes in 2014, Democrats lost four seats
in the state House and one in the state Senate, giving Republicans a large majority in the House and the Senate. With gubernatorial and Senate elections occurring during midterms, the best opportunity to change the outlook of state politics is for Democrats to win a majority in the state House. State governments have a much larger impact on our daily lives than most people give them credit for. Gov. Rick Snyder ran as a moderate Republican and is still widely referred to as such, yet has shown little strength standing up to his further-right Republican colleagues in the legislature and simply signs off on just about anything they put on his desk. We desperately need a check on Republican policies, and a Democratic majority would give us a necessary voice that could not be ignored. Denying the Flint water crisis, mismanaging Detroit Public Schools, refusal to grant civil rights protections to LGBTQ+ citizens, cutting budgets of higher education, slashing revenue sharing for local communities, banning libraries from circulating factual information about elections — this list goes on and on, including everything from life-threatening and horribly apathetic to ridiculous and almost-cartoonish attempts to restrain democratic processes and retain Republicans’ stranglehold on state politics. Collectively, these policies have devastated the state of Michigan.
Max Ryzstak can be reached at mryzstak@umich.edu.
Trump is uniquely unqualified for the job, but Michigan is uniquely qualified to keep him from it.
The Michigan Daily endorses the following candidates/proposals:
his election must culminate in a vote for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Yes, her opponent is racist, sexist, misogynistic and xenophobic, but Clinton is a candidate we need to be excited about. She is the most qualified presidential candidate in history, her platform is the most progressive and her career of fighting for those without a voice speaks for itself. Beyond just the vote for the presidency, this election will play a critical role in determining how both the national and state legislatures operate in the coming years. Clinton has noted that throughout her career, her favorability plummets while on the campaign trail, then skyrockets while actually on the job. She’s a public servant, not a campaigner. Clinton gives long, boring, intricately detailed explanations to basic questions in debates. Her stump speeches are a policy wonk’s dream, but they fail to capture the heart and soul of the average American. She may not thrill crowds like Bernie Sanders or President Barack Obama, but she has a wealth of policy knowledge and political experience, receiving praise from Democrats and Republicans alike for her time serving in the U.S. Senate. She is ready for the job, and nearly all her professional experience thus far has prepared her to lead the nation. From college
Take, for example, his plans on poverty. He traveled around the country as a part of a documentary to get different perspectives on poverty in our nation today, so he knows what we need to do to get people to improve their socioeconomic situation. His prioritization of advancing the situation of the disadvantaged through conservative policy is what the Republican Party (and the country) needs. He also knows how to communicate with those from all different backgrounds. In talking with those who typically hold different political views, Ryan’s outreach demonstrates a prioritization of country over politics. He truly cares about the lives of all people. In fact, that’s what separates Ryan. His compassion, humility and simple upbringing may sound stereotypical of any politician, but Paul Ryan is truly the opposite of a Washington elite. His willingness to unite people is what separates him. This election year is the first time I am able to vote in a presidential election, and I — along with many — do not support either major candidate. I’ve chosen to write in the speaker of the House. While I know he won’t win, I know that he represents the Republican Party many people like myself aspire for. My vote for Ryan is a vote for Republicans of the likes of Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley and Ronald Reagan. Having the opportunity to write in my own candidate allows me to truly vote with my conscience. It’s a vote against Hillary’s corruption and Trump’s lack of intelligence. It allows me to vote for the party I hope to be a part of rather than the party that exists this year. It’s a vote for true Conservatives who propose meaningful and hopeful policies.
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DO YOU KNOW YOUR POLLING LOCATION?
We desperately need a check on these dangerous policies, and a Democratic majority would give us a necessary voice. Hillary Clinton and Democrats across the ballot have my vote and deserve yours. The system is not rigged as some people suggest, but institutional racism, sexism, homophobia and many other systemic problems persist. Solutions to these issues and progressive change in this country are possible. We need to come together and vote for the candidates who represent our values and our hopes for the future — not to make America great again, but to make it better than it is now and has ever been. This election is about us and what vision we have for our country. It’s about time that our governments — at all levels — begin to reflect our values. So go out and vote. Encourage your friends and family to vote. Help out at polling locations. Volunteer for get-out-the-vote shifts. This is the most important day of the next four years, and the future of our country is truly in our hands. We can continue the progress of President Obama and help create an even better future for all Americans by electing Hillary Clinton and Democrats down the ballot.
Collin Kelly is an LSA junior and the chair of the University of Michigan’s chapter of College Democrats.
Don’t show up to the wrong place today. Not all students belong to the same ward and thus do not have the same polling location. Visit https://webapps.sos.state. mi.us/MVIC/ to find yours. JOE IOVINO | CONTACT JOE IOVINO AT JIOVINO@UMICH.EDU