The Daily Illini :: Election Guide 2012

ELECTION GUIDE 2012 A publication of The Daily Illini Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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What do DI columnists think about Obama, Romney and the election?

Find out more about local candidates running for office.

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The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

ELECTIONS 2012

Presidential Debates

POOL-WIN MCNAMEE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama answer a question during the third presidential debate at Lynn University on Oct. 22 in Boca Raton, Fla.

Debate 1

Debate 2

Domestic policy

Debate 3

Foreign and domestic policy

Foreign policy

in a town-hall format The first debate focused largely on economic policies. Both candidates spoke extensively about their respective plans for job creation and the economy in general. The debate had four segments: jobs, the federal deficit and debt, entitlements, and the role of government.

The debate began with Gov. Mitt Romney criticizing President Barack Obama for the deficit and raising taxes.

Obama stood by raising taxes and cited programs that would have been cut if taxes were not raised. Romney also criticized Obama for providing $90 billion in tax breaks to green energy companies such as Solyndra. Obama criticized Romeny’s plan to restructure Medicare and make it more of a voucher program.

MODERATOR: Jim Lehrer, former anchor for the PBS NewsHour, was criticized for allowing the candidates to exceed their time limits and control the debate.

Memorable Quotes “There are a lot of points I want to make tonight, but the most important one is that 20 years ago I became the luckiest man on Earth because Michelle Obama agreed to marry me. And so I just want to wish, Sweetie, you, happy anniversary and let you know that a year from now we will not be celebrating it in front of 40 million people.”

Obama

“I’m sorry, Jim, I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I’m going to stop other things. I like PBS, I love Big Bird.

Actually like you, too. But I’m not going to — I’m not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for.”

Romney

Undecided voters submitted questions for this debate. The candidates answered questions about job creation, alternative energy, income tax reform, integrating more women into the workplace, immigration, the crisis in Libya and gun rights.

MODERATOR: Candy Crowley of CNN’s “State of the Union” was criticized for fact-checking during the debate and confirming that Obama’s statement was factually accurate.

Memorable Quotes “We took a concerted effort to go out and find women who had backgrounds that could be qualified to become members of our cabinet. I went to a number of women’s groups and said, ‘Can you help us find folks,’ and they brought us whole binders full of women.”

Crowley:

Romney

“Because we’re — we’re closing in, I want to still get a lot of people in. I want to ask you something, Mr. President, and then have the governor just quickly. Your secretary of state, as I’m sure you know, has said that she takes full responsibility for the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi. Does the buck stop with your secretary of state as far as what went on here?”

Obama:

“Secretary Clinton has done an extraordinary job. But she works for me. I’m the president. And I’m always responsible. And that’s why nobody is more interested in finding out exactly what happened than I do.”

The segments in this debate were fighting terrorism, the United States’ role in the world, Israel and Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan and the rise of China.

Romney said that despite the Arab Spring, there are still problems in the Middle East, specifically in Syria and Libya. Romney said the Middle East needs more economic development, better education, gender equality and the rule of law. Obama said the Middle East needs better leadership in order to maintain stability. The candidates discussed the crisis in Syria and how involved the United States ought to be.

Romney discussed the trade imbalance between China and the United States and the issue of American jobs being sent to China. Obama said Romney’s proposed changes to taxes would create 800,000 jobs, but they would not be in the United States.

MODERATOR: Bob Schieffer of CBS News was praised for moderating the debate well and keeping the focus on the candidates.

Memorable Quotes “Syria is Iran’s only ally in the Arab world. It’s their route to the sea.”

Romney “But I think Gov. Romney maybe hasn’t spent enough time looking at how our military works. You — you mentioned the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well, Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets — (laughter) — because the nature of our military’s changed. We have these things called aircraft carriers where planes land on them. We have these ships that go underwater, nuclear submarines.”

Obama

Congressional Race

Dav i d Gi ll Democrat

R o d ney Dav i s

Republican

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID GILL

THE DAILY ILLINI

FOR CONGRESS

TOP PRIORITY IF ELECTED: Gill said it is to restore the public’s trust in government. “People have been working harder and harder for 40 years in this country; they’ve been more productive, and they don’t see the rewards for that,” Gill said. “And ultimately, they’re not able to have the purchasing power that they ought to have.

Having the millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share, that’s something Uncle Sam can do to help the economy.”

TOP PRIORITY IF ELECTED: Davis said the looming expiration of the Bush Era tax cuts is creating an atmosphere of uncertainty for small businesses. Davis said we should extend the tax cuts to provide certainty of tax expenses for these businesses, to “enable our businesses to feel comfortable to expand and hire once again, providing much-needed jobs to our college graduates.”

STANCE ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: Gill has stated that many of the provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are a step in the right direction.

However, Gill has said “the ACA relies too much on insurance companies that put profit ahead of quality patient care.”

He believes Medicare is more cost-efficient.

PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THE NATIONAL DEBT/FISCAL CLIFF: Gill advocates higher tax rates for those earning more than $250,000 a year, with no increase in taxes for those in lower income brackets. Rather than just cutting spending, he said we should be focusing on spending more efficiently and putting that money towards growing our economy.

Gill said this can be done by cutting subsidies to oil companies as well as protecting Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and financial aid from cuts.

PLAN TO BRING MORE JOBS TO ILLINOIS: Gill wants to end tax breaks for outsourcers, roll back free-trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA, improve infrastructure and revitalize the manufacturing sector. He also wants to “tap” top research universities for innovations in energy production and medicine. Gill also plans to assist

STANCE ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: Davis sees the Affordable Care Act as contributing to the reluctance businesses have to hire new workers because of the added cost and burden it puts on these businesses.

“Obamacare is not free — it’s going to cost 2.6 trillion dollars.”

However, Davis does support the sections of Obamacare that provide health care to those with pre-existing conditions, the removal of lifetime caps and allowing students to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26.

PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THE NATIONAL DEBT/FISCAL CLIFF: Davis wants to audit each and every federal program to cut any wasteful spending, while at the same time extending the Bush tax cuts for all income brackets.

“We have to have a vision in America to cut spending and attack our national debt. Let’s go ahead and cut spending, cutting out the waste and fraud in all areas of government that we find it, then go in and see what we have to do to cut our discretionary spending so we can preserve and protect Social Security, Medicare, Pell grants and affordable student loans,” Davis said.

small businesses and supports Small Business Administration programs from community banks. !There are also a number of proposed tax incentives that will encourage small business growth, including tax credits for hiring new workers,... veterans and tax deductions for investing in new equipment.”

PLAN TO REDUCE RISES IN TUITION AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: Gill believes the U.S. should return to the days when financial aid primarily consisted of grants, rather than primary loans as is the case today. Gill believes those currently in Congress have not made funding for higher education a top priority.

“I think that we should return to the days when Pell grants were far more accessible and loans for school were available at much lower interest rates.”

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: “For years, I have been an outspoken advocate for the freedom to marry for all Americans, including gay and lesbian couples ... In Congress, I will push to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.” ABORTION: “I fully support a woman’s right to choose and believe women should make their own health care decisions, not politicians.”

PLAN TO BRING MORE JOBS TO ILLINOIS: “Almost every day I speak with the job creators,” Davis said. “What they tell me is they need certainty with what their tax bill and their health care costs are going to look (like) at the end of the year. They’re not going to invest in people unless they have that certainty to make those long term investments in their business.”

PLAN TO REDUCE RISES IN TUITION AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: Davis said he plans to protect Federal Pell grants and to keep student loans affordable, but ultimately, low tuition doesn’t matter unless you can find a job upon graduation.

“The policies of the last three and a half years have not done nearly enough to attack the unemployment rate or to create the jobs necessary.”

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: “I am for defining marriage as between a man and a woman and for leaving it up to the states to determine if they will allow civil unions.”

ABORTION: “I am pro-life, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life and health of the mother.”

The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

ELECTIONS 2012

Top Issues Women’ s He alt h

C o lle ge Fi nan ce s

Fo rei gn P o li c y

Jen Tayabji

Charle s May field

L aura H a st i n g s

Daily Illini: Why has this issue been getting more attention this election season?

Jen Tayabji: I think women’s health in general has

Daily Illini: What steps have been taken in the right direction by either candidate?

Charles Mayfield: Both candidates have said they

Daily Illini: How do you think that these foreign policies affect students?

Laura Hastings: (Foreign policies affect students)

Community organizer for Champaign County Health Care Consumers been getting more and more attention in the last five to 10 years. It’s getting attention at the state and federal level regarding access to contraception, so just because of that being a legislative issue, that’s something that becomes important in the elections.

Associate director of student financial aid

support the Pell grant program, which is sort of the cornerstone of federal student aid and so that’s good. ... Education is typically a bipartisan issue, so to see support for the Pell grant program from both candidates is definitely a good thing for the education industry. Neither candidate has provided a good amount of detail — I think that’s just the nature of the process. Candidates typically just don’t do that before they get elected, so nobody really has a lot of detail, and our hope will be that whoever wins the election and whatever administration is in place, whoever happens to be in Congress, in the Senate and in the House, that all of those areas will support education.

Interim director of global studies and LAS international programs every day. The first one is the military. If we continue to have such a large presence overseas, more of our students are going to go into the military and leave school ... to me, that’s clear. We have never had so many engagements overseas as we do now. It’s really troubling. Secondly, though, our students will have careers that are international. ... International environmental change issues must be addressed by presidents, and if administrations miss the opportunity to negotiate with other countries and take global action, we’re all going to feel the consequence. ... Finally, China (and) our policies towards China. Whether we continue to open up to them, whether we continue to negotiate with them on trade deals, on currency, all that stuff is going to really reflect your opportunities as a young professional in the field.

Jo b s

E n v i r o nmen t He alt h Care

Werner Baer Professor of economics

Daily Illini: What has President Barack Obama’s job creation strategy been? What is Gov. Mitt Romney’s strategy?

Werner Baer: Obama inherited an economy which

was on the way to becoming almost a depression.

And so he continued what was started under President (George W.) Bush, that is to say to rescue banks. He also made various attempts to stimulate the economy through tax breaks and through increasing government expenditures. ... (Obama) did other things which saved the country from having even higher unemployment. When General Motors and Chrysler were going to go out of business, he sort of nationalized it, rescued them and therefore saved jobs. ... It took only a very short time (before) these companies were put on their feet again, they were privatized again and they’re doing very well. Romney says, ‘Well, that’s not the way to create jobs. The way to create jobs is to lower taxes. Because as soon as you lower taxes, the medium and small businesses will start spending and create jobs and everything will be just fine.’

Bet han y Cu t t s

Assistant professor of natural resources and environmental science Daily Illini: How do the candidates stances differ?

Bethany Cutts: The general tenets of the Obama-

Biden campaign is that protecting the environment is an opportunity for leadership and economic development in the forest, on the farm and in the city, and we can do well as a nation by empowering those who have been disenfranchised to do good for themselves in ways that also do good for the planet. ... The general tenet of the RomneyRyan campaign is that investment in the environment isn’t an opportunity but is a cost to business as usual and one that cannot necessarily be born given our current economic situation. They support policy interventions based on alterations to the free market that would create incentives for change through flexibility and self-regulation by industry.”

Kat h ry n O berd e ck

Associate professor of history

The Daily Illini: Why is this an important issue for the 2012 election?

Kathryn Oberdeck: Questions about how to make

health care affordable and accessible have been debated and discussed in U.S. public and political circles since at least the Progressive Era. And throughout this period, they have been tagged with being “un-American” or “socialistic,” just as they are being today. Meanwhile, the cost of medical care and the vulnerability of the uninsured have escalated. Eighty-three percent of voting U.S. citizens see this as a vital question. Whether it is possible to cut through rhetoric toward policies that will address their concerns remains to be seen.

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The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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ELECTIONS 2012

Opinions Daily Illini will not endorse candidates RYAN WEBER Opinions editor

T

he Washington Post and The New York Times have published their endorsements for the presidential election, supporting the re-election of President Barack Obama. The Des Moines Register, a major newspaper in Iowa, endorsed Gov. Mitt Romney in a state that is fiercely divided between the two candidates. The Columbus Dispatch and The Plain Dealer, two of the largest and most influential papers in Ohio, a significant battleground state, penned editorials that supported Romney and Obama, respectively.

In line with a January editorial written by the paper’s publisher and editorial page editor, the Chicago Sun-Times will not give an opinion on which candidate to support.

But 10 blocks away, the Chicago Tribune endorsed Obama.

In 2008, The Daily Illini endorsed Obama. In 2004, it endorsed Sen. John Kerry. This year, there will be no “Vote Obama” or “Vote Romney” splashed across the page in a 90-point font.

This decision does not come easily — some members of the editorial board opposed this decision; others supported it.

I, along with the majority of the board’s members, think the utility of an endorsement has passed.

Years ago, newspaper endorsements had a purpose, perhaps. Information could not be accessed with the same ease at which we scour the Internet today. This newspaper’s readers don’t just read The Daily Illini — they read many other sources, as they should. Long ago, it followed that a newspaper’s endorsement could force a voter’s hand at the polls. Today, voters largely know via their own research and political affiliation which candidate they will select before they read any newspaper endorsements.

The job of the opinions section of The Daily Illini, then, is to offer an array of perspectives on a variety of issues, which we then critique, analyze and question.

Opinions help fill in the holes that objective news reporting cannot. This editorial board and this paper’s columnists take hard stances on certain issues and at times offer harsh criticism of organizations and people because we expect that you take issue with them as well. An opinions page is meant to provide you with the fuel to create your own opinions about your world, not to provide you with the singular opinion you must unquestionably take for yourself.

Who will you vote for

We, as an editorial staff, show the implications of news stories published in The Daily Illini or papers around the world.

Sometimes we’ll take decisive opinions, and other times we leave it to you to make up your mind — delivering those opinions is decided on a case-by-case basis.

And leading up to these elections, the editorial board and the columnists provide opinions on several issues five days a week: some political, some cultural and some neither or both. You are to pick up on the opinions you want and question or reject the rest. But if what we’ve written up to this day hasn’t helped you decide on a candidate, a political endorsement certainly won’t do it either.

More so than voters, politicians take endorsements seriously, posting them to their campaign websites and issuing press releases with them included. Effectively, the newspaper has drafted a public advertisement for them rather than enlighten a reader — and writing advertisements is not what this editorial board will do.

As editor, I strive to offer The Daily Illini’s readers with as much diverse commentary as I can, and that information is presented to you to help you make reasoned decisions when you contribute to an informed debate of issues important to you.

Political endorsements, like those for public offices like U.S. senator or county clerk, do not serve that purpose.

Should other newspapers stop the ageold practice of endorsing candidates? I can’t say — I don’t know firsthand their readership. Some papers, like The New York Times, spent months on the decision, possibly using the endorsement as the culmination of months or years of opinion writing. In battleground states like Florida or Ohio, diverse opinion of political endorsements may serve a more significant purpose, where public opinion is closely divided between the candidates.

But gauging this paper’s readership, I can say that such an endorsement is not necessary or appropriate.

Some have argued that an editorial advocating support for a candidate emphasizes everyone’s right to vote — to make a decision. But not doing so does the same. I believe it says that we have confidence in your ability to decide for yourself.

So vote on what you know and what you can uncover over the next seven days, even using this guide.

In 2012, I will endorse you and your vote, the only opinion that matters in the end.

With intellect, passion and hope, head to the polls and vote.

Ryan is a junior in LAS. He can be reached at weber34@dailyillini.com.

The Daily Illini

Editorials Debt, student loans need to be re-evaluated

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itally important in the state elections is the high cost of the University. Many students struggle to pay out of pocket, and in-state tuition can cost up to as much as $19,880. With books, housing and other fees, it can total up to an estimated $33,922.

This is where federal student loans come into play. These loans make it possible for students to get an education without them having to worry about paying it off while in school.

The grace period before students begin paying their loans interest has recently been shortened. Before, students who took out federally subsidized loans were given six months before they had to start paying interest. In June, the Chicago Tribune reported that the government ended this program and students will have to pay back the interest as soon as they graduate.

Students who take out these loans don’t have enough money to pay for their education themselves. Paying interest on loans right after graduation if they needed the money in the first place makes little sense.

Whoever is elected on Nov. 6 must work to make it easier for students to repay their loans without charging them more. Sure, there does need to be a point in which students need to start paying interest on their loans, but it cannot be on the day they graduate.

Our local leaders should fight for economy

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ur economy is still recovering, and the job market is still not perfect. No matter the winners of this fall’s local races — namely the 13th Congressional District and the 52nd and 103rd state districts — when they step into office and begin a new term, this economy will be a major focal point.

Concurrently, as the new faces of Congress and the Illinois General Assembly get settled into jobs, millions of college students across the nation will be getting ready to graduate and become part of the American workforce that is less bleak than it was a few years ago.

Many graduates will spend months looking for a job, and even among those who secure employment, many will move back in with their parents.

These are some of the best and brightest in the world. The leaders of the local districts should want to keep these talents locally, even after the graduation caps have been thrown in the air.

We ask that the leader of the 13th District fight in Congress for fair federal regulations that keep businesses in the area both open and able to grow.

We ask that the leaders of the 52nd and 103rd districts fight for what’s due, even in the cash-strapped Illinois General Assembly.

Never before has education been so crucial

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o receive the education we want, we need money to combat the rising tuition costs this University faces. There is no getting around that. We need resources, whether they come from good teachers, technology or quality learning environments, higher education can always improve.

The issue that Americans can’t remain competitive with other countries in academia has burst into discussion frequently in recent years.

But if we want to stay competitive, we need more students attending college, meaning tuition must be lowered and federal aid needs to be maintained.

Without either, the cost of higher education may become insurmountable for many students and their families to afford an education at Illinois’ state schools, especially the University.

Whoever will represent our districts post-Nov. 6 needs to keep their collective eye trained on this University.

To remain competitive and prepare graduates for the life that accompanies a college diploma, we need the money to afford rising costs. The University is a prestigious public institution, and it is time we dedicate more of the state’s funds so we, as students, can leave this university with more knowledge and experiences than we came in with, ready to lead the next generation.

Time to do away with admittance based on race

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nthusiastically, this school promotes diversity. Fostering that means affirmative action policies should not be continued because it is a failed system — the Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding affirmative action’s purpose recently.

As we wrote previously, affirmative action polices based on race can’t guarantee successful applicants, but one based on socioeconomic status could.

We want to see that education is accessible for all students, especially those who come from disadvantaged areas of this country. These policies could help benefit students in the Champaign-Urbana area looking to gain admission to the university that has been so close to home.

Continuing to promote access to education is imperative. It will require more inventive mechanisms beyond the superficiality of racial decisions.

Access to higher education, especially in a community with a university culture, is necessary.

Finding ways to provide funds to disadvantaged students to afford college or advocate for increased budgets for local schools to provide higher quality education to its students are just part of what’s needed. Increasing access to students, even if only incrementally, is the bare minimum of what we expect.

Of course, we hope for more.

The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com

Women’s issues RENÉE WUNDERLICH

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

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Education

O

Foreign policy

While women’s interest in politics is not limited to health care, one very controversial topic is at the ethical and potentially legal forefront of this presidential election. Point blank, President Obama is pro-abortion rights and Gov. Romney is anti-abortion. But beyond the party norms, public policy favors Obama’s stance on women’s reproductive health in general, providing aid to programs like Planned Parenthood that provide STD testing and resources for pregnant and new mothers. But conservative beliefs held by Romney find fault in Obama’s health care plan, which includes selective abortion services and free birth control. Though Romney can reasonably be wary of how public health care may not be the most economically sound plan for the country’s future, those who share Romney’s beliefs may not side with Obama’s stance on American women.

Immigration KIRSTEN KELLER

One of the most significant pieces of legislation pertaining to the immigration debate in this year’s election is the DREAM Act, which was first introduced in the Senate in 2001. The act would give citizenship to certain immigrants who are here illegally. Some requirements are that you entered the country before the age of 16; graduated from a U.S. high school, obtained a GED in the U.S. or are accepted to an institution of higher learning in the U.S.; have “good moral character”; and had been living in the U.S. for at least five consecutive years before the bill’s enactment. Then, you have six years to obtain either a two-year college degree, complete at least two years toward another degree, or serve in the military for two years. The act largely pertains to those who were brought here illegally at a young age by their parents. The DREAM Act is a good fix to the country’s illegal youth immigrant population, for it does not immediately give citizenship to all those who come to the U.S.; it requires them to get a college education or serve dutifully in the nation’s military. With this legislation, these youth can stay in the place they’ve been calling home their whole lives.

Economy BRIAN SIEGEL

R

JOSEPH VANDEHEY

O

Student health insurance

R

Maintaining secularism

Two major challenges face American education in the next four years: accessibility and quality. The rising cost of tuition at colleges and universities has steadily outpaced inflation. Pell grants and other federal scholarships can help the problem but address only a small pool of cases when everyone is hurting. Federal and state governments need to work with institutions to address the cost of tuition, but, more importantly, we need to moderate student loans: No graduate should have to wonder if their education was paying off the interest for years to come. While the cost of education grows, so does the marketplace of ideas on how to improve education. Just in the past few years, we have seen a marked increase in for-profit colleges, online teaching, computer-assisted classrooms and even free-to-access learning from the Khan Academy and TED talks. Telling the useful from the dangerous is a full-time job, a job which the federal government is well-suited to do — encouraging local and state experimentation to find successful new ideas while maintaining national standards and keeping educators informed of the hucksters and frauds.

KATE CULLEN

Foreign policy is a hot-button issue in this campaign because both candidates have passionate views on the position the United States should take in matters abroad. Similar to his previous campaign, President Obama continues to advocate for the successful end of the war in Iraq. Additionally, he does not want to use the military abroad as much to reinforce U.S. political ideologies, though it is unclear how he plans to do so. Romney’s foreign policy is centered on the idea of strengthening America both domestically and militarily to enhance national defense and provide our allies and enemies with a clear understanding of America’s position on foreign policy issues. Romney thinks this can be achieved by increasing military spending to enhance the tools and weapons of the military. A clear foreign policy strategy should take precedence over the inconsistent actions that have occurred over the last four years.

TOLU TAIWO

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Let me be clear: The Affordable Care Act makes me happy ... for the most part.

Pre-existing conditions? Many kids aren’t denied health insurance if they have one. The elderly? Medicare is strengthened with new benefits, like lowering prescription drugs. And let’s hear it for preventive services; all insurance companies need to provide them sans co-pay. The problem with the ACA, though, is student insurance. I’m not saying Obama neglected to look after the young folk — we stay on our parents’ health insurance until we’re 26, which, for post-graduates who might need a little help, is a good thing. The problem is the future cost. Right now, many University students are on student insurance.

But with the ACA, our insurance fees, like many other universities, may go up because Obamacare prohibits health expense caps. And at the $438 we already pay each school year, no one wants to see an increase. It makes the “Affordable Care Act” ironic in name. When I look at Romney’s overall plan (um, like fixing Medicare for only those who are 50 or younger?!) I shudder.

But unless Obama steps it up and lowers student insurance, he hasn’t 100 percent impressed me. Whose is better? Honestly? If I had to say overall, Obama’s. But strictly for student insurance, Romney’s.

SARAH FISCHER

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In the United States, 9 in 10 people believe in God, according to Gallup polls.

Nearly half of Americans believe creationism explained the origins of humans.

This election marks a crucial point in American history. We are reaching a point where misconceived notions about the age of the Earth or how humans evolved could have devastating consequences not only on our environmental policy but in how we make personal decisions. People are informed by their religious beliefs on important issues such as women’s rights, welfare, contraception and abortion. Both President Obama and Gov. Romney have dealt with this issue. Obama exempted religious organizations from providing contraceptives. The unique beliefs of Mormonism have been a nonissue during the campaign. And that can certainly be a good thing. But when those beliefs are used to curb the rights or beliefs of others, we become a nation in crisis.

THE ISSUES

The economy is by far the hot-button issue of this election, pitting President Obama against the challenger and so-called fiscal guru Gov. Romney. Romney wants to spur economic growth by cutting taxes across the board and cutting, capping and balancing the budget. Obama has worked to cut corporate loopholes and crack down on Wall Street. He has failed to cut record highs in unemployment. Obama argues that is why he needs four more years, while Romney counters that Obama’s policies have sent the United States in the wrong direction. Neither will likely be able to cut the deficit, but Romney will probably be able to spur more long-term economic growth. With Obama’s poor economic record over the last four years, more Americans should trust Romney.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE

Energy JOHN BUYSSE

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Both candidates have stressed that this election isn’t just a choice between two people but between two opposite visions for the country — especially apparent in the stark contrast on energy policy. Gov. Romney’s plan is focused on opening up American shores to drill for oil and natural gas and initiating partnerships with Canada and Mexico for a North American energy partnership. President Obama has famously highlighted an “all of the above” strategy that allows for some drilling on our own shores but an increased investment in solar, wind and clean coal energy that has the possibility to wean the country off of its oil dependency in the coming years. Both plans claim to provide economic boosts to the country and likely would lead to an increase in jobs either way.

Health care NORA IBRAHIM

JOANNA ROTHENBERG

TO DEFINE THIS ELECTION.

ll the Daily Illini columnists chose the topic they thought would be of great importance to them when they stepped into the polls Nov. 6. Here, they write about the significance of the issue, indicating which presidential candidate would agree with their position. Here’s what’s on the ballot.

O

Deficit reduction

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Science and technology

Though no one candidate seems to have hit a home run when it comes to making great strides in health care reform, the Affordable Care Act, fondly known as Obamacare, has the greater edge in winning this election for Obama. Fully implemented, the ACA is projected to cover more citizens in every state, income level and age group; better protect them from health insurance companies; and make insurance more affordable, according to The Commonwealth Fund. Obamacare’s counterpart, Romneycare, puts the reins of health care policy in the states’ hands but also relies on the principle that these continually rising insurance costs will inspire creativity somewhere and that these costs will drive themselves down. But Obama’s plan on spending for Medicare is not all that different from Romney’s, according to Aaron Carroll at the Incidental Economist. The greatest difference between the two will be in Medicaid spending, which insures the poor. Still, Obamacare is more aggressive in meeting its goal for universal health care coverage. If Obamacare were repealed, The Commonwealth Fund projects that 60 million people would be uninsured by 2022. Obamacare will reduce the number of uninsured people by about 32.9 million, leaving just 27.1 million people uninsured.

Student loan reform

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ISSUES THAT HAVE COME

After years of education, students amass quite a large debt. With the economic crisis, graduating no longer means being happily employed with the company of your dreams. It may mean being employed with a company students are overqualified for, one that doesn’t require their college degree.

Because of this, students need leeway in case we cannot yet afford to pay back loans. Our education should not cause us more harm than good, but too often that ends up happening. Graduation should not cause fear about how school will be paid for — it should be an opportunity to look forward to the future.

With student loan reform, students and their families will not have to worry about the burden of loan paybacks as much, a welcome relief to everyone.

Students could be whatever they want and be rewarded for it. And better yet, not have to continuously rely on parents, even after graduation.

Obama - 9 Romney - 4 Johnson - 1

DYLAN HOYER

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The president’s plan for deficit reduction does not include a balanced budget for any specific year in office. Neither, for that matter, does Mitt Romney’s plan.

The only candidate proposing a balanced budget as a viable option in his first year of office is Gary Johnson. Romney’s proposal is to cap federal spending at 20 percent of GDP by 2016 and cutting various federal programs. President Obama plans to use the funds saved by drawing down the wars to pay for higher educational spending and more funding for research and technology.

The Johnson plan is to end subsidies and earmarks to well-connected interests, begin the process of entitlement reform and audit the Fed. All three plans are vague and lack important details on the surface, but only one candidate has the ideological drive to make sure the deficit is controlled and eliminated.

ANDREW HORTON

O

Both candidates will tell you that technological growth is essential to American prosperity. Both have promised to lower corporate tax rates to spur innovation that creates new jobs. Apart from that, their plans for promoting science and technology are starkly different. Gov. Romney would rely on technological innovation to come solely from the private sector — an enticing idea considering how an energy drink company seems to be more interested in going to space than NASA is right now . President Obama, on the contrary, would likely continue with government sponsored programs like the American Manufacturing Initiative, which was launched in 2011 to encourage technological breakthroughs that create high-quality manufacturing jobs. Ultimately, technological advancement requires a joint effort between government and industry. Romney’s unwillingness to spend will likely inhibit him from providing sufficient incentives for research and development. This gives Obama the edge in this category.

Environment ADAM HUSKA

R

It’s the “E word” that has consistently divided the political parties: the environment. Both candidates acknowledge global warming. Clean energy is the most effective way to reduce or stabilize global climate change. Romney emphasizes nuclear power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while Obama emphasizes building energy use and reducing fuel consumption. Obtaining energy sources means utilizing the environment’s natural resources. Romney will seek offshore areas of the U.S. while Obama will impose regulations on fracking (extraction process of natural gas) and coal industries to offset reduction of natural resources. Obama opposes the Keystone XL pipeline that would disrupt important environmental terrains, and Romney thinks it is necessary for energy independence. Obama has spent over $75 billion creating “green jobs” such as those that engage in environmental quality and energy conversation. Romney takes a conservative approach and believes in “less government” and would put control of energy production on the state level.

Both candidates address concerns over energy resource availability and how to “safely” utilize natural resources and the need for clean energy sources to become less dependent on unrenewable environmental resources.

Welfare TA’ L E S L O V E

O

In this economy, many families are struggling to make ends meet. This has caused a 32 percent increase in federal welfare spending over the past four years. According to The Washington Times, “Federal spending on more than 80 low-income assistance programs reached $746 billion in 2011,” making welfare “the single biggest chunk of federal spending.” While government assistance has increased, it is imperative that the winner of the presidential election crafts a policy aimed at efficiently helping receivers off assistance but not by cutting spending, which essentially shuts them out. In a campaign advertisement, Romney claims that Obama has gutted the welfare program, nearly erasing the work requirements. Romney plans to cut spending and up those requirements, but Obama denies those claims. President Obama’s plan has flourished and has provided Americans more stability in an economy struggling to rebuild itself, helping struggling Americans get back on their feet.

Receivers of governmental assistance should be allowed to work, but everyone needs help sometimes, and if people can’t turn to the government, there may be a bigger problem at hand.

6C

The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

ELECTIONS 2012

Local Races

BY MATT RICE STAFF WRITER

State Representative - 103rd District

Rob Mei st er

Na omi Jako b s s o n

Republican challenger

Democratic incumbent

Funding for higher education Jakobsson said she wants to make sure the state has as much money as possible going toward Monetary Award Program, or MAP, funding to help students afford college. Because she serves on the Appropriations Committee for Higher Education, she said she is a voice for the University.

Jakobsson said she has helped with many projects at the University, and she wants to be able to continue these efforts. She said she helped to

get the money for Lincoln Hall renovations, and that she helped to get money for the Environmental Change Institute building.

“I spend a lot of time helping them understand that this is the flagship University,” Jakobsson said. “When the state is looking at money for the University of Illinois, it shouldn’t be considered an expenditure. It should be considered an investment.”

Meister believes the main obstacle in the path of affordable education in Illinois is an inefficient General Assembly.

“If Illinois was running itself properly and we could get rid of a lot of the waste and corruption that happens in the state, every state school would be fully funded and therefore can run much more efficiently at a lower cost for students. That’s one

of the key reasons I’m trying to win this election,” Meister said.

For the Champaign-Urbana community, he believes the University is “one of our biggest driving economic forces. As long as the government gives the University the short end of the stick, the longer it’s going to take for people in this area to get back on track with our economy.”

Plan to bring more jobs to illinois Jakobsson said one of the biggest ways to improve the economy is to increase the availability of post-secondary education. She said it is important for students to attend community colleges and universities and added that she wants all students to be college or career-ready when

they graduate from high school. Jakobsson said she is also working on a bill that will move the state from a flat tax to a progressive income tax. She said increasing revenue is one way to get Illinois on its feet again, and this change is one of the best ways to do that.

Meister also believes government corruption and inefficiency are the primary job-killers in Illinois, stating that if those two issues are solved many businesses would stay in Illinois and hire workers.

“If I’m giving money to the government, and it’s going to funding education, taking care of our poor

and giving people a leg up who need it, there would be no problem with businesses staying here,” Meister said. “The problem is that Illinois doesn’t do that. Illinois has continued to increase its regulations, taxes and fees, and we’re not getting the bang for our buck.”

Health care Jakobsson said she held public hearings and took collective petitions to the capitol to keep Health Alliance, as she believes it is the biggest provider of health insurance for local employees and retirees.

“If we didn’t have Health Alliance, we were going to have to go to other places to find a

health care provider,” Jakobsson said.

She said she is looking to continue these efforts to keep health insurance accessible, and she is also looking to make health care more affordable.

She said one example is the bill she introduced that will help senior citizens get funding for their pharmaceuticals.

“In Illinois we pay three times more for prescription refills when it comes to health care and Medicare than any surrounding state. As a business owner, I really want to provide my people with a health care plan, but in doing so in

Illinois I know I’m going to be paying three times more for half the care,” he said.

Meister believes the situation would be much better if the system was more efficient in Illinois.

Illinois environmental issues Jakobsson said she is in the process of passing a bill that will protect the Mahomet Aquifer, one of the state’s sole sources of drinking water for east-central Illinois communities. The bill will prohibit companies from dumping PCBs into the Clinton Landfill, which is a part of the Mahomet Aquifer. She said the issue of dumping PCBs into

landfills is a statewide, bipartisan problem, and she is therefore working across the state to help with this issue. She said another statewide issue in environmental concerns is fracking or hydraulic fracturing, and she has proposed a bill to set regulations in the industry.

Meister believes businesses that litter and dump waste care about the environment, but that state government doesn’t do enough to make proper waste disposal cost-effective.

“Instead of using promotions and incentives and supporting people that are going green, we’re

just going out punishing and penalizing those who don’t,” Meister said. “If we showed more financial stability and responsibility, one of the first things businesses would do is start to spend more money on being more environmentally friendly, but also on providing more to their employees.”

Lauren Rohr contributed to this report.

State Senator - 52nd District

Mi chael Freri ch s

Democratic incumbent Frerichs has served as state senator since 2007. He was born and raised in Gifford, Ill., and resides in Champaign with his wife and daughter. He is the chairman of the state Senate’s agriculture and conservation committee and vice chairman of the higher-education committee.

Daily Illini: How should the Legislature begin to resolve the $83 billion in unfunded liabilities in the state of Illinois?

Michael Frerichs: I think we need to sit down with the employees of the state of Illinois who are affected and negotiate a long-term settlement that will keep the system solvent.

The right answer is not to dictate a solution to them, which will most likely just be challenged in court. If we just dictate, it will be challenged and most likely be ruled unconstitutional. You can’t know the results of negotiations until after you negotiate.

DI: Are there any areas of state government that need to be cut or any taxes that need to be raised in order to balance the budget?

MF: For the last couple years, we have cut

out state government. We’ve had to do that to have a balanced budget, but I feel that we need to protect our priorities. For me, that highest priority is education. We did pass a tax increase in 2011, and part of that process was we also made cuts to state government and lived within our means. I think my opponent has promised to make further cuts that would drive up property taxes, cuts in support for our schools and our cities, and I don’t support that plan for property tax increases.

DI: As a state legislator, would you take efforts to limit tuition increases at public universities and colleges?

MF: The state needs to properly fund our

public institutions of higher education. Over the last six years, I have been a dogged fighter for that. In a time of tight budgets, cuts that needed to have been made have been made, but I’ve worked to minimize those cuts for higher education.

DI: When it comes to reforming the pension system, should schools have to shoulder more of the cost of funding their employees pensions?

MF: I have been working with University

administration on this issue, and they have put an awful lot of time on this. I will continue to work with them find the proper balance.

DI: What can we do to bring jobs to Illinois?

MF: I have worked very closely with the Illi-

nois Manufacturers’ Association, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and other probusiness groups on solutions to improve the business climate in Illinois, and that is why I have received support from manufacturers, from retail merchants, and from other probusiness organizations in the state.

DI: Should gay marriage be allowed in Illinois?

MF: Last year, I supported the civil union bill

because I felt that was something the state needed to do. It’s important that we don’t discriminate in our state, and that’s why I supported the bill.

DI: Are you pro-life or pro-choice?

MF: Pro-choice. I’m pro-choice, and I’m very

disturbed by Republicans who say things about “legitimate rape” or that if a rape results in pregnancy, “that’s God’s will.” I’ve been very disturbed by those comments by Republicans.

DI: Do you support the legalization of marijuana in Illinois?

MF: No. No one has made a convincing argu-

ment to me that it ought to be considered a legal substance.

Jo h n B ambenek

Republican challenger Bambenek is a small-business owner from Champaign, where he lives with his wife and three children. He owns Bambenek Consulting, a cyber-crime and electronic fraud prevention firm. Bambenek has a bachelor’s in physics and astronomy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The Daily Illini: How should the Legislature begin to resolve the $83 billion in unfunded liabilities in the state of Illinois?

John Bambenek: What is necessary going for-

ward is to make sure that as benefits are earned, the full cost is paid in real time. That’s the fundamental problem. The state took holidays, took shortcuts, did funny math (and) incurred liabilities without funding them in real time. Generally I subscribe to Rep. Mike Fortner’s pension reform plan, which uses the bond payments for the three pension bonds that were issued. When those bonds mature, instead of sending that money that would have gone to the bonds and just spending it on stuff, it would redirect it to a pension stabilization fund that will pay back that debt. That comes up with $70 billion of that debt.

DI: Are there any areas of state government that need to be cut or any taxes that need to be raised in order to balance the budget?

JB: State government has grown because people have simply thrown money at problems and at programs. We simply do not have any basic control of our state spending. We need to start from scratch and rebuild state government because we cannot use the past as a benchmark for going forward. I’ve adopted a zero-based budgeting approach that says, “How do we fund those (programs) in the most efficient and effective way possible, making the best use of limited tax dollars?” That may have a net effect of combining agencies, eliminating agencies (and) eliminating programs that don’t deliver.

In the past few years, because of the way the (Illinois) General Assembly makes decisions, we’ve seen Chicago State University, a thirdtier institution, get double-digit increases in their state appropriations, while the University of Illinois downstate gets either the budget held at zero or gets budget cuts. We need to stop the bias towards Chicago in general assembly spending, and we need a fair deal for everybody across the state.

DI: What can we do to bring jobs to Illinois?

JB: The first thing is to repeal that (state

income) tax hike. We’ve seen businesses cite that tax hike as the reason they’ve left Illinois. And then we need to look at why the cost of doing business is so much higher than it is in our neighboring states. If you can save $100,000 a month by moving across an arbitrary line on a map, you’d be an idiot not to do it — any of us would. We’re in competition with 49 other states. We need to get the boot of government off our small to medium business so they can grow, so we can compete with the rest of the country and the rest of the world.

DI: Should gay marriage be allowed in Illinois?

JB: No. Marriage is a pre-religious, pre-political institution that I don’t believe is within the purview of state government to modify.

DI: Are you pro-life or pro-choice?

JB: Pro-life. Life begins at conception.

DI: Do you support the legalization of marijuana in DI: As a state legislator, would you take efforts to limit Illinois? tuition increases at public universities and colleges?

JB: No. I’ve seen several of my family members lose their lives to drugs, and marijuana is a JB: Absolutely. Education is a chief priority of the state. Because of state mismanagement of funds and problems with university governance, in-state tuition at University of Illinois is higher than out-of-state tuition at the University of Iowa and several of our neighboring states.

key component of that. Having seen the damage drug use does up-close, I can’t see any compelling reason to legalize it outright.

PHOTOS BY THE DAILY ILLINI AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS