The Badger Herald: Opinion: College Repulicans: Vote for four more years

Opinion

College Repulicans: Vote for four more years

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Also by Nicole Marklein:

College Repulicans: Vote for four more years (November 2, 2004)
Legislators: Override Doyle on conceal and carry (January 22, 2004)
What is 'African American?' (January 29, 2004)
Cultural differences run deep (February 4, 2004)
An important reminder (November 12, 2003)

Tuesday, November 2, 2004 12:00 a.m.

3 Vote 0 Votes

In terms of the political climate and challenges at home and abroad these past four years, the only thing that has remained constant is change.

The person we elect today must be prepared to provide strong, steady leadership in the face of this change.

As students vote today, we confront a multi-faceted task. First, we must vote as students and consider which presidential candidate will be the best for higher education now and in the long run. Next, we also need to vote as future employees, as most of us will be graduating and entering the workforce in the president’s next term. Finally, as perhaps never before, we must put our unique interests as young adults aside and vote as Americans who are concerned with our safety and that of future generations.

President George W. Bush is the best candidate for us in all such respects.

His education proposals and initiatives have not always received the attention and praise they deserve. We all agree that the skyrocketing tuition rates of the last few years is unacceptable, especially for low-income students and families who are already struggling to find money to afford a quality higher education. We also know that tuition raises are mainly affected by decisions made at the state level.

President Bush’s initiatives, however, have helped ease the burden of tuition hikes on low-income families.

He set a record for financial aid assistance, increasing it by more than 55 percent since 2001, including a record $12.9 billion allocation for Pell Grants. His enhanced Pell Grants will allow students who take a challenging high school curriculum an additional $1,000 in Pell Grant funding and allow year-round funding for students who take college courses in high school and graduate early.

The president will also reform student loans by increasing loan limits and increase loan forgiveness for highly qualified math, science and special education teachers who serve low-income communities, thereby strengthening education at all levels.

Still, an affordable education remains but a portion of our top concerns as students. We also need to be reassured that a thriving job market awaits us upon graduation. Despite the setbacks of an inherited recession, terrorist attacks, a war on terror and a shifting job market, the United States has created more than 1.9 million new jobs in the past year under President Bush’s leadership, making this recession one of the shallowest in history.

Although we have lost jobs in the economic shift away from a manufacturing society, we are gaining the more technological jobs that our generation will be ready to fill.

And President Bush has a plan. He will keep his tax cuts permanent so that all Americans can rely on the tax relief that has stimulated and revived our economy. He will continue to support the expansion of quality jobs for the future through his Jobs for the 21st Century initiative.

President Bush’s strong leadership in protecting our homeland and keeping the fight against terrorism on foreign soil is indisputable. Just a little more than three years after the worst terrorist attacks in United States history, our president has kept our homeland safe from further attacks. In such a restless political and global climate, the significance of this fact cannot be overstated.

Today, the president’s opposition will rely more on reasons why you should not vote for our president than on arguments pertaining to its own candidate’s strengths. This is very illustrative of the candidate and campaign that the Democrats have put forth. They have been disproportionately devoted to the “anyone but Bush” mentality.

You see, while I can admit that President Bush is not perfect, I can confidently say that I know what he stands for, what he has done for our country and what he will do for us in the next four years. John Kerry’s supporters, on the other hand, do not have this luxury.

They have constantly had to adapt their stances to their candidate’s ever-changing positions. While this is undesirable of any candidate, it is especially dangerous in this election. Voting for a candidate that has proven to be such an unknown, especially in an election of this importance, is risky and irresponsible.

We cannot predict exactly what the future holds for us as Americans. We can, however, elect proven leadership that we know has a plan to keep the United States on the correct path.

A responsible voter considers both the present and the future. We must re-elect George W. Bush to ensure security and prosperity for today and tomorrow.

Nicole Marklein (uwcrs@studentorg.wisc.edu) is the campus Chair of College Republicans.

3 Comments | Leave a comment

Anonymous | November 2, 2004 10:03 AM | Reply

Nicole Marklein committed a felony when she illegally gathered signatures for Ralph Nader to get on the ballot. She's a dishonest crook, though ironically she admitted this proudly, and I see no reason why anyone should believe anything she has to say.

Anonymous | November 2, 2004 5:53 PM | Reply

Nicole even admitted publicly to committing the crime mentioned above. Why hasn't anybody arrested her yet? What the hell are they waiting for? Or do only Democrats get arrested for breaking the law in Wisconsin?

Anonymous | November 2, 2004 8:56 PM | Reply

Nicole Marklein didn't get arrested because she is a Republican. And because she is a woman. It is unfair, but when is life ever fair? Imagine the cruelty of arresting and trying a Republican female. Would she get a fair trial? I'd think not! She might even get raped by lesbian Democrats while in prison! God forbid that something so atrocious should happen to her!