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2| The DePaulia. Oct. 31, 2016.
College Dems, GOP hold first-ever statewide debate at DePaul By Brenden Moore Political Editor
Sparks flied Oct. 24 as college Democrats and college Republicans from around the state descended on DePaul to debate the issues just weeks before the election. The debate, the first ever jointly sponsored event of this nature by the College Democrats of Illinois (CDIL) and Illinois College Republican Federation (ICRF), was a polite exchanging of ideas for most of the night, but turned heated at times when divisive electionyear topics such as immigration and criminal justice came up. The participants, who came from universities around the state, made clear they differed from their presidential nominees on topics like free trade and the role of third party candidates in elections. But, when immigration, arguably the most contentious issue of this cycle, came up, each side dug in with their party’s candidate. DePaul student Jack McNeil, president of CDIL, echoed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s call for comprehensive immigration reform. He argued for undocumented immigrants to pay back taxes and fines for the opportunity to eventually apply for citizenship. “That’s not amnesty, it’s a practical solution to a big, big problem,” McNeil said. “The idea that you can put up a wall to divide people and then deport 11 million people is absolutely ridiculous.” Republican John Minster, also from DePaul, argued that another law to fix immigration would not be necessary if the government enforced the laws on the books. “You apply the law, that’s the problem right now is our immigration law is not being complied. So what does that mean? The problem is right now that the federal government that doesn’t really apply the law. They pick and choose which laws they want to apply,” Minster said. Minster said building a border wall on the southern border along with a nationwide e-verify system and the ending of sanctuary cities would go a long way towards fixing the country’s immigration system. McNeil was not sold.
“We don’t need to enforce the law, we need a new law,” McNeil said. However, when asked by the moderator, Politico’s Natasha Korecki, how the Democrats would work to pass what they are proposing given Republican roadblocks, McNeil said, “we have to elect more Democrats.” This stark divide was perhaps never more apparent than when the discussion turned towards race and policing. Republican Sebastian Balluff, a student at Illinois State, dismissed the Black Lives Matter movement as “corrupt and sick” while criticizing them and the Democrats for ignoring where he believes the focus should be black-on-black crime. “The Black Lives Matter movement is just something that does not focus on the actual killers of most black Americans. The killers of most black Americans are at the hands of each other through gang warfare. That’s the fact,” Balluff said. “The amount of cops killing black people, usually criminals by the way, is minuscule when compared to the amounts of people killed everyday just in Chicago at each other’s hands.” When asked if he’d concede people of color are treated unfairly in the criminal justice system when compared to white people, Balloff said no, causing a small gasp from the decidedly liberal-leaning audience. “They commit more crime and are locked up disproportionately because of that,” Balluff said. “That’s not unfair. That’s called the police doing their job and putting criminals in prison.” Democrat Sydney Selix, a student from Northwestern, pushed back on the black-on-black narrative, saying it’s “avoiding the actual issue,” which she said is the killing of black people for noncrimes like traffic stops or crossing in the middle of the street. Selix was asked about the flip side of the coin, the police officers who feel as if they’re under attack in the media and in the communities they serve. While acknowledging that such acts happen, they are rare and not the issue at hand. “They are facing accountability, they are not facing violence,” Selix
said. “Yes, there are small acts of atrocious crimes, I’m not defending them. But, the issue at hand is the state sanctioned violence against young black men and young black women.” About 100 people attended two and a half hour-long event, held in Cortelyou Commons. In addition to immigration and criminal justice, topics like taxes, abortion rights and free speech were discussed. While DePaul Democrats and Republicans typically debate at least once a year, Republican President Nicole Been thought the inclusion of officers from other schools was a “breath of fresh air.” “I hope this is something the state will want to continue in the future,” Been said. “I think it was really substantive and we talked a lot about policy and a lot of great
points were brought up by both sides.” Been’s favorite part of the night was the section on free speech, a relevant topic at DePaul given the recent controversies surrounding Milo Yiannopoulos’ visit and Ben Shapiro’s subsequent ban from speaking on campus. “I think if people went to this debate and saw it, they would get a better understanding of the discourse we need to be having on free speech than the discourse the university is trying to push forward,” Been said. McNeil thought the event “went as well as it could.” “I think everyone performed really well, the crowd was great, just really blessed we could get Natasha here because it added validity to the event,” McNeil said. Graphics by JACQUELINE LIN | THE DEPAULIA
Legislature up for grabs
The Election Issue. Oct. 31, 2016. The DePaulia | 3
By Brenden Moore Political Editor
In the shadow of an unbelieveable presidential campaign and a high profile senate race, a proxy war that could determine how the state is governed the next two years is underway between Gov. Bruce Smiddy Rauner and Illinois House Speaker a n d Michael Madigan. C l o o n e n’s While Democrats will keep the races were majority in the legislature easily, both decided by Rauner and his wealthy allies have a couple hundred poured an unprecedented amount votes in 2014. DePaul of money into state house races in Democrats President an attempt to deny Madigan his Jack McNeil, who worked supermajority, which would allow on Smiddy’s campaign that year, him to override Rauner’s vetoes. believes the key for the Democrat’s While the Democrats currently have close victory in the past was a solid supermajorities in both legislative get-out-the-vote operation. chambers, they only have a bare “It’s all about field,” McNeil minimum for a supermajority in the said. “From my experience, you House. could actually sway a moderate or a The stakes are high as the makeup Republican to vote Democrat if you of the legislature could be crucial in just had a recent conversation. The determining how the state is governed problem is that it’s hard to get away ahead of Rauner’s 2018 re-election from the Madigan branding.” campaign. Indeed, Madigan has never been “Technically, Madigan has a more unpopular in the state. Mix that supermajority that could overcome with the resources now at the disposal the governor’s veto, but he has a of Republican candidates and couple of people who don’t vote potential coattails from presidential with him on the candidate Donald Democratic side,” said who’s “So (Madigan’s) trying Trump, UIC professor Dick expected to do well Simpson, a former to get secure control of downstate, it may be Chicago alderman. “So the House and Rauner’s enough to tip those he’s trying to get secure trying to prevent that." close races in favor of control of the House the GOP. and Rauner’s trying to Rauner and Dick Simpson, UIC prevent that.” committees under professor and former Those watching Chicago alderman his control have the situation expect given more than $46 somewhere between million to legislative a gain of two for the Democrats and candidates this cycle, according to a gain of two for the Republicans. the Chicago Tribune. Allies such as While a small change in numbers hedge fund manager Ken Griffin have either way, it could have significant added millions to that number. ramifications. Republicans have used the extra Due to gerrymandered districts, campaign cash to flood the airwaves the map of competitive races with anti-Madigan ads, one of the few is relatively small, with most in messages that gets across in a state the suburbs and downstate. The with a strong Democratic lean. Democrats have all but conceded The fact that Illinois is a blue state retiring Rep. Jack Franks’ conservative at the presidential level may be the McHenry County district to the Democrat’s saving grace. With Trump Republicans, and, a product of their being horribly unpopular in the 71-47 majority, are more vulvernable traditionally-purple collar counties, having more seats to defend. Targeted Democrats see an opportunity to pick districts include the downstate seats up seats once thought out of reach. of Reps. John Bradley, Mike Smiddy “Clinton’s going to win by five and Kate Cloonen. to 10 percentage points in Illinois,
probably 10. And that will be true in some of the suburban districts,” Simpson said. “So to put it in simple terms, if the Republicans don’t show up, the Democrats are allowable to win those extra one to two seats they’re looking for.” Democrats have targeted former State Rep. Ron Sandack’s district in Republican-friendly DuPage County as a potential pickup. Democratic challenger David Hose is getting heavy support from the party in spite of the district’s Republican lean. And Republican Rep. Mike McAuliffe, who represents parts of Chicago’s Northwest Side and northwest suburbs, faces a serious challenge from Merry Marwig, who’s heavily backed by Madigan and the unions. With Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton providing some help from the top of the ticket, state Democrats hope their winning formula of a strong field plan and heavy candidate-voter facetime will come through again. “From everything I understand, the main thing for Madigan in a
JACQUELINE LIN | THE DEPAULIA
general election is the candidate has to be out there every single day working extremely hard on the doors,” McNeil said. “And if they’re not going to be on the doors, then there’s a better chance you’re going to be vulnerable to your voters, that you don’t know the people of your district.” However, Republicans believe they have the winning message by tying Democrats to Madigan and will continue to flood the airwaves with advertising. McNeil was skeptical of that strategy working, however. “I’m not sure this whole ideas of throwing $15 million into blanket ads is really going to sway enough voters that the Rauner agenda is actually on the side of working class families or that the state is somehow doing better because he’s trying to get a Turnaround Agenda. It’s going to be district by district,” McNeill said. One thing is clear just a little over a week from Election Day — in Illinois, it’s Madigan vs. Rauner.
4| The DePaulia. Oct. 31, 2016.
Hillary Clinton: From Park Ridge to the presidency The Democratic nominee for president grew up just north of Chicago, where she’s fondly remembered JACQUELINE LIN | THE DEPAULIA
By Ylldes Mustafa Contributing Writer
The Maine South High School fight song plays in the hallways during passing periods. Teenagers squeeze down the crowded hallways with their heavy backpacks, walking past the school’s “Wall of Honor.” Few notice that alongside other notable alumni, the wall includes a picture of the person who might be the next president of the United States. Hillary Rodham Clinton once roamed the same red-and-white halls that these through which these teens shuffle. Clinton’s family moved from the city to suburban Park Ridge, on the border of Chicago’s Edison Park neighborhood, when she was 3. In many ways, her childhood in this small town of 37,839 people located about 15 miles northwest of the Loop shaped her political career. As a child, Clinton and her mother spent a great deal of time in the Park Ridge Public Library. She was also part of Girl Scouts. In her teen years, Clinton attended Maine East High School from freshman to junior year. Due to a large number of student enrollment, Maine South High School was opened and Clinton completed her senior year there in 1964. “I met Hillary my freshman year at Maine East High School,” Mike Andrews, a Maine East alumnus, said. “She had a good sense of humor, always worked hard on her school
work and cheered for friends on the athletic field.” Clinton not only cheered for her friends on the field, but also played on the field. “She was also a pretty good athlete,” Andrews said. “At that time there were no organized girl’s sports, so she participated in intramural sports and the Girl’s Athletic Association.” At Maine East, Clinton was involved with student council and on the student newspaper. After transferring to South, she became a member of the National Honors Society and also continued with her participation in student council and class government. During her senior year at South, Clinton ran for senior class president. “She was the only female running for class president at the time,” said Karen Blumenthal, author of a new biography on Clinton aimed at young adults. “While she was running for office, one of her running mates, a male, asked her why she was running for president and not secretary.” Although Clinton did get an early start in politics at a young age, her views didn’t always match the ones she has today. “She was a total Republican,” Blumenthal said. “Her father was Republican and she grew up in a very conservative, non-diverse town, so it makes sense.” Clinton followed Republican views throughout high school and even campaigned for Barry Goldwater, the Republican nominee
for president in 1964. It wasn’t until Clinton went to college where one can notice a change in her political views. While attending Wellesley College, Clinton began to lean more liberal. She attended the 1968 Democratic National Convention and also attended rallies in Grant Park for other democratic issues. “We all knew she was always extraordinary,” said Ernest Ricketts, a Maine South alum and longtime friend of Clinton’s. “She was so studious and smart all throughout school that you just knew she was going to be something great.” Ricketts and Clinton were neighbors growing up and attended the same schools from elementary to high school. “We were in the same class in fourth and sixth grade,” Ricketts said. “I remember one time in the fourth grade I was sick and Hillary brought me my homework. Not many people can say that the Secretary of State brought them their homework.” Another childhood friend, Kathleen Burgess, also shares fond memories with Clinton. “I first met Hillary during my freshman year in homeroom,” Burgess said. “We stayed close throughout the years.” Clinton, Ricketts and Burgess all remained close through the years. They would continue to see each other at high school reunions and catch up on what was missed. “We had a slumber party a few summers
ago,” Burgess said. “It was just a few of the girls, Hillary was there, and it was nice because we all got to reunite and talk about our families. I remember that Hillary wasn’t a grandma yet and she asked me ‘Kathleen, what’s it really like having grandkids and all?’ It was just a fun time all around.” Ricketts remembers a time when Don Jones, a minister at Park Ridge’s Methodist Church, left a big impact on him and his classmates, Clinton included. “I remember he taught us about service and compassion,” Ricketts said. “He emphasized that we are responsible for the welfare of other’s and that it is our duty to help those that are less fortunate. Maybe that left an impact in Hillary and she chose to use her political career to help others.” Clinton has not only impacted history, but has also impacted the lives of her childhood friends. “We all knew that she would go far and do the best job possible with whatever she chose to pursue,” Burgess said. “When my first daughter was born I named her after Hillary. My Hillary was born in 1978, so I guess Hillary Rodham had quite a lasting impression on me. My daughter is very proud of it all.” Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on the DePaulia’s website on Nov. 2, 2015.
Dold, Schneider face off in 10th district rematch By Brenden Moore Political Editor
With Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump polling terribly low in suburban areas around the country, GOP congressmen have been faced with headwinds so strong, it may hand the Democrats a previously unthinkable majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Perhaps no one faces a steeper battle than Rep. Bob Dold of Illinois’ 10th congressional district. Comprising much of Chicago’s wealthy North Shore, the district has an overwhelming Democratic lean at the presidential level, but a fierce independent streak down ballot — something Dold is relying on even more than usual this year as he seeks to defeat his Democratic challenger, former Rep. Brad Schneider. An added wrinkle is that these candidates are both well-known. Dold, first elected in 2010 riding the Tea Party wave, was narrowly
defeated by Schneider in 2012. Dold challenged Schneider to a rematch in 2014 and won narrowly in another bad midterm election for Democrats. Representing what many call the most Democratic district held by a Republican, Dold has done his part in separating himself from the national party. He was the first to disavow Trump and has consistently played up his bipartisan credentials and the results he’s gotten for his constituents. “Ultimately, we’ve been ranked as one of the most independent, bipartisan and effective member of congress,” Dold said following a debate at Glenbrook South High School in north suburban Glenview. “It’s the reason we did pass laws.” “So, let me just give you an example, Chelsea LaLiberte, a Buffalo Grove resident, loses her brother at the age of 20. Talking to her and other stakeholders her, this is a huge problem as we look at the prescription drug epidemic,
the heroin overdoses,” he said. “I drafted a law, worked with my colleagues, passed a law, President Obama signed it, it’s going to save lives. And you can say that’s not working, but that’s actually working together and getting things done.” Dold has many other examples he lists off, an attempt to localize a race in a year his party faces the wrath of the national ticket. Indeed, Trump is extremely unpopular in the district. This is a problem for Dold as it sets up a scenario where he can greatly outperform Trump, but still come up short. Internal polls have shown conflicting narratives. While strikingly similar in their assessment of the presidential race, 53-30 vs. 53-31 Clinton over Trump, a Democratic poll showed Schneider up 10 points while a Republican poll revealed a seven point advantage for Dold. Schneider believes he has the advantage because his vote in Congress better represented the district no matter how bipartisan
Dold was. “As I talk around the district, I hear the same thing over and over again. I hear people tell me that when I was in office, this district was better served by the work we did at home and better represented by the votes I took in the Capitol,” Schneider said. “And they want someone who will focus on their issues, pay attention to their priorities. For me, I understand that the economy is the most important issue. An economy that’s growing, but growing from the middle-out working for everybody.” In a debate in mid-October, Schneider and Dold would trade barbs on the issue of bipartisanship. Schneider pointed out the importance of which party controls Congress in which bills get brought to the floor. His point: Dold’s bipartisanship doesn’t matter much if Paul Ryan is Speaker of the House. “Mr. Dold voted 28 times to block ‘no-fly, no buy’ from coming to the floor for a vote. He won’t
even sign the simple petition that would force the speaker to bring it to the floor for a vote,” Schneider said. “He can say all he wants about supporting a piece of legislation, being a cosponsor of a piece of legislation, but if he is blocking that piece of legislation moving through congress becoming law, he’s not part of the solution, he’s part of the problem.” To that, Dold would say look at the record, both in votes and support from the likes of local leaders to editorial boards. Dold sounded proud when he pointed out that “six of six papers said throw Brad out of office and bring me back” in 2014. Despite the divergent polling data and barbs on issues from Israel to guns, Dold and Schneider are both relatively moderate candidates, Dold probably slightly more so. And if history is any indication, this race will be decided within a couple thousand votes.
The Election Issue. Oct. 31, 2016. The DePaulia | 5
Demon dollars University employees participate in political giving, mostly to Democrats By Brenden Moore Political Editor
When DePaul adjunct Kelly Dietrich gets to the fundraising portion of his political campaigns class, the first thing students see is a PowerPoint slide with a quote from a former California politician: “Money is the mother’s milk of politics.” The point Dietrich, the former finance director for Missouri Sen. Jean Carnahan and now a political consultant, is trying to make is that no campaign can achieve the goal of winning without adequate financial resources. “To win, I have to convince voters to vote for me. To get voters to vote for me, I have to communicate with them. To communicate with them, I have to spend money. To spend money, I have to raise money. To raise money, I have to ask people,” Dietrich said. This money is raised in several ways by several different types of people, from mega-donors like George Soros and the Koch brothers bankrolling their chosen candidates, to regular people chipping in $27 to Bernie Sanders’ insurgent campaign. At DePaul, several employees have participated in this process. According to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), DePaul employees have donated at least $370,000 to political candidates and causes in the past two decades. The vast majority of donations went to Democratic candidates and causes. Predictably, hometown candidate President Barack Obama was easily the largest recipient of DePaul employees’ dollars, receiving nearly $80,000 in contributions when combining his 2008 and 2012 campaigns. 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton came in much lower, receiving just over $17,000 from 215 donors, an average of around $80 per donation. Though she had more donations than Obama’s 168, the president’s average donation amounted to just under $500. Bernie Sanders was the recipient of 235 donations, the most of any candidate. But with those numbers averaging just over $35, Sanders raised just over $8,000 from the DePaul community. While Republican presidential candidates, such as John Kasich and Marco Rubio, received some support, no donations have been made to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. “I don’t think it’s a secret that the vast
majority of academics are not supporting Donald Trump, let’s put it that way,” said political science professor Zach Cook. “Trump is not resonating with the academic set. So yes, you’ll probably see a dearth of donations to Republicans.” Cook and Dietrich agreed that donors, small and large, often have similar reasons for donating. “I think every donor has their different reason for giving. George Soros writes million dollar checks because he’s an ideological donor, it’s the same reason the Koch brothers give theirs,” Dietrich said. “You have people who write large checks because they’re passionate about climate change. Or you’ll have (former New York) Mayor (Michael) Bloomberg who will write a check because he’s passionate about gun violence. So no, people write bigger checks for the same reasons people write little checks.” In federal races, individual contributors are allowed to give a total of $5,400 to individual campaigns ($2,700 for the primary, $2,700 for the general), but there are several loopholes that allow for greater amounts of donating, which Cook says is the product of “a pinball game between the Congress passing laws and then the courts supporting or striking down those laws.” This, Cook said, has led to a system that often does not make much sense. “I think most political scientists today would agree that one of the starkest and most disturbing trends in the campaign finance system is the rise of dark money, which means that that quality of disclosure in terms who’s contributing to Super PAC, PACs, has definitely eroded in the last decade or so,” Cook said. Due to this, it’s entirely possible the amount of DePaul political giving is higher than reported. The largest donor based on disclosed contributions is law professor Patty Gerstenblith, who’s given nearly $30,000 to several Democratic politicians from Obama to Sen. Dick Durbin to former presidential candidate John Kerry. A close second was economics professor Robert Kallen, who’s given about $25,000 in donations to mainly to U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, but also to national candidates like Clinton, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Maria Cantwell. DePaul spokeswoman Carol Hughes said “the university has no policy on personal contributions to political candidates.”
KAITLIN TAMOSIUNAS | THE DEPAULIA
6| The DePaulia. Oct. 31, 2016.
JACQUELINE LIN | THE DEPAULIA
At height of popularity, Obama steps away By Ben Gartland Sports Editor
With the presidential election eight days away, the focus on who will be the 45th president of the United States is the biggest topic in the nation. Eight years ago, the United States faced a similar question over who would be the 44th President, which would be Barack Obama. Obama sits with an aggregate approval rating in the low to mid fifties as he finishes out his term. “Like a lot of outgoing Presidents, his popularity is higher as you leave then when he was in office,” Carol Marin, a DePaul journalism professor and political editor for NBC5 Chicago. “Because voters are now trying to figure who they don’t like for the next ballot they’re going to take.” Marin saw the rise of Obama’s political career from a media perspective when he first became a United States senator in 2004. “It’s interesting, he was fairly guarded as a candidate,” she said. “He wasn’t somebody who did a lot of press conferences, sort of chit chat. He was issue oriented for sure. It was in 2004 that Obama became a star in the Democratic Party. He ran for the United States Senate in 2004 and won in a highly contested primary to become the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Illinois. His eloquence and speaking ability earned him a keynote spot at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Dr. Wayne Steger, a professor of political science at DePaul, said this turned him into a “rock star.” “Within six months he went from being a state senator to being the Democratic nominee to being a senator and a nationally known figure,” Steger said. “And he continued to do that through his years in the Senate.” “Through the whole fall, he’s being invited to do fundraisers and speak and campaign for candidates all over the country.” Obama won the Senate seat in 2004 and it would not be long before he would run for the presidency. He announced his candidacy in February of 2007. “He was a long shot,” Steger said. “He had some really talented people running his campaign who had experience running Iowa. He had a tremendous organization and Hillary Clinton, by and large, was ignoring the caucuses.” However, there were still some people who did think he had the stars aligned to win the presidency. “I did,” Marin said. “There were certainly people who didn’t, but I thought he did. If you’re going to run for president, you need extraordinary talent,
you need excellent timing and you need a lot of luck. He had all of the above.” Obama would go on to win the presidency and then reelection in 2012 to serve two full terms in the nation’s highest office. With the next president only a couple of months away from taking office, it’s difficult to determine a lasting legacy for President Obama, but his achievements in office will be what defines his legacy. “Healthcare will be his signature, absolutely his signature,” Steger said. “He put a lot of political capital in the Affordable Care Act.” It’s also possible to see how President Obama operated in the White House from a political operative perspective. Marin said that when he came to Washington,
he underestimated the complexities of the divisions. “He wasn’t a Lyndon Johnson, he wasn’t a Bill Clinton,” she said. “He is intellectual, aloof and detached in significant ways. You can argue those are his strengths, but those are also his weaknesses in trying to create alliances with the other side.” Steger said that the next president will play a role in shaping Obama’s legacy. He said a Republican president would attempt to limit or repeal some of Obama’s policies in office, but a Democratic president would continue Obama’s policies. “If it’s Hillary Clinton, she’ll basically protect Obamacare,” he said. “So he has a serious stake in continuing. I think a lot of other policies will continue in foreign policy, economic, fiscal policies.”
As for a local legacy, Chicago will be home to the Obama Presidential Center, which is being built in Jackson Park on the South Side. “The fact that the Obama library is here is a big deal for people,” Marin said. “There aren’t many cities that can claim a president. So it’s considered a plus from a civic standpoint, from development on the South Side, all of those things are considered good things.” And Obama will forever be tied to Chicago, and Chicago tied to Obama. “When you say Chicago, among the things you say besides Michael Jordan and Al Capone is President Obama,” Marin said.
The Election Issue. Oct. 31, 2016. The DePaulia | 7
Editorial: Clinton for president By Editorial Board
On Nov. 8, the American people will vote to elect a new president. They’ve heard the ads, the sparring matches that were called debates and they’ve expressed their opinions of the candidates, openly and behind closed doors. This year their votes will reveal the true character of this country. Indeed, it’s one of those rare elections that represents a gut check moment. At DePaul, we’re facing a similar gut check moment. Issues of free speech on campus — and what is categorized as free speech or hate speech — have been debated. We’ve listened to one another, we’ve expressed our discontent with the administration and actions and have pledged to do better. We expect as much from our country. What’s clear is this race is not just Democrat vs. Republican, it’s right vs. wrong. Donald Trump bullied his way to the GOP nomination and now wants to bully his way to the White House. This cannot happen. The Vincentian values our university was built on are what we’re told to live up to and think about as we walk around this campus and long after we’re gone. Standing up for justice and asking “what must be done?” have been taught to us since our days in discover or explore classes and as we enter the professional world. For this reason, we believe Hillary Clinton to be the most in line with our values and with what DePaul stands for. She earns our endorsement. Clinton is by no means a perfect candidate — her emails and key decisions during her political career have caused many to question her trustworthiness and her viability for president. However, Trump’s faults, including allegations of sexual assault, racism and his temperament throughout the campaign outweigh these missteps. Trump has shown himself unworthy of leading a great, diverse country. A former First Lady, Senator from New York and Secretary of State, Clinton has proven to have the most experience of politics and their application. And, as Trump even acknowledges, Clinton is a fighter for the causes she believes in. After 25 years of political attacks, both fair and
not, she’s developed a thick skin while continuing to advance her policy goals. So at the very least, we’re guaranteed that she won’t be baited by a Tweet. This is only the fifth time the DePaulia has issued an endorsement in its 93 year history. Some of us on the Editorial Board are enthusiastic in their support of Clinton while others believe she’s merely the lesser of two evils. We are, however, together when it comes to Vincentian values and their importance in our university. Certain traditions are imparted on DePaul students from the moment they set foot on campus to the moment they’re handed a diploma. These are rooted in our identity as a Catholic university, our presence in an urban environment and the example set by St. Vincent de Paul. “Motivated by the example of St. Vincent, who instilled a love of God by leading his contemporaries in serving urgent human needs, the DePaul community is above all characterized by ennobling the God-given dignity of each person,” reads an excerpt from the university’s mission statement. Trump is the antithesis of Vincentian values. We cannot and will not list every insult Trump has hurled throughout this campaign as it would take up this whole section. You’ve heard it all before. But, it must be worth noting that Trump’s behavior is not limited to a 17-month campaign. As was heard on the 2005 Access Hollywood tape, Trump’s deplorable comments on women far predate his campaign. His condescending attempt to reach out to African American voters was laughable considering how he spearheaded the racially tinged birther conspiracy, which claimed President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. Then there’s the chapter of his life where he didn’t pay contractors for work done on his failed Atlantic City casino. Whether we like it or not, the president is a role model. Their words matter. The children of this country listen. It’s no surprise there’s been an uptick in racially motivated bullying in schools around the country in the last year. Whether it’s the retweet of an antiSemitic image or his initial reluctance to disavow support from white supremacists
JAMIE MONCRIEF | DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton campaigning with then-Gov. Pat Quinn outside the DePaul Center in October 2014. like David Duke, Trump has, whether inadvertently or not, given credence to radical fringes of the right. This movement, known as the alt-right, believes, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, that white identity is under attack by multicultural forces using political correctness and social justice to undermine white people and their civilization. DePaul has had its problems. Its acknowledgment of racism and racial tensions on its campus were not dealt with properly last year and resulted in a firestorm of hate towards marginalized students. Around the country, we have seen instances like those on our own campus last year come up over and over again — racist or derogatory messages and racial epithets among them. We need a candidate who can address this and assuage the problems of our country, not inflame them. DePaul is a diverse campus in so many ways. Various races, classes, sexual orientations and life experiences that make DePaul diverse are represented on campus. This is part of what makes DePaul great; it’s also part of what makes America great. Hillary Clinton, born in Edgewater and raised in northwest suburban Park Ridge, has answered that call of ‘what must be done?’ her entire life. Following her graduation from law school, Clinton went to the work for the Children’s Defense
Fund, where her work helped better the lives of the poor, the disabled and people of color. As First Lady, she was instrumental in creating the Children’s Health Insurance Program. As a senator, she was crucial in securing funding to rebuild Lower Manhattan post9/11. And as Secretary of State, Clinton was a vocal advocate for women’s rights and LGBT rights around the world. With all that said, Clinton is not perfect. Her support for minorities and the issues they face as more than a political prop is questionable and will be tested during her tenure should she win. Her conduct using a private email server to conduct government business was wrong and only confirms the image many have of her, that she’s not honest or trustworthy. But even with some reservations, Clinton is undeniably an accomplished and qualified candidate for president. Trump’s accomplishments do not fit with Vincentian values, and his values are not DePaul’s values. Either Clinton or Trump will be the next president. As representatives of the most culturally and ethnically diverse generation yet, that it’s imperative to make a vote that reflects our values as a community.
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QUIZ: WHICH POLITICAL SCANDAL ARE YOU? There has been no shortage of scandal this election season. At times, one feels as if they have been transported to an episode of House of Cards, Veep or, well, Scandal! But, as unrelatable as many find the presidential candidates to be, many would be surprised to find much in common with their scandals. Which scandal fits you? Take The DePaulia’s quiz to find out. 1. It’s Saturday night. Where are you? a) Shotgunning beers outside a house party in front of a crowd of admirers. They wish they could chug a beer in less than eight seconds like you. b) In your studio apartment watching Netflix. Nobody invited you out. You genuinely do not care. c) At a River North club buying $15 cocktails that you cannot afford. It doesn’t matter. 2 Chainz is playing at Underground tonight and your snapstory is going to be doooooooope. d) Chilling on a porch with your closest friends, relishing in your group’s general awesomeness. Ain’t nobody messing with your clique, clique, clique. 2. What’s your no. 1 pet peeve? a) People who think they’re better than you. Why? Because that is IMPOSSIBLE. No one can match your effortless charisma and good looks. b)When people try to get all up in your business. People don’t need to know where you live. Or your birthday. Or your name. c) Getting less than 100 likes on an Instagram post. Your caption was on point, that filter was perfect and that posed group shot looked genuinely candid. What else do Mostly A’s: “Access Hollywood” bus tape Much like Trump, you feel a great desire to impress everyone you meet (even if that person is the human scum that is Billy Bush). In the future you may want to be careful in your choice of words because you never really know who may hear you. And hey, you may decide years after bragging about your unsolicited groping of women that you want to run for president of the United States!
these people need??? d) Disloyalty. As Tyga (aka the voice of our generation) rapped on Birdman’s “Loyalty,” “Family I love, don’t wanna leave this world alone/I pray to God I won’t, loyalty is all I know.” 3. What’s your favorite Chicago neighborhood? a) Logan Square. Wicker Park is so 2010. b) Wherever I know I won’t run into people I know. Small talk? I’ll take a hard pass. c) Gold Coast. You may be digging yourself into massive debt to pay for it but everyone is crazy jealous of your view. Worth it. d) Lincoln Park. You moved into the LP your freshman year and you will literally never leave. 4. Where did you watch the World Series? a) AT WRIGLEY FIELD. Yeah, you’ve got a guy that hooks you up with tickets but it’s no big deal. b) You didn’t. Why watch just because everybody else is? That’s called herd mentality, people. c) You paid the $100 cover charge to get into the Cubby Bear. But the memories (and photos from the night that were promptly uploaded to Facebook) are priceless.
Mostly B’s: Hillary Clinton emails You’re a very secretive person. I mean, we’re talking Ron Swanson secretive. The fact that practically everyone in your generation posts personal information online for the world to see is mindboggling to you. It’s reached the point where you refuse to send text messages out of fear that the NSA is following your every move and instead prefer communicating via carrier pigeon.
d) With your family. Your dad has been waiting for the Cubs to make it this far for quite literally his entire life. 5. Who is your favorite musical artist? a) LCD Soundsystem. Their show at Lollapalooza this year was life changing. b) The Smiths. You can really relate to Morrissey’s feeling of being alone in the world. No one understands you! c) Beyoncé. The woman is perfection. You may or may not own every single piece from her Ivy Park collection. d) The Beatles. Music has been on the decline since 1969 and no one can tell you any different. 6. Who are you voting for in the presidential election? a) Oh, I’m voting for a third party candidate and here is a 30-minute rant explaining why. b) None of your damn business. c) Donald Trump. We need a man that knows business. And steaks. The steaks are particularly important. d) Hillary Clinton. Homegirl has been working towards this moment for quite literally her entire adult life. Respect.
Mostly C’s: Trump Foundation There are two things you truly excel at: taking the perfect selfie and mismanaging your money. You’re still pretty upset that Kim Kardashian published a book of selfies before you did, but hey, at least now you know there’s a real market for that kind of thing. As for budgeting, that $200 your mom sent you to help out with textbooks was spent in its entirety on a distressed white t-shirt from the YEEZY Season 3 collection. Whoops.
Mostly D’s: DNC SABOTAGE If you could be described in one word, it would be loyal. You’re the type of friend that will egg your BFF’s ex-boyfriend’s car because you’re pretty sure he subtweeted her the other day. How dare he. When people were outraged that Debbie Wasserman Schultz may have used her authority as chair of the Democratic National Committee to favor Hillary Clinton and sabotage Sen. Bernie Sanders you just shrugged like, “Hey, I would do the same thing if one of my girls was trying to be the next POTUS.”
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