Teens voice opinions on election candidates
By KAITLIN LOUNSBERRY/VOICE CORRESPONDENT Posted Nov 28, 2011 @ 11:00 PM The 2012 presidential election is less than a year away, and it’s hard not to notice the buzz surrounding who will be chosen as the Republican best suited to run against President Barack Obama. The question many people wonder is whether Obama will be reelected. It’s fair to wonder considering the many events — and reactions to events — linked to his administration that have caused controversy. There’s the BP oil spill cleanup, Obamacare, his stance on the Defense of Marriage Act and the decision to assist Libya during its civil rebellion. Osama bin Laden was found under his leadership, and the end of the conflict in Iraq has been announced. So, it’s hard to say how the election will turn out. “Obama may have a slight chance because I haven’t seen any bad publicity (about Obama),” said Springfield High School junior Vlada Gudzenko. But Debbie Vogel, a senior at Lutheran High School, has a different opinion. “People don’t focus on how he has done very little to help the United States. He hasn’t followed through on his promises. We need someone who is a strong leader,” she said. The underlying factor in whether Obama will be reelected is based on whom the GOP nominates to run against the president. With eight prominent Republican candidates, it seems as if one would be the ideal candidate. But Debbie summarized a popular opinion: “What I’ve heard (about the GOP candidates) doesn’t really make me want to vote for anyone.” Such statements could be attributed to the controversies surrounding many Republican nominees. GOP candidate Rick Perry, currently governor of Texas, has recently been scrutinized for the offensive title of his hunting camp, which he failed to rename; blanking during a Nov. 9 debate on which federal agencies he would close; and accusations that he was paid off by a medical company in
exchange for making it mandatory that all 11- and 12-year-old girls be injected with Gardasil. These issues have led to Perry’s quick descent from potential presidential candidate to barely hanging on in the back of the pack. Herman Cain, former chairman and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, was once a front runner but has recently found himself in a controversial candidacy. The most serious issue is accusations from a number of women who say they were sexually harassed during Cain’s time as CEO and president of the National Restaurant Association. Cain’s response to such claims have resulted in a sharp decline in polls for the candidate. All the controversies surrounding the Republican nominees appear to outshine the issues that should be the center of everyone’s attention during Republican debates. “Candidates should be focusing on their platforms, not things that only cause publicity,” Vlada said. Vlada and other teens have said it appears that throughout the GOP candidate selection process, candidates were quick to point out faults of others or mistakes they made in the past rather than discussing what needs to be changed in the United States and what they will do differently from Obama. “The issues (should be) health care and how government should spend its money properly, not on frivolous things that benefit those who do not need benefits,” said Christina Clark, a junior at Glenwood High School. “I think they should discuss the economy and development of jobs,” said Hollie Burg, a junior at Springfield High School. Kaitlin Lounsberry is a senior at Williamsville High School.