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THE WINNERS’ POSITIONS Tuesday’s election left Democrats great advantages with Barack Obama winning the presidency and Kay Hagan and Bev Perdue winning the senatorial and gubernatorial races, respectively. Here are the candidates’ stances on three major issues:
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
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Standing in the rain, students line up on Nov. 4 to vote before the polls close at 7:30 p.m. at the Pullen Arts Center. More than 1,400 voted on Election Day at this polling station.
N.C. unclaimed in historic election
REPUBLICAN LOSSES MAY MEAN REEVALUATION, FOCUS ON YOUTH Chris Allred News Editor
The day after Democrats swept the senatorial and gubernatorial races in the state, North Carolina is still marked as too close to call in the presidential election. President-elect Barack Obama has locked up the election with 349 electoral votes, making North Carolina’s selection less significant, but, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Obama is ahead of Republican John McCain by less than 20,000 votes. According to New York Times exit polls, this year’s youth vote, as compared to the overall number of voters, increased. Those between the ages of 18 and 29 made up 18 percent of all voters. In 2004, this group accounted for 17 percent of all voters. Total votes amounted to less than 130 million, but some experts have said it could be the largest turnout since 1968. North Carolina is now a swing state, stuck with Missouri as the lone states not to have decisive winners, and as demographics have changed in Democrats’ favor in the state, assistant professor of political science Chris Ellis said it is likely to remain a red, Republican-voting state in the future. “North Carolina just followed the national
tide,� he said. And as the Republican party looks to pick up the pieces from Tuesday’s losses, Ellis said the youth vote could hurt the party in the future. The GOP’s possible youth problem According to the Times’ exit polls, 66 percent of voters between 18 and 29 voted for Obama, leaving only 31 percent for McCain. The way young people vote will often be the same as they vote later on in life, Ellis said. “The fact that this generation has been so deeply supportive of Obama doesn’t just matter now, it’ll matter 40 years from now,� he said. Derek Gatlin, a junior in sociology who volunteered for the Obama campaign, said Obama incorporated young people into the political process in new ways. “It’s not that we came out and voted for him, we did much more than voting for him,� Gatlin said. “I went out and registered voters. I went out and held events and service projects in the name of Barack Obama. It was much more than just voting.� The Democrats have always attracted young people, according to Ches McDowell, chair of the College Republicans.
“Historically, young people vote Democrat,� McDowell, a sophomore in political science, said. “I don’t really know any other reason than they don’t pay taxes.� The Republicans’ problem this year was that Obama was a more attractive candidate for first-time voters, he said, as McCain’s age made him a polarizing figure. “The demographics of the party haven’t changed in a long time,� he said. “If we put up a candidate like Obama, a young, energetic guy, I think he could excite the young people like Obama did.� North Carolina’s uncertain color According to Ellis, in a year where there isn’t such a strong anti-Republican tide, voters would likely vote Republican for president in North Carolina. North Carolina voters typically vote conservative for president and stick to Democrats in the state government, which provided an interesting situation for formal gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory. Ellis and McDowell said McCrory likely lost the election from voters that were voting straight ticket with the Democrats. “If people wanted change, Pat McCrory’s RED continued page 3
University reacts to anti-Obama slurs Offensive language found in Free Expression Tunnel after election, unity rally today Chris Allred News Editor
Campus Police and the University are investigating potentially threatening and racist messages left in the Free Expression Tunnel Wednesday relating to the election of Barack Obama as America’s first black president. “The strength and positive force of spirited debate is sapped when we resort to name-calling and negativity,� Chancellor James Oblinger stated in a press release. “Worse, when we lower ourselves to engaging in racist characterizations and inappropriate statements of anger and hate, we make a mockery of our right to free speech.� Campus Police painted the tunnel white to cover the messages Wednesday morning, and Student Government is spon-
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Rachel Sheffield, a freshman in arts applications, reads one of the posters decrying “hate speech� in the Free Expression Tunnel Nov. 5. “I hate that the whole tunnel had to be painted,� Sheffield said.
soring a rally in the Brickyard Thursday to promote unity. Lock Whiteside, an Obama supporter and student chief justice, said he felt strong emotions after Obama’s win. “I’m overwhelmed with emotions right now,� he said. “It’s hard to explain. A lot of people
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have worked over decades to get to this. With those events that took place on our campus, it just shows that we’ve still got work to do.� At 12:15 p.m. Thursday, students can participate in activities to promote unity and sign on to a letter from student leaders
speaking out against hate speech, according to Student Body President Jay Dawkins. From 1 to 1:20 p.m., Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Tom Stafford and other administrators will speak on the issues of intolerance on campus. Earlier this year, Ku Klux Klan advertisements were written in several areas on campus, and in November 2007, University employees found a toilet paper noose inside Sullivan Shops. Dawkins said these actions are not a reflection of the University. “It’s probably the same group of one or two people that are in no way representative of what N.C. State is about,� Dawkins said. To respond to the negative speech, a group of friends spray painted messages of equality in the Free Expression Tunnel Wednesday night. “We need to remember some SLURS continued page 3
EDUCATION: The “Zero to Five� plan should be implemented to promote voluntary, universal preschool. No Child Left Behind should be reformed. Teacher recruitment and retention should be promoted through mentoring as well as financial and educational incentives. The American Opportunity Tax Credit should be enacted to give $4,000 in college costs in exchange for 100 hours of community service. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: A Windfall Profits tax should be enacted to provide families with a $1,000 Emergency Energy Rebate check. $150 billion should be invested within 10 years to both accelerate production and promote the use of alternative energy, which would simultaneously create 5 million new jobs. Increasing fuel efficiency standards and expanding domestic fuel production should eliminate the need to import oil from the Middle East and Venezuela within 10 years. The entire White House fleet should be converted to plug-in electric cars within a year, and half of all cars purchased by the federal government should be hybrid or all-electric by 2012. ECONOMY: The “Making Work Pay� tax credit should eliminate income taxes for 10 million Americans. $50 billion should be committed to prevent state and local budget cuts and improve infrastructure, which would simultaneously prevent 1 million jobs from being lost. Tax breaks for companies that move operations overseas should be eliminated, and tax breaks should be given to companies that increase American jobs or benefits for American workers. SOURCE: BARACKOBAMA.COM
SENATOR KAY HAGAN EDUCATION: No Child Left Behind should be fully funded, and state governments should have more control over how it is implemented. Current tax credits for college should be replaced with a single $5,000 credit per year. Students should be able to earn a two-year degree while in high school. Those who become public servants for five years after college should have federal college loans forgiven. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: Tax credits should be expanded for businesses and individuals who make energy saving improvements to property. At least 10 percent of liquid fuel sold in N.C. should be grown and processed in N.C. by 2017. Switchgrass should be employed as a biofuel both to expand N.C. agriculture and to increase biofuel efficiency. Tax breaks to oil companies should be cut. Renewable energy and energy saving programs should create 300,000 jobs in N.C. ECONOMY: The budget should be balanced, and “pay-as-you-go� rules should be applied. Tax cuts should be implemented for the middle class rather than the wealthy. Tax loopholes for multinational corporations should be closed. Economic programs that create jobs in N.C. should be supported. SOURCE: KAYHAGAN.COM
GOVERNOR BEV PERDUE EDUCATION: Early childhood education should be expanded through programs such as Smart Start and More-at-Four. Increasing high school teacher pay and improving working conditions should decrease the drop-out rate. The EARN scholarship program should be expanded to include families earning up to $42,400 and to include four years of college. High school students who enter a community college full-time should have their tuition waived. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: The Cool Cities Assistance Initiative should be funded to support its goal of decreasing emissions 7 percent from 1990 levels by 2012. Programs to increase the use and availability of public transportation should be funded. No new coal burning power plants should be built in N.C. Consumers should not pay sales tax on energy-saving appliances. Universities should receive funding to research green technologies and alternative fuels. ECONOMY: Defense and aerospace jobs should be a key component in the state’s economic development. Tax breaks should be implemented for small businesses, as well as qualifying entrepreneurs who development breakthrough products or businesses. Research, energy and agricultural jobs should increase through development of biofuels and green technology. Universal health care for children should be expanded, and health care costs for the middle class and small businesses should be reduced. SOURCE: BEVPERDUE.COM
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Obama breaks racial barriers, leads a ‘team for change’ See page 6.
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