Compiled by Taylor Huskey and Haley Lee

 
The world is watching,

But are today’s teens?

The 2008 presidential election has captured the eyes of the world. With the first female contender for the Democratic nomination, an African-American, and a war hero vying for the presidential campaign, the race is one of intensity and diversity. The next president has the potential to lift the nation out of its economic rut, change the way health care is run, and will decide the future of the War on Terror. The world is watching, but are today’s teens?

65% of polled Grafton students incorrectly identified Senator Barack Obama’s position on the war in Iraq and former first lady Hillary Clinton’s health care proposal. Many of Grafton’s upperclassmen are already eligible to vote, or will be by the time of the presidential election.

For some, worries abound as to whether the next generation of voters is adequately informed enough to make sound political decisions. “A lot of times young people vote based on a candidate’s image or their general feelings rather than the candidate’s cause,” said Ms. Jacobsen, Grafton’s Model UN sponsor. 

Students have access to an unlimited number of resources to inform themselves of political happenings. News channels, prime-time television, newspapers and magazines provide endless coverage on the campaign. “I know most people my age get information on the campaign from their parents rather than researching it themselves. It makes them more biased without knowing all the facts first,” said junior Megan Moore.

  Getting students involved in the nation’s government is a growing issue. Former rap star Chuck D has been touring college campuses across the country for the past seventeen years, spreading the gospel of political awareness among youth. “Don’t believe the hype - challenge what you see on TV, what you hear from those around you and the information that is coming to you from all vantage points,” he said to his audience at Webster University this past February.

Everyone is invited to the

Political Party

Clubs such as Model United Nations and the Young Democrats Club inspire many students to get involved in politics.  This allows students to share and develop their political views and ideas.

  “Model UN prompts reading and staying up to date on current affairs,” said junior Crosby Ritter.  “For the most part, we’re responsible for researching ourselves but sometimes we have briefings on important things.”

  While not all students involved in these clubs are eligible to vote, because of the experience they get from their involvement in these clubs, they will be more prepared.  “I have to understand the issues in order to represent your country’s wants.  That definitely prepares me for voting because I have to understand the issues so that I know who I want as president and so that I know what’s going on when I go to vote,” said junior Sam Roth.

  These clubs can also provide a healthy distraction from the monotony of teenage life.  “It’s hard to find things to talk about in high school besides the latest gossip so it’s nice to take a break from that and talk about things that are important to larger groups of people,” said Ritter.

  “I like it because it gives me a creative outlet where I can solve real problems in real countries like Djibouti,” said senior Steve Kieklak.

  Besides simply enjoying the intellectual interaction, many students use the club as a way to get a sense of how politics work and if it is something they would enjoy doing later in life.  “I like Model UN because it’s informative.  It’s good to know about current events that are going on in the world.  Also, it will prepare me for careers that I want to look into, such as working for the state department,” said junior Matthew McKinney.

  The skills that students acquire from these clubs can help prepare them for possible future careers.  “Model UN is all about public speaking and being comfortable talking about sensitive subjects.  If you want a career in law or politics, it definitely gives you something to build on,” said Roth.  “I want to be a lawyer, so being able to effectively convince a jury that what I’m arguing is right is really important.”

MEET THE CANDIDATES

Presidential candidates in 2008 are all about change. Change, they say, will make America better and its people happier. What exactly does change mean for the three candidates currently in the running? The issues each candidate addresses are the fundamentals of “change,” including health care, the environment, the war in Iraq, education, and immigration.  

Hillary Clinton

For Hillary Rodham Clinton, change is about optional universal health care. It’s about ending the war in Iraq and bringing our troops home. Clinton’s changes include environmental standards that will reduce electricity consumption, now powered by burning coal, by 20 percent and make 55 mph the standard for all automobiles by 2030. Education reform will, according to Clinton, “cut the minority dropout rate in half,” end No Child Left Behind Act, provide for children with special needs, and lower the cost of colleges making it affordable for everyone.

Under Clinton, America’s borders will become secure. Clinton’s foreign policy will usher in better foreign relations and continue the American tradition of an immigrant nation, united under one law.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama is also a great candidate for change. To redefine the current health care system, he will implement a national health care plan. America’s environmental concerns will be countered with comprehensive research, plans to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, and forums in the bureaucracy to help govern these new environmental standards. The No Child Left Behind Act will remain, aided by the “Zero to Five” plan, which regulates the early development of America’s children. US borders will be secured, and he hopes legal immigrants will encourage others to follow the laws.

John McCain

John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, believes personal responsibility will reform the current health-care system; save your money, and leave you with enough to deal with any illnesses that might occur once the prices of drugs and treatments are lowered. With families taking better charge and care of their health finances and sticking to a treatment plan, he believes America’s health care will revitalize. Instead of focusing on the environment, which McCain believes will be fixed with a ‘good neighbor’ policy (you don’t pollute near me, I won’t sue you, as explained on his web site), he wants to broaden America’s space exploration. The war in Iraq, under McCain, will continue until Iraq is stable, even if the United States is at war for a century. To improve America’s education system, McCain will make schools competitive, which he believes will improve the current standards of learning. With McCain as President, the borders will be secure, as will our coastlines, and all immigrants will be made to assimilate: to learn English and the American Way.