SUSO holds final election forum
Sihang ZhangEconomics professor Jason Taylor expressed deep concerns over proposed tax increases on those making more than $200,000 a year.
"I feel (Democratic presidential candidate Barack) Obama's policies will be the end of America's exceptionalism," Taylor said. "I think Obama's entrepreneur tax and that's what it really is . will hurt America's entrepreneurial spirit."
"Speak Up, Speak Out" held its final forum on the 2008 presidential election Wednesday night in the Bovee University Center Auditorium, with the topic being domestic policy. The event was facilitated by political science professor Cherie Strachan.
The format of the event did not stray from earlier "Speak Up, Speak Out" forums by showing roughly 20 minutes of video clips and then featuring a panel discussion. The featured clips included the stances of Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Obama on abortion, equal pay for women in the workplace, health care, tax cuts and the current economic crisis.
Strachan said she thinks Obama made a mistake when he decided to use the phrase "spread the wealth" to describe his proposed tax cuts.
"I think it was unfortunate for Obama to use the phrase 'spread the wealth around,'" Strachan said. "Because it makes people think of socialism."
Also discussed was an issue that has been largely ignored during the campaign season: social security. Many economists argue that with the large numbers of "baby-boomers" now starting to reach retirement age, the system will be bankrupt by the time the current generation of college-age students who are paying into the system, are ready to retire.
"John McCain is closer to the (George W.) Bush position that the retirement age be moved to 70 or 72 and that Americans should be able to privatize their own social security accounts," Taylor said. "Obama is closer to the position of just leave it alone and hope it gets better, which is not good news for young people."
Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was also discussed at great length, and political science assistant professor Chris Owens said Palin's selection by McCain was something of a compromise.
"Palin was not McCain's pick, even in the 10 days leading up to the convention. His pick was going to be Joseph Lieberman," Owens said. "The conservative wing of the Republican party said you will have a revolt on the floor of convention if you pick him."
While Owens thought Palin gave a good speech at the Republican National Convention in Septembers, he thinks her performance's in interviews following the convention has hurt her in the public eye.
"Her performances in interviews . is what drove her numbers down," Owens said. "Fifty-five percent of Americans now say she's unqualified to be president."
"Speak Up, Speak Out" will host an election results watch party at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the Down Under Food Court. There will be free food, trivia contests and faculty guests providing election analysis.
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