Politicians to blame for voter apathy, panelist says
Politicians have nobody to blame but themselves for college students not getting out and voting, said Nick West, the Republican representative, at a political panel Wednesday in the International Lounge.
“There is so much of a gray area that all politicians are trying to fiddle in and be politically correct,” West said. “You know how you get us to vote? You take a damn stand on something.”
If politicians would take a stand on issues, it would get people to the polls, said West, who added that all he cares about is that politicians be clear about their stance.
The political panel – West, Democrat Jon Adams, Constitutionalist Colby Lyons and Libertarian Ryan Yonk – debated issues ranging from voter turnout to gay rights to Social Security.
West said it’s ridiculous to tell people what to do with their lives and that whether a couple is heterosexual or homosexual, his party should stay neutral.
Yonk said the government has no place intruding in Americans’ personal lives.
Lyons declined comment on gay rights.
Adams, who said he is bisexual, said, “I think it’s repulsive that the Republican Party has been so fixated with this issue – granted, only certain members. I think it’s repulsive that they would exploit prejudices and biases for votes like that.”
Another issue the representatives discussed was Social Security.
Social Security needs to be eliminated because it’s not constitutional, Lyons said.
While America has obligations, Yonk said ideally it should eliminate Social Security and replace it with private funds. He said in reality, Americans will just leave the problem to their kids and they’ll be fine.
The issue isn’t what’s wrong with Social Security but whether Americans want it, Adams said. Social Security is one of the most popular programs in history, he said, and if one-third of Bush’s tax cuts were repealed, it could fully fund Social Security for the next 100 years.
West said the best thing America could do is to privatize Social Security to an extent but still have it be mandatory. He said the investment tax should be eliminated, which would then give Americans incentive to invest in the stock market.
The representatives also spoke about common misconceptions of their parties.
West said Americans need to stop seeing Republicans as always looking out for rich, white men because they are looking out for everyone. He said the reason Republicans are conservative is so they can help those who are less well-off than them and that going to war was to prevent the country from going into recession.
A common misconception is that Democrats aren’t religious and don’t support American troops, said Adams, who said his father is a soldier.
Democrats support the troops without supporting the war, he said.
-amanda.pie@aggiemail.usu.edu