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The United States presidential elections are approaching
and most who are of age have the ability to make a true
impact in the upcoming November election.
In order to do that, voters must know who is running
and where they stand on important issues facing the
nation.
Concern about the economy
One major issue facing today's voters is the weak economy.
Whether it's the rising gas prices or the trillions of
dollars of U.S. debt, each citizen worries about the economy
in their own way.
Even high school students are worrying about the economy
these days.
Senior Brooke Lynch said, "[I] would like gas prices
to lower," and says it is a serious problem with
the economy.
The two rivaling candidates both promise a better economy.
Barack Obama, the nominee for the Democratic party,
vows to fight for all economic issues concerning the
middle class, starting with finding a way to lessen
foreclosures and people losing homes due to bankruptcies.
As for the nominee for the Republican party, John McCain
wants to cut unnecessary spending in Congress and keep
taxes low to encourage business growth.
Pro choice vs. anti-abortion
Another hot issue in this election is abortion.
McCain says that the life of an unborn child should
be preserved. He also says if his daughter would like
an abortion, it would be up to her.
"Prosecute abortion doctors, not women who get
them," McCain has said.
On the other hand, Obama states that it is a woman's
fundamental right to choose whether or not she should
have an abortion.
He also clearly emphasizes the importance of abstinence
in teenagers and has spent a lot of money to educate
teenagers.
Senior Leyna Kitchen said, "I don't believe in
abortion, but there are certain points where it might
be okay, but all in all it's not."
Acting against climate change
The state of the environment is another important issue,
as many know of the depletion of the ozone layer and are
concerned about climate change.
Obama deems that the environment is the biggest challenge
this generation faces. He plans on taking aggressive
action now to reduce greenhouse gases emitted into the
air.
Obama is also co-sponsor of the Global Warming Pollution
Reduction Act.
McCain offered common sense approaches to limit the
amount of carbon emissions into the air.
There has been much talk about McCain's record of service,
compared to Obama's, as well.
McCain seems to have a little more experience than
Obama, due to his older age and involvement with the
military.
Senior, Fatima Matos, said, "[Obama] is younger
but hired an older man with experience [vice presidential
candidate, Joseph Binden] to help him."
No matter what issues are the most important to voters,
a vote can still make a difference in the future of
the country.
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After H1N1-related school closures in the last flu season, local schools have lowered the severity of their response and are focusing on preventative action that does not interrupt education.
