The University Daily Kansan
Election guide
Inside: Democrat Dennis Moore and Republican Phill Kline are in a tight battle for the U.S. House. SEE PAGE 6A
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2000
Election day is Tuesday, November 7
Candidate breakdown
WWW.KANSAN.COM
President and Vice President
All Gore and Joe Lieberman (Democrat):
Want to reduce classroom sizes and support a $10,000 tax credit for college tuition. They also favor using extra Social Security funds only for maintaining the Social Security system and reducing the national debt. Support abortion rights and want to establish a $150 billion trust fund to work for a cleaner environment.
M George W. Bush and Dick Cheeney (Republican): Want to restore local control of education and supports school choice, as well as providing more grants and scholarships for low income students. Think Social Security should be used only to maintain Social Security but also favor voluntary personal retirement accounts for workers. Anti-abortion except in the case of rape, incest or to save the woman's life. Would also work for cleaner burning deadline and clean coal technology
Ralph Nader and Witnea LaDuce (independent): Say they're running to offer Americans a legitimate third-party ticket that is not dependent on corporate interests. Want to establish living wage and reduce poverty. Oppose corporatization and support publicly financed campaigns. Would support renewable energy, protection of forests and endangered species. Want to repair schools and new teachers fairly.
Pat Buckman and Enola Foster (Reform):
Believe all abortions should be illegal.
Want to abolish the Department of Education and return education to local authorities. Would guarantee Social Security benefits for those who are already retired but change Social Security to personal retirement accounts. Believe selling federal lands to private owners would improve the environment.
narrow Phillips and J. Curtis Frazier (Constitution): Want to restrict the federal government to the specific powers stated in the Constitution. Opposed to federal control of education; would declare abortion unconstitutional; would abolish the income tax; and would sell federal land and encourage conservation.
Harry Browne and Art Oliver (Libertarian):
Want to eliminate the federal government from all areas not outlined in the Constitution, including education; would repeal the income tax; and would privatize public land and social security.
Believe that abortion is wrong but that it's not the government's place to decide.
John Hagosin and Laura Ticciati (Independent): Want to increase teacher salaries by $10,000; support vouchers for school choice and job training. Support a low flat tax. Want to eliminate fund-raising interest groups and have publically financed elections. Say the government should not regulate abortion.
U.S. Representatives
Jim Ryan (Republican, incumbent): Wants to protect Social Security, lower taxes, improve education. Supports legislation to reduce drug use.
**Dennis Hower (Libertarian):** Supports repealing drug and gun-control laws and income taxes. Wants to cut nearly all government social programs, including student loans, and reduce the size of the government.
- Stanley Wiles (Democrat): Wants to increase scholarship spending, lower class sizes and increase teachers' pay. Wants to protect the family farm and Social Security.
3rd District:
Dennis Moore (Democrat, incumbent);
Supports strengthening Social Security;
giving local schools more flexibility and
initiating gun laws. Opposes concealed-
carry firearm laws.
PHIL KINSE (Republican) Promises to continue to cut property and vehicle taxes. Advocates welfare reform and保护Social Security.
**Mr. Chris Wintz (Liberation):** Supports returning education to local control, eliminating the income tax and phasing out Social Security. Opposes all gun control.
State Senator
2nd District:
Bandy Prenger (Republican, Incumbent):
Wants to make insurance affordable.
Favors increasing pay to teachers, and
possibly establishing more taxes.
Steve Robinson (Democrat): Wants to see a 50-year plan for growth in Lawrence to avoid urban sprawl. Wants to improve water quality, contain pollution and make businesses pay to clean up their pollution. Also supports more financial aid for students.
List continued on page GA
Democratic candidate Al Gore, top left, and Republican candidate George W. Bush, right, are statistically tied in many polls. Meanwhile, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader has developed a vocal following at the University of Kansas. All photos contributed to the Kansan. Digitally altered by Kristi Elliott/KANSAN
Race to the finish
In one of the closest presidential races in decades, candidates offer clear choices
by Luke Wetzel Special to the Kansan
In one of the closest presidential races in recent history, students are looking to a few key issues to differentiate between Democratic candidate Al Gore and Republican candidate George W. Bush.
"Gore has moved to the left as the more aggressive, liberal candidate. He views the role of government as protecting the disadvantaged."
Paul Schumaker
chairman and professor of political science
"I realize its neck-to-neck," said Jon Sternberg, Topeka senior and secretary of KU College Republicans. "A lot of people think the candidates have no differences."
"Gore has moved to the left as the more aggressive, liberal candidate," he said. "He views the role of government as protecting the disadvantaged. Bush is running as a contemporary conservative, emphasizing the failure of government programs to successfully help people."
These opposing stances have manifested themselves in several key issues such as abortion, education and social security.
But Paul Schumaker, chairman and professor of political science, said the candidates held distinct ideologies. Those beliefs indicate the types of decisions they would make as president, he said.
Aravind Muthukrishan, Manhattan senior and issues coordinator for Student
Legislative Awareness Board, said Gore's abortion-rights platform and Bush's anti-abortion philosophy could be the defining issue for some voters.
"People may follow all of one candidate's issues, but they if disagree on abortion, that could cause them to change their vote." Muthukrishnan said.
Jesse Oehlerh, Haven junior and secretary of KU Young Democrats, said he was paying the most attention to Social Security and education.
"Education is something that affects us right now," he said. "Social Security will affect us in the future."
Gore has proposed a "lockbox" approach to the Social Security surplus, while Bush wants to free it up for private investment.
As part of his education plan, Gore has called for better teacher requirements and a tax break for college students. Bush supports standardized testing and promotion by grade level instead of age.
Sternberg said he thought Bush's character made him the best choice for president. "I feel that Governor Bush is an honorable man," he said. "We need someone with morals and honor in the White House."
Desyny Deitch, Manhattan freshman,
said she supported Gore because she
agreed with his position on abortion, education and health care.
"He focuses more on the facts," she said. "It's important for people to get out and vote because this president is going to be selecting Supreme Court justices."
Preston Quick, Topeka freshman, said that he hadn't yet chosen a candidate but that he did plan to vote in the election.
"The last debate will probably sway me," he said.
One candidate who wasn't able to sway voters through the debates was Green Party candidate Ralph Nader. Despite Nader's exclusion from the debates, the KU Green Party sent about 25 students and supporters to St. Louis to protest Nader's exclusion.
"Nader is the only candidate who has demonstrated through his words and actions a sincere belief in putting people before profits," said Sarah Hoskinson, Lawrence junior and president of the KU Green Party.
Hoskinson said she thought if Nader were elected, he would offer universal health care, alternative energy development, publicly funded elections, a living wage rather than a
"Bush is running as a contemporary conservative, emphasizing the failure of government programs to successfully help people." Paul Schumaker chairman and professor of political science
minimum wage and a clean environment. "I think that students should thoroughly investigate the views of all the candidates and support the person they truly believe in." she said.
n. she said Schumaker said the race depended on whether swing voters — and students — would turn out.
"Students are the least likely group to vote," he said. "If they turn out in large numbers, they could very well turn the tide one way or the other."
- Edited by Casey Franklin
Registation drive tries to get students to vote
By Jacob Roddy
Special to the Kansan
National and local elections are less than three weeks away, and to follow up its voter registration drives, the Student Legislative Awareness Board plans to further promote student voting.
Andrew Bailey, the board's community affairs director, said SLAB would send letters reminding students who registered with them to vote. The letters will also tell students where and when to vote.
He said fliers and posters would also be posted in campus buildings, fraternities, sororites, scholarship halls and residence balls.
"I think it is important for students and
people our age to get involved in democratic processes like voting early, so as they get older, they're familiar with it and feel less disenfranchised," Bailey said. "Also, by voting we'll be respected more by the elected officials in Douglas County, and they'll know that we care about the KU and Lawrence communities and what goes on."
Bailey said SLAB had worked with a variety of student organizations, such as Black Student Union, during the voter registration drives and that they planned on continuing a collaborative effort to get students to the polls.
students to the polls.
Courtney Bates, president of Black Student Union and Chicago sophomore, said the group planned to discuss ways to get more
"We will be pushing it in our next few meetings, reminding students to get out and vote," she said. "Even though Kansas is a traditionally Republican state, it's important to vote so that you make your voice heard."
On Election Day, Bailey said SLAB members and other senators would be on campus encouraging people to vote.
Chris Hill, an Olathe senior who has been registered to vote since he was 18, said he thought SLAB's efforts, especially being on campus Tuesday, Nov. 7, to promote the student vote, were good.
"I think that will be effective because for some students, it's like they're out of sight, out of mind," he said. "And having people remind them would help get them to the
polls."
Heather Wigart, an Edina, Minn., senior who hasn't registered to vote, said she would like to see Student Senate provide students with objective information about each candidate.
"I haven't registered because I don't feel like I know about the issues and wouldn't have an educated vote." she said.
Bailey said that the last day to register was Monday, Oct. 23, and that students who didn't registered could do so at the Senate office on the 4th floor of the Kansas Union; at the Spahr Engineering Library on the second floor of Learned Hall; or at the Multicultural Resource Center.
— Edited by Warisa Chulindra