This is the first of a five-part series of articles examining Emporians’ opinions on the issues and candidates in the presidential race. A focus group was created and divided into age groups. Today, the high school focus group:
In a lively discussion Friday, five Emporia High School students debated several political issues and defined what is important to them.
The students are EHS seniors Erica Bennett, Republican; Anna O’Connor, Democrat; Joel Austin, Libertarian; Chase Miller, Republican; and Brandon Gunkle, Republican. Each panel member was given a list of eight discussion questions.
As seniors, this is their first opportunity to vote in the presidential election and there was no shortage of discussion among the students.
In the first question, panel members were asked if they “were talking with one of the presidential candidates, what national issues would you tell them need to be addressed or what issues concern you the most?”
“Domestic security,” Bennett said. “... We need to work toward a safer U.S.”
Miller’s answers included taxes and health care and alternate forms of energy. Gunkle also stated that he wanted to see energy addressed by candidates.
“Clean coal isn’t clean,” he said.
O’Connor said she would like to see the job situation and the economy addressed.
“My dad lost his job three times while I (have been) in high school,” O’Connor said.
In the second question, students were asked to rank several issues according to importance. The original question asked for five issues, but a consensus of five issues wasn’t always reached.
O’Connor listed the economy as most important, then alternate energy and domestic security. Miller said foreign policy, public education and Social Security. Social Security was an issue that later the entire panel agreed should be on their list, citing concerns that it won’t be there when the now 18-year-olds need it.
Bennett said her top issues included domestic security, better fuel standards, nuclear power plants, foreign policy (what people think about the United States) and foreign policy as it relates to war.
Gunkle ranked his as foreign policy (war), health care and immigrants.
“Because we are a country of immigrants,” he said.
The third question centered around what kind of impact a president has on Americans’ lives. The panel members were asked if a president does indeed impact people’s lives. The overall answer was yes.
“They can have a negative or positive effect,” O’Connor said.
Presidents who started the draft were cited.
“Presidents like that can change the lives of all of the people in America,” Bennett said.
Gunkle took a slightly different approach to his answer.
“Some people are going to choose not to let it affect them ... depending on the person,” he said.
The fourth question got into the actual candidates for this year’s presidential election. Panel members were asked to choose between Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
“Obama, Obama, Obama for yo’ momma,” group members chimed.
“Between the two I’d have to pick Obama because Obama is not Clinton,” Gunkle said.
Bennett said the two candidates do have a lot in common, but it’s in the way it is approached.
“It seems like they do have a lot of the same policies,” she said. “They fight a lot of the same issues but Obama does it with so much more class ...”
Austin said Obama still leans on the moderate side where Clinton is on the extreme left and focuses on the fact that the country is in debt instead of how to get the economy in line.
The fifth question centered around whether voters are ready for an African American or woman president.
“I see Obama as much more accepted,” Miller said.
Overall, the consensus of the group was that it shouldn’t matter whether the person is African American or a women — it shouldn’t have an effect. Gunkle expressed disapproval of the question.
“I really don’t like that question,” he said. “Because why would you base it off of that?”
In the sixth question, panel members were asked to choose between Obama and Republican John McCain.
Miller said he’d have to say McCain and when it came to discussion about America being in a time of war, the panel largely agreed.
“The thing that I would say about McCain though is that even if you disagree with his policies is he is more experienced with war and he’d be less likely to send someone into danger experiencing it himself,” Miller said. “... Obama wants to remove subsidies for oil companies, which would completely destroy our economy.”
The last comment met some opposition from other panel members who said Obama would eventually remove subsidies for oil companies — not immediately.
Bennett said she can see how McCain has a lot of experience.
“Not just for the war, but for the office,” Bennett said. “He does have a lot of political experience that Obama doesn’t have.”
“If you look at a war and who can better serve in a war-time situation it’s going to be McCain,” Miller added.
O’Connor said she feels more protected by McCain than Obama.
“I don’t feel as protected by him (Obama),” she said. “And so I don’t want to say Obama changed but he started saying that he wants to pull troops out and start with a clean slate. There’s a problem there.”
The next question put Clinton against McCain. Panel members voted four for McCain and one for Clinton. O’Connor said she’d vote for Clinton.
“I like both of them but I think John McCain is just too old,” O’Connor said.
Then, the conversation bounced back to whether America is ready for an African American or woman president relating to why shouldn’t American be ready for an older president.
“I saw a special on the news about how he is too old and how he needs sleep and health and that’s why ...” O’Connor said.
Miller offered opposition to Clinton.
“She doesn’t seem very politically savvy in the sense of other nations ...” he said.
The last question focused on whether or not the race will turn into young vs. old or African American vs. woman.
“I’d like to hope not,” Gunkle said. “But you know a lot of people are ignorant.”
“I think Obama has got a lot of the youth,” Austin said. “But he’s been stealing a lot of the older group. He’s just taking everyone.”
Bennett said Obama does appeal to the younger generation.
“Obama is so attractive to the younger population because he offers change,” she said. “That is what we want to see, especially with the war and health care and Social Security. We need to see change.”
“I don’t think he’s doing that just to win,” O’Connor said.