St. Ignatius's The Eye: Volume LXXIX Number II

With the election less than a month away, and two nationally televised debates completed, the Kerry Edwards team is working hard to win the key battleground states of America. So far in October, Kerry has visited Florida, Ohio, and New Hampshire. Gallup Poll results from October 1-3 have the candidates dead even at 49 percent a piece. In Ohio, the poll has Bush leading 49 percent - 47 percent, with a 4 percent margin of error. Historically, Ohio has been essential in determining the outcome of presidential elections. Scrapping furiously for the Midwest swinger, Kerry and Edwards will need an especially large turnout of urban voters.
    The Democratic nominees' book, Our Plan for America, outlines their basic goals for the country. They believe there are four great challenges before us: "First, to win the global war against terror; second, to stop the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; third, to promote democracy, freedom, and opportunity around the world, starting by winning the peace in Iraq; fourth, end our dependence on Mideast oil."
    As seen in the first presidential debate, the "war on terror" as well as the ongoing crisis in Iraq are surfacing as the focus of the election. In dealing with the threat of terrorism, Kerry and Edwards plan to maintain and reestablish global alliances, forming a "coalition of the able." They aim to modernize the military and to embrace foreign intelligence. Regarding the environment, Kerry-Edwards plans to free America from dependence on Mideast oil. The team also aims to "expand the supply of natural gas, assure that twenty percent of electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020, and make clean coal part of our energy solution."
    Through investment in health care and education, Kerry and Edwards plan to strengthen the middle class by providing relief for middle class families. Their proposed health plan will take care of the full cost of more than twenty million children using Medicaid. States, in exchange, will automatically enroll every child. The plan, they say, will reduce health care costs by "cutting administrative costs, waste, fraud, and abuse; enhancing disease management efforts; and reforming malpractice insurance. "
    The Kerry-Edwards economic plan will end tax breaks for companies taking away American jobs. This money will then be used to reduce the corporate tax rate by five percent. A Kerry- Edwards administration also promises to secure jobs for the future through investment in research in technology.
    In education, Kerry-Edwards will fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act, allowing students smaller classes and more textbooks. The plan will invest in after school programs as well in order to provide safer and more secure after school areas for children. They also hope to improve professional development while also creating rigorous new qualification tests for teachers. Ultimately, the goal is that every young person graduates, since currently three in ten do not complete their high school education, half being Hispanic, African American, or Native American. To find out more about the Kerry-Edwards campaign, visit www.johnkerry.com. To stay informed about the Democratic Party and election in general, stop by Bob Corrigan's room on the third floor of the science building, and join D.I.O.P., Tuesdays after school . www.johnkerry.com