How to get informed for the '08 election
By Dilynn Roettker, Staff Writer
May 16, 2008 | 11 a.m.
As November rapidly approaches, the pressure to pick a side and defend it knowledgeably can be overwhelming, especially for students who have only had a few years to adapt to the “enthusiastic” environment of politics.
The 2008 presidential election has been buzzing for a while, and many undecided students do not know where to turn. For some, the idea of politics is a relatively new addition to an already busy agenda, and it is hard to see the immediate results, if any, that it plays in a student’s daily life.
Visiting assistant professor Jami Taylor noted the opportunity cost when students increase their awareness of the election. “Students are more concerned about their personal life and their academic career," she said. "For most of them politics is just a remote thing.”
The battle lines were drawn March 4 as many students dressed to support their party or candidate and attended the Fox News coverage of the presidential primaries. For those students who had yet to align themselves with a specific candidate, the chance of being seen as politically inept was difficult to be avoided. Many students were interviewed throughout the evening, and the reigning question from reporters was always the same: “Who are YOU voting for and why?”
This can be an awkward position for many students, some of whom voted simply to feel like a responsible citizen. Others had not even registered yet. A student who fits into one of those categories is easier to find on campus than someone might think. It is rare to find someone who is truly passionate about a candidate or an issue, unless one is in the political science department in Bentley Annex.
“I get nervous talking about it," senior Ashley Chapman said. "I don’t want to sound ignorant.”
With all this political banter around, it can be difficult for students with less knowledge of politics to determine which arguments have merit. While there are some who keep up with the election ardently, others are more concerned with papers, money and their respective love lives.
Finding unbiased, organized information can seem like a daunting task for those students who are not already well-versed in politics. People want information to be brought to them and to be told what to think. It takes effort and research, and few have the time or passion to immerse themselves in the fiery competition the media propagates in order to find out what the real story is.
Beyond friends and family, many ways are available for people on campus to receive their updates and information on the election. In this day and age, the Internet, television and every other form of media imaginable are being saturated with information about the election. With the vast amount of information available, it quickly can become overwhelming to try and deduct fact from fiction on the Web. However, as long as the Internet is used responsibly, it can be an incredible asset to students’ research.
A tip from visiting assistant professor Dr. Michelle Frasher-Rae is to look for the “about us” page or something similar when looking at Web sites. It often will have information, such as who funds the organization and what side of issues it supports.
For those who need a jump-start in their research, one of the most popular ways to get information is by viewing each candidate’s Web site. Atlantic Monthly, NPR, Google News, BBC World News and the ever-popular "Daily Show" are some other trendy ways. Many sites even can match voters up with candidates through questions about their personal opinions on various topics.
However, it is easy to land in a site like SelectSmart.com, which requires the voter to fill out a long survey with private information for advertisers before they give out any results. Overall, these sites can be helpful, especially for enlightening voters to what the issues actually are in the general election beyond health care and the war in Iraq.
“It was good because I actually read about issues [that are important],” Chapman said.
Dr. Frasher-Rae recommends iGoogle as a way for students to stay up-to-date with the issues they care about. iGoogle is a personalized news feed, which lets users choose which sources show up on their home page. Her advice to students is to start small and focus on a single issue. Once they research it and its history, for example by watching debates, they can understand and form educated opinions about what is said.
Voters have a responsibility to inform themselves, to ask questions and to demand action, Dr. Frasher-Rae said. Words and beliefs are all well and good, but the question voters should be asking is how the candidates plan on achieving their goals.
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Here are some of the sites that quiz on issues and match the answers with candidates:
This site shows the different views of candidates on the issue of health care: