The author of "Push for voter registration on campus unappreciated" (CT, Oct. 1) insists that her main concern is the massive voter registration assembly on campus.
I do not wish to explain or argue the reasoning behind voter registration drives during an election year -- it seems pretty self-explanatory to me. It is a fallacy to believe that those who have not yet registered to vote are disengaged. Students are busy, do not realize the deadline to register is soon and are apprehensive. Those who are registering simply wish to make it easier for their fellow students.The author lambastes the Obama campaign, citing it as the main cause for her "annoyance." Maybe it never occurred to her that the McCain campaign does not want students to register to vote because college campuses and the younger generation are expected to vote overwhelmingly for Obama.
The reasoning behind this is that Obama's campaign caters a lot more to students than does McCain's; after all, we are the ones who will have to inherit the $9 trillion debt, which has augmented because of the Iraq war.
In addition, the volunteers or interns have never "rudely" approached me with, "Um, so are you registered to vote?" They are much too professional for that.
Ann-Marie Callsen
sophomore, economics
Campaign for Change intern
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No sorry, when i am sitting down eating in West End and am approached at least twice in a 30 minute time span asking if i have registered to vote; i consider that annyoying.
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Really, John McCain doesn't want students to vote? I'm sorry but I couldn't find that on his or his party's platform. I guess the Young Republicans should just close up shop, they're unwanted. What a dumb letter.
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In a public place, you really can't lay claim to a "right to not be minorly inconvenienced." That said, I don't see why these registration folks can't exercise a bit of restraint by setting up a registration table in a prominent place and only talking with people when they pass by, rather than hovering around badgering people who are clearly involved in something else.
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Jason T, I like your point! And for the author, the comment "They are much too professional for that," is interesting. When I was approached in Ownes, it was by a timid, unenthused girl, who I could barley even hear.
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That's a pretty serious allegation, that the McCain campaign 'doesn't want college students to register' out of fear of defeat. Young voters traditionally vote democratic anyway because the democratic party speaks to the class warfare ideology which many of them espouse. It's pretty easy to win votes when you tell people you've got a Robin Hood economic strategy (steal, and I do mean steal, from the rich and give to the middle class). Obama's campaign has been run in a very 'me-centric' light, where he constantly asks his audience rhetorically 'what is the government going to do for me.' My answer is that I hope it does nothing for ME. The Federal Government isn't set up to operate for individuals, it's set up to help the states work together. Nowhere in the Constitution does it talk about providing anything for individuals. If anything, it specifically DENYS the government the ability to interfere in the private lives of citizens. We live in a self-centered society, nowhere more so than on a college campus - so it's no surprise that the candidate preaching the gospel of self-indulgence would receive the support of the most self-indulgent.
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