Students Voice Opinions on Presidential Election
Incumbent Barack Obama was voted in for a second term last Tuesday night, taking both the popular vote and a majority in the Electoral College.
In what is being called “one of the closest elections in history,” citizens watched as the country spoke in an election that, for many, was not certain until the end.
President Obama took Virginia, Ohio, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, some of several swing states, which were believed by political analysts to be crucial for either candidate in order to win. Mitt Romney managed to take 206 electoral votes, but he did not get the push that was required.
Hudson Valley students were asked to cast votes in a mock election beforehand, which saw similar results in terms of the winner. Obama received 52 percent of the votes, Romney 23 percent, Gary Johnson 11 percent, Jill Stein three percent, and the remaining 11 percent going to write-ins for other candidates.
Students from several spots on the political spectrum voiced their opinions on topics related to the election.
“I voted for Governor Gary Johnson because I believe in a strong message of limited government and personal freedom,” said Kevin Bulger, Liberal Arts senior. “I believe that Gary Johnson is the only pro-peace candidate. I don’t believe that Barack Obama or Mitt Romney is really for ending the war overseas as quickly as they should.”
Johnson made history this year, taking just over one million votes in the election, more than any libertarian candidate has ever received. However, this one percent was not enough to afford him any electoral votes.
Some students held strong opinions on certain social issues when it came to the reasons for their votes.
“The fact that Mitt Romney does not support LGBT rights is the reason that I would never [vote for him],” said Paola Gonzalez, Business Administration senior. “[Because Obama] repealed the ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy, [it makes him] the better candidate.”
Others had more general reasons when they selected their candidates.
“It’s basically the lesser of two evils at this point,” said Cristin McIntyre, Liberal Arts freshman, who also said she did not feel strongly about either candidate.
“Obama already had his chance,” said Melody Kruger, Theatre Arts freshman.
Obama spoke of meeting with Romney to discuss how the two could work together. He has stated that, in his second term, he wishes to work with both parties in order to tend to the country’s agenda.
“We have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come,” said Obama the morning after the election.
Obama will now start looking to work with a Republican House in order to avoid the partisan gridlock that was present during his first term.
“Most of the reason that people are blaming him for not getting anything done is [that] Congress is blocking his ideas,” said Colleen Farrar, Liberal Arts senior.
“We can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggest,” said Obama. “In the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together.”
Romney has left the public eye after gaining 206 of the required 270 electoral votes needed for the presidency.
“At a time like this, we can’t risk partisan bickering and political posturing. Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people’s work and we citizens also have to rise to the occasion,” said Romney in his concession speech. “We look to Democrats and Republicans in government at all levels to put the people before politics.”
With the idea of partisan unity in mind, Obama will now look to the future, calling up the support of his fellow Americans and politicians in order to progress.