Decision 2008

Are Obama And Clinton Dividing The Democrats?
By Kat Piracha

Last year, when the democratic candidates came announced their intention to run for President, I wondered, as a Democrat, if I would vote for Senator Obama or Senator Clinton. My roommate brought it to my attention that it’s not really a matter of would I vote for Clinton or Obama, because they’re not both going to make it to the presidential candidacy. The more relevant question is will you automatically vote Democrat despite which one of them wins.

Reluctantly I thought, yes, I would vote for either Obama or Clinton as opposed to a Republican. It’s not that I’m an extreme Democrat or liberal. It’s just that after the Bush administration, I have no faith in the Republican Party, or any current Republicans that may carry stains of Bush’s corruption. Maybe years from now when the Republicans running don’t carry baggage from the manipulative Bush cult, then I will consider voting for a Republican. But not now.

My first choice would be Obama, because I agree with his stance on immigration, Iraq, the environment, and other issues. If I had to, I would vote for Clinton for the same reasons I would vote for Obama, except I do not agree with her stance on partial birth abortion.

According to www.BarackObama.com, Obama’s official candidacy website, if
Obama wins the presidency he plans to tighten the borders but keep the immigrants the country needs to fill specific jobs. He also plans to bring home our troops by the brigade monthly. On the environment, Obama has a very constructive and practical approach on breaking down our use of fuel. He hopes to attack the problem at the root, by giving factories the appropriate tools to make cars that burn less gasoline.

In the case of Clinton, she feels almost exactly the same way as Obama on immigration, according to www.HillaryClinton.com. Clinton wants to bring our troops home, and it seems that her plan on improving the environment is an adamant and effective one.

I assumed that most voters felt more or less the same way I did, but I was surprised that a few people feel so strongly about their candidate that if that candidate doesn’t make it to the presidency, they’re not voting at all, or they would vote for another party.

Erika Kolloori, a 21 year-old justice major at John Jay College, and an adamant Clinton supporter, says that if Obama makes it to November she will vote for Nader because, “Nader is an independent candidate, and he is extremely liberal. Even though Nader has no chance of winning, I would vote for him just to express my views. I could not vote for McCain because he's conservative, and my views are opposite of his.”

I found it an interesting to vote for another party if your candidate doesn’t make it, but I thought it seemed vengeful. But Kolloori replied, “If I didn’t vote because I don’t like either candidate (which I don’t) then I have no right to complain about the state of the country after one of them becomes President. So, voting for Nader would be my way of saying that I vote for issues, not popularity.”

It seems radical, but at least she is exercising her right to vote. Better to vote to make a statement than to do nothing at all.