UPDATE:
The 1996 Election is getting closer, which means if we are to take action on campus, now is the best time to act Political interest is reaching a peak.
As you may already know, Senator Phil Gramm dropped out the Presidential race leaving Bob Dole, Pat Buchannan, and Steve Forbes as the main contenders.
On the local level, the primary elections are coming up on March 12. Please vote. Many people complain about not having any qualified candidates in the November elections. If everybody would vote in the primaries, the people would have better representation, and more control over who gets into office.
Cindy Stormer, candidate for District Attorney, came to a previous meeting to discuss her views. We enjoyed having her and we openly invite any other candidates to come and share his/her ideals with us.
If you have any questions about the upcoming elections, please visit our meetings on MONDAY AFTERNOONS, at 2:00 in the Activity Center.
HYPE-WATCH
It has been reported on ABC recently that the Republican party is experiencing a split over who wins the primaries. We think not! Even though each of us has our own opinions on who could do the job the best, we stand unified behind whoever the Republican party ends up supporting. Let’s keep the Republican revolution going.
The Democrats had a heyday recently with the Idaho election that was called for a seat in the Senate. (To note, it was also the U.S.’s first mail-in election-- A wonderful step forward for voter activity.) Wyden, a liberal Democrat defeated conservative Republican, Smith. Wyden received 48%, Smith 47%, leaving 2% for the American party candidate, 1% for the libertarian, and 1% for the the socialist. (whoever they were!) It was a narrow election. Let it be known that people in Idaho had a "bad Republican taste in their mouths" after Bob Packwood ([R] Oregon)’s recent conduct fiasco. The State carried Dukakis in ‘88, 51-47%, and also carried Clinton in ‘92. Yet, most news services announced that this election was a liberal landslide, and that this traditionally Republican state (yeah, right) rejected the conservatives. It doesn’t prove that our beloved party is falling apart, nor is it an accurate prediction of ‘96.
The Survey Results
If you haven’t noticed already, we regularly comment on the fact that the media is getting more sensational and biased every day. This promises to become the hot topic in days ahead if this trend continues. Republicans and Democrats alike agree that there are a lot of half-truths and over-blown stories fabricated to discredit certain politicians and other respected leaders, for the sole purpose of increasing their ratings. We decided to conduct a survey which may determine if (or at least poke at the way) media influences people’s political views and to see if people actually believe what they are being told. Below is a sample survey:
1.) How do you rate (on a scale from 1 to 6) the objectivity and truthfulness in the T.V. news media?
very biased 1 2 3 4 5 6 always true
2.) How do you rate the major newspapers on their objectivity and truthfulness?
1 2 3 4 5 6
3.) Do you find talk shows (i.e. Ricki Lake, Jerry Springer, Sally, Howard Stern, etc.) entertaining, yet decent for most viewers and accurately portraying the morals of society?
YES NO
4.) Do you feel that news magazines )i.e. Time, Newsweek, U.S. News, etc.) offer relevant issues and come to RATIONAL conclusions, or do you feel that they SENSATIONALIZE just to make the writer’s point?
Rational Sensational
5.) Which U.S. political party do you feel is more in touch with the people and their needs and is doing the right thing?
Democrat Republican Don’t Know
Please keep in mind that this survey is not the most scientifically accurate survey on Earth, nor is it meant to speak for the entire U.S. population. (This isn’t a gallop poll!) However, it is an honest, non-biased attempt to see what fellow N.C.T.C. students are thinking and to get a rough estimate of certain situations at hand.
Out of 116 students surveyed in Mr. Bonin’s English classes.....
QUESTION 1 73 rated from 1-3 43 rated from 4-6
QUESTION 2 71 rated from 4-5 45 rated from 1-3
QUESTION 3 94 circled NO 21 circled YES 1 wrote "never see them"
QUESTION 4 73 circled RATIONAL 40 circled SENSATIONAL 1 circled both 1 Wrote "Depends" 1 Wrote "Unknown"
QUESTION 5 48 circled DON’T KNOW 45 circled REPUBLICAN 22 circled DEMOCRAT 1 circled ROSS PEROT
This survey isn’t meant to show concrete formulas (i.e. if you’re Republican then you hate talk shows, or if you’re Democrat you think the media is great, etc.). That would be stereo- typical. Also, this survey was done as accurately as possible on such a small scale. Just about every major requires English, thus we found an English Class, to interview, to get a fair representation
The survey does show a large percentage of those who believe the T.V. media isn’t telling whole truth, but believe that the newspapers are more trustworthy. The survey also shows an overwhelming disapproval with talk shows, although they still run rampant all day on television. The students surveyed tend to have trust in news magazines’ rationality. Also, there is a large percentage of those who are not sure which party they support--a large enough percentage to sway the balance between both main parties, if they would decide. (If all of the uncertain one’s voted Perot, they would still have a majority over the Republicans and Democrats.) This means there is a lot of opportunity for recruitment for any party.
This writer thinks that due to all of the negative slants and immorality broadcasted to us, Americans tend to not make decisions regarding politics and are becoming disgruntled with all of the bias on T.V. How do we go about bringing more honesty and decency to the mass medias without infringing on their right to freedom of the press and freedom of speech? That’s a tough question. We invite everyone to voice their opinions about this issue, and to propose ways to bring about Constitutionally inspired change.
N.C.T.C. Republicans would like to salute Dr. Frank Stewart for spending his time and using his vast computer resources to help tabulate the results, and we are indebted to Mr. Stephen Bonin for administering the survey.
IN DEFENSE:
Issue: Affirmative Action
By: Randy S. Jackson (Future NCTC Republican)
Affirmative Action: According to many liberals, our statements about that particular policy has been reported as absolute racism--WRONG! REPUBLICANS AREN"T RACISTS! We don’t believe that individual heritage should be placed in a higher position than our American heritage. Modern liberals have unknowingly used Affirmative Action to break us into cultural factions. We should be Americans first! Most Republicans want Affirmative Action to be abolished because it is a direct outrage to equal and fair opportunity. Thanks to it, many qualified workers are unemployed just because they fall into the "majority race". Affirmative Action is even starting to discriminate against minorities as well, including Blacks in California.
There is one main culture and that is AMERICA. We must act now to stop Affirmative Action from further dividing the United States into cultural fragments, one pitted against the other for jobs.... before it is too late.
We are at a turning point in our society. Our government is leaving the ‘Santa Claus’ deficit spending attitude and headed for a more responsible, and more powerful private sector economy. There will be growing pains (as with any major social change), and Republicans will be portrayed as villains. We all have to give a little if we are to rescue our economy. The Democrats won’t like our plan one bit, but history will thank us preventing a permanent government shutdown. We still have a long road ahead, so let’s ignore the media hype and keep on doing what’s right. More power to the people!
The Democrat’s picture:
Pictured here was a child's forced rendition of a bulldozed plowing down a forest. Shown were stumps, a bull-dozer and an open field in the background
A more accurate picture:
Pictured was Bill Clinton hogging various resources behind a wall, in front of a starving family dwelling in a grass hut.
In response to a shameless display of mis-using child’s heartfelt picture to knock the Republican cause for a certain Democratic newsletter, we produced our own version of what a kid would draw, if he/she was told the truth about the democrat’s extreme environmental plans!