Below are the statements read at last night's debate between the College Republicans and College Democrats. The Eagle chose not to edit them for content or style and reproduced them on this page exactly as submitted. The views expressed are those of the respective organization and do not represent The Eagle's views.
Democrats
Americans are not only witnessing, but participating in, the largest transfer of wealth from one set of nations to another in the history of mankind. The United States and her Allies are now sending their wealth to places such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. Petro dollars have been used to fund radical Islamic schools and terrorists groups. Climate change threatens not only the environment but every human on the planet.
These problems are daunting but not insurmountable. John Kennedy said it best: "Our problems are man made, and therefore they can be solved by man." Energy Independece for America will not be easy to achieve. It will require a sustained and shared effort by our government, our businesses and the American people. The National Petroleum Council has already said that we cannot drill our way out of this problem. These oil company experts say that we have to immediately make large scale investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. And that is exactly what Barack Obama's energy plan will do. Now, no plan is perfect or without its drawbacks but one might say that the fundamentals of our energy policy are strong. The Obama plan will provide short term relief to American families that are being hit by high gas prices and having trouble heating their homes in the winter. The plan will help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion dollars over the next ten years. This is an Apollo Project-level commitment by the federal government that will partner with the private sector to invest in solar, wind, geothermal, the next generation of biofuels, and clean coal technologies. This $15 billion a year will also go to weatherization and helping low and middle income Americans transition to a New Clean Energy Economy. Within ten years Obama's plan will save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.
We will also have to use nuclear power and natural gas. Natural gas is a key component of any plan and that is why Obama will waste no time in the construction of the Alaskan natural gas pipeline. Fossil fuels will be essential for some time to come, but they should be minimized and not maximized. The Republican Platform states "In the long run, American production should move to zero-emission sources, and our nations fossil fuel resources are the bridge to that emissions free future." That's like an alcoholic saying "Yeah I have to stop drinkin but let me finish the other half of this keg first." We need an aggressive program with federal leadership to maximize renewable energy and energy efficiency right NOW. The kind of federal leadership and investment that Lincoln showed when he pushed for the Transcontinental Railroad, or FDR with the Tennessee Valley Authority, who brought an energy revolution of his own to rural America. Political gimmicks and cash prizes are no substitute for real policy. What we need now more than ever is bold leadership and a real commitment to America's energy future. And we can only get that from Barack Obama.
Republicans
When the followers of Barack Obama walk into the voting booth this November, most of them will be shocked to discover that George W. Bush will not be on the ballot.
But this election, which is indeed, as Senator Obama likes to note, about the future, actually is about a choice between two very different men: one who has, in the words of Governor Sarah Palin, used change to promote his career, and one who has used his career to promote change.
All that one has to do is look at the record: John McCain has spent his long and distinguished Senate career fighting the establishment in the name of reform. Whether it comes to the surge in Iraq, fighting corruption, or combating wasteful spending coming from his own party, the name John McCain has been synonymous with reform.
Jack Abramoff? John McCain fought him tooth and nail.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? McCain called for additional regulation in 2005 while Obama became their second-largest all-time recipient of political contributions -- no small feat, given Obama's less than four years in the Senate.
Donald Rumsfeld? McCain called for his resignation early into the Iraq War.
Earmarks? McCain has requested none while Obama has asked for nearly one billion dollars' worth in his three short years in Congress.
This election presents an unprecedented set of challenges to America: an economy in turmoil, an ongoing war against radical Islam, and a Dem ocratic Congress with an approval rating that has sunk into the single digits. How have the candidates measured up on such issues?
On the economy, there is the man who Fannie and Freddie thought was doing a 'heck of a job,' and there is John McCain, who fought for regulatory reform just three years ago. There is John McCain, who foresaw the problem of subprime lending, and we have the man who stated in 2007 that subprime lending started off "as a good idea, helping Americans buy homes who previously couldn't afford to."
On the Iraq War, there is John McCain, who fought the failed Rumsfeld strategy and put his career on the line to correct the tactics, and there is the man who insisted that the surge was doomed to fail.
When it comes to the partisan tone in Washington, there is John McCain, who has spent his career working with politicians like Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy, and others on bipartisan bills, and there is the man who was ranked the most party-line politician in the Senate by the National Journal in 2007.
For all of Barack Obama's talk, his short term in the Senate is marked by little to show for his promises.
We can say with confidence, then, that we agree with Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and the Barack Obama of 2004: he is simply not prepared to be president.
