Students pose as candidates

While the real presidential candidates may have debated some 24 hours ago and 1,100 miles away, Boston College's very own faced off in similar discourse to stimulate political awareness on campus. With Josh Darr, A&S '09, as Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.), and Michael Reer, A&S '09, as Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.), the debate drew a crowd of about 100 students of various political affiliations.

The Undergraduate Government of BC (UGBC) sponsored the event, organized by Kristoffer Munden, A&S '11, and Christina Pierro, A&S '10, the UGBC co-directors of political action. Moderated by David Deese, professor of political science, the event also included a voter registration table to encourage students to take up their civic responsibility. Topics of debate ranged from foreign policy and the economy to education and Supreme Court nominations.

Starting off the night with questions on foreign policy, Darr and Reer attempted to emulate and espouse the platforms and visions of their respective candidates. The founder of BC Students for Barack Obama and proverbial "Obama guru" on campus, Darr iterated that he (Obama) had been opposed to the Iraq war from the beginning. "We can make the situation better with a phased withdrawal of troops and their relocation to Afghanistan." By adhering to a regular timeline, he said, Obama would stop the "blank check" policy currently supplying numerous resources to the region. "I would help train Iraqi forces and keep political pressure on the Iraqi government to achieve stability so we can fight the real terrorists in Afghanistan," he said.

Reer, president of the College Republicans, said McCain was also in favor of training Iraqi troops, but wanted to heed the advice of U.S. military advisers overseas for executing a withdrawal. "When the commanders on the ground tell us it's time to go, it'll be time to go," he said. To clarify the notion of the "blank check" policy, Reer countered that it is not and was never the goal of the Republican Party to stay in Iraq indefinitely. "Our military advisers have the best idea of when we will be done, not the politicians who are not present there," he said.

Regarding U.S. leadership abroad and its place on the international stage, Reer wanted to align U.S. interests with those of other nations, and concede a shared form of leadership in appropriate instances. "We don't have to be the leader all the time," he said.

Darr said we need to "lead with our values, not just our military." To achieve global unity, we need to lead with what is good about America, he said. "By moving forward with the best of our country, we can be strong and respected."

Both students were then asked what steps they would take toward correcting the ailing economy, clearly a pressing issue as many Americans face financial hardship. Reer advocated raising the FDIC limit, reforming Washington, and looking into more research and development for U.S.-based businesses. "When you raise the FDIC limit to $600,000 or more, you eliminate the likelihood that people with huge bank accounts, who could really pull the banks under, would withdraw their savings." Without the strengthening of this safety net, there would be more impetus for a run on the bank, he said.

Darr said Obama would treat taxpayers like investors, cutting taxes for 95 percent of Americans - or those who make less than $250,000 per year. "The trickle-down effect does not work," he said. "Prosperity comes from the middle class."

Reer questioned Obama's tax plan as it applies to American corporations, including traditionally blue collar industries like steel, trucking, transport, which he claimed would experience "huge corporate taxation, possibly leading to the need to move overseas."

Darr explained that he wanted to incentivize keeping jobs in America by cutting taxes and "rebalancing the corporate mindset."

Students then addressed the social issue of abortion, with Darr placing emphasis on the need to reduce the number of abortions and Reer pushing for states to determine the status of abortion rights.

This is the first time that a reduction in abortion numbers has been explicit on the Democratic platform, Darr said, an improvement in his opinion over past platforms. "I will defend Roe v. Wade, but I will also look to increase aid to women, young mothers, and grant tax credits for adoptions," he said. "To make a culture of life possible, we need to start first with favorable economic conditions."

Reer noted that over 25 percent of all pregnancies end in abortion - adding what he called a "real human element" to the argument. "Making them legal does not make the numbers go down," he said. "We need to let the states, the people decide."

In terms of what McCain and Obama would look for in Supreme Court nominees, Darr said that respect for the Constitution and its balance of power was first and foremost. "We have seen a misuse of power by the executive branch that cannot continue," he said. "The role of the Court is to stick up for the rights of the marginalized. They need to do a better job of that."

Reer said that McCain valued those who were Federalists, strict constructionists, and humbled by the prospect of being on the bench. "The federal government cannot run all by itself. We have lost the local aspect," he said. Our democracy works well at the national level because it works at the local level."

Darr argued that the text of the Constitution is necessarily meant to be interpreted, but Reer countered that when we "tread on a document, we do it a disservice."

Shifting the focus to education, Darr and Reer addressed how their respective candidates would balance the education expenditures against a failing economy and a demanding military. "Our education budget is half of what we spend in Iraq," Darr said. "We need to start looking at education as an investment in our future. For every $1 invested in early education, we can expect a $10 return."