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I decided something. I'm no political expert, so I shouldn't be trying to act like one in my opinion writing. To switch it up, I changed the focus of my article to concentrate encouraging people my age to vote. This is the version that I sent to my opinion editor, with a little advertising for a voting event hosted by the politcal organizations on campus.
I'm weak, I restated the media. I'm still rambling like a history major, but I'll do my best to fix that in the next one.
I'm trying to connect more with my Tulsa (TU) campus, so mentioning them directly should be a good start in that direction.
I'm considering making these posts friends only, just in case some random guy decides to steal my ideas. Could I get some thoughts on that?
As always, criticism is appreciated.
Media Perception
Daniel Tu
When the mainstream media considers Bush’s platform, one constant stands out. A date from three years ago keeps popping up in Bush’s rhetoric. He keeps repeating how well he’s managed the nation since that traumatic event. Terrorists threaten America’s freedom everywhere, yet America stands proud and strong. It’s difficult for a college student to tease out a candidate’s true aims when TV and radio stations blast away with expert opinion after expert opinion.
Objectively, Bush says what he must say to get elected. Yet, a short review of his policies reveals inconsistencies in his programs. One of his domestic policies, No Child Left Behind, quantifies education through standardized tests. A school must continually improve its test scores to move up in the program. However, standardized tests are notorious for inaccurately predicting a child’s success. They may be right ninety percent of the time, but that still leaves the other ten percent to suffer.
On economic policies, Bush advocates tax cuts. He notably pushes for these tax cuts when America fights a war in two countries. That’s like maxing out your credit card to buy a plasma screen TV and then borrowing money to go on a Caribbean cruise. Bush spends money that he doesn’t have. Unlike the average college student, however, the U.S. government can borrow all the billions of dollars it wants to pay for its programs. Inevitably, the national debt balloons as Bush wages his anti-terror campaign.
Bush hopes that the upcoming presidential election will be a referendum on foreign policy. In his political speeches, he hammers home the point that America rid the world of an evil named Saddam Hussein. While the American people support freeing unfortunate souls from tyranny, they also remember that America sent troops to Iraq because President Bush convinced the American people that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. As soon as the possibility of not finding those weapons surfaced, Bush began to reason that we invaded Iraq out of so called humanitarian reasons. Those reasons would include giving contracts to Haliburton and controlling Iraq’s oil fields. If America truly considered tyranny a problem in today’s world, we would mobilize troops in Africa. We do not do so because we will not monetarily profit from it.
Switching gears to social issues, Bush’s strong Christian overtones draw the support of social conservatives across the nation. For example, the GOP admits to printing pamphlets in Arkansas warning that liberals would ban the Bible. To galvanize right wing support, Bush comes out strongly on social issues like his proposed constitutional amendment against gay marriage. He could be rational and support civil unions, but he’s too afraid of alienating the far right.
Having considered this, the Democrats should have run away with this election. The media reports that the Democrats will lose because their presidential candidate Kerry has refused to sway from his anti-Bush plan. Everyday, some political expert pleads with Kerry to quit mudslinging with Bush. The more negative ads appear on television, the more people will avoid the election. This falls into the Republicans’ hands because the American public will then think that there’s no difference between the candidates.
The mainstream media also supposes that once Senator Kerry stands up for himself, Bush is doomed. According to political pundits, the Bush campaign banks on the fact that Kerry won’t make such a bold move. The Republicans attack Kerry knowing they will invoke a response, one that will further the negativity of this election season. The Democrats defend Kerry believing they must return fire, following the adage that turnabout is fair play. Salvo after salvo fills the broadcast waves with negative ads that bombard the American public.
In this Internet age, the sheer volume of media coverage on the election overwhelms America, especially college students. However, TU students can learn more about the election at the Rock the Vote event on Tuesday, October 5th. The event organizer gave me her personal guarantee that the “Everywhere but Florida” video will help cure voter apathy. With both the College Republicans and Young Democrats in attendance, it will provide a great opportunity for TU students to understand the upcoming presidential election through our peers rather than some random political expert on CNN.
I'm weak, I restated the media. I'm still rambling like a history major, but I'll do my best to fix that in the next one.
I'm trying to connect more with my Tulsa (TU) campus, so mentioning them directly should be a good start in that direction.
I'm considering making these posts friends only, just in case some random guy decides to steal my ideas. Could I get some thoughts on that?
As always, criticism is appreciated.
Media Perception
Daniel Tu
When the mainstream media considers Bush’s platform, one constant stands out. A date from three years ago keeps popping up in Bush’s rhetoric. He keeps repeating how well he’s managed the nation since that traumatic event. Terrorists threaten America’s freedom everywhere, yet America stands proud and strong. It’s difficult for a college student to tease out a candidate’s true aims when TV and radio stations blast away with expert opinion after expert opinion.
Objectively, Bush says what he must say to get elected. Yet, a short review of his policies reveals inconsistencies in his programs. One of his domestic policies, No Child Left Behind, quantifies education through standardized tests. A school must continually improve its test scores to move up in the program. However, standardized tests are notorious for inaccurately predicting a child’s success. They may be right ninety percent of the time, but that still leaves the other ten percent to suffer.
On economic policies, Bush advocates tax cuts. He notably pushes for these tax cuts when America fights a war in two countries. That’s like maxing out your credit card to buy a plasma screen TV and then borrowing money to go on a Caribbean cruise. Bush spends money that he doesn’t have. Unlike the average college student, however, the U.S. government can borrow all the billions of dollars it wants to pay for its programs. Inevitably, the national debt balloons as Bush wages his anti-terror campaign.
Bush hopes that the upcoming presidential election will be a referendum on foreign policy. In his political speeches, he hammers home the point that America rid the world of an evil named Saddam Hussein. While the American people support freeing unfortunate souls from tyranny, they also remember that America sent troops to Iraq because President Bush convinced the American people that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. As soon as the possibility of not finding those weapons surfaced, Bush began to reason that we invaded Iraq out of so called humanitarian reasons. Those reasons would include giving contracts to Haliburton and controlling Iraq’s oil fields. If America truly considered tyranny a problem in today’s world, we would mobilize troops in Africa. We do not do so because we will not monetarily profit from it.
Switching gears to social issues, Bush’s strong Christian overtones draw the support of social conservatives across the nation. For example, the GOP admits to printing pamphlets in Arkansas warning that liberals would ban the Bible. To galvanize right wing support, Bush comes out strongly on social issues like his proposed constitutional amendment against gay marriage. He could be rational and support civil unions, but he’s too afraid of alienating the far right.
Having considered this, the Democrats should have run away with this election. The media reports that the Democrats will lose because their presidential candidate Kerry has refused to sway from his anti-Bush plan. Everyday, some political expert pleads with Kerry to quit mudslinging with Bush. The more negative ads appear on television, the more people will avoid the election. This falls into the Republicans’ hands because the American public will then think that there’s no difference between the candidates.
The mainstream media also supposes that once Senator Kerry stands up for himself, Bush is doomed. According to political pundits, the Bush campaign banks on the fact that Kerry won’t make such a bold move. The Republicans attack Kerry knowing they will invoke a response, one that will further the negativity of this election season. The Democrats defend Kerry believing they must return fire, following the adage that turnabout is fair play. Salvo after salvo fills the broadcast waves with negative ads that bombard the American public.
In this Internet age, the sheer volume of media coverage on the election overwhelms America, especially college students. However, TU students can learn more about the election at the Rock the Vote event on Tuesday, October 5th. The event organizer gave me her personal guarantee that the “Everywhere but Florida” video will help cure voter apathy. With both the College Republicans and Young Democrats in attendance, it will provide a great opportunity for TU students to understand the upcoming presidential election through our peers rather than some random political expert on CNN.
