4 THE COMPASS - SPRING 2008
POLITICS 2008
The Issues That Matter
Primary Redo and the Implicit Consequences
Bj: Jessica McDonald
This year’s Presidential election campaign
trail has been troubled with trivial and un
important issues, and to some degree has
left a bitter taste in the mouths of voters and
campaign supporters. As the election cam
paign nears an end, miniscule and minute
issues have become sensational news specta
cles, and vainly enthusiastic political jargon.
In the midst of many of these news spec
tacles the media forgets the seemingly im
portant issues that matter. The Democratic
Party has been in center of many of the heat
ed debates, and controversial issues that have
plagued the 2008 election.
One critical issue, that does however take
a front seat, and has created an uproar that
presents many ethical implications, is the
possibility of primaries being held in both
Michigan and Florida for a second time.The
votes from both of these states were not
counted during the first primaries because
each state broke the National Democratic
Conventions rules regarding when to hold
them.
Each state was required to hav e their pri
maries after Feb 5, and did so January 15
(Michigan) and (Florida) January 29 respec-
tivelv. The issue, now, is does the DNC over
ride the established rules that all states and
parties agreed to, in order to let voters from
both of these states be heard, and delegates
seated?
As of March 17, 2008, the state of Flor
ida has withdrawn form pursuing a redo,
but Michigan is playing it till the very end.
Democratic party Chairman Karen L. Thur
man sent a letter announcing that a party-
run primary has been ruled out and it is sim
ply not possible for the state to hold anotlier
primary. However, Democrats from Michi
gan have not given up so easily.
On March 31 Michigan congressman
Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) proposed a new
plan of action to divide the delegates. In his
proposal letter to the DNC Chairman How
ard Dean he suggested that Senator Hillary
receive 47 of Michigan’s 83 Delegates and
Barack Obama 36 since Hillary Clinton re
ceived 55 percent of the votes. The remain
ing 73 delegates would be awarded based on
percentage of popular vote.
At stake are Florida’s 210 delegates and
Michigan’s 156, delegates that each candi
date could benefit from greatly. An agree
ment between both Senator’s Obama and
Clinton camps to reach a resolution has not
been forthcoming.
Obama’s campaign spokesman Tommy
Vector said, “It’s pretty apparent that Clin
ton’s campaign views on voting are depen
dent on their own political issue.”
Clinton campaign teels that a revote is the
onlv way Michigan can be assured its dele
gates will be seated. Clintons campaign aide
Harold Hicke’s said earlier this month, “If
the Obama campaign thwarts a fair election
process for the people of Michigan, it will
jeopardize the Democratic nominees ability
to carry the state in the general election.”
The important question is will a redo
happen and if not w hy? Most objections to
the second primary are that it will have to
be privately funded and public run, and the
financial burden placed on local and coun
ty clerks. Another major issue is the costly
price tag of S12 million. Where would this
money come from, because the states will
not fund this inquired cost?
Elizabeth City State University Political
Science Professor at Dr. Margery Coulson-
Clark feels that ha\ ing another primary in
either of these states presents far more im
portant issues than cost that could possible
result in major social and ethical conse
quences.
Coulson- Clark says that having a primary
mav not be fueled b\ the best interest of the
people, but a “democracy of people making
decisions in their own political best interest.”
She also feels that having a redo may have
unintended future consequences of created
cynicism if the rules are allowed to be bro
ken. Who has out weighed the cost and ben
efits of having a primary redo, and v\ ould it
actually benefit the people as a posed to be
ing more beneficial for the candidates?Thcsc
are questions that Dr. Coulson-Clark posed.
Dr. Coulson-Clark savs that this “is a power
struggle not a people struggle.”
Dr. Jahi Lichee Issa History professor at
ECSU concedes with Dr. Coulson-Clark that
there are major consequences to ha\ ing pri
mary redo. He also feels that the real issue is
that the “people” of Michigan should go after
the senators who moved the party primaries
up without their consent.The people are the
real victims not the delegates or the candi
dates. He feels that the solution would be to
split the delegates 50/50.
Criminal Justice Professor Fredrick Ford
has a divergent but one similar view to both
Dr. Coulson-Clark and Dr. Issa. “When did
the democratic process become so compli-'
cated”, he says. Ford believes that the is
sue of seating the delegates should not be
the reason to have a primary redo, because
ultimately the people should decided who
is president and that the electoral-college
should not even exist. “One man one \ote,”
the popular vote should decide.
No one has disagreed that the people who
voted in these states need to be heard. But
v\ hat has become evident Is that the underly
ing issue is not the people, but the appease
ment of the Super delegates and the parties.
So manv more issues will arise in the wake
of this political challenge, and the conse
quences that could be good or bad will be
revealed.
Butterfield Endorses Obama
Bj: Archie A.j. Joshua
During a special service at ECSU held
by the Mount Lebanon Elizabeth City
Missionary Baptist Church, Congressman
G.K. Butterfield, Democrat, endorsed Sen.
Barack Obama for President. Butterfield
who is up for re-election in the 1 st district of
North Carolina, told the audience of church
goers and students that the current adminis
trations time is up and the lack of jobs is af-
fectins; families everywhere. Butterfield said
O ^
that Sen. Obama is the man to change this.
The sixty year old congressman is an active
member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
He has been visiting different churches in
the region with his message in ad\ ance of the
May 6 North Carolina primary.
Smoking Ban
Bj: Arquirah Sbarplcss and Naya Jones
The Universities in North Carolina and
most public places were in for a big shock
when the law to ban smoking on public
property was passed Jan. 1, 2008. This law
prohibits smoking in all indoor workplaces
in North Carolina including restaurants and
bars. This law excludes nonprofit or tax-cx-
empt status businesses.
The House Bill 259, Article 23 states that
“It is the intent of the General Assembly
to protect the health of individuals in pub
lic from the risks of secondhand smoke by
prohibiting smoking in food and lodgmg es
tablishments regulated under this Chapter,
prohibiting smoking in State government
buildings, and allowing local governments
to protect the public’s health by prohibiting
smoking in public places and places of em
ployment”.
The non-smoking ban is an effort to pro
tect non-smokers and others against second
hand smoke. The lav\- aims making a safe en
vironment protecting student’s and worker’s
health.
“Erica Sharpe (non-smoker), a student at
Elizabeth City State University says, “1 have
a very positive attitude tov\ ards the policy.”
Jamaal Gilcrea.st (smoker) also a student at
Elizabeth City State University said “It Is a
reasonable policy that is based on the safety
of all people, but you can not just abandon
the smokers.”
While on university property, a person
has to be at least 100 feet from a building to
smoke. The law Is passed, but the real ques
tion is will the people obey the law. This
report suggests that the law is not being
taken seriously by some of the ECSU fam
ily. Students, staff/faculty smokers are still
smoking on the campus. People ask \\ hy and
is the law being enforced. Campus Police
can not enforce the law according to some
of students.
Do you think that smoking should be al
lowed in all areas, some areas, or not al
lowed? Some of the smokers concluded, that
there should be some areas just for those
who enjoy it.” Non-smokers, on the other
hand, said “not allowed at all. Both smokers
and non-smokers agreed that the no smok
ing policy w as beneficial for the health of all
people. The difference between the two is
evident: some think that smoking should be
allowed in all areas, others in some areas, or
not allowed at all.
One group of non-.smoker on ECSU campus
is taking charge. The Vikings Against Nicotine
Addiction (V.A.N.A) is an organization on
the campus of ECSU fighting to make ECSU
a smoke free campus. Their purpose Is to
ensure that all smoking policies are strictly
enforced to ensure the health, safe
ty and well being for ev eryone
inandaroundcampus. V.A.N.A
wi 11 be working to educate
and solicit support from the
students, faculty/staff and
others to get InvoUed in
changing
the smoking
policy. ^