PAGE 4 // WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
NEWS
THE PENDULUM
Students begin quests for political leadership
Samantha King
Assistant News Editof
As the end of the year comes to a
close, most students begin to reminisce
about the past year, the ups and downs
and stress about end-of-term exams.
Junior Nick Ochsner and senior Jeremy
Teetor are not like most students. While
they, too, are busying themselves with
finals preparation, both students have
announced plans for major campaigns in
the Republican and Democratic Parties,
respectively.
Ochsner will be running for Chairman
of North Carolina College Republicans,
as the underdog of the race, when most
of the opposing incumbents represent
much larger schools, such as University
of North Carolina or Duke University.
As both a senior and the chairman,
Ochsner would have very little free time,
but his adviser and mentor, Richard
Landesberg, assistant professor of
communications, said this would not be
a problem.
“(Ochsner) is incredibly passionate
about whatever he does,” Landesberg
said. “He is so involved in so many
important things that I'm not convinced
when he sleeps or eats, but that’s what he
thrives on.”
This is not Ochsner's first stint in
the political arena. He has been deeply
Poll shows most North
Carolinians lack faith
in elected officials
involved in state-level politics since his
freshman year. Just last year he was the
treasurer of the North Carolina College
Republicans and managed Jack Sawyer’s
campaign for Secretary' of State.
“A lot of students are involved with
many different things and for some, their
academics really suffer,” Landesberg
said. “But I have never seen this with
(Ochsner)."
Teetor recently announced his
candidacy for Alamance County
Commissioner and said he hopes to win
the primary in May for the Democratic
Party, and then the election in November
for one of the five county commissioner
seats.
Age; 20
Hometown:
Fayetteville,
N.C.
Major:
Broadcast
Journalism
Nick Ochsner
Candidate for
Chairman of N.C.
College Republicans
Deborah Long, coordinator of civic
engagement and director of the Eton
Academy, has known Teetor since his
freshman year and believes this is just
the beginning for him.
“I think he’s just getting his feet wet,”
she said.
Regardless of the results, Teetor
said he plans to continue working with
the Alamance County school system to
promote change. Long says regardless of
a win or loss, Teetor will be heard.
“I think running for office at 22 is
young,” Long said. “But because he is so
young, he would bring a new, important
perspective. His youth would be an
important assest.”
Age: 21
HometowTi:
Alamance
County, N.C.
Majors:
Education and
Teaching Fellow
Jeremy Teetor
Candidate for
Alamance County
Commissioner
Sarah Costello
Reporter
As the economy
fluctuates, the
unemployment rate
climbs, the issue of
nationalized health
care looms and war
is prolonged, many
Americans are second
guessing the actions
and intentions of elected
officials.
A Nov. 16-17 Elon
University Poll, which
surveyed 563 North
Carolina residents,
revealed that 73 percent
of respondents think
corruption is prevalent
among elected officials.
According to 65 percent
of those polled, elected
officials are more
concerned for themselves
than the best interest
of the public, and 67
percent said corruption is
becoming more common
among North Carolina
public officials.
“1 think a lot of citizens
are frustrated, and that
translates to blame on
elected officials because
they are the ones that
we’ve trusted in making
our country better,”
Student Government
Association President
and Elon junior Justin
Peterson said. “If the state
of the nation is negative,
I think our perception
of their job would be
negative as well.”
The media has
reported dozens of
political scandals in
the past few months,
from the promiscuous
excursions of South
Carolina Sen. Mark
Sanford to Baltimore
Mayor Sheila Dixon’s
bribery scandals and
the questionable actions
of Gov. Mike Easley in
connection with the
hiring of his wife at N.C.
State University.
“I think, historically,
distrust in government
goes back to the 1970s
with Watergate,” SGA
Vice President Evan Davis
said. “I think another
issue with that is the
state of North Carolina. I
know there are problems
with the budget and state
employees.”
Many North
Carolinians blame
elected officials for the
discrepancies in the
budget and handling of
finances on a state and
local level. The recent
recession has impacted
thousands of North
Carolina households,
and the unemployment
rate continues to climb.
According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics,
the North Carolina
unemployment rate is
11 percent, increased 4
percent since October
2008.
“Right now, there’s a
lot of debate with state
officials,” said Taylor
Foshee, president of
College Democrats.
“People think our
officials in North
Carolina have become
complacent and have
not addressed some of
the pressing issues like
the economy and jobs.
There’s not enough action
for (many), especially
given what we perceive
to be a severe issue.”
Corruption among
elected officials is often
widespread and heavily
reported, contributing
to a lack of faith and
support for political
leaders. Respondents
to the Elon Poll are not
the only ones who are
wavering in their trust in
elected officials.
A Nov. 30 Rasmussen
Poll revealed a lack of
confidence in politicians,
particularly Democrats.
The survey was conducted
before President Barack
Obama’s speech on his
plans for the war in
Afghanistan.
Voters gave a 13-point
edge to Republicans —
50 percent to 37 percent
— in regard to trust in
national security and the
War on Terror.
“The intense
frustration with
government and
politicians among North
Carolinians could pose
serious ramifications for
the electoral landscape
in 2010,” said Hunter
Bacot, director of the
Elon University Poll.
“Coupled with a poor
economy, the midterm
elections may shape up
as more of a referendum
on government in general
rather than the typical
repudiation of the party
ELT
I think a lot of
citizens are
frustrated, and
that translates to
blame on elected
officials because
they are the ones
that we’ve trusted
in making our
country better
- Justin Peterson
STUDENT
GOVERNMENT
ASSOCIATION
PRESIDEN
a
m power.
More than half of
the respondents to the
Elon Poll said corruption
among North Carolina
elected officials is more
common today than 10
years ago but most appear
to trust North Carolina
legislative bodies more
than national legislative
bodies.
“1 would foresee
some type of shakeup in
upcoming local elections
and the larger elections in
2012,” Davis said. “I think
it’s going to be interesting
how the next couple
of years will play out.
State politics have been
dominated by Democrats,
and Republicans haven’t
held the House or Senate
in 150 years.”
Davis said he thinks
many North Carolinians,
and Americans in general,
are wary of the unfulfilled
campaign promises that
helped elect Obama into
office.
“With the Afghanistan
troop surge, many are
upset about that because
that’s something that
Obama was against,”
Davis said. “The economy
and health care are two
mainstream issues that
he talked about as well
as gay rights and the
environment. There are a
lot of campaign promises
he hasn’t come through
on."
Despite the distrust
Americans may have
for political leaders, 74
percent of respondents
said America has the
best government in the
world, and 65 percent
claimed support of the
United States government
despite any actions in
Washington.
PLATFORM: “The No. 1
priority coming into office if 1
am elected would be to plan.
We need to set goeils, have long
time objectives. We just don’t
do enough of that now. As
part of my platform, the first
thing I’ll do if elected is to call
a leadership planning retreat
with state elected officials.
Under my tenure as chairman,
(we would be) moving toward
a place where we are working
with the Republican Party to
help elect more officials.”
CAMPAIGN: “We plan to travel
around the state to talk to
schools about our message and
get people excited. We’re going
to empower chapters that
typically have not had a strong
voice across the state. We want
to encourage them to be more
active. We will be using the
Internet and new media.”
FUNDRAISING: "We are
working on a final budget. It’s
(going to) require more money
than one would probably think
for a college (campaign)."
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE:
“Being from Fort Bragg,
militeiry and national security
are issues I care most about.
But I would be happy to argue
with you about anything.”
The election will be held in
March at the College Republican
state conference.
PLATFORM: “The biggest
component of my platform
is education. That’s going to
be what will pull the county
through in getting it to the
new economy.”
Teetor said he sees the new
economy in Alamance County
as the post-textile industry.
CAMPAIGN: “Word of mouth
is going to be very important
for me. I really want to have a
lot of one-on-one contact."
He plans to use registration
drives, as well as mobilizing
Elon students, family
members and friends. Teetor
will also largely rely on word-
of-mouth and door-to-door
campaigning.
FUNDRAISING: “At the most,
we’re anticipating a few
thousand dollars.”
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE:
“Alamance County has really
fallen behind in competing in
the new economy. It’s really
time to get serious about
supporting our schools and
their initiatives to prepare
the next generation for newer
types of jobs and to help older
generations who are stuck in
the transitioning phase.”
If Teetor does not win the
primary or election, he plans
to stay involved and run again
in two years.
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