Associated Students Inc. brought clubs and organizations together to inform students about national political issues, including foreign and fiscal policies, and allowed them to voice their opinions on presidential candidates in the midst of an election year.

During the event, called “Political Day,” Roberto Torres, secretary of State Affairs for ASI, said his office wanted to do something for the students while educating them on the student government’s on-campus politics.

ASI members set up a booth to highlight the organization’s programs and services, future events and information on student elections.

Torres said the event exceeded his expectations because of the turnout of approximately 100 people.

The students, clubs and organizations in attendance listened to a 50-minute debate between the College Republicans, College Democrats and Students for Social Change.

Located at Sacramento State, the three organizations encouraged students with similar interests to become involved.

Torres moderated the debate centered on the question: What presidential candidate would be best suited for the position and why?

The College Republicans supported John McCain because of his fiscal policies that work to prevent increases in taxation and reform social security.

John Morgan, member of the College Republicans, said by 2009 the average family will experience a hike in social security. Morgan also said the social security trust fund “is a bubble that is going to burst.”

In response, Robert Marcelis, member of the College Democrats, said raising taxes is the way to solve problems, such as the proposed budget cuts to education.

“Without raising taxes, you can’t mitigate those problems. If we could do that, we would all win the Nobel Peace Prize in economics. But it’s not possible,” Marcelis said.

Marcelis questioned the fiscal responsibility of the Bush administration and Republican Party. He said borrowing money, such as the money the Republican Party has used to fund the war in Iraq, is not fiscally responsible.

Marcelis called member of the College Republicans Justin McKinley’s argument that the state is spending too much on education “unconscionable” because McKinley is a student.

“Don’t take the $8,000 the state gives you for your education. If you really want to be a Republican and you’re really fiscally responsible, cut a $8,000 check and say, ‘You know what, state? We won’t take your money. Use that money somewhere else,'” Marcelis said.

The crowd showed the most support for the College Democrats by cheering and clapping when the two members voiced their arguments in support of different democratic policies and candidates.

Justin Denton, member of the College Democrats, said the Democratic Party is lucky to have two well-qualified candidates in Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Denton said he supports Obama because he believes he’s the best candidate to bring about a new attitude in foreign policy that will separate Americans from the “failed” policies of the Bush administration and Republican Party.

Morgan responded to the argument on the war that the two purposes of the state are defense and to support individuals in the state to have a better future and life.

“If you do not support a national defense, your state will fall apart,” Morgan said.

David Gutierrez, member of Students for Social Change, questioned whether the candidates supported by the College Democrats would pull the United States out of the war in Iraq.

Denton felt both Democratic candidates will pull the nation out of the war in “the safest and most orderly way possible.”

He said pulling the troops out might take time, but felt this method is better than the current Bush administration’s policy of “taking another 100 years to supposedly finish a job that you have no idea how to accomplish anyway.”

Gutierrez felt none of the candidates could support the interests of society. He said the reason for being in the debate is to discuss campaign contributors.

“Clinton has raised $169 million, Obama $193 million, and McCain $64 million,” Gutierrez said. “It’s a little bit hard for me to believe that they are going to represent our interests, our votes, when they are being paid this amount of money from private industries.”

Gutierrez said this system can’t exist because it won’t allow changes, such as those for higher education.

The organizations involved in the debate presented different reasons for involvement on campus and in the event.

Torres said the main goal of the event is student attendance because students who come to the event start to think and ask questions about the political views presented.

“If a student came by, even just for pizza, and they heard the debate, it gets them thinking about the issues – especially since college students are known not to vote specifically because they don’t think they can participate or they don’t know enough,” Torres said.

Gutierrez said the role of Students for Social Change is to discuss issues not represented in the media.

“We’re really questioning: What are the forces that actually shape our society and the future? And that’s the question we’re here to ask today,” Gutierrez said.

Vanessa Mieleszko, member of the Students for Social Change, said the organization became involved in Political Day to bring people together and let students know they are not alone in their opinions.

“I know a lot of people have these ideas that things are unfair,” Mieleszko said. “As one person, you have all these ideas and you don’t know where to go with them.”

Members of the College Republicans said the point of their organization is to get students on campus involved.

“So many times we find college students misinformed, inactive in that general sake in politics,” Morgan said.

Denton said the College Democrats promotes outreach and voter registration on campus.

Information about the on-campus clubs and organizations can be found on the Sac State Student Activities website: www.csus.edu/studentactivities.

Ashley Downton can be reached at [email protected].