Vol. XLII No. 3 www.gsccompass.com NOVEMBER 28, 2008 THE COMPASS The Student Voice of Gainesville State College In this issue: Mixed responses to election By Lauren Blais He supports tax breaks for more wealthy citizens, [email protected] like the ones given during the Bush administration. Staff Writer “If my employer is taxed heavily, I don’t get that raise,” he said. Party Gainesville State College students have diverse rea- Brandsma initially supported Mike Huckabee’s fair sons for voting for – or against – a presidential can- tax. When Huckabee ceased to be an option Brands- didate. While using their family’s values as a starting ma became a Sen. John McCain supporter. He didn’t like it’s point, students show a willingness to jump from the agree with everything on McCain’s platform, how- familiar platform and adopt their own views. ever. Lillian Otieno’s family has been following Presi- “Both candidates were horrible,” he said. “You had 1999! dent-elect Barack Obama’s progress since 2004. His to pick the better (one) of two evils.” Page 10 election as Illinois senator created quite a stir in the A mock election jointly sponsored by the GSC family when they discovered that his father was from Oconee Young Democrats and College Republicans the same Kenyan tribe as Otieno’s father. But when appeared on the main page of the college’s website in Obama announced his candidacy for the presidency, the form of an online poll. While state-wide the vote there was just one problem. Otieno’s family is Re- was close with McCain carrying 52 percent of votes publican. and Obama taking 47 percent, at GSC students fa- “He’s not a socialist, but a step in that direction,” vored McCain to Obama 2-1. Winter said Otieno. In order to win the support of those who did not Yet she found herself leaning toward the Democrat vote for him, Brandsma said Obama will have to pro- holidays when she learned his plan for the economy was viewed vide an immediate solution for the economic troubles in favorable light by The Economist magazine. facing the country today. “That’s what started me saying ‘Hmmm...’” said “He’s either going to make it or break it,” Brandsma (besides Otieno. She also appreciated his “refresher” image. said. In the end though, Otieno did not vote for Jacob Davis, who voted for Obama, believes that Christmas) Obama. it’s more a matter of clearing things up for the presi- Page 9 “I just couldn’t vote for him,” she said, citing dent-elect to garner the support of other voters. Obama’s pro-abortion platform as the main reason. “I think he’s got to clarify that he’s not going to Josh Brandsma did not vote for Obama either, raise taxes, that he’s not a socialist, or an atheist, or though he comes from a family of Democrats. He anything non-Christian,” Davis said. said that once he began working he changed his party Davis’ family uses faith as a tool for selecting the preference. candidates they will vote for. “If they satisfy the reli- “I started using my own brain instead of looking to gious litmus test then it goes to other issues.” Obama’s my parents,” Brandsma said. Please see “Mixed responses” on page 3. sports GSC mock election was not a idea good prediction of real election By Leah Perdue The numbers are almost a di- percent. However, the race was a Page 4 Campus Life/Op Ed Editor rect reversal of how the 18-29 de- much tighter with Obama netting [email protected] mographic voted on Election Day. 48 percent. Barr took 1 percent. According to CNN exit polls, the So, what demographic voted John McCain won by a land- 18-29-year-olds comprised about most like GSC? Georgia voters slide. 18 percent of voters. Obama and who were 65 years old and older Or, at least, he did in Gainesville Biden were the top pick in this age gave McCain the nod 54 percent State College’s mock election. range, with 66 percent of the vote. of the time. Obama took only 46 GSC faculty, staff and students McCain and Palin took only 32 percent in that demographic. Keep voted in an online election hosted percent and Barr and Root man- However, in one area, GSC vot- by GSC’s Young Democrats. The aged 2 percent. ers were representative of the na- your mock election was available in the Even young Georgia voters tion. The mock election also fea- student portal. voiced opinions that were quite tured a question about what the Republicans McCain and Sar- different than those stated here at most important issue was to vot- waist ah Palin took 60 percent of the GSC. 18-29 demographic voters in ers. Of participants, 58 percent be- 663 votes cast. Democrats Barack Georgia comprised 14 percent of lieved the economy was the most trim Obama and Joe Biden received 35 the turnout. pressing. CNN exit polls show that percent. Libertarian candidates The race was much closer 60 percent of those polled believed this winter Bob Barr and Wayne Root took 4 among those voters. McCain still that the economy was the “hot” is- Page 5 percent. had a strong following with 51 sue this election. NOVEMBER 28, 2008 Page 2 News Obama plans loan changes Turn down music, By Landon Johnson tus earlier this year. watch for workers to Staff Writer “Over the summer three or four lenders avoid fines, tickets [email protected] stopped providing loans because they weren’t making enough money off of schools with By Jaime Munoz A new president inspires hope among all such a small population,” Smith said. “Gaines- Staff Writer American demographics. With the current ville was one of those schools. Community [email protected] state of the country’s economy, students are colleges don’t have enough students applying suffering along with the vast majority, and for loans to be worthwhile for the lenders.” It’s easy being late to the accessibility of loans has seen better days. The upcoming year looks stable, Smith class, and it can be easier Some current and future college attendees are said. GSC has its five lenders secured, and for cutting through traffic optimistic that President-elect Barack Obama now there are no major changes taking place. while your foot is on will instill helpful plans for financial aid. For Obama has proposed a tuition tax credit the gas. It can be now, though, it appears that any glimpse of plan as an alternative to student loans. The just as easy be- improvement for loans will not occur as terms of this plan would vary depending on ing served a quickly as the nation’s change in command- the institution, but the basic premise for com- $500 citation ers. munity colleges is that students would receive ticket by the Susan Smith, director of financial aid at free tuition in exchange for 100 hours of com- man with the Gainesville State College, said that the re- munity service. brass badge. sults of the election have not yet triggered “I’d much rather do 100 hours of commu- What stu- any backlash with the school’s lenders or stu- nity while I’m in school than be in debt long dents may dents. She did say that the economy was af- after I get out,” said Lindsay Bishop, a student not be aware fecting both lenders and students beginning at GSC. “My student loan through Wachovia of while driv- a few months ago. is very helpful, but I think the tuition credit ing to Gaines- “More students have been applying for system would benefit me a lot more and be ville State Col- loans,” smith Said. “I think it’s probably be- less stressful in the long run.” lege every day cause more people are unemployed and want “Obama has an interesting financial aid are unfamiliar traf- to go to college in order to get better jobs, they plan,” said Andrew Woodrum, a business ma- fic violations that see how hard it is to be successful right now.” jor at GSC, “but getting Congress to pass it can empty their wal- As far as lenders go, GSC is required to may be difficult.” let if not careful. have a minimum of three year-round, and For more information, read about Obama’s The first one of currently has five. However, the struggling plans for student loans at www.barackobama. these laws is the state economy began to influence the lenders’ sta- com/issues/education. of Georgia’s 2007 Move Over law. It has been difficult even for local police departments to get Mixed responses, continued from page 1 the word out to motorists on the new law, said Oakwood City Police Chief Randy Moon. Though he respects and Davis believes that of Pres- time. “The biggest problem has been educating motorists,” carries some of his family’s ident-elect Obama’s priori- “Obama has to make a vis- said Moon. “What we did the first year is handed out religious values as well as ties, ending the war in Iraq ible difference,” she said. pamphlets to traffic violators to inform them on the new their unorthodox pro-abor- is the most likely to be real- Davis points to what may law and issued a lot of warnings.” tion stance, Davis can think ized. Other issues will take be Obama’s greatest tool: his According to MoveOverAmerica.com, 43 states have for himself.