Political forum seeks to explain various conservative philosophies

Political science instructor Janet Campbell explained beliefs and strategies of the Republican Party Wednesday in the first of a series of political forums at MHCC.

In the forum she took on the role of a partisan
conservative. She will portray liberal and third-party voters in two additional forums scheduled next Wednesday and Oct. 24.

Campbell began her 10-minute presentation by discussing the opinions of three core groups within the Republican Party — religious fundamentalists, modern conservatives and neo-conservatives.

Talking from a Republican viewpoint, she described common beliefs on several topics including the economic system, the legal system, human nature and freedom. She explained how the legal system assumes humans are rational beings — but described how in reality we are reactionary, pleasure seeking and lazy. She said Americans need capitalism “in order to survive in society.” because it is incentive for lazy people to get a job and forces us to be productive, and pointed out how “once you own property, you care about it.”

According to Campbell (and supported by the most recent Gallup poll), 28 percent of registered voters in the U.S. are Republicans and 32 percent are Democrats. However, only about 30 percent of eligible adults turn out to vote in national elections, she said.

Of those who consistently do vote, about 20 percent are religious fundamentalists, so Republicans cater to them, she said. This national election is mainly about voter turnout, which is why the Democrats are encouraging more people – the less dedicated voters — to get out and vote.

“Religious fundamentalists (reliably) vote, number one — so that’s why any Republican candidate is going to take more of this position than anything else. McCain did it; Mitt Romney’s doing it right now. They vote 100 percent of the time, and they have an audience,” Campbell said.

MHCC student Brit Parker said young people are less focused. “People in their 20s don’t feel connected to voting,” he said, mostly because they do not believe that their vote will make a difference.

During follow-up discussion, English instructor Beth Sammons brought up the proposed Wood Village development that appears on Oregon’s election ballot (Measures 82 and 83), “The Grange.” She said promotional commercials barely mention it will be a non-Native American-owned casino, but anti-Grange ads emphasize the complex will be a real, live gambling casino.

Sammons also commented on the large sums of money Republicans are spending to prevent voter fraud. Critics accuse the party of trying to suppress voter turnout with tougher rules that could mostly affect Democratic voters.
“It’s not about voter fraud; it’s about making voting harder for Democrats,” Sammons said.

Campbell will take the position of a liberal this Wednesday and that of American third parties, such as libertarians and socialist Democrats, on Oct. 24. All the forums will be 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. in the Bob Scott Room, in the north end of the MHCC library.