“It’s everything, stupid!” read a bumper sticker seen at USM and is one contention that spells out the intensity of this year’s presidential election. Chris Heinz is voting for his stepfather and Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry. He spoke at USM on Monday, September 27. Dressed in a t-shirt and khaki commando pants he looked a lot like any other student. The Maine Democratic Party, a strong presence at the Heinz discussion, wanted to make sure that students know how important it is to vote.
“People have to believe that their votes count,” said Heinz outside of the Woodbury Campus Center.
Inside the Campus Center, Heinz spoke about why he believes Kerry is right for the position as President of the United States. He focused on many issues such as health care, the economy, the war in Iraq and the environment.
“It took a lot of work to bring two families together,” he said. “John Kerry has been a good listener and great father, which are characteristics worthy of a president.” Heinz said that our current President George W. Bush has been a “complete failure as Commander-in-Chief.”
When asked to comment on the Iraq War and the safety of our troops, Heinz said that the Kerry team intends to bring more countries into the loop. The reason other countries have been less than willing to help in Iraq is due to the lack of economic incentive, which Kerry would like to change, Heinz said, adding that the safety for our troops will increase with the number of additional forces from other nations.
“Two issues I think are of major importance are foreign policy and the environment” said Heinz.
According to Heinz, Kerry wants to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7. He also discussed Kerry’s plan to roll back Bush’s tax cuts and to invest the money into education and healthcare. Kerry is also open to alternative energy resources and he has an “energy independence plan,” said Heinz. Heinz talked about how the United States needs to get away from its dependence on foreign oil.
Not all attendees were Kerry supporters. At least one person sported a Bush sticker on his shirt. Two women left before Heinz finished. But Alex Cornell de Houx, a Bowdoin student and Maine Reservist, is a strong Kerry supporter. Cornell de Houx said he could be deployed to Iraq in June 2005.
“It depends on the outcome of the election and what happens in the future.” He said that the military has traditionally leaned toward the Republican Party but he has noticed people in the military have recently been leaning more towards the Democratic Party.
When asked about people who support Green Party and Ralph Nader, Heinz was upbeat.
“There are no single issues, like just abortion or the environment, but many issues,” he said. He went on to talk about suburban sprawl and “smart growth,” linking these ideas to the way in which industry and housing could develop more sustainably.
When asked what would be the one message for students to take away from all this, Heinz said, “Vote.”
Heinz grew up in Washington, D.C. and went to preparatory school in New Hampshire. He attended Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. He went on to Harvard Business School and then worked in New York for a private equity investment company. Having not been employed for over a year, Heinz said he is proud to take the time to work for the Democratic Party. Heinz, 30, is a self proclaimed Independent.