The Bowdoin College Republicans are finishing up another unprecedented year of activism, debate, and fun. Having been graciously elected co-chairman next year of this prestigious organization, I would like to share some thoughts on my vision for the Republican Party. I know most students on campus do not agree with many of the conservative points of view, and I know that some do not think the College Republicans should be on campus, but I think many of the debates that have occurred over the past years have been beneficial for the College and for all of its students.
One of the most touching political issues, abortion, has recently been discussed extensively on campus because of controversial posters that were put up. These posters initiated a debate on abortion that had not occurred since the College Republicans brought Olivia Gans to campus in 2004. The Republican Party incorporates a broad array of views on abortion. There are those who are pro-choice such as Rudy Giuliani and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Others, such as President Bush, are pro-life. We need to have a healthy debate on this issue. Roe v. Wade certainly publicized the issue and brought it to a national level. Yet it took the debate away from the individual and put it in the hands of a federal government entity. To give the debate back to the people, we must overturn this decision. Abortion should be a state issue and should be decided by the people, not the justices. This is my view, however, and many within the Republican Party and at Bowdoin may disagree.
The war in Iraq is another of the controversial issues upon us today. This Monday at Bowdoin, Governor Baldacci exclaimed that the war is only about oil. This claim, while being boldly untrue, disregards the serious debate that has continued on this issue. We removed Saddam Hussein for many reasons, one of which was that he was a ruthless dictator who tortured, raped, and murdered his own people, and another being the knowledge that he had and was in the process of producing more weapons of mass destruction.
Currently, in Sudan, the Janjaweed are torturing, raping, and murdering the black Africans. I believe that we should intervene militarily to end this genocide. I know many Democrats feel similarly on this issue. Yet how can they logically oppose a military action in one nation (Iraq), when a near parallel situation is occurring in another (Sudan)? It frightens me to know that if we did intervene in Darfur, as we did in Iraq, a few years from now Democrats may turn their backs on the situation.
Medicare, welfare, Social Security, and other socialistic programs remain issues that need to be discussed on campus as well. Recently, the trustees for Social Security said that the program would become insolvent one year earlier than originally thought. Medicare's funds will run out even sooner. If we do not act on these issues soon, the system will be dilapidated before we reach retirement age.
Since the mid-1980s, this nation has been swept with a wave of privatization and individual rights. I think that people want to control their own money?it is the capitalist way. Let those who work hard for their incomes decide where they want to invest their money. Why do Democrats oppose letting people make their own decisions about what to do with their wealth? If people do not feel comfortable making their own investment decisions then they do not have to. Redistribution of wealth without the consent of the individual, as predicted, will fail.
The American economy is currently booming. The stock market has hit its highest levels in nearly six years. Unemployment is a measly 4.7 percent, and GDP growth for the first quarter of this year has sharply increased. I believe that this is mainly a consequence of the tax relief legislation signed into law by President Bush. However, our tax code remains unnecessarily complicated. Tax reform is needed in this country. Two possible solutions are out there. The first is a flat tax, in which all income taxes are fixed at 17 percent. This manageable level would lower many corporate income taxes and create a boom in the American economy that would spur tremendous job creation. Because it would be a flat tax on all income, everyone would be paying the same percentage, thus making the system extremely fair.
A second proposal is to abolish the income tax altogether and create a national sales tax. This would be a tremendous incentive for Americans to save their incomes and provide for their offspring, rather than squander all their money as many do today. A sales tax would be on all consumer goods and would again be much simpler than the current system. Since an income tax was added to the Constitution in the form of an amendment, it has gradually become more and more complicated. I hope that Congress has the courage to reform the tax code and, in the mean time, continue to lower taxes.
I can go on and on about my views for the future of the Republican Party and the College Republicans. The Republican Party is a big tent encompassing farmers in Oklahoma and lawyers in Manhattan. The College Republicans include prep-schoolers from Greenwich and religious conservatives from the hills of Pennsylvania. All viewpoints are welcomed and embraced; open debate is critical and widespread.
As we transition to next year, the College Republicans will need to transform to meet the needs of a new student body. Legends such as seniors Dan Schuberth, Alex Linhart, and Chris Averill will be leaving. The new College Republicans will keep fighting the good fight for individual liberty, economic growth, and strong defense values that I know most Bowdoin students advocate.