On November 4, we, as Bowdoin students and residents of Maine, will have the opportunity to make our mark on history. Many consider this election to be the most important of our lifetime and the votes we cast will determine the direction of our country and the world.
First and foremost, it is crucial that we elect Senator Barack Obama as President of the United States. He seeks to restore America's position on the world stage, to enact policies that will protect the environment, to address our economic crisis, and to restore justice, equality, and access within our government. However, without the support of a Congress controlled by Democrats in both houses, Senator Obama's actions as president will be greatly constrained. One of the key Senate races that could provide Senator Obama the majority he needs is taking place right here in our state, in the race between Representative Tom Allen and incumbent Senator Susan Collins.
Tom Allen is a 7th-generation Mainer who graduated from Bowdoin in 1967. As a Polar Bear, Rep. Allen distinguished himself in academics and athletics, earning a Rhodes Scholarship and serving as captain of the football and track teams. Allen's leadership extended beyond the classroom and the field; when the national association of his fraternity refused to change its policy and admit African-Americans, Allen led the Bowdoin chapter out of the association in protest. Rep. Allen won his seat in Congress in 1996 and has served as a strong advocate for Maine in Washington ever since. Tom Allen stands in stark contrast to Susan Collins on several critical issues, including the Iraq War, economic policy, environmental policy, and health care.
Like Senator Obama, Tom Allen voted against the Iraq War in 2002 and has been actively working to develop a timeline to withdraw American troops from Iraq in a responsible manner. Representative Allen has a great appreciation for the splendor and importance of Maine's environmental resources, as well as an understanding of the imminent dangers posed by global warming and climate change, and has sponsored some of the toughest environmental proposals to address climate change and provide relief for Mainers struggling with the cost of gasoline and heating oil. In addition, Tom Allen has shown his leadership and courage by introducing his own plan for universal healthcare. He is the only U.S. Senate candidate to have done so. Senator Obama endorsed Tom Allen and said that "there is no question that Tom's record of service, his tenacity, and his judgment will make him an excellent Senator."
Susan Collins, on the other hand, has voted with President Bush 77 percent of the time, according to a Portland Press Herald article published in August. Included in that 77 percent is support of the Iraq War, Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and the FISA legislation that aided warrantless domestic wiretapping. She also supported all but two of President Bush's judicial nominees, casting one of the deciding votes for Samuel Alito's appointment to the Supreme Court. A vote for Susan Collins is a vote for more of the same failed conservative policies.
We cannot afford a continuation of the status quo. The United States stands at a perilous point in our history. We have the capacity, ingenuity, and perseverance to remain a world leader in areas of environmental protection and human rights, to find a responsible way to end the war in Iraq, and to end the economic crisis facing us today. But this election will determine if we take advantage of the opportunity to reverse direction and change our country, and the world, for the better.
We must elect leaders in this election who will move away from policies that have left 83 percent of Americans feeling that our country in on the wrong track. We must elect leaders who encourage us to believe in ourselves and understand the responsibility that comes with our role as a world power. We must elect leaders who work for the common good and protect the rights of women, children, veterans, the poor, and the middle class. We must elect leaders like Barack Obama and Tom Allen who will lead us to a better future. It is this future that we will inherit.
Make your voice heard on November 4. VOTE!
Caitlin Callahan '11 is the co-communications director of the Bowdoin College Democrats.