Teen Forum Column


Does Obama deserve his high approval rating?

Brandon Gates (Yes) 

It is no surprise that President Barack Obama started his first week in office with one of the highest starting approval ratings of any president in nearly 60 years—68 percent approval according to the Gallup Poll's tracking of his first days in office. Only John F. Kennedy started out stronger, in 1961, with a rating of 72 percent.
The first analysis on Obama’s performance followed his inauguration as the 44th president of the United States and a number of executive orders that he signed to assure the openness of government, ethical standards for his administration, and the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison within a year. Obama has followed up with placing a high priority in the economic situation, which possibly contributes to his continued high ratings. While most would argue that the “honeymoon” period is over, we continue to see a high ranking because Americans are desperate for change. Change is not simply a word Obama sought to lay claim to during his presidency; it is the direction toward which we must head to reclaim American prosperity. The 44th president of the United States is beyond deserving of his ratings, because he is arguably the most scrutinized president in history. He was ridiculed of his assumed religion, style of rhetoric, and most recently his economic stimulus plan—that South Carolina’s very own Governor Mark Sanford has contemplated to reject. While it is not uncommon for a president to start out with a measure of good will, even with odds against him, Obama continues to have the approval of Americans.
 

 

Matt Kneece (No) 

As Obama approaches his 100th day in office, recent polls have shown that his approval rating remains near its all-time high of 65%. But is his performance deserving of this high approval rating? A quick glance at his campaign promises raises serious doubts. Obama promised to end the Iraq war and bring the troops home from Iraq. However, as his timeline continued to be pushed further back, his “withdrawal” plan says nothing about troops coming home, but rather going next door to fight in Afghanistan while 50,000 or more stay in Iraq for “as long as deemed necessary.” Simultaneously, Obama has continued the Bush program of airborne strikes within Pakistan’s borders. The only tangible difference between Bush’s foreign policy and Obama’s foreign policy has been a change in rhetoric, while total troop levels in the Middle East have and will continue to remain the same. Obama ran on the campaign promise of fixing the economy and restoring faith in the U.S. market. Instead, the U.S. economy has continued in a fatal tailspin with no sign of recovery. I understand that there is no silver bullet to fix the markets, but confidence would increase if a solid, detailed recovery plan were unveiled to the American people. This has not been done, and on the contrary, his record-shattering $3.5 trillion budget has poured gasoline on the fire. Meanwhile, his tax-delinquent Treasury Secretary is nowhere to be found.  After his election, the American people have given the new President a chance to prove himself to us, but so far campaign promises are fruitless. Obama needs to put his personal agenda aside and focus on what’s best for the United States. The two have proven themselves to be mutually exclusive.

 

Are gun buyback programs effective?

Mandi Sordelet (Yes)

  Gun buy-back programs are effective. They say that guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people. In that sense, it is only logical to conclude that people can diminish the amount of gun related deaths by organizing some effective solutions. Gun buy-back programs are one of these solutions. The idea is that people will return their guns in exchange for money, prizes or, in some cases, a chance to meet a national hero. In a utopian environment, it would be wonderful if we could convince at least the majority of our country’s population to turn in their guns. There would be far fewer guns on the streets that could endanger innocent civilians. However, to believe this would ever happen would be naïve. What’s more, it’s not the only purpose of this program. The main fuel behind gun buy-backs is the question it begs the public to answer. “Why do we need guns?”  Even if you have no intention of turning in your firearms or if you plan on buying a new one right after receiving your rose or prize, the question still prevails within witnessing others turn in their firearms. This program was designed to influence both elder and younger generations that an excess of firearms within the public is more likely to endanger our safety than guarantee it. The gun buy back programs are not going to remove every gun off the streets, but they are effective in provoking others to strongly consider having one in the first place.

 

Matt Kneece (NO)
 

            Without a doubt, violent crime continues to be a plague across the United States. Many possible solutions have been proposed, and perhaps the most controversial program is the gun buyback program where citizens can exchange their firearms for gift cards or cash. One of the most recent implementations of such has been the Guns For Roses campaign, sponsored by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department in Columbia, South Carolina. As if Sheriff Leon Lott has not enough bad publicity with his laughable pursuit of Michael Phelps, his department executed the program on Valentine’s Day where firearms could be exchanged for Best Buy giftcards along with a rose; the program yielded 119 weapons. However, no amnesty was given and those turning in firearms had to register their names and information. In other words, it is likely that not a single gun surrendered belonged to a criminal or had been used in the commission of a violent crime. Criminals would never turn in their guns and especially not if they were required by law to give up their information to a police officer on site. Instead, innocent law-abiding citizens who need money during this failing economy will disarm themselves for the promise of financial assistance. Gun buyback programs provide little more than a photo opportunity for the local police department while creating the illusion of progress. How many grandmothers, war veterans or other individuals surrender their protection for the promise of cash or gift cards and then need that gun later to defend themselves? We’ll never know, because those victims were scammed out of their safety for a measly gift card.


 


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