Election Day is today. I urge you, as a fellow student, to get out and vote Democrat. We need to channel the energy we felt on Nov. 2 just two years ago and keep the people who best represent us in office.

Facing us are the midterm elections. Races are in Congress for governor, senator, state senator and state Assembly. There are local elections as well, such as for sheriff.

When you go to the polls, please know that Congressman Dan Maffei represents us. He has been a true advocate for issues that directly affect students.

He has made student loan reform a priority. With his vote, we as students are now able to borrow directly from the government, thus eliminating the middleman of loan companies. This allows for our loan repayments to be capped at 10 percent of our income.

Maffei supported health care reform, so once we graduate, we can stay on our parent’s health insurance up to age 26. This is a huge improvement and relief off our shoulders, especially to those seniors like me.

Issues that arise in this election are things that matter to us as not only students but as residents of Syracuse and New York state. Maffei has worked hard to support ending tax cuts to businesses that export jobs away.

If you have any more doubts, please Google his appearance on ‘The Colbert Report.’ Maffei is one cool guy. We are students of social science who believe in democracy. We are students of humanities who believe in ethics. We are students of natural science who believe in protecting the environment.

We are students, and we believe in education. Do not let your beliefs be pushed aside by politicians who think they can solve budget problems by eliminating the Department of Education or who deny that global climate change exists.

One lump or two? Make your voice heard. Pass on the tea.

Minda Conroe

President of SU College Democrats

Senior political science and international relations major

Published on November 1, 2010 at 12:00 pm