In the wake of the Nov. 4 presidential election, the Hamilton College Government Department hosted a panel discussion in the Chapel on Nov. 9 regarding the anticipated policy implications that correspond with President Elect Barack Obama's victory. The panel featured three distinguished Hamilton alumni, each presenting a different perspective on the issues.
The panel was structured to create an interactive environment between the students and the speakers; however, the night began with each alumnus addressing the issues on which they were most knowledgeable, and which they felt would become major issues during the next term.
Alicia Davis '97 spoke from the viewpoint of a campaign consultant; in her introduction, she spoke on the country's ideological demographics and the motivations behind voters' support of the Obama-Biden ticket. Davis stressed the importance of distinguishing between party affiliation and ideology (i.e. liberal or conservative.) She asserted that although registration with the Democratic Party increased this election, ideological associations did not—in fact, the percentage of conservative citizens is larger than that of liberal voters. From this, she deduced that many of the votes were cast less as a reflection of policy alignment and more as an expression of discontent with the Republican Party's last two terms.
Frank Vlossak '89 is a principal at Williams and Jensen, a leading government affairs law firm, and is currently teaching a lobbying class at Hamilton. He began by remarking that economic policies will be at the forefront of the next term; consequently, lobbyists and political stakeholders will have to shape their proposals to reflect the economic agenda. He also explained that although Obama spoke about the dangers of lobbyists' influence on politics, the party shift will most likely benefit lobbying firms. The Democratic Party has emphasized the need for healthcare reform and legislation that addresses the energy/environmental crises, issues for which many lobbyists are employed.
Finally, Edward Walker '62, former U.S. Ambassador and former president of the Middle East Institute, as well as the Christian A. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Global Political Theory, spoke regarding the upcoming administration's projected positions on foreign policy. His first comments centered on the fact that even before any formal policy has been made, Obama's victory has had a significant impact on the international stage. "In the mere span of 24 hours, we turned the world upside down," he stated, citing newspaper articles and quotes taken from world leaders proclaiming that the elections ignited a belief in the "miracle" of the American Dream. Walker stressed that the principal change over the next term will be of tone rather than policy; while Obama maintains a strong stance against terrorism and human rights violations, his method of addressing these situations reflect a preference for diplomatic resolution as opposed to primarily relying on military intervention.
After the introductions, the lecture opened to questions and comments from the audience. In response to student inquiries regarding which issue will most likely take precedence, the speakers were unanimous in selecting the economy; however, Walker pointed out that such predictions are always in flux. Six months ago, the major issue of contention was the Iraq War—many times, unforeseeable events occur that take immediate priority.
Another popular topic among students was the plausibility of the administration's energy proposals. On this subject, the panelists agreed that while it may take more than the planned 10 years to complete the switch to alternative energy resources, it is necessary to begin this project immediately, as many different sectors of the economy will be affected (and thus need to be incorporated within the process.)
Yet while much of the focus revolved around our country's economic situation, the audience was curious to hear the speakers' views on the ideological and social effects of Obama's victory, given his historic position as the first minority elected to the American presidency.
Alicia Davis noted that although there may not have been a great ideological shift in voter demographics, this election marked a turning point in that many groups that historically have not had large voter turnouts showed significant increases this election. Similarly, Ned Walker stated that while Obama's race and social status represent a return to a global belief in the "American Dream," race proved to be less of an issue in the election than some had predicted—more white males voted Democrat in this election than when former President Bill Clinton ran his campaign. Instead, the panelists pointed to the surge in youth voters, and how this may mean greater citizen support and involvement over the next four years.
-- by Sarah Caney '09
The panel was structured to create an interactive environment between the students and the speakers; however, the night began with each alumnus addressing the issues on which they were most knowledgeable, and which they felt would become major issues during the next term.
Alicia Davis '97 spoke from the viewpoint of a campaign consultant; in her introduction, she spoke on the country's ideological demographics and the motivations behind voters' support of the Obama-Biden ticket. Davis stressed the importance of distinguishing between party affiliation and ideology (i.e. liberal or conservative.) She asserted that although registration with the Democratic Party increased this election, ideological associations did not—in fact, the percentage of conservative citizens is larger than that of liberal voters. From this, she deduced that many of the votes were cast less as a reflection of policy alignment and more as an expression of discontent with the Republican Party's last two terms.
Frank Vlossak '89 is a principal at Williams and Jensen, a leading government affairs law firm, and is currently teaching a lobbying class at Hamilton. He began by remarking that economic policies will be at the forefront of the next term; consequently, lobbyists and political stakeholders will have to shape their proposals to reflect the economic agenda. He also explained that although Obama spoke about the dangers of lobbyists' influence on politics, the party shift will most likely benefit lobbying firms. The Democratic Party has emphasized the need for healthcare reform and legislation that addresses the energy/environmental crises, issues for which many lobbyists are employed.
Finally, Edward Walker '62, former U.S. Ambassador and former president of the Middle East Institute, as well as the Christian A. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Global Political Theory, spoke regarding the upcoming administration's projected positions on foreign policy. His first comments centered on the fact that even before any formal policy has been made, Obama's victory has had a significant impact on the international stage. "In the mere span of 24 hours, we turned the world upside down," he stated, citing newspaper articles and quotes taken from world leaders proclaiming that the elections ignited a belief in the "miracle" of the American Dream. Walker stressed that the principal change over the next term will be of tone rather than policy; while Obama maintains a strong stance against terrorism and human rights violations, his method of addressing these situations reflect a preference for diplomatic resolution as opposed to primarily relying on military intervention.
After the introductions, the lecture opened to questions and comments from the audience. In response to student inquiries regarding which issue will most likely take precedence, the speakers were unanimous in selecting the economy; however, Walker pointed out that such predictions are always in flux. Six months ago, the major issue of contention was the Iraq War—many times, unforeseeable events occur that take immediate priority.
Another popular topic among students was the plausibility of the administration's energy proposals. On this subject, the panelists agreed that while it may take more than the planned 10 years to complete the switch to alternative energy resources, it is necessary to begin this project immediately, as many different sectors of the economy will be affected (and thus need to be incorporated within the process.)
Yet while much of the focus revolved around our country's economic situation, the audience was curious to hear the speakers' views on the ideological and social effects of Obama's victory, given his historic position as the first minority elected to the American presidency.
Alicia Davis noted that although there may not have been a great ideological shift in voter demographics, this election marked a turning point in that many groups that historically have not had large voter turnouts showed significant increases this election. Similarly, Ned Walker stated that while Obama's race and social status represent a return to a global belief in the "American Dream," race proved to be less of an issue in the election than some had predicted—more white males voted Democrat in this election than when former President Bill Clinton ran his campaign. Instead, the panelists pointed to the surge in youth voters, and how this may mean greater citizen support and involvement over the next four years.
-- by Sarah Caney '09
