The Harvard Salient	November 4, 1996
Cover Story

The Young American's Candidate

or the vast majority of Harvard students, 1996 marks the first chance they have to cast their vote in a presidential election. While many students naturally tend toward one party because of broad political ideologies and vote that party's ticket, it is vital for every young voter to give special attention to the issues of direct concern to young adults. Several distinct topics at issue this year will influence students' lives both now and in the future: the budget deficit, taxes, environmental protection, and student loans.

It is bad enough that the government takes such a high percentage of Americans' wages, but the government compounds the problem by grossly mismanaging it as well. Deficits also contribute to high interest rates, making it more expensive for a student to pay off college loans or for a young couple to buy a house or car. Bob Dole wants to force the federal government to balance its budget by the year 2002, compelling politicians to be fiscally responsible while vastly improving the economic status of young Americans through both lower taxes and lower interest rates.

Most students would be shocked to learn just how much income tax the federal government collects. High tax rates are stifling America's economy, taking away both money and job opportunities from young, hard working Americans. Bob Dole's 15% income tax cut will help to change this by giving money back to the people who earned it and by jump-starting economic growth and opportunity. Dole also plans to reduce the traditionally high tax rates on savings and investments, which will encourage young adults to try their hand at investment and entrepreneurship, further increasing America's wealth and economic growth.

Our generation must realize that we can achieve this economic growth without sacrificing our environmental resources. If over three-fourths of Americans identify themselves as environmentalists, why has this issue been ignored by so many politicians? Students should be especially concerned about this issue, for we are the ones who have to undo the wrongs of older generations to protect our planet's future - and our own. New measures are called for, such as alternative energy research and serious economic incentives for companies to become environmentally responsible. Bob Dole has proven his commitment to the environment by sponsoring the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and most recently the 1996 Farm Bill. In addition, he has pledged to protect and expand funding for alternative energy research, a field which has been completely overlooked by the Clinton Administration.

While it may be difficult for some students to look far into the future to the environmental problems of our nation, one issue affecting us now is federal student loans. Although Republicans in general have been portrayed as opponents of education, Bob Dole is quite the opposite. He has no intention of cutting federal student loans and even favors new economic incentives for parents and students to save and pay for college. Dole plans to allow the interest paid on student loans to be deducted from income taxes and will set up tax-free college accounts so that young parents will be encouraged to save for their children's future.

oung Americans can increase the potency of their collective vote by considering the several issues of direct relevance to them. Of the two presidential candidates, only Bob Dole has the ideas and vision necessary to provide the youth of America with a safe and prosperous future.

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