The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Tuesday, November 4, 2008 - 7
SUPREME COURT
From Page 1
ruling opinions. And the Supreme Court race is
the lone one on the Michigan ballotthat doesn't
list the party affiliation of the candidate.
Because of that, Todd Berg, editor of Michi-
gan Lawyers Weekly, said that predicting how
Tuesday's vote will impact rulings would be
difficult.
As it stands,the court consists of five Repub-
licans and two Democrats. Bergsaid four of the
Republicans justices and the two Democrats
usually vote in opposition of each other, while
Republican Elizabeth Weaver normally serves
as the deciding justice.
If Taylor, a Republican,-is defeated, many
decisions could come down to Weaver's vote,
with the three Democrats including Hathaway
voting in one bloc and the other three Republi-
cans voting in another bloc.
Despite this assessment, Hathaway said she
would be independent if elected to the Court.
"I am neither left nor right. I follow the law,"
Hathaway said. "It's not the job of a judge to let
his political agenda interfere with his rulings.
The law is the law. And that is what must be
respected and upheld."'
However, research on campaign finances
by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network,
suggests both Taylor and Hathaway might have
potential problems in expressing their judicial
independence.
Rich Robinson, executive director of Michi-
gan Campaign Finance Network, said the
candidates have raised more than $2 million
combined and that an additional $1.78 million
has been spent on their campaigns by the Mich-
igan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan
Democratic State Central Committee. He said
the funding could pose problems for judges
who should be impartial in their rules, but
could have conflicts of interest because of such
contributions.
"There was a study in the 1990s in which,
80 percent of the cases selected had a litigant
or counsel that made a contribution to at least
one justice," said Robinson. He added that there
was no way to know how much effect such con-
tributions had on the justices' rulings.
Hathaway has repeatedly accused Taylor
of showing favoritism toward the insurance
industry and judicial activism through her
advertising.
Colleen Pero, Justice Taylor's campaign
manager, disagreed with Hathaway's assess-
ment, saying that the Taylor court has brought
clarity to understanding Michigan law.
Pero said the Michigan Supreme Court
developed a reputation for having no majority
opinion on a numberof cases in the 1980s. The
Court would issue three or more opinions and
the justices would not back any opinion by a
majority, thus failing to make any of the state-
ments law, she said.
"It was a period of time when you could not
be certain how the court would come down on
one issue or another," she said.
Pero'also defended Taylor against the notion
that consistently ruling in favor of a group, like
the insurance industry, was a display of favorit-
ism.
"We have to get away from a statistical anal-
ysis," she said. "You should look at whether or
not the court is applying the facts of the case."
The Obama campaign holds a training session yesterday in the Law School for lawyers and law students serving as poll monitors. Both par-
ties are expected to send "challengers' and poll watchers to voting precincts today.
POLLS
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a lot of lawyers have volunteered to go
out to poll districts to make sure that no
one is using the challenge process inap-
propriately," she said. "No one should be
challenged from voting unless there's a
good reason."
One of the most common challenges
will stem from Michigan's photo iden-
tification requirement, which requires
Michigan voters to show photo ID
before they vote. But for many stu-
dents, an out-of-state driver's license
MUSLIMS
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servative commentators have made
reference to the Illinois senator's mid-
dle name, Hussein, to suggest that he is
Muslim even though he has long been a
member of a Christian church.
Dawud Walid, executive director
of the state chapter of the nonpartisan
Council on American Islamic Relations,
said Muslims have been disappointed
with the way the word "Muslim" has
been used in a derogatory sense during
the election cycle. Despite their disap-
pointment, Walid and Muslim leaders
at the University of Michigan believe
Muslims will play an active role in
today's election.
Many Muslims were offended when
two Muslim women wearing traditional
Islamic headscarves were barred from
appearing behind Obama at a rally at Joe
LouisArenainDetroit.Obamalatercalled
the two women to apologize, and publicly
expressed regret about the incident.
LSA senior Yamaan Saadeh, president
of the Muslim Student Association at the
University's Ann Arbor campus, said he
ANALYSIS
From Page 1
have been interested in adding young
people to the rolls by getting them reg-
istered and then getting them to the
polls," Traugott said. "This has not
been historically a successful strat-
egy."
In every election since 1972 - the
first presidential election after the
passage of the 26th Amendment,
which lowered the voting age from
21 to 18 - turnout among those aged
18-24 has trailed that of voters aged 25
years and older by about 20 percent,
according to The Center for Informa-
tion and Research on Civic Learning
and Engagement.
Traugott attributes the lacklus-
ter youth turnout to the fact that the
policies and proposals championed by
major-party candidates do not neces-
sarily affect voters in that age group.
"Most young people aren't paying
property taxes, they don't own homes,
they don't have kids in school," he said.
"Their attachments to the community
are weaker."
But that was also the case in 1960,
when the presidential bid of John F.
Kennedy energized America's youth
and ignited a decade of political activ-
ism.
Many have made the parallel
between Kennedy and Obama. Both
young, progressive and with larger
than life rhetoric, Kennedy and Obama
had cozy relationships with young vot-
ers.
John Kingdon, a professor emeritus
of political science, said the funda-
mentals of this election, like President
Bush's unpopularity, and the explicit
appeal to young voters from Obama's
campaign could allow the Illinois
Senator To disprove the longstanding
political theory of young voter apar-
thy.
"It looks as though Obama actually
will stimulate young people to turn out
at the polls," he said. "More than they
have in the past, and more than they
did when Kennedy was running."
But the political engagement of
today's youth is not that surprising.
This is a generation that watched the
events of September 11, 2001 in middle
may have a different address than the
one on their registration card.
Students using out-of-state IDs may
be challenged, even though such iden-
tification is valid for use at the polls. If
voters forget their IDs, they can sign
an affidavit and they'll be able to vote,
Moss said.
Another problem students may face
is if they've moved since they first reg-
istered to vote, but haven't changed
their registration.
Voters who have moved within the
same city or township are still able to
vote at their old precinct. But voters
who've moved to a different city more
thought Obama's apology repaired most
of the damage done. He said the event
was a "turning point," after which the
campaign was more aware of how it was
received by Muslims.
There's no available data on Mus-
lim voter registration in Michigan, but
Dearborn City Clerk Kathleen Buda
said about 60,600 people are registered
to vote in the heavily Islamic city, up
about 2,000 from four years ago. At
the University's Dearborn campus, the
Muslim Student Association last week
invited Walid to speak at an event titled
Our Role in Politics.
Anticipating large turnout, Buda's
office purchased 500 portable "privacy
booths" to be distributed to the city's
50 polling places. Buda said her office
has also arranged to have five to seven
workers at each poll, when in the past
some only had three.
Saadeh predicted alarge Muslim turn-
out this year, though he said the organi-
zation hasn't been politically engaged
this year. Senior Majed Afana, president
of MSA at the Dearborn campus, echoed
Saadeh's prediction, saying many MSA
members there had been working with
the Obama and McCain campaigns.
school, formed their political opinions
under the leadership of a single presi-
dent and will now enter the job mar-
ket facingthis nation's worst economic
climate since the Great Depression.
Many argue, like Kingdon, that this
will be the year for America's youth to
head to the polls in record numbers.
Obama's counting on it.
His campaign has focused on mak-
ingan ambivalentvotingbloceviable for
the first time in modern American pol-
itics, and sought their support in ways
no campaign has ever done before.
He sent text and e-mail messages and
used social networking websites to
make campaign announcements, ask
supporters to volunteer and remind
them to vote. He has advertised in
video games. Popular musicians have
recorded songs and produced viral vid-
eos to support the candidate. But ulti-
mately, his actions beg the question:
why spend so much time and dedicate
so many campaign staffers to gaining
ground with a group that doesn't vote?
If 18 to 24 year olds stay at home
today, Traugott said the election could
be a nail-biter for Obama. But with
their support,, Traugott said, Obama
can count on expanding his margin
of victory nationally by at least two or
three percent. While a slim difference
in terms of the popular vote, increased
turnout among 18- to 24-year-olds
could tilt some swing states, consider-
ing President Bush's narrow victories
in Florida and Ohio in 2000 and 2004.
Because of this potential impact, the
Obama team, through its rhetoric and
campaign strategy, has methodically
courted America's youth by promising
that the Democratic presidential con-
tender will loosen the nation's political
gridlock and stabilize the economy.
"He's tried to explain in very gen-
eral terms about what's wrong and
what could be better," Traugott said
of Obama. "He's cast himself as the
agent of change and therefore he needs
their support in order to bring about
change."
Though it has grown more concrete
in recent months, the rhetoric of the
Obama campaign has been built on
the soaring terminology of change - a
direct appeal to young people fed up
with the way the government is being
than 60 days ago are ineligible to vote
unless they're registered at their new
address.
Moss said students should be aware
of other "groundless challenges," even
if they seem less relevantcto them.
During the 2004 election, many vot-
ers who were behind in their child sup-
port payments were turned away from
the polls, as were ex-felons, she said.
Moss said she's heard concerns from
prospective voters concerning fore-
closure lists. The notion that someone
will be disqualified because their house
has been foreclosed upon, though, is
untrue, she said.
Saadeh said he felt the McCain cam-
paign has offended Muslims more than
the Obama campaign, but that neither
campaign has embraced the group. '
"The Muslim comnunity was pretty
disappointed with Obama for, I don't
know how to say it, but not intellectu-
ally denying it the waythatColin Powell
did," Saadeh said, referring to Obama's
strong denials that he is Muslim.
But Saadeh said he didn't think
Obama's handling of the issue hurt him
in the race because he feels harsh treat-
ment of Muslims is common.
"We're used to that kind of rhetoric,"
he said. "It wasn't really much of a sur-
prise because the rhetoric in the media
over the last seven years has been very
anti-Muslim."
Walid said he felt Obama's campaign
was still treating Muslims better than
his opponent's.
"The McCain campaign has spent
virtually zero time in reaching out to
Muslims," he said. "In the 2004 elec-
tion, the Muslim community over-
whelmingly voted for John Kerry over
George Bush, and similarly, I believe
that people are supporting Obama more
so as a vote against McCain."
"The general tone is optimistic,
based upon doing better and contrib-
uting to do better," Traugott said of
Obama's campaign. "Trying to talk
not so much about the past, but talking
about how things can be improved in
the United States and how young peo-
ple can contributed to that improve-
ment."
To get this message to America's
youth,theObamacampaignhaspoured
unprecedented levels of resources into
turning outthese historically apathetic
voters. The campaign began by holding
massive voter registration drives on
college campuses and in urban areas.
While working with paid Obama field
organizers, the University's chapter of
College Democrats reported collecting
registration forms from about 4,500
students between the start of the fall
semester and Michigan's Oct. 6 regis-
tration deadline.
But Obama still faces the challenge
of getting those newly registered
young people to the polls.
The Obama campaign has asked
volunteers, many of them college stu-
dents, to make phone calls and knock
on doors, making sure every support-
er has cast a ballot by 8 p.m. tonight.
Canvassers helped supporters who
couldn't make it to the polls request
absentee ballots.
In the 34 statescthatcallow registered
voters to cast ballots prior to Election
Day, such as North Carolina and Ohio,
the campaign has been trying to run
up the score as much as it can even
before people head to the polls today.
One aspect of this has been mobiliz-
ing young people to vote early to avoid
potential conflicts, like class, on Elec-
tion Day. A Washington Post-ABC
News tracking poll found that about
30 percent of expected voters had cast
their ballots early, supporting Obama
by a margin of 20 percentage points.
If young voters, who currently
make up 13 percent of the electorate,
do indeed turn out to overwhelmingly
support Obama, they could change the
role they play in lawmakers' decisions
and future campaigns.
College Democrats chair Nathan-
iel Eli Coats Styer said he's optimistic
about the possibility.
"We won't be relegated to the side-
lines anymore," he said.
STEM CELLS
From Page 1
discarded. Michigan's ban on cloning would
not be affected by the proposal.
Sean Morrison, director of the University's
Center for Stem Cell Biology, said Proposal
2, if passed, would create broader research
opportunities in the state.
"We will be able to expand our research
programs into embryonic stem cell research,
take new apprpaches in treating disease, and
we'll have a better opportunity to compete for
grants from the federal government and pri-
vate organizations that are currently funding
embryonic stem cell research," he said.
Sue O'Shea, director of the Michigan Center
for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, said
passing Proposal 2 would impact on students.
"It would allow us to train our students to
do that kind of work, which I currently cannot
allow our students to do because I can't train
them,"O'Sheasaid.
Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted Sci-
ence and Experimentation (MiCAUSE), a group
opposedto Proposal2, offers several reasons why
the initiative shouldn't pass. In advertisements,
the group has argued that passing Proposal 2
would raise taxesto conduct the research.
According to the MiCAUSE website, Proposal
2 contains "deceptive language, which alludes
to the allowance of cloning human embryos.' In
additionthesiteclaimsthatthe proposalpermits
unregulated research on live human embryos,
which means thatcells can be taken from embry-
os more than14 days after cell division.
It's unlikely that Proposal 2 would have
those effects, though. The proposal explicitly
prohibits taking cells from embryos more than
14 days after cell division and says it won't
change Michigan's prohibition on human
cloning. The proposal also doesn't allocate
any state money to fund stem cell research.
If Proposal 2 fails, Morrison said, the Uni-
versity would continue to struggle in its efforts
to recruit stem cell researchers to campus.
"If Michigan wants to have a life sciences
sector, it can't achieve that by having policies
that are hostile to some of the most excit-
ing opportunities in life sciences," Morrison
said.
PRESIDENT
From Page 1
McCain is likely to focus on tax incentives for
small businesses, Obama would emphasize job
creation through new industries like alterna-
tive energy.
"Most of what is meaningful for students
involves their prospects of getting a good job
when they graduate, and that's goingto depend
on turning the economy around," Traugott
said. "Both are very interested in job creation,
but by different processes."
Of the two, he said McCain is more con-
cerned with foreign policy and Obama's plat-
form focuses more on domestic issues.
"While John McCain is also interested in
domestic policy, he's more concerned about
America's military role in the world - these
activities in Iraq in Afghanistan are very
expensive and divert money from domestic
programs," Traugott said.
. But while presidential hopefuls discuss the
affordability of healthcare, foreign spending
and gas prices, students worry about paying
for their college education.
According to the College Board, the cost of
tuition has increased 27 percent over the last
decade. With more and more families hitchard by
MARIJUANA
From Page 1
rosis) and other conditions as may be approved
by the Department of Community Health."
Public Health Prof. Peter Jacobson said medici-
nal marijuana could be therapeutic for chemo-
therapy patients.
"Manyusers ofmedicalmarijuana also report
that it acts to diminish pain and allows patients
to be more relaxed," he said.
According to a poll reported by the Detroit
Free Press on Sunday, Michigan voters support
the proposal 61 percentto 30 percent, with nine
percentundecided.
If the proposal passes, the Department of
Community Health would establish an identi-
fication card system, both for the patients per-
mitted to use marijuana and for those allowed
to grow marijuana.
Individuals registered to grow marijuana
would be instructed to do so in an "enclosed,
locked facility."
Opponents to Proposal 1 include Gov. Jen-
nifer Granholm and Attorney General Michael
Cox. Granholm has argued that the proposal
would open up the possibility for the legaliza-
tion of marijuana in the future.
A coalition group called Citizens Protecting
Michigan's Kids opposes the medical marijuana
law, pointingto several loopholes in the propos-
al. One is that anyone arrested for a marijuana
offense would be able to invoke medical reasons
in court.
Public Health Prof. Donald Vereen said
he would be more supportive of the bill if
it acknowledged the fact that it will make
marijuana more available and thus "puts
young people more at risk." The proposal
also would allow doctors to interpret what
constitutes a "debilitating medical condi-
tion" that could be treated by medical mari-
the nation's struggling economy, money for col-
lege is becoming increasingly hard to come by.
On their websites, both candidates suggest
simplifying the application process for federal
aid, providing more money for Pell grants and
cutting interest rates on loans.
Political Science Prof. Vincent Hutchings
said the candidates differ in the amount of
federal financial aid they would provide to stu-
dents.
"The Democrat is more apt to provide some
governmental assistance to students for col-
lege and that's probably less of a priority for
John McCain," he said.
The next president will have to decide on
whether to support the possible acquisition
of Chrysler by General Motors. Yesterday, the
Bush administration refused to provide assis-
tance.
Auto companies likeGM and Ford have been
pressuring the government to provide more
emergency funding to the auto industry as part
of the bailout package.
"The merger will have a big impact on Mich-
igan because it will involve a consolidation and
that's job losses, usually," Traugott said.
Hutchings said McCain is less likely than
Obama to provide supportto local governments.
"Given the economic problems in the state,
we could probably use that support," he said.
juana.
Public Health Prof. Peter Jacobson said; if
passed, the interpretation would depend on the
situation.
"If the term is not defined, then each treating
physician will make that determination. In the
alternative, the state licensure board or medical
professionals will devise guidelines to define
the term," he said.
Under the proposal, patients would have
a say in what type of medication they would
like, which could include medicinal marijuana.
Jacobson said "it is ultimately the physician's
decision on what therapeutic dosage to pre-
scribe."
Jacobson said patients cannot become
addicted to the drug as a result of medical use.
Some researchers argue marijuana is psycho-
logically addictive, but there is no evidence of
physical addiction, as is the case for many other
drugs.
Jacobson added that doctors will not stop
prescribing other pain relievers in favor of mari-
juana. "There's no indication in California that
physicians routinely substitute medical mari-
joana for other pain relievers," he said. "Doing
so could also expose physicians to liability liti-
gation."
Jacobson does not believe.that the proposal
will lead to any significant increase in marijua-
na use amongthe general public.
"People who want to take it to self-medicate
for a range of non-life threatening issues may
try to obtain prescriptions," Jacobson said. "In
my opinion, the risk is minimal. Those who
want to smoke marijuana already have easy
access to it."
Jacobsonsaidthe passage ofProposallwould
have only a minimal effecton Ann Arbor.
"Some students may take it as a signal that
smoking marijuana will not be penalized, but
medical and recreational use will be treated
quite differently," he said.