Over the past week we have seen the Incredible Hulk, mean and Green. Lally Gartel has accused the College Democrats of scare tactics and “using faulty arguments and faulty information.”

Changes in the color-coded National Threat Advisory to prey on the fears of the American people is a scare tactic. Sending mail to make an argument is not. The argument that Green Party candidates divide the progressive vote and also take votes from Republicans and Democrats are valid, but the great majority of the Green voters are progressives, who would have voted Democratic.

Other attacks are that Democrats are the “lesser of two evils”, close-minded, have “sold out,” fail to do anything, and are not progressive. I’ll take Leah Nelson’s advice and “be free thinkers and look beyond party lines to the candidates” to examine these claims. I’ll look at State Representative Naomi Jakobsson, who introduced legislation lowering the cost of textbooks, helped provide health care to all kids in Illinois, required health insurers to cover breast and ovarian cancer screening, and increased funding to Illinois schools by $1.5 Billion over four years, is fighting against a proposed 40 percent rate increase in electrical bills, has a 100 percent voting record with Planned Parenthood, and is endorsed by the Sierra Club. I’ll look at Mike Frerichs for State Senate, who proposes investing money from the gas tax to research alternative fuels, is endorsed by the Sierra Club and Personal PAC, and will work to expand affordable healthcare coverage.

So on Nov. 7 I’ll be voting for these Democrats, who are good, progressive choices.

Andy Munemoto

Senior in LAS