2010 midterm election: faculty share

The Committee for Political and Legislative Action (CPLA) hosted a mid-term election panel last Thursday, Oct. 28 with sociology professor Tom Cushman, political science professor Chris Stout, and economics professor Akila Weerapana to discuss critical election issues. The professors presented their thoughts on the philosophy behind who votes and why they vote, how the current economic situation will affect the election, and the poll statistics leading up to it.

Professor Stout initiated the discussion about voter motivations by referring to Antony Down's economic theory about why many people choose not to vote: "The benefit of voting is far less than the cost," Stout said. "There is a small chance of casting a deciding vote and to vote is to err."

He explained that people who do decide to vote are often swayed by one or more of three factors: engagement, resources, and recruitment. "People are more likely to vote if they are enthusiastic and engaged about politics," Professor Stout said. Also, a higher level of income and education often result in higher efficacy, as it is easier to navigate the political system and know when and how to register.

Stout also acknowledged that campaigning often makes a difference as people are more likely to vote if they experience some sort of personal appeal that decreases the cost of voting. "In times of economic adversity and scarce resources, people tend to focus their energy on keeping their heart and mind going rather than remote concerns like politics," he said.

The panelists also all agreed that the Republican Party will carry more in this election and offered varying perspectives on how the Democratic Party could improve its situation. "The Democrats have committed some fatal falls that have cost them dearly," Professor Cushman said. He observed how Obama went from being a demi-god at the beginning of his term to someone less than that in a rather precipitous plunge in ratings.

Professor Cushman provided several poll statistics from Labor Day to the end of October and demonstrated how independents are increasingly favoring the Republicans. "It looks like quite a landslide election for the Republicans," Cushman said. "While Obama is still popular and people like him as a guy, as a man, the Independents just don't like his politics."

Though Cushman believes that the Independents have been drawn away from the Democratic Party, he acknowledges that doesn't necessarily mean that they are more inclined to agree with the Republicans. He concluded by stating that the Democrats still have a chance to recover and that there is a glimmer of hope for Obama's strong coalition of supporters.

Professor Weerapana was far less optimistic. He pointed out that the Republicans have a very easy argument to make in terms of putting the blame on the Democrats for the poor economic situation. "I'm not convinced that the U.S. political system can handle the economic problems that need to be dealt with," Weerapana said.

Professor Weerapana went further to explain how public perception had hurt the Democratic Party. "Perception is everything in politics. People listen to rhetoric and then form opinions that might push them away from their party," Weerapana said. "People are not always rational." However, he believes that people need to vote on reality rather than the perception of reality that someone else has created.

Political Science major Caitlin Alcala '11 enjoyed the wide range of views on the panel. As a member of the Wellesley College Republicans, Alcala has realized that Academics often tend to be more liberal. But she was surprised that the professors were all united about the fact that the Democrats have not done a good job at strategically approaching the election. Allegra Flores '13 thought the panel was an opportunity to get more information about the mid-term election, which young people are not as aware of as presidential elections. "The professors made it more personal and feasible for college students to make a difference," Flores said.