A New York Times/CBS News poll has found that President Obama’s approval ratings are similar to George W. Bush’s ratings in 2006. About 40% of Americans approve of the President and 50% disapprove, comparable to Bush’s 37% and 56% during his sixth year in office. While 70% of Americans disapprove of Congressional Republicans, 45% say they would vote for a Republican if the 2014 midterm elections were being held today, as opposed to 39% who say they’d vote for a Democrat. Do you approve of Obama, and do you plan to vote Democrat, Republican or neither in 2014?

Jassen Lu '15

As a Democrat, I am inclined to support President Obama, although I do realize the problems of the current government. While little has been accomplished in his second term, we truthfully cannot blame it all on the president. Ultimately, he is not a member of Congress, and he cannot force Congress to agree with everything he has proposed, especially with a divided government that is increasingly ideological and uncompromisingly stubborn to cooperate or compromise. Unfortunately, many members, for whom reelection is the top priority, have made it a high priority, some even openly, to oppose the president on nearly every policy front for six years now to show their constituents that they are ideologically pure. Having seen the consequences of divided government (such as the 2013 government shutdown), I am reluctant to place Congress under further Republican control, so I plan on voting Democrat in 2014.     

Jassen Lu ’15 is a Politics major, senior editor of the Brandeis Law Journal and a Justice Forum staff writer. 

Joseph Lanoie '15

I find it wonderful people are becoming more self-aware, involved and independently thinking in political affairs. Personally, I see President Obama’s appeal and popularity. Despite this, his actions do not benefit the American people but harm our lives and wallets. President Obama must move rightward to have our country prosper. Concerning my voting habits, I believe in private voting.  There is an innate liberty in not having to disclose for whom I cast my ballot. In 2012, my boss wanted to learn if I voted for Obama and almost fired me due to my silence. In the name of the private ballot, I do not wish to say who I support. I will vote for people who endorse constitutional authority, limited government, self-evident rights and a free unregulated marketplace of products and ideas. Those who do will earn my praise and my vote.

Joseph Lanoie ’15 is the President of the Brandeis University Tea Party Nation and is a staff writer for the Hoot.

Carly Chernomorets '16

I’m planning on voting Democrat in the upcoming election because my political beliefs and core values are best represented by the Democratic platform. These statistics ignore the larger political reality that congressional Republicans are, in large part, responsible for our political dysfunction. While President Obama may partially be to blame, Republicans have been unwilling to work with Democrats, which is slowing down the political process. For instance, congressional Republicans have minimized the significance of climate change and other environmental issues, which are undeniably important. Although I don’t agree with every choice Obama has made in his presidency, I appreciate the work that he has done in regards to sexual assault on college campuses and anti-discrimination laws against LGBTQ+ people in the workforce.

Carly Chernomorets is an Undergraduate Department Representative in the Politics department and a Justice Arts staff writer.

Dor Cohen '16

Marred by various scandals, violated red lines and general ineffectiveness, President Obama’s tenure has been a disappointment. On foreign policy, the White House has made countless missteps, not all of which are completely the president’s fault, including not backing up red lines in Syria and Iran, not acting against Russia’s expansionism, watching Iraq as it crumbled apart and souring relations with various allies. Furthermore, Obamacare’s rollout was a failure, with the website crashing on its first day and millions of Americans losing their health care coverage despite assurances by the president that they would be able to keep their existing policies. The president’s time in office has also included several scandals, including the Internal Revenue Service’s investigation of conservative organizations and the National Security Administration’s wide-scale spying on American citizens. In this November’s elections, I plan to vote for the Republican Party, in the hopes that Republican candidates will be able to improve our foreign policy positions and economic situation.

Dor Cohen ’16 is the vice president of Brandeis Republicans.