As the awaited presidential election approaches in several days, The Wolf sat down with two Tualatin seniors representing different political viewpoints. First, we have Jamie Hartmann, a supporter of the Democratic Party, who revealed his perspectives on important issues.
Q: What is the most valuable thing you are looking for in a president?
Hartmann: The ethics I’m looking for in either candidate is overall being a good human with high moral values. Having a real plan and system of what and how they are going to get done is important to me, as well.
Q: What is your view on current laws/regulations?
Hartmann: [Decisions about] abortion being brought down to the state level has taken the choice away from an individual; it should be open to every single human being. Continuing on that idea of freedom, the argument for loosening gun control is contradictory. The main argument for it is the freedom to bear arms, but what you’re truly doing is taking away the freedom of a child to go to school safely.
Q: What are your beliefs based on?
Hartmann: They are based on real-world stories, referring to climate change, school shootings and other brutal events. In my opinion and research, the other party serves the richest 1 percent of people and constantly tries to trick the uneducated into thinking they are valued.
Of course, not all TuHS students agree. TuHS students hold differing views, and both political parties are represented here. Senior Aiden Paulson, an advocate for the Republican Party, shared his opinion on the identical topics.
Q: What is the most valuable thing you are looking for in a president?
Paulson: There should be a strong focus on the American people; we need to put America first and stop catering to others. I’m not saying we shouldn’t help others, but we have plenty of problems in America that need fixing before we can focus on that. We need someone to address inflation, the issue at the border and fix the economy.
Q: What is your view on current laws/regulations?
Paulson: Speaking on the abortion laws, the decision of the legality of abortion being returned to the states is a step in the right direction. I believe life begins at conception, and that the termination of a developing child is murder. I take the stance that abortion should be illegal under all circumstances.
Q: What are your beliefs based on?
Paulson: My beliefs about these issues are strongly rooted in my religion: Catholicism. This doesn’t mean I haven’t done my research. I don’t see faith and reason as conflicting; I let my traditional and religious principles, with my research, shape all my political views.
