Go Green or Go Home Carly!

By Mehrin Rahman and Emmy Bengtson

Actually, just go home...

The environment was definitely a hot topic of yesterday’s debate between Fiorina and Senator Boxer.

Fiorina accused Senator Boxer of being “beholden” to “extreme environmental groups”. Of course when asked to give examples of the groups she accused Senator Boxer of supporting, Fiorina stuttered, made excuses, and tried to do what she does best: change the subject when it really matters.

Really, Carly? Well-respected groups like the Sierra Club, the California League of Conservation Voters, and Ocean Champions are the epitome of environmental extremism?

“It is shocking to me to see someone try to get to the United States Senate who would turn their back on the environment,” exclaimed Senator Boxer. And rightly so. While Boxer has won the support of prominent environmental groups, Fiorina was included in the League of Conservation Voters’ “Dirty Dozen”--a list of the most dangerous candidates to our environment. California has long prided itself on environmental awareness and conservation; do we really want one of the twelve worst candidates in the country working for us?

Fiorina also wants to hand over the California coast to big oil and expand off-shore drilling. Carly, need we remind you about BP and the Gulf Oil disaster?

And what about the 400,000+ jobs that would be put on the chopping block if our coast is destroyed? For someone who claims to be so job-focused (remember, other “trivial” issues like a woman’s right to choose aren’t even on her radar) this is a disconcerting position to take.

What’s more is that Fiorina favors Prop 23, which, if passed, would be a disaster for the California environment. Prop 23 puts an end to limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Talk about extremism!

To top it all off, Fiorina says she doubts whether climate change is real.

The Sierra Club Chairman himself says: “While Senator Boxer is a proven leader in creating new clean energy jobs and protecting our environment, Carly Fiorina would take us backward. Fiorina’s skepticism about global warming and her support for new offshore oil drilling off our coast show just how out of touch she is with California voters.” Out of touch with the earth, and out of touch with California.

Vote for the environment. Vote Boxer.

Go Green or Go Home Carly!

By Mehrin Rahman and Emmy Bengtson

Actually, just go home...

The environment was definitely a hot topic of yesterday’s debate between Fiorina and Senator Boxer.

Fiorina accused Senator Boxer of being “beholden” to “extreme environmental groups”. Of course when asked to give examples of the groups she accused Senator Boxer of supporting, Fiorina stuttered, made excuses, and tried to do what she does best: change the subject when it really matters.

Really, Carly? Well-respected groups like the Sierra Club, the California League of Conservation Voters, and Ocean Champions are the epitome of environmental extremism?

“It is shocking to me to see someone try to get to the United States Senate who would turn their back on the environment,” exclaimed Senator Boxer. And rightly so. While Boxer has won the support of prominent environmental groups, Fiorina was included in the League of Conservation Voters’ “Dirty Dozen”--a list of the most dangerous candidates to our environment. California has long prided itself on environmental awareness and conservation; do we really want one of the twelve worst candidates in the country working for us?

Fiorina also wants to hand over the California coast to big oil and expand off-shore drilling. Carly, need we remind you about BP and the Gulf Oil disaster?

And what about the 400,000+ jobs that would be put on the chopping block if our coast is destroyed? For someone who claims to be so job-focused (remember, other “trivial” issues like a woman’s right to choose aren’t even on her radar) this is a disconcerting position to take.

What’s more is that Fiorina favors Prop 23, which, if passed, would be a disaster for the California environment. Prop 23 puts an end to limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Talk about extremism!

To top it all off, Fiorina says she doubts whether climate change is real.

The Sierra Club Chairman himself says: “While Senator Boxer is a proven leader in creating new clean energy jobs and protecting our environment, Carly Fiorina would take us backward. Fiorina’s skepticism about global warming and her support for new offshore oil drilling off our coast show just how out of touch she is with California voters.” Out of touch with the earth, and out of touch with California.

Vote for the environment. Vote Boxer.

And the winner is... Barbara Boxer!

By Emmy Bengtson and Mehrin Rahman

Boxer wins!! Certainly in this debate and hopefully come November 2.

In their second meeting to discuss prominent issues of the upcoming election, Boxer and Fiorina answered questions on health care, abortion, immigration, the environment, and the economy.

Debate moderators Patt Morrison of the L.A. Times and KPCC and Gabriel Lerner of La Opinion pressed the issues to both candidates. Senator Boxer spoke with clarity on her opinions and in her rebuttals. Not surprisingly, Fiorina’s predominant debate strategy was to sidestep questions and avoid expressing her own ideas, instead attacking Senator Boxer.

We pro-choice supporters of Boxer were especially interested in hearing Fiorina’s explanation of her previous statement that she “absolutely would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade if given the opportunity." In an attempt to change the subject--she obviously knows only a tiny percentage of Californians agree with her--Fiorina not only refused to explain her previous statement on abortion (besides saying that she “happen[s] to be pro-life”), but actually dismissed the topic of abortion in general. Fiorina accused Boxer of using reproductive rights to distract voters from what she sees as more pressing issues--namely the economy and employment. “The subject of this election is not abortion,” Fiorina said.

Really, Carly? Evidently you’re not attuned to all the voters--especially women--who see abortion as a make or break issue.

In a recent poll conducted by EMILY's List, 61% of women responders said they’d be more likely to vote if they knew they could “defeat a candidate who does not trust women to make decisions about their own reproductive health care.” Contrary to Fiorina’s misguided statement, abortion is clearly central to this year’s California Senate election.

Moreover, there is a very real threat to Roe v. Wade, as an increasing number of candidates for the U.S. Senate across the country this year have stated that they would deny abortion even in cases of rape, incest, and danger to the woman’s life. Fiorina’s evasion of the issue of abortion is little more than an attempt not to lose votes...abortion is very much a subject of this election.

By contrast, Senator Boxer made it very clear that she stands by Roe, reasserting her belief that abortion is a decision that must be made by the woman, not by the Senate. “I’m not going to put my views on anyone else,” she said, displaying an attitude we wish more Senators would share. Furthermore, Boxer believes that federal funds should be provided for women in the case of rape, incest, and endangerment of the women’s life.

So take note, Carly: pro-choice students throughout California are watching, listening, and ready to fight for a woman’s right to choose. We’re voting for Boxer, and we’re voting to keep abortion safe and legal.