Presidency Too Close to Call

As of press time last night, the contest for this nation's presidency had not yet ended. Although we have strongly supported Vice President Al Gore '69, we congratulate both Gore and his opponent, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, on a well-fought race and look forward to hearing the outcome tomorrow. The Republican party also seems to have maintained its control of Congress, a worrisome result we hope will be balanced by a Democratic President.

The extremely slim margin by which this election was decided--the outcome of one of the closest presidential races in our nation's history--is indicative of a public wary of either candidate's proposals. Neither candidate, if elected, should expect to accomplish his objectives without cooperation from the other side.

Closer to home, we are deeply disappointed by the voting results of Massachusetts ballot initiative Questions 2, 3, 4 and 8. Massachusetts residents voted to amend their state constitution and overturn a state supreme court precedent by denying incarcerated state residents their voting privileges. This decision has symbolic ramifications more than anything else; prisoners have never voted in especially strong numbers in Massachusetts and have never had any significant impact on election results, but they have now been stripped of a fundamental civil liberty.

Massachusetts residents voted down Question 3, which would have terminated the state's disgraceful 65-year romance with greyhound dog racing. A state usually considered liberal, Massachusetts voted to decrease the state's personal income tax to 5 percent over the next three years, denying schools and public initiatives desperately needed funds. Massachusetts voters also rejected Question 8, which would have amended drug laws in positive and rational ways.

We are happy to report, however, that the residents of Massachusetts did vote down the one ballot initiative that had the most potential to detrimentally effect the social and economic condition of the state: Question 5. This particular proposal, which would have established a universal health care program in Massachusetts, had been described as a logistical nightmare by multiple independent researchers from institutes including Brandeis University and the Harvard School of Public Health. But even this particular proposal has been voted down, we hope that the state realizes that the opposition was in response to its economically unsound details rather than to the spirit of the bill. Massachusetts should now invest in a research initiative that would create another universal health care plan--something desperately needed in a state with too many uninsured residents--to be endorsed and put into effect by the next election.

The new Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, deserves praise for her hard work on the campaign trail over the last 18 months. She faced a difficult task both in stepping out of the shadow of her husband and convincing voters that although not from New York, she was the best person to represent New York in Congress. Clinton began her campaign by embarking on a listening tour and over the last year and a half she has come to understand the priorities and needs of New Yorkers. We are confident, as the New Yorkers are, that Clinton will distinguish herself among the newcomers to the Senate, becoming a Democratic leader on the national level.

This election was remarkable for its closeness and for the degree to which the major presidential candidates differed on policy choices. We feel that no matter who wins, this election has been a strong exercise in the democratic process that keeps our government in the people's hands.