| Tom Allen on the Big Issues |
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| Written by Jenny Crawford | |
 The room was nearly filled with people of all varieties: old, young and from The County's range of socioeconomic brackets. On the left side of the room were supporters of Susan Collins. On the right were Tom Allen fans. Broadcast on WAGM-TV and Channel X Radio, this debate was important because it was the only one held in Aroostook County. When the debate started, the lights dimmed and the crowd was hushed. All eyes were on Collins and Allen. Eight people from different backgrounds who reside in Aroostook County had the opportunity to ask both candidates a question.
Every question was significant and relevant, although it seemed that the candidates didn't directly answer them. When given the chance to follow up their answers to the questions, both Collins and Allen used the time to barrage each other's previous statements. Allen spent time during the debate speaking about how close Collins seemed to the Bush Administration. He stated that Collins voted for all of Bush's economic plans.Between the debates and other aspects of the campaign, Allen has certainly had a full schedule recently. He took the time to sit down with me in Susan Collin's reserved seating, however, after the debate. Most of the questions I asked Allen were about how he would be able to help college students pay for expenses. At a time when loans have such high interest rates, paying for college constantly seems to be on students' minds. For the last two years, helping college students has been one of Tom Allen's top priorities. He believes students need more financial aid and that student loans shouldn't have such a high interest rate. He said that financial assistance has been harder to give because of the Bush administration's tax cuts. A touchy subject, especially to young men and women looking to join the military, is the war in Iraq. Tom Allen said, "There isn't an iminent threat" to our country, which is why he doesn't support the war. He supports responsibly removing our troops from Iraq in order to let Iraq's citizens move forward. He also believes that the conflict has been prolonged. It's very important for you to cast your vote this election. Take a stand and have a say in your future and the future of Maine! |
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