STAFF EDITORIAL: Of primary importance

The presidential campaign season is now in full swing. Here is why you should care about the 2000 election. Given the stakes for Campaign 2000, Penn students would be well served to stand up, pay attention and get involved. This is a process not only of extreme importance, but also one in which the City of Philadelphia is intimately involved. The candidate that survives the primary season and wins the general election will sit at the head of the table as American society evolves over the next decade. The consequences are indeed profound. Today's debates over tax cuts will ultimately be reflected in our first paychecks. How the disagreements over health care reform are settled will define not only how we take care of ourselves, but the aging baby boomer generation. And the new president's Supreme Court appointments will help set precedents on issues from abortion to campaign finance to personal privacy. The presidential campaign is not just an exercise in electing one man to the Oval Office. It is a national dialogue on what is important to us and where our society is headed. Politics should not be a spectator sport; all voices should make themselves heard. Granted, the ephemeral excitement of Iowa and New Hampshire will not survive the primary season. Whether John McCain can build any momentum from his New Hampshire win over George W. Bush is uncertain, and the viability of Bill Bradley's campaign is in doubt after Al Gore's victory. And by the time the Pennsylvania primaries rolls around on April 4, the nominations will be all but locked up. Yet for a brief but critical moment, all eyes will be on the Keystone State. The Republican National Convention, to be held this summer, will put Philadelphia in the national limelight and offer a first-hand lesson in political participation. And beyond the convention, ample opportunities -- all worthwhile -- exist for students to get involved in the unfolding political spectacle. Join the scores of Penn undergraduates already involved in active campaigning for candidates of all political persuasions. Stay informed on the issues, and challenge your classmates, parents and friends to do the same. And when it is time for you to cast a vote, do so with the knowledge and confidence that your vote will help produce a better America. The stakes are too high for you to sit on the sidelines.