—C.J. Cummings - Arrow Staff

   "George Bush isn’t terribly smart," says sophomore Drew Hathaway. "And you can trust Al Gore about as far as you can throw him."

   That is how many students feel about the two front running candidates. The feeling is that Bush is dumb and inexperienced, and Gore is untrustworthy and sneaky. FHS students seem to prefer the inexperienced one.

   "Al Gore doesn’t know what he stands for," said sophomore Scott Sommerfield. "I’d vote for Bush to support the 2nd Amendment. I think that Gore’s plan to ban semi-automatic handguns is a gross violation of the constitution."

   Although some students say it’s difficult to have confidence in government during this heated election, those who can vote are doing so today in their first presidential election.

   "I’m voting for Bush," said senior Jesse Mahugh. "A vote for anyone else is a vote for Gore."

   Most students favor Bush, mostly due to Gore’s views on gun control and environmentalism. His actions during the debate didn’t exactly promote voter satisfaction, either.

   "I’m not voting Gore because he’s been with Clinton eight years and I figure the country needs a little break from that administration’s way of thinking," said junior Patrick Denton.

   Another candidate that some students find appealing is Green Party nominee Ralph Nader. This is mostly due to his proposed marijuana reform laws.

   Many students are misinformed on this issue, however.

   On Aug. 24, armed officers from the DEA and the FBI destroyed hemp plants on the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation in Minnesota. Nader criticized them for destroying the plants, saying that the incident was "incredibly shortsighted." The plants were industrial hemp, not the kind of marijuana that gives its users a high.

   The candidate that students preferred the least was Al Gore. One of the students who favors Gore was senior Chris Reed.

   "Gore is the only guy who will get things done," said Reed.

   "I’d go for Gore just because I’d like to see Lieberman in office," said junior Trevor Kelly. "He’d keep Al Gore in check."

   Nationally, the presidential race has been too close to call during recent polls.

   The candidates are campaigning around the nation in "battleground" states, such as Florida and Pennsylvania. These states’ electoral votes are still up for grabs, and could swing the election either way.

   Government and economics teacher John Fuller predicts that Bush and the Republicans will win. He thinks that local Republicans will win all local and state offices, except superintendent of public instruction.

   "They (the Republicans) have better, newer solutions for modern problems," says Fuller. "The Democrats have yesterday’s solutions for today’s problems."

   "Bush will probably win the popular vote," agrees social studies teacher Dan English. "But I’m not sure about the electoral vote."

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