“I got a raise and my checks are lower than they were before with my raise. It was only about a five-dollar difference. To some people, five dollars is five dollars. To me, it’s not much but, you know, every time it adds up. I don’t have kids, so I don’t really have to budget accordingly at the moment. But I’m sure when I do, and for people that do have families, it’s a little tougher when you don’t make as much or you’re making minimum wage.”
(Erica Arena, 28, of North Syracuse, certified curse aide at ElderWood Health Care at Birchwood, Democrat)
“I think the economy should be addressed more, because people need to get some more jobs out there. So get the people — obviously we get talking about the homeless and stuff — well, get those people, get them out there and get them jobs. And then they could probably get an apartment or whatever, so they’re not out on the street with signs.”
(Jim Pelcher, 53, of Baldwinsville, support staff at The Post-Standard, unaffiliated with a political party)
“How they distribute the welfare, because it’s my tax money. That’s what’s important — who gets it, who doesn’t, what are the stipulations to get it and what aren’t.”
(Angela Cooper, 33, of Mattydale, stylist at Hair Trends in Syracuse, unaffiliated with a political party)
“It’s frustrating that it’s broken up into two parties like that. It’s unbelievable to me that there’s only, like, two people running for the presidency that actually have a chance at winning. And how has it not happened that a third person, who may be more qualified, just because they’re not in the Republican or Democrat party don’t even have a shot at making it. Each of the two sides are way too far off on their ideas that if somebody was just up the middle, it seems like they would have a chance to win. But they just don’t have the funding. It’s a frustrating system.”
(Dan Whitmore, 25, of Syracuse, system analyst at Property Management Computer Services, unaffiliated with a political party)
“I don’t care if somebody has a handgun or if they have a shotgun for hunting and stuff like that. Like, I don’t want to take anybody’s right away or anything like that. But I don’t think it’s necessary to be a gun collector. I have family members that have like Uzis locked up in a cabinet. Why? I don’t get it. But as far as legislation and all that, I know Obama just came out with some guidelines he wanted to see for tougher gun control. I don’t have a problem with that. But I don’t think the Second Amendment needs to be revoked.”
(Bri Wedge, 32, of Syracuse, youth educator at Huntington Family Center, Democrat)
(Michael Cohen is a senior majoring in newspaper journalism.)
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