#4 Election 2006 #4
THE BEHREND BEACON
Friday, November 10, 2006
Behrend student arrested
Behrend senior Jonathan Demerecz on his
Midterm elec-
tion drives
younger voters
to polls
By Adell Coleman
contributing writer
A record number of young voters cast their
ballots in the recent midterm election.
According to the Center for Information and
Research on Civic Learning and Engagement
(CIRCLE), an estimated 10 million young
Americans ages 29 and younger voted, which is
an increase of two million since the midterm
election in 2002. Researchers found that the
main issues driving young voters to the polls
included the rising costs of tuition and loans for
school, and the war in Iraq. According to CIR
CLE, 68 percent of young people polled disap
proved of the war and the President’s handling
of it.
Penn State Behrend sophomore
Communication major Miranda Krause was
among those who voted in this election.
Krause said she voted because she cares about
the country as well as the war in Iraq. “I just
want the war to stop,” she said. For Krause, the
war is personal. Her boyfriend will be
deployed after he graduates from college. “I
am worried about him going,” she said. “He
told me I am not allowed to watch CNN
because his officer told him that they are only
showing the worst part about it. He told me that
when he’s there he’s not going to be in any kind
of danger, but I will still worry.”
Continued on page 2.
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A Penn State Behrend Student Publication ? Q Vol. LIII No. X
Casey defeats Santorum for Senate
After a midterm election that was dominated by the Democratic Party,
Pennsylvania will be seeing many changes, but one of the most important is in
the United States Senate seat that was up for grabs in 2006. Democrat Bob
Casey took the seat from Rick Santorum, resulting in Santorum’s first political
defeat.
Despite Santorum raising $lO million more than Casey for his campaign in
the most expensive Pennsylvania Senate race in history, he was ousted by a con
siderable margin. Casey acquired 59 percent while Santorum captured 41 per
cent of Pennsylvanians’ votes.
Many voters admitted that they didn’t vote for Casey because they appreciat
ed him and his ideals, but because they wanted to vote against Santorum.
Known by some as one of President Bush’s right-hand-men, Santorum immedi
ately had the odds stacked against him. He agreed with President Bush on many
topics such as the denunciation of gay marriage and abortion. Penn State
Behrend freshman Raymond Scalise is ecstatic with the change that he is seeing
as the Democrats take a higher level of power in the government. He disagrees
with Santorum, saying that, “his views are just too conservative for today’s
political world. I don’t like the fact that his views are too parallel to [President]
Bush.”
Casey was able to secure a vast majority of the Independent Party votes (72
percent to Santorum’s 28 percent) because of the popular opinion that he was not
overly liberal and that his opinions were not so close-minded that he would not
consider anything coming from a conservative viewpoint. “I’m glad that Casey
was elected because he is a moderate Democrat that is willing to listen to both
sides. He’s not what you would call an extreme liberal,” said Scalise.
Another leading reason that many Independents sided with the Democrats this
midterm is because of their protest of the war in Iraq which the Democrats seem
to be more in favor of ending than the Republicans.
Some other calling cards for Casey are the promises he makes to the working
class in Pennsylvania, namely that he will work to abolish unaffordable health
care and work to create the jobs for the future. He also claims, in his online
blog, that he is an “independent voice for Pennsylvania,” whereas Santorum is
a “rubber stamp for President Bush.”
After a long stint in the United States Senate dating back to 1994 when he
became the youngest Senator in American history, Santorum accepted his first
defeat just before 10 o’clock on Tuesday evening when he called Casey and then
gave his farewell speech to some of his supporters in Pittsburgh. He evoked no
hostility towards Casey in the speech, saying that he would “do a fine job for
Pennsylvania.”
Casey steps into office at a time when his country is much divided on many
different topics and the split between Republicans and Democrats may be at an
Pelosi to lead Congress, Democrats sweep election
With a projected Democratic gain of 28 seats in the House of Representatives
and six in the Senate, Congress anticipates many changes in high-profile posi
tions in the Cabinet and the House. With the opposition in many Americans to
the war in Iraq, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has resigned from his
position. In the House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi
becomes the first woman to lead Congress, taking over the Speaker of the
House from Republican speaker Dennis Hasten of Illinois.
According to many political analysts, a main issue that separated the biparti
sanship was the lack of improvement in Iraq. President Bush addressed the
issue that “many Americans voted to register their displeasure with the lack of
progress.” This may have had an affect on the departure of Rumsfeld, who was
a key player in the beginning of the war in Iraq.
Many people and officials agree with the decision of Rumsfeld’s resignation.
Security and-fteggnse committee member Hassan aJ<-Sunnaid said, “Changing
Rumsfeld shouldhave happened a year ago because their work in Iraq did not
achieve any results.”
Pelosi, who has become the highest ranked woman in the history of the
on multiple child potfs%r£phy charges
A Penn State Behrend student is in prison tonight after being
arrested and charged with possession of child pornography.
Jonathan Demerecz, 23, of 2713 Shannon
Road was arraigned in North East and sent
to jail after authorities discovered 80 movies
and over 600 images of children as young as
five years old involved in sexual activity on
his personal computer. After an investiga
tion by Wesleyville Police and the Erie
County District Attorney’s Office,
Demerecz was charged with 22 counts of
child pornography.
According to his housemates, Demerecz’s
computer was seized three weeks ago by
authorities. A warrant was left in place of
the computer, saying that Demerecz was
under investigation of child pornography.
“It was about three weeks ago when they took his computer and
told him they were looking for child pornography,” said Show
Zhu, one of Demerecz’s housemates.
Other housemates of Demerecz said that they were not sur-
prised with the arrest. “He always acted strange about kids,"
said Chris Neville, another housemate of Demerecz. “It was
kind of weird how he always dressed up like Santa every year.
By Scott Muska
staff writer
By Chris LaFuria
news editor
By Chris LaFuria
news editor
This year, he said he stood outside (or two hours to hand out
candy to kids on Halloween." Neville adds. "1 w asn t surprised
he got arrested after they took his computer."
Demerecz's housemates noted that at the time ot the seizure
of his computer. Demerecz acted erratically. "He was taken to
the [Emergency Room around the time| Ins
computer was taken." Neville stud. "When
he came back it seemed like he had a men
tal breakdown. He couldn't speak and was
shaking. We didn't know what was going
“It was about three weeks
ago when they took his
computer and told him
they were looking for child
pornography.”
-Show Zhu, Demerecz’s housemate
arrest. Journalism major Jens Pohl was
one of his friends that first heard about the arrest. "I found out
through phone calls from several friends about [Demerecz s]
arrest,” Pohl said. “I was shocked and dismayed by what hap
pened.”
Demerecz has been charged with the crimes but has not yet
stood trial. Authorities are still investigating while Demerecz is
being held on $50,000 cash bond.
all-time high as far as the hostility level is concerned. Casey, however, remains
determined and optimistic. In his blog he states that “the only way we re going
to work through the tough problems we face is for Democrats and Republicans
to start working together again. We need to start focusing on the values that unite
us instead of the politics that divide us.”
United States, views her promotion not as a major step for women, but for the
Democratic Party. “My first excitement is that there will be a Democratic
speaker,” 66-year-old Pelosi said.
Among some of the plans of the Democratic Party to change policy are a raise
in minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25, lower prices of prescription drugs for
those on Medicare, cutting interest rates on student loans to reduce college
tuition costs, and breaking ties with lobbyists and lawmakers. Pelosi says that
the Democratic Party will work to embark in a new direction, which does not
include getting even.
With the selection of Pelosi as the Speaker, many political analysts are reluc
tant to support her. According to USA Today, Political analyst Stephen Hess
does not know what to expect from Pelosi. He said that Pelosi “is no Newt
Gingrich. She really isn’t intellectually interesting. Gingrich came up with
ideas. With her, I don’t know whether this is true or not."
Regardless of the criticism, the Democratic Party has taken the majority of
Congress. Some students at Penn State Behrend forsee a struggle w ith the shift
in the majority. “Nothing is going to get done," says Political Science major
Nadine Granjean. “People are going to go back and forth."
Within the next few months, Pelosi, as the leader of the Democrats, looks to
make many changes to policy and create new ideas for America's future.
As a student. Demerecz. a physics major,
was highly active in extra-curricular activi
ties. He was on schedule to graduate in the
spring of 2007. He was active in Matchbox
Players, the theater and unprov club. Also,
he was the vice-president of the (miners
Club. Demerecz. who is from Butler. PA.
surprised many close triends with his recent
CONTRIIHTHI) PHOTO