Monday, July 27, 1998
Senatorial candidate speaks, answers questions at UCLA course
POLITICS: Republican Matt Fong discusses issues, feels out student opinion during interactive session with political science class
By Stefanie Wong
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Opening his speech with an anecdote about how he was in a television commercial staged in the botanical gardens, U.S. Senate candidate Matt Fong started his trek toward the November elections by speaking at UCLA.
Republican Fong, who is currently the California State Treasurer, is trying to win the U.S. Senate seat away from Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer.
Fong's campaign contacted the political science department recently, looking for an American politics class that he could deliver a speech to.
"I (accepted the speaking offer) because I thought it would be a great opportunity for students to see the practical aspects of politics," said Professor Lori Han, who is teaching the class Fong spoke to on July 20, called "National Institutions: The Presidency."
"This was an opportunity to see a candidate up close and personal, and it was a good learning experience for students studying the political process," Han added.
Fong's speech, delivered to less than 25 people, focused on where he thought both California and America were heading in the next century.
"In the evolution and history of California and America, America has not (been) and is not a perfect country," Fong said. "But America has been more perfect than any other country on Earth."
Fong believes that as one of the largest international economies, California in the next century will be at the forefront of most, if not all, industrial and technological advancements.
In order for Californians to benefit from these opportunities, people need access to education and to have a feeling of ownership in their lives, Fong said.
"The greatest barrier that stands in the way of every single young man or woman to greater opportunity in America is access to a world-class education," he added.
To improve education, Fong advocates competition between schools, vouchers and rewarding those who are doing a good job at teaching students.
In order for people to have a feeling of ownership, citizens need to believe that they have a future ahead of them, he said.
To Fong, this means providing a first-class education so people can take advantage of the growing technology-based job market.
But Fong also wants those who cannot acquire that type of education to still be able to earn a decent living.
"Ownership and having a stake is what I believe will be the common ground that brings, in the 21st century, the right and left wing together," Fong said.
Fong also addressed the current federal and state tax system, advocating the need for a set tax percentage.
After Fong spoke, the audience asked questions about abortion, homosexuality, gun control and affirmative action.
Fong, who was adopted as an infant by former California Secretary of State and current Ambassador to Micronesia March Fong Eu, is against abortion and wants to work toward ending abortions that take place in the second and third trimester of pregnancy.
"I appreciate that my birth mother chose life," he said.
However, Fong believes that women have the right to chose an abortion in the pregnancy's first trimester.
Fong has also taken a stance against affirmative action, believing that the system worked when first developed but "got so mumbo-jumboed" that it became abused.
He believes in replacing affirmative action with a program that is based on qualifications and need instead of race.
"I can say we are not a colorblind society, but we are not a racist society anymore," Fong said. "America is getting better."
Students in the class, regardless of political beliefs, thought it was beneficial and educational for Fong to speak to UCLA students.
"I did learn a lot about who Matt Fong is because he hasn't been in the scene as a candidate much," said Kathy Young, a fourth-year political science student. "The chance to ask him questions personally as opposed to getting information through the media was good."
Fong's speech was the first of seven major speeches he will give as part of his campaign.
The remaining speeches will address foreign policy, defense, health care and the environment, among other things.
"(Fong) might have been looking for an opportunity to feel out (the student) part of the electorate - to see what kind of response he would get before the fall campaign would really kick off," Han said.
"If this was a practice run - that they were looking for some critical questioning from students - then he certainly got that and seemed to handle it really well," she added.