Le Moyne recently welcomed the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network [C-SPAN] bus onto campus to help inform the community about the upcoming election. C-SPAN is responsible for providing the public with “gavel-to-gavel” proceedings, showing the business of government and how it functions. For 37 years, C-SPAN has carried out its sole mission of making the government more accessible to the American public with its 24/7 access at a variety of events, public affairs and proceedings that occur within the courtroom. Their approach is unique in includes no editing, allowing no biased position to be shown and permitting viewers to form their own opinions. C-SPAN receives no government funding as it is funded exclusively by the cable, satellite and telco companies from which it airs.

From the outside, the C-SPAN bus looks like it could be home to a touring rock or pop band. But once you board the forty-foot bus, the bus turns into an educational paradise with touchscreen computers and a production studio. The bus consists of a mobile learning center, also including a production studio in the back where many of the former presidential candidates have sat to be interviewed, including our current President, Barack Obama. The bus also has technology available where podcasts may be downloaded for those on-the-go. The C-SPAN bus has been travelling around the country since February 2013, the year it launched. Before tha, in 1993, the program did exist but it was presented to the public on a makeshift school bus.

This network works hard to educate Americans on all government affairs, especially making sure students have an opportunity to form their own opinions about the government and the upcoming election.

Sophomore Erin Pepe says this election is definitely exposing the issues within our government and it’s disappointing to watch, especially for those who will vote for the first time this election. “The fact that the two candidates can’t come to a consensus about certain things and continue to argue with each other is truly disheartening. However, the election does have a lot of potential for the future because these two candidates are going to be the first ever in the fact that Hillary Clinton is a woman and Donald Trump has never been in politics before, really opens the door for both parties,” said Pepe.

Sophomore Luke Alberts thinks this is a crucial election, especially for him personally since he will be a first time voter. “All college students, in my opinion, should pay very close attention because the individual who we elect will be the one in office after we all graduate and are looking for jobs in our field of study. It is essential that you go vote because you are exercising your rights as a citizen of the United States,” said Alberts.