Red, white and view

As far as the presidential race, everyone seems to have an opinion on who is the better — or at least the worse — man for the job. Some citizens have even come to fisticuffs over the already-heated campaign for commander-in-chief.

And with the political party almost over, the real crunch begins.

The Review polled a five-member panel, representing different areas of South Philadelphia, on the presidential election. Most of the responding residents are civic leaders or community activists, but their opinions on the presidential candidates were previously unknown to the paper.

Included in the panel are:

Harriett Brown, president, Philadelphia Alliance for Community Improvement

Mary Dougherty, resident

John Furey, president, Broad Street West Civic Association

Maritza Melendez, police officer, Third District

Sue Montella, president, Passyunk Square Civic Association

Every panel member has replied to at least three of the four questions we posed, and their answers appear below, unedited.

What do you consider to be the top three platforms/issues in this presidential campaign, and which candidate do you feel could better handle each one?

Harriett Brown: The economy, the dishonesty of the government, Social Security. I’m a senior parent, and I don’t want my children to age without the Social Security that I know. Nor do I want them to pay for and invest in the new private investment Social Security system that would be susceptible to bankruptcy because it wouldn’t be backed by federal funds.

John Kerry could better handle these issues. I think of George Bush as the bobblehead Howdy Doody president. He has cost us our most precious assets — our children.

Mary Dougherty: Health and welfare, insurance for seniors, the status of the war. I’m still unsure which one could better handle these issues. They both pussyfoot around half the issues.

John Furey: Healthcare and jobs. Also, I’d like to know where all of the revenue from the oil fields in Iraq are going. Who’s controlling the oil? I’m a middle-class working man who believes in the Democratic philosophy. There is a basic difference between the two parties.

Maritza Melendez: Healthcare for the elderly and poverty in our surrounding areas. I don’t understand how we can have people starving in America, and yet nobody is doing anything to rectify this. John Kerry could better handle the issues.

Sue Montella: Iraqi war, the environment and our economy. My conclusions are based primarily on the record of the current administration and the personal histories of both candidates.

What was the lowest point of this presidential campaign?

HB: No solution to the war in Iraq, and the fear that John Kerry would make some of the same mistakes Al Gore made.

MD: The mudslinging. I don’t like it when people have to knock everybody else.

SM: I was disgusted by the Swift Boat ads for Bush that tried to cast shadows on Kerry’s reputation and his service to our country.

How important is party affiliation to you in this presidential election?

HB: Sometimes I think of voting independent when parties start taking their constituents for granted.

MD: Party affiliation is something I don’t consider when I vote.

JF: Very important. I believe in the Democratic philosophy. The Republican philosophy is about big business. It’s not about the middle class.

MM: Not much. I’m going to vote for the person who’s going to solve the problems we currently have.

SM: Party affiliation is not important.

Whatt are your fears or concerns if your favored candidate loses the election?

HB: My fears are for the economy, hungry children, healthcare costs for seniors, keeping our national guards overseas to fight in more unjust wars, and the state of America and what it stands for in years to come.

JF: Policing the world for the benefit of the stockholders. The Saudi family has too much interest in America. They control way too much. Homeland security is a charade. This president has run this country into the ground. If reelected, the country has to look forward to more Social Security problems and privatization. A lot of people can’t pay their own way and need subsidies for support. This administration would make individuals pay their own way, and I don’t know of too many people who can afford to do that.

MM: We’re going to have our poor soldiers over in Iraq for another four years for no particular reason. We need to get our soldiers back home. They have families.

SM: I want my granddaughter, Emily, to breathe clean air, have national parks to visit with her grandchildren and to be free of our national debt. If Sen. Kerry loses, I don’t think this will be possible for her.