On October 23, the UCBA-OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) sponsored a Brown Bag Discussion in Muntz Auditorium (M119). This was an event for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to sit in on an open discussion on the significance of the 2012 elections.
The first speaker was UCBA History Professor John McNay, who discussed the importance of America’s political history. This went back all the way to the 1800s and the most significant elections from then until present day.
McNay also mentioned the way certain elections affected the wars fought in given time frames; one of the most important ones included the JFK election in 1960.
At the end of his discussion, McNay suggested a book for those who want to read up more on the matter. Authored by McNay’s friend Christopher A. Preble, the book is titled “John F. Kennedy and the Missile Gap.”
The second speaker was UCBA Political Science Professor Ionas Rus, who discussed his predictions on the 2012 election. He predicted that the winner will come out with 57-58 percent of the votes, and it currently looks like Obama has a more likely chance.
In his view, more people approve of Obama’s healthcare program, and the Osama Bin Laden assassination may have an effect on the election as well, since it took place under Obama’s presidency.
Rus said that, for some others, Obama is looking like an unlikely winner due to the sluggish economy for the last four years.
Rus lastly mentioned his predictions for the 2016 election, which he says may lean more towards Republican Governor Chris Christy.
The event concluded with a Q&A session, where each speaker got to answer the questions from the audience.
The Brown Bag Discussion was moderated by Professor Andrea Kornbluh (Chair of the UCBA History and Political Science Department). It was coordinated by Debra Frame and Lin Domis (both OLLI Intergenerational Coordinators). Sponsors included the UCBA/OLLI Intergenerational Program and the UCBA History and Political Science Department.
Thursday, June 26, 2025