discussion A2

<statement of the topic>
Which person should we elect as a mayor, Mariko or Atsushi?
Mariko thinks we have to improve peace and order for citizens.
Atsushi thinks we have to improve economy for citizens.

< introduction of panel members and their initial position>
Mariko: She is 42 years old and has been a housewife for 20 years. Her hobby is sewing. She is a candidate of a mayor.
Yosaku: He is 42 years old and has two children. He is a elementary school teater. His hobby is fishing. He supports Mariko.
Atsushi: He is 46 years old and a former mayor. His hobby is playing golf. He is a candidate of a mayor.
Chihiro: She is 44 years old and s secretary of Atsushi. Her hobby is going shopping. She supports Atsushi.

<important points of the discussion as I see it>
Mariko thinks recently a suspicious person is appearing in the city, so she wants to save citizens from him. She has four policies to solve this problem. First, volunteers patrol the comminity, especially the place where people seldom pass and second is to set up out door lamps to the place where people seldom pass and parks which children often use. Then third is to increase safe houses which put the person in  who is on dangerous. Finally, she will introduce "safe classes" to elementary schools. Students will make a city map in the class.
Atsushi thinks recentry economic situation is not good, so he wants to improve bad economic situation by three policies. First is raising tax of brand goods and second is to held a food event at community center to attract many customers. Third is cleaning the city to attract visitors.

<what the outcome was>
Mariko was elected as a our mayor. However, some of the citizens didn't agree with the dicision.

<my personal opinion>
I thought even not a mayor but also a general person could carry out their plans. And, their plans were tiny a little for citizens. Mariko said she had a daughter and wanted to protect her daughter from a suspicious person, so she decided to protect citizens from him. I thought it was lame point for citizens. In addition, some of Mariko's policies meant that police don't work well. Moreover, I thought there were few people who believe in Atsushi, because bad economic situation was caused by his ineffective schemes, or making golf field and parking area. He said that he would raise tax of bland goods and made profit by getting rich people to buy. I thought it was not for all citizens. And, cleaning town would not be so effective to improve bad economic situation. Even if poeple cleaned their town, very few visitors would come to the town.         
 
<how effective the discussion was>
They thought about policies for their slogans in detail. I think it was good.
They spoke slowly, so I could understand well.

<how it could have been better>
If they think about election of a mayor fundamentally, they could come up with better ideas. I think they need to consider some ideas, which they thought once, from a viewpoint of citizens.