With a primary focus to encourage a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, the DeKalb County Democratic Committee hosted its “Evening with Paul Simon” on Friday.

Committee chairwoman Eileen Dubin and vice chairman Steve Slack kicked off the evening, touching on some of the issues senate candidates Barack Obama and Blair Hull would face in office.

Highlighting the evening, though, was keynote speaker and former Illinois Sen. Paul Simon who spoke on various issues that had far-reaching implications on the country and world.

Simon said within the United States alone, one of the things he’s most proud of is how he helped create a mandate so students with disabilities don’t have to attend institutions but actual public schools.

Simon did say, however, one problem that faces the world in the future is the availability of fresh water throughout the planet, something he fears may cause regional wars in years to come. In the coming weeks Simon will travel to Israel and Malta to discuss these problems, he said.

In terms of the Middle East conflict itself, Simon said he’s worried outsiders view America as insensitive and too domineering at times.

Simon said another problem that needs addressing is poverty. He mentioned how during Abraham Lincoln’s time, England was a great economic power and industrial nation. It was, however, the worst in terms of poverty. Today, America now is reflective of all those categories.

Simon said if more students studied abroad, it would be better in terms of peace throughout the world and could make America more sensitive to other country’s plights.