Opinion

Progressive Dane puts student issues after leftist agenda

When I first became a columnist for the Badger Herald, I was asked to not solely focus on ASM issues; this has not been a problem, because while our student government is a laughingstock, it has been upstaged this year by the Madison City Council.

The City Council has been very busy this year. It has weighed in on Tibet, the USA Patriot Act and now the possible war with Iraq. While these are important issues, they are important for our U.S. Congress to discuss (i.e. people like U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan).

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said, “If passed, [the resolution] would influence higher levels of government … we as a local government take positions as elected representatives for our constituents and forward those positions onto other public bodies that are dealing with these issues.”

This is nonsense. City officials receive no more recognition on international issues than I do or any other University of Wisconsin student.

While few of you reading this have ever closely watched a City Council election race — myself included — I don’t recall seeing anyone campaign on national issues. Alders such as Verveer and Tom Powell do not campaign on these issues because they know City Council has no relevant voice on national or international policy.

In fact, Ald. Tom Powell, District 5, a sponsor of both the bill condemning the USA Patriot Act and the resolution against the United States going to war with Iraq, has expressed concern that the council is increasing its attention on national and international issues while lessening its focus on local issues.

Mr. Powell, wake up — you cannot complain about City Council’s lack of focus on local issues when you are the one sponsoring these meaningless, time-consuming resolutions.

If you do not like what our federal government is doing, write your member of Congress. I discussed last week how you would certainly have a sympathetic ear if you were to contact Congresswoman Baldwin.

It is rather interesting City Council is now weighing in on international issues, because I don’t recall the top-secret congressional intelligence briefings being open to members of the Madison, Wis., City Council. Yet, Mr. Powell, Mr. Verveer and others are thickheaded enough to think we elected them to represent our views on international issues, and we want them to chime in on the debate as “Madison’s official position” on a potential war.

What is equally comical is Mayor Sue Bauman’s attempt in the past year or so to try align herself farther to the left, in a desperate attempt to gain support from Progressive Dane in what will be her failed re-election attempt. This has alienated students, though, as she has supported City Council’s Iraq resolution and was too weak to take a stand against Chancellor Wiley on drink specials.

Progressive Dane’s ability to elect city and county officials, primarily through student support, is truly impressive. Its ability to not represent students is even more impressive.

It was elected officials from Progressive Dane that voted to kill the State Street Redesign Project last year. Some members are still fighting hard to take away drink specials and strongly supported the smoking ban that will take affect in 2006 (conveniently four years from now, when most current students have graduated). This is also the political party taking a stand against a war with Iraq, commenting on Tibet and decrying the Patriot Act, one year late.

Progressive Dane has elected individuals by talking a good game during the election season. Their candidates campaign on issues such as tenant rights, support for a living wage and protecting students.

Once candidates are elected, though, these issues take a back seat to issues students are adamantly against (i.e. the drink-special ban) and other pet causes such as anti-war sentiments that have nothing to do with Iraq — this sentiment was present after we were attacked Sept. 11, 2001. Groups that coalition with Progressive Dane, like the Madison Area Peace Coalition, even then expected us to sit on our hands and not defend ourselves against terrorism.

Progressive Dane’s claim to represent “the people” is hollow. Special-interests groups such as the Madison Area Peace Coalition control its agenda.

Again, students are left wondering, who will represent them?

Matt Modell (mmodell@badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in journalism and political science. He is in Washington, D.C., this semester for an internship.