OPINION & EDITORIAL
Soglin’s liberal record speaks for itself
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by Annie Hughes
Monday, March 10, 2003
A tactic of the Dave Cieslewicz campaign has been to try to paint Paul Soglin as a conservative. This claim is simply ludicrous. An activist for women?s rights, a leader in the anti-war movement for over 30 years, and a mayor with a proven record of supporting racial equality, Paul Soglin remains a champion for liberal causes.
Soglin has been an avid supporter of a woman’s right to choose. During his mayoral terms he was an active proponent of safety at abortion clinics, protecting women from physical threats at local clinics. Unlike his opponent, Dave Cieslewicz, who drafted a bill curtailing a woman’s right to choose by requiring parental consent for those 18 years of age and under, Soglin’s dedication to this fundamental right for women of any age has never faltered.
An advocate of free speech, Paul Soglin’s record on his support of the first amendment is unwavering. Following the 9/11 attacks, Soglin testified in the wee hours of the night, arguing for students? individual rights, supporting the school board’s decision that public school students should not be required to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Additionally, throughout his terms as Mayor, Soglin has broken down barriers of inequality, hiring unprecedented numbers of women and minorities in city government at all levels. During his administrations, Madison was named the “Best City in America for Women to Live”, a credit to his commitment to equal opportunities.
The only evidence Cieslewicz can provide on Soglin’s alleged conservative slant is their difference of opinion regarding the method in which to enact inclusionary zoning. Soglin supports voluntary inclusionary zoning, as he believes that mandatory inclusionary zoning will not be effective until it is enforced by the county rather than the city alone.
In his last administration, Soglin created all of the new affordable housing in Madison, accomplishing what no mayor has done before or since: successfully working with the county and state legislature to effectively raise the standard of living for the citizens of Madison. Clearly, Soglin has a dedication to developing more affordable housing in Madison. Despite attempts by his opponent to slander Soglin’s image, Paul’s liberal record speaks for itself.
Annie Hughes (annehughes@wisc.edu) is senior majoring in political science and communication arts. She is the chair of Students for Soglin.
