The Badger Herald

OPINION & EDITORIAL

National issues can wait: Act locally

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Also by Jason Smathers:

Your Christmas gift: Lighten up! (December 13, 2007)
America in dire need of education on gender identity (December 7, 2007)
Getting off or going down: Is porn destructive? (December 5, 2007)
Catholic group deserves funding, at least for now (November 28, 2007)

by Jason Smathers

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

With all the slogans student activists tout around campus — "Impeach Bush," "Stop the War" and "Go Greek!" — there's one phrase that's rarely visible or audible among the campaign chalkings and Library Mall protests: "All politics is local."

Public forums on the Falun Gong, genocide in Darfur and unfair labor practices dominating the pickets and protests mean there's usually no time or room for similar political action regarding campus security and segregated fees. We're concerned about these issues, but you won't see students picketing University Book Store to lower textbook prices any time soon.

Lately, they're just following the citywide trend. Last night, the Madison City Council deliberated late into the night on whether or not to endorse the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. The meeting agenda may have been 80 pages long and featured discussion on the multi-million dollar Regional Transit Authority proposal, but it was the impeachment recommendation that turned a street theater, rallies and state and local representatives into a city council circus. Although the enthusiasm for the resolution is overwhelming in comparison to our more pertinent agenda items, it's no more than an ornate political decoration. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., may as well frame the resolution in her office, like a mother hanging her child's paintings on the refrigerator.

It is an annoyance to some Madison citizens and an honorable move to others. However, for UW students already distracted by the allure of foreign policy and massive humanitarian efforts, this resolution sends the message that national politics really do take precedent over local issues.

Of course, UW activists already embrace that maxim.

Take Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group for example. WISPIRG campaigns against poverty, homelessness and other locally based issues, but that wasn't obvious to students who walked past their Library Mall appearance Sunday afternoon. Wandering students were greeted by a member of Ride for Peace, a biking movement from Washington state that promotes an end to the Iraq War. As if the issue hadn't already saturated Madison politics, the bikers passed around a petition asking for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. The aim is understandable since they're biking to Washington, D.C.

However, when state Sen. Spencer Black, D-Madison, took the stage, the local focus was still missing. Instead, he urged students to change foreign policy by ending reliance on foreign oil. Involvement is key, but he didn't mention one thing about what can be done on the state level to remedy that problem.

Pardon me for asking, but shouldn't WISPIRG at least mention Wisconsin? To their credit, when I asked WISPIRG student representatives about their environmental campaigns, they mentioned "Big Red, Go Green," the movement to bring renewable energy to UW among other lobbying at the state Legislature. Still, if that's the campus focus, shouldn't you use the microphone for that rather than a tired list of Mr. Bush's policy failures? Perhaps, but when dealing with idealistic freshmen, bigger is better and national politics is certainly huge.

Activists from nationally focused groups like Campus Anti-War Network and International Socialist Organization shouldn't be discouraged from their campaigns, as the bigger life-and-death issues of American foreign policy still require an active conscience. However, with all the energy put toward monumental undertakings, students could make short work of our local problems, especially on campus.

Don't forget, students in the UW System have one of the strongest shared governance statutes in the country. State statute 36.09(5) gives students "primary responsibility for the formulation and review of policies concerning student life, services and interests." This means, at the absolute least, every student has a seat at the campus bargaining table. Students have the ability to demand much more from university administration than they already do.

If the Associated Students of Madison don't seem to have any effect on campus, it is because students forget their participation is required for success. ASM appoints students to a variety of committees, but several committee seats are either vacant or held by students who already serve on a number of committees. Although their dedication to student participation is noble, a campus of 40,000 students should be able to fill every one of those seats. Instead of criticizing ASM, students should get in there and improve it. After all, students are default members of ASM.

If campus is too small, city politics is still in desperate need of student input. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz may have spent $100,000 on the Downtown Safety Initiative, but he spent three times that amount on the feasibility plan for his infamous "streetcar" proposal. Students may be concerned about their safety on campus, but progress won't happen until they demand action. The day UW students flood City Council meetings is the day safety becomes No. 1 on the agenda. Ald. Robbie Webber has offered — through the student blogosphere, no less — to show any interested student the ropes of city councils and committees. You can't come closer to local political action without being elected. Ask Ald. Eli Judge about that one.

The problems of the country as a whole will persist no matter what size campaign we organize. However, the problems of our city and campus can be solved today. Students should always retain their idealism, but a pragmatic application of such idealism to our own surroundings can turn Madison and the University of Wisconsin into a model for the rest of the country. Then, and only then, should we start looking outward.

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Anonymous (September 5, 2007 @ 1:49pm):

I believe it is important that we also recognize that students have power not only to make change at the campus and city levels but all aspects of our country's government bodies.

What's going on with the state budget-aren't there still many students who have not received their financial aid? Students can make change here, on the state level, as well, right, Jason?

Anonymous (September 5, 2007 @ 3:58pm):

well said

Mike Pruden (September 5, 2007 @ 4:52pm):

Ditto.

Anonymous (September 5, 2007 @ 8:04pm):

My spoon is too big.
- Germain E. Stemme

Anonymous (September 8, 2007 @ 1:37pm):

Eli should have voted with his district - which overwhelmingly favors impeachment. Instead, he catered to the Wisconsin State Journal (a far-right-wing newspaper) editorialists by wimping out on a vote. This one could come back to bite him if he runs for reelection!

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