OPINION & EDITORIAL
‘I feel disengaged’
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Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:
- A security fee-for-all (December 11, 2007)
- Farewell, Chancellor (December 10, 2007)
- $$FC (December 6, 2007)
- In a bind (December 5, 2007)
- Entitlement Town (December 4, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Kumar brings true student voice (March 30, 2006)
- Herald unleashed childish attack on Kumar (December 8, 2005)
- Kumar discovers sensible politics (April 11, 2007)
- Lapidus for County Board (March 30, 2006)
- Absolutely not. (December 5, 2005)
by Badger Herald Editorial Board
Monday, November 19, 2007
The fact that most University of Wisconsin students wouldn't recognize the name of Dane County Supervisor Ashok Kumar, District 5, is both a blessing and a curse: Students may have had no idea this man is their elected official, but that ignorance makes it easier to put this blight in public representation behind us.
Last week, Mr. Kumar announced he will not seek a second term on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. We congratulate Mr. Kumar on this inspired decision. Not only does it sound the death knell of the misguided Austin King dynasty, but it may give students a new chance at proper representation at the county level.
Prior to his election, Mr. Kumar's leadership skills seemed more akin to a high school student council president than a county representative. His decision to belittle the student body on tuition lobbying efforts, combined with his rejection of fiscal responsibility on segregated fees and the infantile Facebook profile of Chancellor John Wiley, all spoke to his failure to serve as the student body's voice at the county level.
That voice is still missing. While Mr. Kumar has taken the initiative to pass ordinances preventing prison profiteering and end Section 8 housing discrimination, his attention to the issues of the UW student body is almost nonexistent. Mr. Kumar's preoccupation with criminal justice reform has resulted in near total omission of public safety initiatives. In fact, when faced with accepting a no-brainer law enforcement proposal — a $5,000 state grant to purchase crowd control protection for mounted police — Mr. Kumar, inexplicably, was the only supervisor to vote against the measure.
While some may hail Mr. Kumar as a champion of progressive politics, we find nothing inspiring about his term as Dane County supervisor. With student participation in local politics at a low, this campus needs an elected official who can galvanize the student body around issues that affect their daily lives. Mr. Kumar's far leftist political agenda has instead further alienated students and widened the already gaping void of student representation in local politics. Even Mr. Kumar, when reflecting upon his term, told a Badger Herald news reporter, "I feel disengaged." We can't help but share that sentiment.
For this reason, we hail Mr. Kumar's departure as an opportunity for a new beginning for student representation in county politics. His vacancy gives this campus the chance to put forth a candidate that will finally voice students' concerns on safety, tenant issues and general student welfare that have been neglected by county officials for far too long.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 1:17am):
omg. pwnage.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 2:19am):
kumar isn't a bad guy but clearly the bh is racist. I think all of the anti kumar sentiment is just white uw racism.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 2:45am):
This is just more right-wing Badger Herald tripe. You have been railing against the policies of Austin King, Mike Verveer, and Ashok Kumar for more than a decade now.
Ashok did a fabulous job, and should be commended for his service. We students (and grad students!) will be lucky to have another representative so active and with such guts. It's rare to see a real leader these days, and of course stepping out will get you trashed by our campus version of Fox News.
Thanks, Ashok, for getting so much done, and never giving in to the do-nothing moderates that run the joint! (I just hope we don't end up electing a do-nothing moderate to replace you!)
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 6:34am):
$1,000 says some Kumar-hacks come on here and talk about how wonderful he is. The fact is, despite the accomplishments he has, voting against student safety is bad policy and Ashok's long history of self promotion and shady tactics have come full circle. Great work Herald.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 8:18am):
yeah, it's racist to expect kumar to actually accomplish anything.
and all the whites with a far leftist political agenda are all praised by the bh dontchano
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 9:13am):
no, the anti-kumar sentiment is just that ashok sucks, doesn't go to his meetings, and doesn't understand the role of the county board.
this is a classic example of the kumar goon squad pulling the race card when he or his crazy politics get criticized. can't respond to the facts? call them racists!
it's good to see that most of campus has finally wised up to his bullshit.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 10:35am):
I bet Chancellor Wiley smiled just a little this morning.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 10:56am):
first of all no one even said anything about race, Ashok is a great supervisor!
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 11:06am):
Clarly 2:19 was written by a person an anti-Kumar person setting people up for more comments later.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 11:14am):
wow...i have no particular opinion on Kumar and his term, but this editorial just disgusts me. Who are you to completely bash this guy? I mean you're basically just insulting him left and right here.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 12:12pm):
Madison politics in a nutshell:
If you like anyone who associates themselves with an organization to the left of the Democrats, you're a hack.
If you like anyone who associates themselves with an organization to the right of the Democrats, you're an uneducated moron.
If you like the Democrats, we like you.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 1:51pm):
12:12 -- Great breakdown! for those of you who don't know how politics function in Madison, 12:12 hits it on the head. Kumar worked on harder and more successfully then any supervisor in the last few decades, at least, yet the BH and a couple college democrats can tarnish his time in office? That's sad.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 2:09pm):
"In fact, when faced with accepting a no-brainer law enforcement proposal -- a $5,000 state grant to purchase crowd control protection for mounted police -- Mr. Kumar, inexplicably, was the only supervisor to vote against the measure." THe Badger Herald decided not to give the entire story hear. Ashok voted against funding that because it was directly tied to Halloween and teargas. The year before students had been maced wholesale, and he gave passionate testimony on the floor why police should not use drastic tactics in the name of "crowd-control".
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 2:30pm):
Clarification to 2:09 comments:
The incident you are referring to occured on 3/15/07, when a different resolution to accept $2,500 in funding (Res 272 06-07) passed. That one may well have dealt with tear gas. Furthermore, supervisor Vedder also voted against this resolution.
However, the resolution we are referring to, Resolution 126 06-07, was to purchase equipment that would provide protection (shinguards and protection for horses who were "being punched" by rioters, according to MPD officer Michael Hanson) for mounted police performing crowd control manuevers. Supervisor Kumar gave no explanation, only a no vote during role call. Supervisor Vedder abstained.
-Badger Herald Editorial Board
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 2:35pm):
ashok, where you at?
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 3:17pm):
Beware, Badger Herald Editorial Board, beware!
Let the Kumarian bullhorns blare forth from the caves and chambers of crazy land. Let the sleek, sly, and sarcastic slurs of socialist slander slam across the much-heralded battlefield: the Badger Herald Message Board!
Go, my goon squad, attack! Show these fools to be out of touch for daring to challenge me with the facts of my own record! I am Ashok Kumar! How dare you oppose me!?
You must be RACIST!
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 3:26pm):
"sleek, sly and sarcastic slurs of socialist slander?" did you really just write that?
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 10:09pm):
yes, yes "you" did
Grad students, I love this. I love this. Grad students at UW have a history of giving two shits about UNDERGRADUATE issues, namely safety. They'd prefer to have their hyper-irrelevent agenda of anti-oath's and impeachmen resolutions because it fits their arrogant worldview, holier-than-thou style of liberalism.
Too bad the grad students here were rejected from better schools.
Anonymous (November 20, 2007 @ 12:09am):
Maybe students "haven't heard" of kumar (I'd like to see the survey of this) because the BH has refused to run any stories about Kumar's county policy? Compare stories written by the Capital Times, Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin Public Radio, or any other news outlet and you'll find that the BH has a consistent and blatant disregard for County issues.
Anonymous (November 20, 2007 @ 1:13am):
Maybe because Kumar doesn't care to inform students or the papers about his positions. The height of Kumarian arrogance.
Anonymous (November 20, 2007 @ 12:48pm):
Verveer and Judge are besides themselves to reach out to the Herald. Kumar? Not so much.
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