State legislators highlighted the power
of student voices in swaying policy and elections during a discussion
with University of Wisconsin students Monday.
The College Democrats of Madison hosted
their State Government Forum, in which one state senator and five
state representatives talked about issues in local policy and
politics ranging from funding for UW to the Safe Climate Act to the
recently passed state budget.
A major topic of discussion within the
forum was a recurring exchange between legislators and students
regarding levels of student involvement in local politics, in both
attention to policy and participation in campaigns and elections.
“You could really argue that no one
has more at stake than you folks in this room,” Rep. Joe Parisi,
D-Madison, said.
Several of the legislators and students
present said having personal connections to issues is vital for
spurring political involvement among young people, comparing
legislators’ experience with UW activism surrounding the Vietnam
War to last year’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex
marriage.
“I think the administration has done
a very good job of insulating the rest of us from [the war in Iraq],
and in many ways that prevents us from becoming very active and
involved citizens,” College Democrats Chair Oliver Kiefer said.
“Our lives are going along OK, and so we’re not going to get all
up in arms.”
Parisi gave an account of his
experience going from a high school dropout to working toward his
degree, saying the work-study and financial aid available to him at
the time contributed to an environment where everyone has the
opportunity to succeed, and have a part of the American Dream.
“If we don’t invest our resources
and continue to make those things a priority, we’re going to lose
the American Dream,” Parisi said. “How can we turn our back on
the economic engine that is the University of Wisconsin? That would
just be crazy, yet that battle is raging right down the street —
that’s a lot of what this recent budget was about.”
Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said the
overwhelmingly negative media coverage of the recently passed state
budget was unwarranted.
“It’s really not sexy to say, ‘Wow,
this was a really good compromise budget we’ve got,’” Pocan
said.
Pocan added he is disappointed domestic
partner benefits for UW faculty were not included in the budget, but
predicted they would be approved within the next two years.
“It’s really not a question of if
we get the DP benefits, it’s when,” Pocan said.
Representatives from the Wisconsin
Student Public Interest Research Group gave a short presentation at
the beginning of the forum promoting the Safe Climate Act, an
initiative to reduce carbon emissions to their 1990 levels.
Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, said this
is the one piece of legislation he would like to see passed this
year, if forced to choose.
“I can almost guarantee it won’t
pass in the Assembly,” College Republicans Chair Mattie Duppler
said of the Safe Climate Act. “It really is antithetical to
everything we stand for.”
Duppler said though Madison is
predominantly progressive in its voting patterns, this year she hopes
to see conservatives involved as well.
“Campaigns tend to bring people out
of the woodwork on both sides of the aisle, for better or for worse,”
Duppler said.
