Matt Cook

If there is one place where the discussion of politics is taboo, it is at a bar. But this doesn’t prevent anyone with a clue to pipe up when C-Span flashes the latest GOP polls. One might remark about how studious, frugal Mitt Romney seems and make light of his Mormon faith. Or one might spout a few lines on Herman Cain’s jolly demeanor and his ability to split the black American vote with Obama when the time comes.

No matter the time and place, people feel that GOP debates are the best indication of a person’s prospective political prowess. It means very little. These debates, as well as the Democratic debates in previous election years, are a series of anecdotes on the state of America – where it is going and what each candidate plans to do to make it better. It invests the hopes and dreams of American citizens into a televised and semi-choreographed dance with inflated commercial breaks. Its entertainment – flash without substance. Perfect for bar room banter.

Who these candidates are is impossible to determine from a debate as politicians lie often, and they lie well. Some will suggest that, despite their apparent shortcomings, debates are the best way to gauge a candidate, and perhaps they’re right. If one’s election criterion is based solely on a candidate’s ability to navigate questions or their skill at turn-of-phrase, then sure, it is probably the best way to determine viability.

But what debates cannot accurately depict is the ability for a candidate to write, propose and pass legislation. Debates do not invent policy makers. They only catch them in contradiction.

The chronic obsession with federal policy making has galvanized the populace around the election of a president. Granted, the president holds more power than any other elected official. They have the capability of ending the world with a swift nuclear first-strike and can veto legislation, subsequently stalling its progress. We tend to forget the government that exists in our very own town.

Lyon County, the City of Emporia and Emporia State University are each governing bodies, the policies of which most directly and dramatically affect us every day. These are the level of government that we can see with our own eyes.

I believe that the Republican presidential debates are another game show in which our highest personal values – strength, courage, compassion, honesty – are thrust onto a handful of men and women. And though we might invest a similar faith in local government figures, it is to us directly that they must answer on the weekends, between classes or around town.

The immediacy and power of our potential backlash against local misconduct is the understanding that keeps us relevant as voters and students. All the while, we are in awe of the ongoing contest for a new national king-figure.

By all means, watch the debates and vote if you feel like it, but watch them as an Emporia State student and as an individual with particular needs – not as a spectator. Evaluate their qualifications in a similar manner that you would anyone interviewing for a job. See beyond the fluff and pomp, the misdirection and the character attacks. Investigate their political past.

This information is at your disposal. And, in a time when Emporia State is also seeking a president, apply the same skepticism and curiosity to anyone who could affect your future.

We are the ones who must keep our leaders accountable, and it starts by owning our politics.

Matt Cook

Matt Cook

The politics of Emporia State are more diverse than they pretend to be. Yet somehow there is a pervasive belief that white, conservative America dominates the discourse surrounding politics at ESU and has glossed over the liberal and non-white elements that exist. Even absent the artificial distinction of “liberal” or “conservative,” we miss the boat on affecting change.

The absent element is activism. In particular, the student body seems silent when obvious affronts to our wellbeing arise. Some small factions may spark conversations around campus, but demonstration and protest are barely a whisper on the breath of our students.

Students often don’t see the possibility for change that exists in their everyday lives. Activism takes many shapes. It is not merely sign waving and chorus chanting. Writing letters to the powers that be, running for office, flyer distribution and even an informal discussion group all constitute a political act.

But, let’s assume that students are already aware of the power they possess. When was the last time a noticeable body of students aggressively expressed their political ideas? Even hot button issues like smoking bans and tuition hikes have conjured only looks of disdain and frustration, but have never moved us to organize and demand.

Perhaps it is because we are happy.

It is possible that our school is far more accommodating than we are willing to admit. We do, after all, pay far less than most state sponsored schools in Kansas, let alone nationwide. We do provide a safe atmosphere for our students and facilitate an easier transition to the professional world for certain degrees.

But contentment is not a virtue. The status quo may very well be a place of comfort, but every great historical example of positive change has been born out of a desire for something even better. If you find yourself happy, imagine more.

It is true that not everything needs to be overturned, detached and disassembled. What we should consider is how important it is to simply exercise our voices, and since not every student is afforded a deciding vote at every Associated Student Government meeting, it is up to us to enforce change the only way we can – a demand on the administration.

Maybe it only appears that we should be vocal but not about any particular thing. And though the democratic way is something to fight for in itself, I do believe there is plenty to fight for on campus.

Matt Cook