COLUMN: By which people, for which people?

    A sentiment that is commonly echoed throughout the United States is that people don’t feel they are genuinely represented by those who claim to be their voice in government.  The cries of being an independent or not caring about elections are resounding. Why is this? Why is it that a political system that makes such lofty claims as being by the people and for the people can seem so far from what the actual people want?

    First, I feel that one of the primary causes for this sense of non-representation is that our introductory races are made to “play to the base.” This means that during primaries, the candidates try to appeal to the people near the fringes of their own party. This was made abundantly clear to me while watching all of the candidates for senator battle it out last year. Former Sen. Bob Bennett, current Sen. Mike Lee and all their competition – Tim Bridgewater, Cherylynne Eager etc. – were in the Sunburst Lounge to give brief speeches, then play musical candidates going between groups of delegates who would then vote on them.

    These delegates were each selected by a local caucus group to represent them in the larger vote. This meant that these were the people who were there every day in their eagle-emblazoned shirts rallying for the causes of the Republican party. The people chosen were normally the ones who had an axe to grind and serious issues with the way things were. As the candidates walked around the room throwing around words like “ObamaCare” and “Socialism” with little to no understanding of what either one was, or making assertions that the UN and the EPA were anti-family, I was mortified to see heads nodding up and down in fervent agreement. The calls for embracing the Tea Party and the Glenn Beck-quoting made my head reel. These people didn’t represent every Republican, did they? They weren’t indicative of the majority opinion of the state of Utah, right?

    Turns out they weren’t, most Utah residents aren’t necessarily that excitable about such issues. What’s wrong with having the most passionate voices take center stage though? They study it out, they’re there at all the meetings, they care deeply, don’t they? The problem is that our system should reflect how the majority of people feel. Going through the primaries, the majority of Utahns – about 70 percent in fact, wanted Bob Bennett to take another term as our state’s senator. The man who had worked out compromises and created lasting friendships with people as liberal as Ted Kennedy, while remaining one of the more well-respected Republicans in the Senate had done much for the state and a tremendous amount for this university. But this new wave of people who have run, unread pocket constitutions in hand, to the right of where their party used to be are now the face of their party in the state. They liked Mike, so Lee it is. I genuinely feel that opening the primaries up to a wider number of voices and people making the choice to participate could lead to all of us being represented by much better people in the end.

    Second, I feel that people don’t realize how much sway they actually do have on those who govern them, now this may not be as applicable at the national scale – though I would hazard a guess that representatives notice the expressed opinions of those in their districts and they vote accordingly – but I know for a fact that state officials listen to what their constituents say. The GRC (government relations council) from ASUSU has done an excellent job of making sure there is a face of USU at the state capitol this year. Aggie Ice Cream Day on the hill was much-anticipated and they managed several very productive meetings with their legislators. While it is true that we do have an excellent person at the capitol all the time and that USU President Stan Albrecht has a tremendous amount of respect from legislators, it does make a difference for students to put a face to our issues. A personally-worded e-mail to your legislator, especially if you include your address within their district, can make all the difference it takes for their vote to go one way or the other. It may sound naive but truly they do listen, especially if you know what you’re talking about. Try it sometime, you may be impressed to see how it goes. 

    I’d like to assert that involvement with the process and activity are the best ways to feel that you are truly well-represented. Ongoing citizen activism is an important part of making government work for you not against your interests and feeling that you truly have a voice in all the hubbub. And remember, get out there to vote when we come to it, or you don’t get to complain.

Anna Jane Harris is a junior majoring in political science. She can be reached at anna.j.harris@aggiemail.usu.edu.