Adrian NorthrupIf reality shows are the slapstick comedy, politics are the opera of human drama. Especially in recent weeks.
On the international front, the quirky, unstable dictator of North Korea has just tested his first nuclear weapon, in defiance of most of the world. Back at home, a congressman resigned in disgrace after it was discovered that he had illicit Instant Messenger exchanges with an underage boy.
Then came the media frenzy, the damage control, the harried finger-pointing. Who needs reality television when there’s a high-stakes election on the horizon?
I don’t advocate following politics solely for the entertainment, but sometimes it certainly helps. Politics is, really, the ultimate reality show because on top of its entertainment value it shapes reality. You have your nationally syndicated politics, with their big, dramatic conflicts that affect national security and promote coast-to-coast discussion. But before primetime, there’s the state and local programming, which has a more immediate impact on your life despite its lower production values.
When you fill out your ballot this election season, I challenge you to not just pick candidates for lower offices at random or by party line but to actually look up these people in advance and understand what they stand for.
While the federal government gets most of the press, the state government has a much more immediate impact. Last spring, for example, it rejected the Taxpayer Protection Amendment, which would have cut funding to the UW System by the equivalent of an 11 percent tuition increase. The policies implemented by the people we elect in November could have a bearing on whether or not you decide to stay in Wisconsin after you graduate.
For example, state politicians play a role in business regulation. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is not allowing Menards to build another distribution center in Eau Claire because it will destroy a wetland. The environment will be preserved, but, according to an Associated Press story, the move will cost Wisconsin 600 to 800 jobs when Menards builds the warehouse in Iowa or Ohio instead.
Republicans in the state Legislature, like Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, say Gov. Jim Doyle could do more to pressure the DNR to compromise and bring jobs to Wisconsin.
State legislators make these kind of calls all the time. What kind of calls do you want yours to make?
The state government also determines policies on social issues that the federal government leaves to the states to regulate, like abortion and the death penalty and, to some degree, stem cell research. They will decide whether we’ll live in a more “progressive” state or start churning out “Don’t mess with Wisconsin” T-shirts.
One essential, often-neglected official in the state election is the attorney general. Incumbent. Peggy Lautenschlager lost her seat in the primary, so it’s an open race.
The Attorney General plays major roles in both court battles and interpreting the law. According to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, “Well-reasoned attorney general’s opinions have persuasive value when a court later addresses the meaning of the same statute.” During her stint in office, Lautenschlager interpreted the language of our current marriage law to mean that marriage is between a man and a woman. She was also instrumental in legalizing over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception.
Following national politics is definitely essential, as they make important decisions as well. And it’s fun to watch the parties go through cycles of growing in power until they finally collapse upon themselves in the blaze of their own overblown corruption It makes for a fascinating reality show. But be sure you know your local celebrities as well, because their show has a greater effect on your reality.
