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| Benjamin D WhiteSchool: University of Wisconsin - Madison Member of: Contact info:
Policy interests: Fair and clean politics, Government reform, Healthcare My ultimate interest is in that of true democracy. I find it extremely difficult to watch our current Presidential administration take unprecedented (and illegal) steps that derode democracy. As Abraham Lincoln so famously said, we must ensure that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Although Pres. Bush has initiated certain policies that go against the ideals of democracy, he once said something that I have recently related to this idea of the stray away from democracy. Shortly after the terrible events of Sept. 11, 2001, he gave a suggestion to the American people, he told that years from now they should not forget what happened; that they should be as outraged five years from then as they were the day after the attack. He promised the American people that even if they did lose some of their passion, he would not; and that he would go forth with the same vigor that he had on Sept. 12, 2001. This can relate to the same vigor and passion that Thomas Jefferson has in 1776. I am sure he would wish that the American people would not forget the ideals that they were founded upon; that they would be urging the Democratic ideal as fiercely in the 21st century, as he did in the 18th. Unfortunately, this did not happen; somewhere along the line we forgot. Well now it is time to remember, and begin to work towards enacting policies to avoid the moves that the current administration has taken. We must realize, as our forefathers did, that there is nothing that is more dangerous to the American people than that of straying from Democracy. Although certain polticial leaders may tell you otherwise, and that certain lines need to be crossed in the interests of safety, I tell you that the ONLY way to ensure our true safety, is by maintaing true democracy. As for the UW-Madison Roosevelt Chapter, I am currently focusing on our election process as the Administrator and Director of the Elections and Ethics project. With extensive comparative research, I hope to assist in coming up with new ideas on this subject, and finally restore our elections to what the democratic value states them to be, not a financial contest where the people who win our representative seats are solely those with the deepest pockets. Please check the Elections and Ethics page for more information, as I will be adding to it continuosly. |
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