Politics, it would appear, is about change. Or Ronald Reagan, if you’re a Republican. But even in that case, it’s about changing back to the good old days of real conservatism. I watched the South Carolina Democrat debate, and amused myself ­­— in between Obama and Clinton’s bickering — at how many times the word “change” was invoked. I lost count and stopped watching.
This change thing is local, too. Evidently our own Student Senate president felt change was so necessary that she fired all the committee chairs to achieve it.
Which brings me to my point. Change is by definition transitory. You can’t just ‘change.’ You have to change into something. Everything we do represents change from the moment before. When I put my shoes on in the morning, the world has changed in an infinitesimal way.
So I don’t care if you talk to me about bringing change to politics, Student Senate, Washington D.C. or anywhere else you care to name. I want to know what your idea of change is, and how you intend on bringing it about. Everything else is just hot air until you put your money where your mouth is.
The byline from the presidential elections is “bringing change to the politicos in Washington D.C.” Right. Every presidential candidate says that, and then finds that 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. changes you far more than you change it.
Ms. Feehan ran on a platform of ending student apathy, opposing tuition increases and opposing high textbook prices. So far, students still don’t care about Student Senate, tuition will continue to rise, and there’s nothing Student Senate can do about high textbook prices.
Senators Clinton and Obama are running on a platform of promoting change in Washington, enacting a federal universal health care plan, ending the war in Iraq, and turning the economy around with increased government spending. This ‘change’ has been the Democrats’ clarion call for years.
So you tell me. What change? Here comes the new boss, same as the old.
If you want my support for your change, then convince me that your change will be for the better. Don’t just tell me we’re going to change. Russia could turn us all into radioactive sludge really fast. That would be change.
Don’t just slap a “change” label onto a new box and fill it with the same old ideas, either. Single-payer universal health insurance? I’ve heard it before. Convince me it’s a good thing; then convince me you can do something about it.
That’s where Ms. Feehan falls short. Nobody at Winona State wants to pay higher tuition. It’s great to oppose tuition increases, but is she capable of delivering on that? Unlikely. No one else has.
So here’s an important lesson applicable to all wannabe politicians. Don’t promise the moon unless you’ve got it in a box and you’ve already paid the postage. I know it probably gets votes, but if you screw it, you end up falling flat like Ms. Feehan or sounding hollow like some presidential candidates.