 "Photo: Mike Mangum")
Hoping to engage college students in the world of politics, two former congressmen visited the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics to stir up excitement.
Barry Goldwater Jr., who served in the California Legislature from 1969 to 1983, and David Minge, a former legislator from Minnesota, spoke briefly regarding their own careers but focused on answering numerous questions from inquisitive students.
“I am proud of my heritage as an American,” Minge said. “Our country is unrivaled, but our system is also fragile, and I urge students to take on the challenge of maintaining it.”
Minge, who started his political career after becoming concerned with the principles of his local congressman, was originally a “country” lawyer and local school board member, but he sought to make a difference in the political realm.
“It’s easy to be cynical about politics, but the problem with that is, politics is not a spectator sport,” Minge said. “We can’t leave political process to politicians alone—we need broad-base participation.”
Minge and Goldwater used the question-and-answer session, which ranged from the future of gun laws and Social Security to the ethics surrounding political campaign contributions, to tackle the issue of bridging the gap between constituents and their representatives.
“College and high school students can make handmade lawn signs and write who they support on them,” Minge said. “Then if they place them in the community, it will spread awareness, and that can affect elections.”
Minge expressed his optimism for the involvement of young people in the political process in the future.
“It’s a self-renewing process,” he said. “If people are curious about it, it will continue."
Goldwater explained the voting system of Costa Rica as a model for potential U.S. voting methods.
“Eight-five percent of the people turned out to vote in the recent election, and it seems to be due to it being held on a weekend,” he said. “We should make election days on holidays and encourage everyone to go out.”
One of the main topics of discussion was the White House administration, with varying degrees of opinion.
“Trying to do something over and over again, expecting different results is foolish,” Goldwater said about what he perceives as socialistic tenants of President Barack Obama’s presidency. “The people don’t want it.”
Goldwater also stated that Obama will be a one-term president.
“You heard it here first,” he said.
Minge rebutted Goldwater’s comments with a discussion of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Hurricane Katrina was mismanaged, but government aid has sophistication that is needed to help a suffering country, Minge said.
A staunch conservative and libertarian, Goldwater also criticized the contemporary Republican Party.
“The Republican Party is lost,” he said. “Religion began creeping into the GOP during the 1970s and began confusing its focus—which is limited government, low taxes and a strong military. George Bush confused it even more.”
Aside from students, professors and others from the community were present at the forum.
“I was very impressed with the questions that were asked,” said Bob Goldberg, a U history professor.
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