Thursday,i
OPINION
Jay, April 13,2000
THE BATTALION
Page 19
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From student council
to city council
Students should support city council representation
JEFF SMITH/The Battalion
C ollege students
are perhaps
the most un
derrepresented voter
population in the Bra
zos Valley. It is a safe
assumption that Texas
A&M students easily
make up one-third of
the Bryan-College
Station population, yet there is not a single
elected college student representative on
either city council board. —
All too often, city council deci
sions that affect students are made
and students have little or no say in
these decisions. They definitely
have no vote. Perhaps because stu
dents are seen as temporary mem
bers of the community, not much
has been done to include them in
the small-town politics of Bryan-
College Station.
Texas A&M students are partial
ly to blame for this situation. Many
students have a “consequences are
consequences as long as I graduate” atti
tude. However, several Aggies are looking
to become active members of the Bryan
and College Station City Councils.
In Bryan, Hugh “Alec” Pointer and
Christopher Olsen are running for seats
on the Bryan City Council. Meanwhile,
Michael Blum, a junior aerospace engi
neering major, has thrown his hat in the
ring against Larry Mariott, incumbent of
College Station City Council seat four.
Students should consider the advan
tages of having a student on the city
council. If elected, Blum will be the first
student representative on the city coun
cil to have a vote.
In the past, Texas A&M students have
been represented by a student govemment-
appointed liaison ofticer. This campus liai
son could give advice but could not vote
on the city council. A fresh perspective is
needed on the Bryan and College Station
City Council, and it is time students had a
voice in the goings on of this community.
One vote does not appear to be big
deal, but it could easily cast a tie-breaking
vote in decisions — decisions where the
students’ views may not be otherwise un
derstood or presented.
While the Student
Government Association
and student body president
are worthy positions of
service on campus, so much
more “on the outside" can
affect students.
“A recent issue that affects students is
removing of free parking in the Northgate
area,” Blum said. “Not only is this a con
venient place for customers of Northgate
to park, but for students.”
A student on either city council could
have many advantages for the whole com
munity. At times, there seems to be an “us
against them” mentality between residents
and students. Having a student on the city
council will increase positive communica
tion with the city, with students and resi
dents working together to solve problems.
However, one side should not be re
duced to a mere focus group for the other.
Many people in the community may re
duce a student running for office to some
sort of prank. They may think students do
not have time to familiarize themselves
with the issues, and do not know the histo
ry of the area.
However, the student candidates have
all spent time working with their city
councils before.
Simply put, Texas A&M students
should support other students who run for
city council.
It may be too late for students to regis
ter to vote in the city elections, but they
— can do more than just vote. They can
work on a campaign staff or register
other students to vote.
Admittedly, city council meetings
are boring. Instead of fonning a “B-
CS Students United for Changing
City Councils” group with no pur
pose other than to protest with signs
and obnoxious slogans, students
should hand together to send one per
son to represent all. Then, instead of
merely complaining about what goes
on in city council, students would
have done their democratic part.
While the Student Government Associ
ation and student body president are wor
thy positions of service on campus, so
much more “on the outside” can affect stu
dents. Many members of student govern
ment are merely padding their resumes.
A student city council member’s voting
ability would have more power than an
SBP’s opinion on a topic. Additionally, it
would give this student experience. It
would also make a pretty cool political sci
ence 485 class.
Regardless, it is time for students to stop
being silent members of this community.
Joe Schumacher is a senior
journalism major.
e citizens pay expensive gas prices
oliticians play energy crisis blame game
lOW
is time for another
round of “Pin the
Blame on Someone
le”This game is a fa-
ite of Washington
politicians, and it has start-
edfegain. This round’s con-
fpstants are President Clin-
and the House of
resentatives, namely
MTY
m
R
R
aker of the House, Dennis Hasten. Each pins
other for who is at fault for the recent energy
is. Prices at the pump have soared, and the
pie are complaining. I lowever, Washington
eaucrats — instead of fixing the problem —
working hard to cover their rear ends.
On March 31, the president’s authority to
w from the government’s emergency oil re-
e ended. The Senate has already passed
h an extension to continue this presidential
iiority, but the House has made no move to
s the measure.
I This action prompted Clinton to say that
tigress has missed the mark by failing to tak-
ig the crucial steps to augment the nation’s en-
y supply in the face of rising prices for crude
and gasoline. Clinton should stop wonying
ut blaming Congress and work to find other
ans of solving the problem.
Many people have suggested that the United
tes should work to negotiate with the Orga-
ation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
[OPEC) to see if it will increase production of
Iroleum. In March, OPEC agreed to increase
the mpply, but the effects of this increase will
not be felt for six to eight weeks. This an
nouncement leaves some hope for consumers,
but it is not enough.
Hastert responded to Clinton’s accusations
of Congressional blame by stating on CNN that
the Clinton administration is at fault. According
to Hastert, the administration has not properly
dealt with U.S. allies such as Mexico and
Kuwait properly to solve the problem without
depending on OPEC. Since America has helped
these countries, with actions such as the bailout
of the Mexican economy, they should return the
Both sides of the
argument should
stop this unnecessary
bickering and work to
solve the energy crisis.
help. Hastert believes that the United States is
being pushed around by OPEC nations. It
seems that both sides are blaming someone else
and not much is being accomplished.
Yet, an article in The Australian Financial
Report said the Clinton administration has used
“ham-fisted diplomacy” in dealing with OPEC.
The “ham-fisted diplomacy” includes calls
placed by Bill Richardson, U.S. secretary of en
ergy, during meetings of the OPEC ministers.
Many of the ministers were insulted when
Richardson interrupted their meeting. Many peo
ple said these very public demands have made
OPEC nations look like American puppets.
MAIL CALL
Republicans said that the United States
should cut foreign aid and arms sales to OPEC
countries in order to get OPEC to increase oil
production. Even though OPEC has agreed to
increase oil production, much of the public
wants an immediate fix to the problem. Others
say that these tactics are just giving those op
posed to U.S. presence in the Middle East and
Persian Gulf areas more reason to be anti-
American.
If bipartisan politics could occur during such
times of crisis as this, something more could be
accomplished. Waiting for OPEC nations to de
cide if they are going to sell oil to the United
States is not a way to practice politics. Both
sides of the argument should stop this unneces
sary bickering and work to solve the energy cri
sis. If they cannot find an immediate solution
for this crisis, they need to work on a plan for
the next time this happens.
OPEC has the majority of the petroleum
market cornered, but the United States can find
ways around the problem. Congress and the
Clinton administration need to put aside their
differences and solve the problem.
The American public should not have to
suffer while the leaders of their nation try to
blame each other. The crisis will not disappear
once they decide who is at fault. The prices at
the pump will continue to rise as faith in the
leaders will dwindle quickly in the minds of
American citizens.
Brieanne Porter is a freshman
electrical engineering major
(Made in Taiwan)
Chinese involvement in Taiwanese
independence calls for U.S. reaction
s
Loupot’s has the
right to reclaim
ubstation space
{response to Rolando Gar
y’s April 12 article.
Does City Council member
Dennis Maloney really think
that it is considered a temper
tantrum for a property owner
to do as he wishes with his
own property?
■ The Northgate Police Sub
station has been occupying
Prime commercial space rent
free for nearly a year. If the own
er of the building wants to evict
Af fn j ;N 'j« e College Station Police from
j his building that is his busi-
*E It .ness. Since when is it the City
\TEXASA&MUNI' :
Council’s job to whine about
how property owners manage
their property?
I walked by the Northgate Po
lice substation yesterday, and
it’s nothing more than an emp
ty room with a large desk and a
high-backed office chair. The
station is open during the day,
closes at 4 p.m., and re-opens
for an hour from 7 - 8 p.m. The
station is clearly a waste of
space and manpower.
Maloney said that “they
don’t care about safety here,
they don’t care about people
throwing beer bottles or women
getting assaulted, we just want
our parking spaces."
What kind of absurd state
ment is that? I think Maloney is
the one having the temper
tantrum. Maybe he has forgot
ten that in 1998 his City Coun
cil passed an ordinance ban
ning all glass containers from
the Northgate area.
How about putting the evict
ed officers out on the streets?
I think it would be rather diffi
cult to fight street crime from
behind a desk.
Maloney argues that the 27
parking spaces make it difficult
for emergency vehicles to ac
cess the Northgate area. When
have you ever seen an emer
gency vehicle responding to an
accident circle the block look
ing for a place to parallel park?
Maloney needs to stop ha
rassing this property owner
with his silly argument and
start moving the Police out of
that worthless sub-station.
In a couple of weeks, I in
tend to buy my books at
Loupot’s Bookstore. Hopefully
when that time comes, I’I
a place to park.
have
Steven Gilbert
Class of '01
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T he intimidating
eyes of China
and the fumbling
hands of the United
States have ensured that
the Republic of Taiwan
is not a true republic.
The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary defines a re
public as “a government in which supreme
power is held by the citizens entitled to vote.”
Tragically, this definition does not apply to the
Republic of Taiwan
Simply stated, China has always consid
ered Taiwan “a renegade province,” and that
there is only “one China.” Taiwan has never
been allowed to fully spread its wings as an in
dependent country. China’s call for reunifica
tion has always been a monkey on Taiwan’s
back. Accordingly, the Clinton administration
in recent years has slowly siphoned American
support from democratic Taiwan in favor of
communist China.
The Clinton administration must stop walk
ing this diplomatic tightrope. Surely it can see
the potential hypocrisy of its actions — Uncle
Sam turning his back on the American values
of democratic government and self-determina
tion in favor of economic gain in an oppressive
communist country. It is the epitome of “sell
ing one’s soul” for self-gratification.
The time for choosing loyalties is now — the
United States must clearly state whose side it is
on. By not doing so, the Unites States is merely
prolonging this agonizing standoff rather than
bringing it to an amicable conclusion.
As reported by CNN, U.S. Ambassador
Richard Holbrooke reiterated the American
government’s support of the “one China” poli
cy during a state visit to China last month.
For Taiwan, this statement raises a seri
ous question: Whose side is the American
government really on? It has had a history of
being pro-Taiwan — to the point where pre
vious American presidents have not hesitat
ed to send aircraft carrier groups near the
Taiwan Strait in order to diffuse Chinese
threats. In addition, there is currently legis
lation in Congress that calls for deepening
the military partnerships between Taiwan
and the United States.
ALCOHOL AND DRlT
EDUCATION PROGRAM
http://stulife.tamu.cdu/i“|y
However, the balance of support has been
slowly creeping in the other direction as Chi
na has become more and more “Western
friendly” — in particular, its encouragement
of foreign investment. Recognizing an un
tapped economic gold mine, the Clinton ad
ministration has become one of China’s
biggest advocates for entrance into the World
Trade Organization.
Being ^China’s advocate comes at a heavy
price — it requires American recognition of
China’s claim to Taiwan while placing Ameri
can support for Taiwan’s independence in lim
bo. Essentially, the Clinton administration has
become “two-faced.”
China’s claim to Taiwan stems from the
Chinese civil war of 1949 where the Chinese
Nationalist Party — the losing side — fled the
communist-controlled mainland and reestab
lished itself offshore in Taiwan.
After 40 years of martial law, Taiwan es
tablished a parliamentary government with the
endorsement of the United States — the first
open presidential elections were held in the
past decade. Along the same lines, Taiwan has
managed to assemble and maintain one of the
most robust economies in the world — rough
ly based on that of the United States.
During the island’s presidential elections
last month, the issue of whether or not to move
toward formal independence from China was
at the forefront, with the topic of American
loyalty not far behind.
By electing Chen Shui-Bian of the pro-in-
dependence Democratic Progressive Party, the
Taiwanese people have sent an irrefutable sig
nal that they no longer care to be held hostage
by the mainland.
“There is no point trying to drag out nego
tiations with a hungry China. I hope Taiwan
becomes independent in the future,” said
Chen-Su-Lian, 24.
Hopefully, the Clinton administration will
consider this signal carefully. By ignoring it,
the administration risks hypocrisy. By embrac
ing it, it risks destroying hard-earned econom
ic interests in China. It is a difficult choice: to
live by one’s principles or to live by one’s
pocketbook.
David Lee is a junior economics and
journalism major.