Ross encourages youth voting

Amanda Millard
Editor in Chief
Mar. 4, 2004, Page 2

With wit and wisecracks, State Treasurer Ron Ross emphasized the importance of getting involved and voting when he spoke to a group of students Friday.
Ross said that now is the time for students to be involved.
“You have time, you have energy,” Ross said. “Time and energy kind of fleet by.”
Society is made up of everyone and the small percentages of people on the far left and far right don’t represent the views of most people. The majority of people have values in the middle range.
“If 60 to 70 percent (of Americans) don’t vote, the two extremes will be passing laws and telling your kids and grandkids what you’ll be doing,” Ross said.
Ross repeatedly emphasized that students need to become politically active.“You need to know what’s going on,” Ross said. “You have to take a stand. You have to make sure that the 10 to 15 percent aren’t running the country.”
Students should know the candidates’ platforms and align themselves with candidates with values similar to theirs, Ross said. Americans should know who they’re voting for, what candidates stand for and their history.
Integrity, enthusiasm and intelligence are the three characteristics Ross said to look for when voting.
“When asked which is the most important, I tell people the penitentiary is full of smart, energetic people,” Ross said. “…. When you go to the poll and pull that little handle, look for that trait (integrity),” Ross said.
Ross also spoke briefly about his predecessor, Lorelee Byrd, who resigned from office Jan. 6 after pleading guilty to one count of misconduct in office.
“That’s something that really gripes me is public officials who think they are above the law,” Ross said. “My predecessor thought she was above the law.”
Ross said that it was difficult getting used to being criticized in the media for his job as Health and Human Services director.
He said that it took him awhile not to be so sensitive. He said that he realized that the media wasn’t picking on him; they were picking on government.
Ross said he didn’t have future plans right now.
“My plans for the future? I don’t know,” Ross said. “Someday I’ll grow up; I’m only 50.”