Students revive Doane politics

Laura Gieseking
Staff Writer
April 15, 2004, Page 3

The founders of the United States Constitution had a vision to create a democratic government where the voices of the people could not be silenced.
There are few, dedicated students on campus who share this vision.
"Our purpose is to let people be heard," said senior Jeff Daniels, vice president of Doane Republicans.
The Doane Democrats and the Doane Republicans are two newly re-established organizations determined to increase the political awareness and participation of Doane students.
"I heard a college student say on TV that 'Politicians decide what I can and can't do. Whether I go to war and die. I should decide who they are,'" said junior Todd Andrews, president of Doane Democrats. "It is so important for our generation to realize that we can finally have an important say in our country and who represents us."
Both organizations were nearly extinct four years ago, but Todd Andrews and Aaron Hall had the desire to bring the dying organizations back to life. The consistent efforts by these men and the support of the local and state political parties have allowed many opportunities for the organizations' members.
Their hard work has given opportunities to students including: meeting President Bush, attending on-campus luncheons with question and answer sessions held between students and political experts, and the ability to participate in state Democratic and Republican conferences.
"My freshman year I was working with the Presidential Classroom Program in Washington D.C." said senior Aaron Hall, president of Doane Republicans. "When I came back, I took it on myself to create more student awareness to the importance of voting. My goal as president was to bring in speakers so students could ask questions to learn more about politics."
While their parties disagree on certain political platforms, both organizations agree that their main purpose is to:

• Get people interested in politics.
• Get people informed.
• Get people to vote and support a party.

Besides the lack of funding, the biggest challenge they face is lack of interest many Doane students have for politics.
"I think the problem students are having is how to connect political lives with their personal lives," Daniels said. "They ask 'Why should I care?' They don't realize that something in politics affects them. They just have to find it."
Hall has been politically active since he was a freshman, but participating in college internships overseas has made him develop an even greater appreciation for American democracy.
"Being a democracy, it is easy to take our system for granted," Hall said. "We know nothing else. But I think that people who experience other countries soon realize that our country is very fortunate."
The founders believed that a democratic government would give each individual the power to make a difference. Many students are very skeptical of this idea. The Doane Democrats and the Doane Republicans want to change the minds of students.
"Students don't realize that it just takes one person, with one idea, to make something happen," Andrews said.
Hall agreed.
"One person may have the mind set 'I can't change anything' and he will give up,'" Hall said. "But there is always that person who will have the guts to speak out on an issue. Then people with the same belief will join him and all of a sudden you have a snowball effect and people begin to listen. That is what politics is all about."