Who bothers you?
I know. The quarter is almost over, the elections have passed, and reading the political rants and ravings of a fellow burned-out Bobcat is not at the top of your priorities list. With this in mind, I'll try to keep this fairly light-hearted.
What did the past 10 weeks in politics do for you? Sometimes it's hard to see how national politics affect your life, but this election season had a few gems you probably can relate to.
Let's start with an easy one: Smoke weed?
Well if so, California's rejection of Proposition 19 at the ballot box, which would have fully legalized and regulated marijuana growth and sales in the state of California, just setback the legalization movement further. The populace voted the measure down 54 percent to 46 percent, proving the wake 'n' bake voting bloc is not all that reliable. Perhaps a brownies with your ballot initiative will help get the vote out next time.
Marijuana prohibition relates to a couple other political issues that might hit closer to home than regulating credit-default swaps or reforming filibusters. These would include gay marriage, abortion and gambling - to name a few. These issues are at the heart of social conservatism, and where I make my largest departure from the Republican Party.
The problem of course, is that Republicans are supposed to be the champions of individual freedoms and small government. They claim that small taxes, small regulation and the free market will allow Americans the maximum amount of prosperity. It is unfortunate that the freedom they talk about is limited to their moral opinions.
The GOP talks a big game about stopping government intrusions into the lives of personal citizens, but their social policies affect our lives plenty. These issues aren't always life or death, but they are tangible effects that even the most nonpolitical American can feel. If you've ever tried to buy liquor on a Sunday, you've felt it. It's no coincidence the Christian Sabbath is the one day of the week Athenians have difficulties getting their hands on a handle.
If you play poker, live or online, you've felt it too. Anybody lucky enough to win thinks pretty hard about getting into trouble when doing their taxes.
If you've ever had an abortion, considered it, or simply have a strong opinion about it, you've felt it too. Even after the government determined that women retained that individual freedom in Roe v. Wade (1973), Republicans have been working tirelessly to make sure government can have a say over a woman's body. Legal challenges and their support from GOP politicians have been consistent in decades past, and will remain so in future years.
Perhaps most tragically, if you're a homosexual you've felt the Republican intrusion as well. Even if you've been in love with a single partner for years, you can be assured the GOP will not allow you to express that through marriage.
Finally, (and perhaps most trivially) if you've ever been caught with a joint, you've felt it. Marijuana is used by millions of Americans on a daily basis and has been for ages. There is plentiful evidence for supporting legalization, and plenty of science to show it is a safer choice than alcohol. Conservatives continue to block the steady movement toward legalization.
So while conservatives brand Democrats as the ones who intrude on your lives, I'd like you to rethink what policies affect you on a personal level. I think you'll find the moral majority and the GOP to be the culprit.
To all of those lighting up when finals finish: I hope nobody bothers you.
Phil Stephens is a graduate student studying public administration and columnist for The Post. Were you there too? E-mail him at ps245605@ohiou.edu
4 Opinion
Phil Stephens
