Want change? Start lobbying

For every finger you point, three point back to you.  This old adage seems to have been forgotten, but we can apply it to student government. The turmoil over the Student Finance Committee’s budget is fresh off the rumor mill, and there are quite a few students aggravated by the gossip that has been flying around.

But let’s stop for a second and take a look at the most powerful and high earning positions in Washington. You’d be surprised; the generals that line the halls of the Pentagon don’t occupy these positions, nor do Congress or the President.

The big-ticket power players in D.C., are lobbyists.  With slick suits and private jets, they voice their concerns and exert their influence.  Every special interest under the sun, from PETA to the NRA, has the power to affect Congress.

If you want to get experience in a solid, high paying job with infinite potential for upward mobility, you should seriously consider an exciting career in lobbying.  The best place you could start would be lobbying your student senators and CAB representatives.

When campus elections hit CSC, trying to get your fellow students to vote is like trying to pull off a Band-Aid.  But hey, why worry about it? I mean, your apathy just makes it that much easier for your representatives to do what they want.

You see, the people who actually got off the couch, left their dorm rooms, and went to the polls; they were the ones who got to voice their opinions, and they did it through the power of a ballot. Those pesky voters are the ones who elected the representatives that are threatening to pull the plug on your favorite activities.

We can all remember that time when you did not run for Senate, did not get elected, and did not create this problem. We can also remember not seeing you at the Senate meeting on 5 p.m. Monday night, in the Scottsbluff room of the Student Center.  We remember you not voicing your concerns and letting people know how you feel about an issue.

There’s another old adage; silence is acceptance.  If you say that you can’t find time to attend the meetings, you should make time.  The student government is far from perfect, but before you form an opinion about how ineffective they are, perhaps you ought to reevaluate your personal involvement.

After all, it’s only a select group of people that are controlling how your money is spent; they are the ones striping the funds from your favorite club. They don’t meet in secret, so make the individual effort. Reach out and contact them if you want to get something done.