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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1997)
a 2 Wednesday, October 15,1997 Political parties: can you tell Republicans and Democrats apart ence of the third party. Second, there’s been this ¿version to multiple parties that arises from the jfc o tft< fear of having ta resort to coalitions of two or more pOLE F^ ERIC EATHERTON Staff Writer Republicans and Democrats. You know the rivalry' parties to obtain a controlling majoré between these two political parties that for about”1 <ity? Another set. of politically active hu^g 14 decades served as the cornerstone of the AmeEj* can system. You know their symbols. Heck, you man beings seek “nbn-partisanship”i on some elected positions, most no might even be able to tell the difference between the two parties. tably elective judicial positions and Shyah, right! Republicans and Democrats? More local (i.e. municipal and county) po like Coke and Pepsi. I drink both Coca-Cola and litical offices. If “Republican” and Pepsi; believe me, I don’t notice much of a differ “Democrat” are the established brand ence. And so it is with Republicans and Democrats: names of the American political sys just when you think you have these parties figured tem, “non-partisans” are the generic out, BLAM! Something happens that screws up the brand. The chief problem: in the mar ketplace, people psychologically theory. You have Republicans vot tend to identify more with the ing like Democrats and vice versa, brand names than with the generic for starters. There was a timé in the illustrious history of our country "Republican" or the house brands. In the politi ■ when just by their campaign plat ■ cal arena, there’s no difference. and Without a label like, say, Demo forms you could tell these two long-standing brand names apart. "Democrat" crat or Republican, voters tend not to hear as much about these can But like I said, these days “Repub are didates and much as the major par lican” and “Democrat” are any ^anymore ties’ choices. more just a pair of brand names. What can be done about these You might wonder what that has just a pair problems? For fearing about to do with my opinion. So I thought of brand multiparty coalitions, remember: I’d divulge: our current two-party to the neighbors of ours across the system is quickly becoming over names. pond who proudly call themselves kill. All these parties will do, all Europeans, multiparty coalitions they’ve shown me they can do well, are nothing new; in fact, anymore it’s standard is argue with each other. And when Eric Eatherton practice. they argue, it’s safe to say for the Staff Writer As for non-partisanship: again, using the most part, the controlling party will marketplace analogy, generic brands tend to be make the laws. Occasionally those more of a bargain than the nationally (or interna laws will differ from the political tionally) known brands. Perhaps that’s the case in parties’ normal positions (if, after all the arguing the political arena as well: without the major-party they’ve been doing between each other, they have identification, the non-partisan candidate also iden any). And also, now and again, those laws will differ tifies less with the Democrat-Republican bickering. from what the American citizenry will really want. So the potential voter tends to see a lot less of an Especially when during the arguing, they tie up some image of a candidate, painted by either his/her po important pieces of legislation. litical party or that of the opposing candidate, and What, if anything, can be done about it? I think more about the candidate’s actual platform. Isn’t we’d be better off with political parties whose la solving problems, on whatever level you choose to bels are more than just brand names. The advént of run, what entering the political arena is really all some of these so-called “third parties” should serve about? some notice to us that Republican-Democrat bick Furthermore, let’s take the “nori-partisan office” ering is starting to wear some politically active thing to the next level. Let’s make political offices— people’s patience a little thin. There have been two let’s say state legislature or even the governorship— traditional problems with this theory: first, when at non-partisan. Let’s cut through the bickering.between tention arises from the new political party, Republi those Pachyderms and those Donkeys. Let’s take this cans and Democrats quickly jump on that bandwagon revolutionary idea to the national level. Diminish the and adopt it as their own, thus reducing the influ Attention Crafters! financial Cooft^aliv Clackamas Federal Credit Union 9ti- AdwueirMfeA. Wlte^ie. All Staff & Full-Time Students are Eligible to Join. <^> Dividend Bearing Checking; No Minimum Balance, Monthly Fee or Per Check Charge, VISA Debit/Check Card. <^> Free Notary, Free Travelers Checks & Free 24-hour PC & Telephone Access to Your Account 11 Money Markets, Certificates, IRA’s, VISA’S, Loans & Lines of Credit. Oregon City 656-0671 Join Today Wednesday October 15, 1997 Milwaukie 653-7788 power of political parties from the floor of the House and the Senate, if not altogether eliminate the par ties. You could go to the other extreme: having at least three or four political parties, each one representing a differ ent political theory (to suit each part of the political spec trum), coexisting while running the state or country. If you really want to cut through partisan bickering, create a situation which coerces it. The probability that politi cal party will gain a majority and therefore control leg islature diminish greatly with the more political parties that are represented. With only two political parties, one political party being in the majority is a nearly 100% certainty. But with each new political party that enters, this probability is greatly reduced, since each new party as a rule siphons off support from the established par ties. People do get sick and tired of the same ol’ Pachy derm-Donkey status quo and therefore will look for al ternatives. If all you want to do is argue, why enter politics? If you want to solve problems through politics, don’t ar gue like you have nothing better to do; do something. Students anxious for the return of game room and study areas Wc arc planning our annual Christmas Craft Fair. The Fair will be held in the Community Center on Monday, Nov. 24, from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. If you make hand made items that you would like to sell, contact Michelle in the Student Activities office CC140 at ext. 2245 for more information. Space is limited, so call early! (Deadline is Oct. 27) /7 IP€NT, fa Clackamas, whether you need a place to study or play, you re going to be ip good hands. Student space on campus is at an all time low. The lost use of three of the out buildings has brought new hardships and challenges to the college and the students that at tend here. The two issues that I want to address are study areas and a game room. Study areas are important. Study time allows students to catch up on reading before class or to consult with other students on the latest les son. Ever since the onset of prob lems with the buildings, the admin istration, with the help of Mr. Pantages leadership class have made available study carrels all around campus. It is my hope that these carrels will remain when more quiet and group study facili ties open back up in the newly con structed library. This will give stu dents more study space than they have ever had. On the decline and in danger of elimination is the ex tremely important space for student recreation. Two years ago there was a room in Randall dedicated to student rec reation. This room had pool tables, video games, and a popular popcorn machine. When buildings started to be shut down for repair the stu dent activity office voluntarily gave the room over for a temporary classroom. Due to the space con strictions, the student activities office decided to take sacrifices in order to elevate the pressure. Now as the buildings are near completion, there has been talk of keeping this precious student space as a classroom. I have re ceived many requests from stu dents asking to restore this game room. It is in the "best interest of this school to give students a place to hang out and relax. I hope that as we move closer to the middle of the term that you will find time to relax and know that at Clackamas, whether you need a place to study or play, that you are going to be in good hands. Volume XXX, Issue 2
