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Thursday, March 9, 1995 Page 4
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
JeffZeleny. Editor, 472-1766
Jeff Robb.Managing Editor
Matt Woody...Opinion Page Editor
DeDra Janssen.Associate News Editor
Rainbow Rowell.Arts & Entertainment Editor
James Mehsling..Cartoonist
Chris Hain.Senior Reporter
New era?
IMPACTwatch begins today for students
The people have spoken.
And they said they want the same student government that the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln has had for many years.
The IMPACT ticket won a victory Wednesday, claiming the
executive positions in the Association of Students of the University of
Nebraska.
_ S tudents had a chance this
year to make a real change,
. . to install a student govem
Throughout the next year, the .... ,. ..
Daily Nebraskan will compare the ment l^at would actually
party’s accomplishments to their work for its constituents and
Shawntell Hurtgen, pledged to do The 1995 election proves
the following if elected: that apathy about ASUN is
■ More student input on dean so great that students don’t
renewals care enough to change a sys
■ More efficient advising process , ,, , .
■ More core class availability, tem ^at badly needs it. The
especially on East Campus 87 percent of students who
■ Better interaction among all didn’t vote have no ri ht t0
students ° .
■ Better handicapped accessibility complain about ASUN in
■ Improved communication effectiveness,
between ASUN and students T • , ...
■ Better parking policies ItistoobadthatLETTUCE
■ More 24-hour computer labs has not been given the
S cha”“ chan*e ^den,
evaluations sentiment about ASUN.
■ Enhanced academic experience That task now falls upon
■ Maintaining student and lab fees Shawntell Hurtgen and he r
at or below inflation rate crew, who have one year to
make their impact.
But for students, apathy is no longer an option.
This new sentiment begins today with the Daily Nebraskan.
Throughout the next year, we will be watching the IMPACT party for
the students of this university.
Their actions and inactions will be examined and held up to the
IMPACT party platform. Any successes they may have will be
reported to the rest of campus. So will any failures.
The Daily Nebraskan will do its part to keep students abreast of
their government. ASUN is meant to be the voice ofUNL students, and
students need to know that voice speaks for them.
We will hold IMPACT to its campaign platform, which includes:
• Better interaction between students, student advisory groups,
minority organizations and senators.
• Better handicap accessibility to all university buildings, espe
cially those not up to code.
• Working toward better parking policies on campus and more
metered spaces on East Campus.
• More 24-hour computer labs and study areas.
• Representing all segments of the UNL student body.
IMPACT has one year.
We will be watching.
Editorial policy
Staff editorials represent the official
policy of the Spring 1995. Daily
Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily
Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editori
alsdonotnecessarily reflect theviews
of the university, its employees, the
studentsortheNUBoardofRegents.
Editorial columns represent the opin
ion ofthe author. The regents publish
Ae Daily Nebraskan. They establish
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pervise the daily production of the
paper. According to policy set by the
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rial content of the newspaper lies
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The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the
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WWBE.SOT DEFIHITEU
OISW^W FOR
h &CX 0? C£RfAL.
C’W\m.
Intent behind shirt leaves chill
It took all of 10 seconds as a
candidate for president for Lamar
Alexander to lose any chance of
ever getting my vote.
Even if he proves to be a man of
great vision — promising to
exempt columnists from all taxes,
chop off the fingers of computer
hackers and burst the eardrums of
droolers who turn their cars into
rolling boomboxes — he has
already lost me.
I usually try to be patient and
fair in judging candidates, listening
to their speeches, pondering their
backgrounds and even reading the
slick position papers written by
their hired campaign hucksters.
But with Alexander, all it took
was one look at his shirt.
That’s right, his shirt. The man
announces that he is running for
president of the United States —
the biggest job in the world except
for Judge Ito’s — and what does he
wear for the occasion?
A red-and-black plaid flannel
shirt, open at the collar, no tie or
jacket.
I’m no fashion fuss-pot, since I
often dress like I live under a
bridge in a cardboard crate. But I’m
not asking people to make me the
leader of the free world.
And it’s not that there is
something wrong with the shirt
itself. It’s obviously a respectable,
sturdy, flannel shirt. Just the
garment to wear if you are going to
the hardware store on a Saturday,
out with the family for a hamburger
or maybe fishing on a cool day.
But you could say the same
about a set of red long underwear
with a bottom-flap: respectable and
sturdy. That wouldn’t make it the
appropriate garment to wear while
declaring a candidacy for president.
Worse than the choice of the
shirt, though, is the obvious
thought that went into wearing it.
Imagine for a moment that it is
the morning that you are going to
reveal to the whole country that you
Mike Royko
are seeking the office once held by
men like Washington, Jefferson,
Lincoln, Wilson, Roosevelt and
Eisenhower.
You know that the TV camera
will be there for you to introduce
yourself to the nation. And your
wife or someone says:
“Uh, what’s with the shirt?”
“What about it? Is there a stain
or something?”
“No, but it is a flannel shirt.
Red-and-black plaid flannel. I
thought you were going to an
nounce that you are running for
president.”
“Yes, that is precisely what I’m
going to do.”
“Then don’t you think a dress
shirt and a tie and a suit would be
more appropriate? Something more
formal, but quietly understated?”
“Ah, but that just proves that you
know nothing about fooling some of
the people all of the time, all of die
people some of the time, and if I am
lucky, 51 percent of the people
when it counts.”
“You’ll do all that by wearing a
plaid flannel shirt?”
“Sure. You see, this shirt will let
the folks out there in TV land know
that I am really a regular Joe, sort
of a plain, everyday neighborly guy
like they are.”
“But you are not. You were once
president of a big university. And
the governor of a state.”
“Yeah, but this working stiff
shirt will let them know that I’m
not one of those evil and slick
Washington Beltway insider who
has caused all the misery and grief
in their tormented lives; that the
absence of a dark, single-breasted
suit and a red power tie means that
I’m just a grass-roots kind of guy
you’d ask to help tune your snow
blower or jump-start your car."
“But you went to Washington
and served in the Cabinet of
President Bush. You can’t get any
more inside Washington than being
a Cabinet member.”
“Mebbe so, mebbe so, but this
common flannel shirt — the kind
that a decent non-union carpenter
would wear — tells ordinary folks
that I know what it’s like to skimp
and save and keep the wolves from
the door while those Beltway
insiders grab your hard-earned
cookie-jar money and give it away
to eveiy loafing, malingering, baby
spawning deadbeat who can’t roll
out of bed in the morning and do an
honest day’s work.”
“But people know that through
some very clever, questionable
investments — and knowing the
right people — you have turned
yourself into a millionaire. Why,
you could stop working today and
lead a very comfortable life, and
you aren’t even a major-league
baseball player.”
“Hush up. If those other candi
dates want to wear suits and ties
and flaunt their insidemess, let
them. Me, I’m just good old Joe.”
“But your name is Lamar.”
“Yean, and I guess it’s too late
to get people calling me plain Lum.
Say, how does this stalk of com silk
in the teeth look to you?”
“It might be a bit much. Maybe
you should save it for New Hamp
shire.”
“Good idea. And I got to
remember to get to New Hampshire
before the snows fall.”
“Why?”
“So’s I can campaign in my bare
feet.”
© 1995 Tribune Media Services, lac.
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