wednesday, may 12, 2004
news
the university daily kansan 3A
KU Greens to emphasize individualism, impartiality
By Patrick Cady pcady@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Despite not having elected executive officers, the KU Green Party is eager to get started next semester.
If the members have their way, it will be a different type of campus political party next fall.
pasponi As the KU Young Democrats and the KU College Republicans scramble to support their candidates in the national and local elections, the KU Greens will remain impartial but active.
"By being impartial I think it gives us more credibility," said Sara Zafar, Wichita junior and co-coordinator of the group.
Zafar said the party chose to be neutral because there was no clear candidate for the Green Party.
The party stays this way despite former Green Party presidential nominee and current Independent Ralph Nader's bid for the presidency.
Dave Best, co-coordinator of the KU Green Party and Dallas senior, said that the party would be open to individual beliefs.
be open to individuals that "It'll be each person making their own decisions," Best said. "We aren't going to be about this guy or that guy."
The members of the party will continue their support of issues like anti-sweatshop legislation, free trade coffee and the living wage. Zafar said.
wage. "As far as projects we've talked about, it's going to be pretty intensive," Zafar said.
They will be on campus, along with the other political groups to help gain new voters.
"I think the little things like getting people registered to vote, and to actually vote is important no matter what," said Amanda Harrison, Lawrence senior and member of the group.
member of the group. The group will also help environmental causes on campus working with the KU Environs and keeping up with their group's goals of ecological wisdom that holds that humans are part of nature, Zafar said.
The Greens plan to continue their goals through the use of local activism and reaching out to motivate new students, Best said.
The members will try to promote a simple message:
"Just don't sit at home." Best said. "Go out and do something."
Edited by Paul Kramer
She loves me...
Matt Mitchell, Leavenworth sophomore, and Blakely Henshaw, West Point, N.Y., sophomore, picked wild flowers yesterday afternoon at Clinton Lake. Henshaw picked flowers for his girlfriend, Michelle Grittmann, Leavenworth sophomore, because it was her birthday yesterday and he wanted to make it special.
KU student gives Kerry maximum campaign contribution
New Web site makes campaign donations public
By Steve Vockrodt
svockrodt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
- If you're looking to make a contribution to any of the presidential candidates for the 2004 election, don't expect that other people won't find out about it.
One such individual in Lawrence is Brian Docking, a Wichita law student who made a $2,000 donation to Democratic candidate John Kerry.
Anyone interested in seeing who else in Lawrence made similar donations can go to a new Web site, www.fundrace.org, that tracks all reported contributions more than $200.
Users can type in an address or zip code to find all nearby contributions.
Docking didn't know his contribution would end up on the Internet, but didn't have a problem with it.
"It's important for people to know who is contributing to their campaign, and it says something about a candidate about who they take donations from," Docking said.
Docking made the contribution to Kerry for the primaries. His support for the U.S. senator from Massachusetts stems from his personal connection with Kerry. Docking met Kerry, a family friend, in 1998.
The meeting and his ideas were enough to get Docking to make the maximum donation from one person allowable under campaign finance laws.
Kelly Huff, spokeswoman for
"I can understand how people would have a problem with it. But we're dealing with a very public process. The more information you can find, the more informed voters are."
Brian Docking
Wichita law student who made the maximum $2,000 donation to John Kerry
the Federal Election Commission in Washington, D.C., said any donation made in a federal election of more than $200 in a calendar year must be reported, along with the contributor's occupation.
tions, which is most candidates must register any donations they accept.
pation.
All candidates making more than $5,000 in total contribu-
accept. The donations are limited per election, meaning that an individual can make contributions in primary, general and run-off elections.
An individual therefore could potentially donate up to $6,000.
Huff said that contributions have been made public since the Federal Election Commission was formed in the late 1970s.
Docking said the potential privacy issues didn't apply to him.
"I can understand how people would have a problem with it," Docking said. "But we're dealing with a very public process. The more information you can find, the more informed voters are."
Docking's contribution as a student is a rare occurrence.
The Web site said that Docking was the only KU student living in the Lawrence area to make a $2,000 contribution to date.
campaign.
Susan Kemper, distinguished professor of psychology, sent $500 Howard Dean's way, while Alice Lieberman, associate professor of social welfare, donated $400 to Wesley Clark.
A few faculty members have made contributions to various candidates. Allan Pasco, professor of French and Italian, donated $275 to George Bush's campaign.
The Young Democrats as a group had not thought of making a contribution to the presidential race.
"Ever since I've been involved, we've never made a contribution," said Tom Keating, former
president of the KU Young Democrats.
Candidates have visited and asked for contributions, but the group doesn't actively raise contributions.
Keating, Hays junior, said he was impressed that a student would step forward and make a donation.
"I think it says a lot about students at KU in how involved they are in current events and politics." Keating said.
Contributors can make their payments on the Internet on individual party Web sites.
Kerry's campaign will need more donors like Docking if he is going to catch up with the Bush campaign.
campaign.
His campaign funds sit at just over $80 million, while Bush has generated over $180 million.
Edited by Meghan Brune
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