I would like to thank all the students at Sacramento State for supplying me with cocktails, dancing and free food for my night out tomorrow. But don?t worry too much; I believe I?ll be paying for the cocktails. You?ll be picking up the rest of the tab. Wham, bam, thank you, students. The event is an invite-only Associated Students, Inc. banquet at the Capital Plaza Hotel. The semi-formal ball will allow a small number of students involved in ASI and other campus groups, including The State Hornet, to gather for what I have heard has been a night of quasi-debauchery in past years.

Before maligning ASI for the exclusive event, I should come clean by exploring the depths of my own hypocrisy. I?m going. Rest assured, it will be with a twinge of guilt that I walk into the belly of the man, drink his wine and dine on his free meals. Unfortunately, I have two very poor reasons for not declining the invitation, one of which is somewhat deep seeded. I missed my prom in high school, and deep down I thought this may compensate. Second, I already reserved a seat with a guest. Politically, the banquet is a microcosm of everything that?s wrong with politics in America. Such exclusive events isolate our representatives from the very populace they intend to serve. As a result, the wrong interests become prominent in their careers. Hopefully, this banquet isn?t a steppingstone to the absurd governor?s parties or election fundraisers that mar democracy nation-wide.

For an example, look no further than an ABC report outlining who had the ear of then presidential candidate George W. Bush at a fundraiser: “The guest list read like a corporate who?s-who, including UPS, AT&T, Philip Morris, U.S. West, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The National Rifle Association is such a big Republican benefactor that its executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, is one of the official co-chairmen of the dinner.” The struggling masses, or their grassroots representation, were nowhere to be found ? and surprise, they are largely neglected by the Bush government.

By no coincidence, fat cats in the military industrial complex benefit from a multi-billion dollar pie-in-the-sky missile defense program, the top .9 percent of tax payers got 39.2 percent of the Bush tax cut, while public schools in poor neighborhoods remain substandard and 42 million people lack health coverage. To use a local example, Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo wants to build a $300 million downtown arena sure to line the deep pockets of the Kings owners?the prominent Maloof billionaires?as local homeless shelters turn away families.

In sum, the actions of politicians often reflect the people they make contact with. These tend to be the so-called creme de la creme of their constituents. As a result, we find legislation that doesn?t have a damn thing to do with the people.

Unfortunately, ASI is not unique. Though most of the representatives of the Board of Directors show a genuine desire to improve campus life, there is a rift between them and the average student voter. For example, the recent “Spirit Referendum” would have asked students to fork over $300,000, or about $5 per student, for the marching ban, cheerleading squad and dance team. The measure passed through the Board with just one dissenting vote after dozens of cheerleaders and band members showed at the meeting to support it. Thankfully, voters blew the measure away, giving it just 38 percent of the popular vote. The result was predictable, since a huge amount of extra spirit funding does nothing for the majority of students who don?t attend sporting events. And so it goes.

If it?s any consolation, my upcoming sell-out may be impeded by the inevitable cold shoulders I?ll receive as a result of this column. To ensure this, I offer the final advise to ASI: Open all exclusive events to students. This includes retreats, closed meetings and banquets paid for by the $107 per student that goes to student government. ASI should be a learning experience for its officers. Let?s stop teaching business as usual. But thanks for the invite.

Should Josh Leon go to the banquet? E-mail him at [email protected].

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