Ourview

By:

Shandra Jordan

Colleen Buhrer

Willow Welter

It’s important to recognize when anybody does the right thing,

especially when it’s difficult for them. Republican Sen. Lewis Entz

was the lone Republican to vote against a bill banning the use of

racial preferences in college admissions that was defeated strictly

along party lines. He went against his party because he said that

is how his constituents would have liked him to vote.

“I feel like I need a bulletproof jacket,” Entz told the Denver

Post after the vote.

Certainly, there are times when our representatives vote against

the views of their constituents, and they may do that for

legitimate reasons. Maybe they feel they have information that

constituents don’t know and would need to make an educated

decision. Certainly, this is why we elect representatives rather

than voting on every decision the country needs to make.

Other times, however, representatives may give into the pressure

to vote with the party’s views. This can cause problems,

however.

Entz’s district includes a large population of Hispanics who he

felt would be opposed to the bill. Because of this, Entz resisted

the temptation to ignore his constituents, which would have been

more convenient, and for that he deserves kudos.

Politics can have a lot of pressure attached to them, and it is

refreshing to see a representative doing what he should be doing:

representing his constituency. Let’s hope more of our elected

officials follow his lead.