Indiana has had a bad few months. Its image has taken a hit so bad Gov. Mike Pence has spent $2 million on an outside PR firm to restore our public appearance. Many will ask why this has happened, but I have one simple explanation: Pence doesn’t ?represent our interests.
Between the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, new restrictions on the electoral process, a vicious attack on public education and a botched response to an HIV outbreak, the policies coming out of the Statehouse under Pence’s administration are moving us backward, ?not forward.
The most recent bad news coming for Indiana is its ranking as the state with the fourth-worst environment in the country as far as overall quality. This includes ranking 30th in the country in water quality and a dismal 48th in the country for air quality. Most telling, however, is Pence’s stance on environmental issues, which shows his true colors as a “leader” for our state.
Pence has vowed to fight Environmental Protection Agency regulations by “any means available,” and last year said he said he wanted to “leave the scientific debate to the future” when asked about climate change on “Meet ?the Press.”
This propensity to push major problems onto the next generation — oh, and don’t forget, that next generation is us — is not only bad for Indiana today but is costing us talent, economic development and progress for the ?future as well.
To put it more simply, Pence’s leadership is not worthy of the office he has.
Now, many Hoosiers — including myself — are outraged by much of what has happened at the Statehouse this past session. But unfortunately, given that Pence has super-majorities in both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly, our options to remedy the situation as citizens are limited until the next election.
What these few months have proven to us all, though, is that Indiana is in dire need of new leadership at all levels of government. Achieving that goal begins now. This year, we have municipal elections throughout the state, and I urge you register if you have not already, and vote to create more responsible city governments in Indiana.
The next step, however, is just as important. Not only do we need new leadership in the Statehouse, but we need a new generation of leadership representing us. We need a new generation willing to stop denying science, start supporting public education and implement policies that make Indiana work for everyone rather than the reactionary, politically motivated policies Pence endorses. Politics is important, but it is not leadership. It is time for college students to reclaim our voices on the issues that affect us today and in the future.
Doing this isn’t easy, though. It requires getting informed, organized and committed action. But when we do it, we can be a powerful voice for change. I hope you join me.
thompjak@indiana.edu
