Specter, Rendell talk politics at campus forum

Only half of the available seats were filled at The Red & Blue Society's political symposium in Houston Hall yesterday. But this did not dampen the convictions of the four attending panelists. U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, Mayor Edward Rendell, Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Fumo and City Councilman Joseph Vignola -- all former University graduates -- each outlined their personal visions of the afternoon's key question:"Why Go into Government?" Associate Professor of Regional Science Stephen Gale moderated the discussion, which drew an audience of about 150 students. "Today we have one of the most remarkable occasions at the University," he said. "And considering finals, [we have] a turnout which is second to none." Gale then reiterated the discussion's central focus -- namely why each of the panelists chose to make public life their profession. Fumo said the most important attribute of a government official is a willingness to get things done, citing his own office's motto, "WGST -- We Get Shit Done." "It takes a lot of guts to stand up and do the right thing," he said. "Fewer and fewer people are willing to take those courageous positions." Rendell agreed that politicians must be willing to protect themselves from the media and take a strong stand on the issues, urging interested students to vote and strengthen their communication skills. "The best thing a politician can do to try to control their own destiny is to do their jobs and try to make decisions that are goal-oriented," he said. "And they need to do what's best for the people -- and then try to fight back." Specter, who recently announced he is considering running for president in 1996, said he wanted students to understand that every one of them could make an impact. "My participation in government originated in a number of different ways," he said. "One was, while an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, I attended a forum one day at Houston Hall on the topic of 'Why Go into Government' -- and I've [done] that. "The basic point is that there's a tremendous impact on the lives of everyone in this country if you're in governments," Specter added. Vignola, the self-proclaimed "cleanup batter," echoed the points of his fellow panelists, stating his belief that one person can make a significant difference. "In government, you have to be able to make a difference and you have to want to make a difference," he said. "So we've all learned that the way to have people respect you?is to discuss the issues." The speeches were followed by a period of questions and answers from the audience.