Political Pedagogy VETERAN LOWELL WEICKER TEACHES THAT ACTIVISM IS A GOOD THING. by White Breadness photo by Brett Lider The track record of mixing politics and academics has been particularly sullied of late by the ethics charges against Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, whose class at a Georgia college was the subject of a Congressional Ethics investigation almost costing him the speaker's chair. U.Va., however, has been blessed this semester by the return of one of its alumni to show today's aspiring politicians what modern politics is all about. Lowell P. Weicker, graduate of Yale University and Virginia Law, was a United States Congressman and Senator from Connecticut. He first gained national recognition for berating members of his own Republican party while serving on the Congressional investigation of Watergate. After losing his seat in 1988, he successfully ran for Governor of Connecticut as an independent. He has been the recipient of the Wayne Morse Political Integrity Award (1988) and the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award (1992). In past years his name was whispered by pundits as a possible Republican presidential candidate, an Independent presidential candidate, and finally as a Vice-Presidential candidate to run on the People's Party ticket with former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm. He currently resides in Alexandria,Va. and teaches two classes here at U.Va.: a Constitutional Law class at the Law School and a University Seminar called, "Politics: a High or Low Calling." Weicker's class is designed to encourage students that they can make a career in government and still hold on to their integrity. "The role of the undergraduate class is to encourage young people to go into public service. Between my generation -- the parents and the press -- we have discouraged young America from putting its neck on the line for its government. And the only way that I know of combatting that is to recount my life's experience. And that's something I wouldn't trade for all the tea in China. This class is about what government is about and what government should be about. The students take on the issues themselves, and they find out they can handle it. I hope I'll get as much out of the class as they do." Sonia Chang, a first year in the class, finds Weicker's anecdotal approach more refreshing than some of the more academic government professors. Chang says, "I took an International Relations class last semester, but it's great to hear similar things from some one who is straight out of politics." While Chang found some of the other teachers at U.Va. irrelevant in comparison, Weicker praised Larry Sabato's role as a well-known commentator: "I think he's very good. I'd rather have people come to Sabato than to go to someone who knows nothing. He knows his stuff ... It's hard to hear people who don't know anything about [a life in government] criticize." Weicker acknowledges that there is often much to criticize, "I never try to put politicians in the category of angels or saints. We are all human." Another first year in the class, Mike Perez, says, "It is such a relief to hear someone who is so optimistic about our government and has practical experience. Most of what you hear in the news today about our government involves corruption and illegal lobbying ... Weicker believes that you can make a career of government and still keep your soul." Peres also affirmed that the class is very down to earth: "He admits that you have to start fundraising for the next election the day after you get elected, and that politics does mean compromise, but he has really encouraged me [to believe] that you can keep your integrity." Part of Weicker's vision for the nation involves a third party. Weicker's own "Connecticut Party" has all but evaporated since his decision not to run for a second term. He blames this on the political situation in Connecticut when he came to power: "I knew I was going to have to spend a lot of time compromising with Republicans and Democrats in Connecticut if I wanted to get anything done, so I didn't have time to party-build ... Despite this, I am as much committed to the idea of a national third party now as [I was] before." "What we have right now is a government which is basically neutered by the current two party system. Any time you have a monopoly in this country, it is going to produce bad things. In the economy it produces bad products and bad prices. In government it produces bad politicians and bad law." Weicker had mixed praise for Ross Perot's campaigns: "I admire him for bringing out the issues that the other parties didn't, like the economy in the first campaign and campaign fundraising in the second. But I think it is time for him to step aside and let some one run on his ticket." Weicker does not, however, favor campaign finance reform. "If you ask me if money is overwhelming the current politcal system, I will say yes. But to reform campaign finance is to pick around the edges of the problems with the current system. No one in the system is willing to change, and why should they? It goes against their own self-interest ... Personally, I don't think it's constitutional, and I think someone should try it on that basis." A major opponent of prayer in schools, Weicker has always had a reverential attitude for the founding fathers of the Constitution and their stance on the separation of church and state. He pointed out, "All you have to do is look at Bosnia and Northern Ireland -- and that's what happens when you mix religion and politics." In many articles over the years, he has pointed out that if the founding fathers had not acted against their own self interest, we would still live in a nation ruled by twenty tobacco planters and five New England merchants. "It's sad how few people nowadays you can find who are willing to act against their own self interest. That's what we need right now." Chang says that one of the best parts of the class is that Weicker teaches that everyone has an equal chance to participate in our government. The day of our interview with Weicker, the Law School had just unveiled new portraits of the original deans. There were all elderly white males, and many groups at the law school were upset. Weicker replied, "If they are historically accurate, then, hey ... If Thurgood Marshall had gone to Virginia instead of Howard, I am sure his portrait would be hanging on a number of walls around the Law School. He didn't. John Merchant, the first black male to attend Virginia Law, graduated with me. He was also a commissioner in my admisinstration as Governor. Minorities have come along way since Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, which is the subject of my law class. But they have to write their own history. And they will." Weicker's plans for the future are uncertain. His phone rang several times during the interview, with invitations to law forums and speaking engagements -- and the 2000 elections are only three years away. Regardless, the students in his class have all been thankful that a living, breathing politician was willing to take the time to encourage them to make sacrifices and "do the right thing."

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