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Show AggieLife Thursday Nov. 15, 2012 Page 5 Political scene welcomes all voices BY STEVE KENT editor in chief With the conclusion of the 2012 presidential campaign earlier this month, millions of Americans hit the four-year snooze button and resumed a long political nap. Even though it's easy to feel burned-out after a year of debates and campaign ads, now may be a good time to make a difference, according to people in the local political scene. "It's important for college students to be politically involved, because politics is going to happen whether or not they get involved, and it's going to shape their lives whether or not they get involved," said Briana Bowen, a junior majoring in political science and president of the College Democrats USU Chapter. Bowen said even though the elections are over, now is an ideal time for citizens to get involved in politics. Between elections, politicians can do what they were chosen to do — create policy that will shape the lives of students and citizens. "We're in that sweet spot right now where we've got a new Congress that's going to makers on a variety of levels, from the federal government to city and university governments. The national level THERE ARE MANY WAYS students can get involved in politics. Politicians often respond to letters and personal visits. JESSICA FIFE photo illustration be sworn in in January and a president reinstated, and they will have a couple of years before the really intense campaigning before the next major election cycle comes around," Bowen said. Josh Light, CEO of the Logan-based website politicit. corn, said social media is a good way to bring up important issues. "Voicing your concerns is important," Light said. "A lot of politicians that are currently elected will look to the Internet to find out how people feel about what they're doing." Light said the online cornmunity's response to the Stop Online Piracy Act in early 2012 stopped the bill from passing. Beside online involvement, students can influence government officials and law- In the national arena, issues such as the budget crisis, military activity overseas and energy policy raise debate on all sides. Bowen said one of the best ways to speak out on a topic is to write a letter to senators and representatives. "People say, 'Our congressman isn't going to care about the couple of letters that he gets,"' Bowen said. "But few enough constituents actually bother to write letters in about issues that they care about that it really does make a difference. If you get seven or eight well-crafted letters going to a congressman about an issue students feel strongly about, they have to stop and say, 'Wait a second — this is something that really matters to a member of my constituency.'" The state level Ben Wilson, ASUSU executive vice president, said many students don't realize how ►See POLITICS Page 6 GRATUITY: Servers depend on tips from customers ► From page 4 of the table." Quigley said the minimum wage for the majority of servers is $2.25 per hour, creating biweekly paychecks which barely cover the cost of taxes. Quigley said for this reason, servers rely heavily on their tips for income. "You'll get a paycheck and you'll have worked sixty hours, but your paycheck will be 15 to 20 dollars," he said. "All of that goes to cover the taxes on the tips that you've made as well. You really don't get paid to be an employee of a restaurant. They essentially cover the taxes for you. We rely on our tips. We rely on them a lot. That is the only source of cash inflow that we have, unless $15 to $20 dollars is pretty significant. That's half my grocery bill at Walmart every week." Leaving no gratuity can lead to a significant loss in wages and can cost a server important time to recover, according to Quigley. "It kind of puts a damper on your day," he said. "It's always frustrating and kind of throws you off of your game. I feel that I after I have gotten stiffed, I don't present myself as well at my other tables. It influences your other tables as well. It kind of hits you in a lot more ways that just missing a tip on one table." Quigley said servers are doing the best they can and asked students eating out to do the same for their servers. "Servers are doing everything they can," he said. "Please take care of us the same way we try and take care of you." Camille Smart, a junior majoring in pre physical therapy, said from a waitresses perspective, if a student has enough money to go out to eat, they should also be able to leave an appropriate tip. "If you're willing to go out to eat and have people wait on you, I feel like you should have enough money that you can leave a good tip for the person that's doing everything for you," Smart said. "Be aware of the low wage and just try and leave betters tips. Us poor people are trying to work." – calewp@gmail.com BRIAN REGAN LIVE IN CONCERT ELLEN ECCLES THEATRE 'ovvc 1/29, 11/31:16 & 12/01, HU 7:30 FRIi:30 & 10-t• TrcKETS412, ON SALE: !re NEW C ALL BY PLEICSFILF Fi.F3C; AN OUT NOW TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE ELLEN ECCLES THEATRE BOX OFFICE, CHARGE BY PHONE AT 435.752.0026 AND ONLINE AT CENTERFORTHEARTS.US BRIANREGAN.com UNITED CONCERTS |