Students have chance to ask former governor and EPA administrator some tough questions
By: Molly Petrilla
West Windsor-Plainsboro students had the chance to ask the former governor of New Jersey some tough questions Thursday morning when she visited High School South.
Christine Todd Whitman who served as governor from 1993 to 2001 and headed the federal Environmental Protection Agency from 2001 to 2003 answered multiple questions, many of which centered on legislation currently under consideration at the state level.
One student asserted that the problems with New Jersey’s pension system started during Ms. Whitman’s time in office, and asked what she thought of the current situation.
Ms. Whitman became slightly defensive, saying, "I haven’t done a budget since 2000. It’s very convenient to blame me for things (but they’ve) had six years to make it right. It’s getting old."
Though several students and one faculty member asked for her views on the pending legislation which would lower property taxes but could reduce public school funding Ms. Whitman said she hadn’t done enough reading on the bills to comment.
She did, however, say she is a strong proponent of regionalization an approach of combining small school districts to decrease taxes.
"I believe in regionalization. I believe in consolidation," she said. "(But) I don’t believe the state should come in and impose it top-down."
Students were also interested in the former governor’s views on the current political climate in Washington.
Specifically, one student asked Ms. Whitman what she thought of the polarization that has occurred in Congress.
The problem, the former governor said, is that politicians are targeting their bases at either end of the political spectrum rather than courting the nation’s large number of moderates.
"If I can do a better job getting my base out than you do getting your base out, I win," she explained, adding that focusing on political extremes lets politicians avoid talking about "the real issues."
Ms. Whitman said she addressed some of this problem in her book, "It’s My Party, Too."
"Republicans or Democrats, we ought to be concerned when the extremes control the dialogue," she said. "You can disagree without being disagreeable."
According to Ms. Whitman, members of Congress used to "argue passionately" on the floor and then go out for a drink afterward, but now there are many members who will not speak to each other or even attend dinners to which representatives of another party have been invited.
She said this polarization may play a big part in the 2008 presidential race, with more moderate Republican candidates such as John McCain and Rudy Giuliani unlikely to receive the nomination because, in her words, "they’re not mindless enough for the party."
Toward the end of the hour-long session, Ms. Whitman recommended that students check out "Unity 2008" an Internet-based movement aimed at offering Americans the option of voting for the first-ever bipartisan ticket in the upcoming election.
She said she strongly supports its mission, adding that Americans must stop basing their votes on a person’s party and, rather, examine the candidates’ qualifications.
"We’ve moved to more of a parliamentary system," she said. "I want to see us change."

