Thank you…. and welcome to the President’s Colloquium.
This timely presentation that looks at Michigan’s role in presidential elections offers an example of the connection between the intellectual and analytical assets of our university, and an informed citizenry.
It’s a prime example of our civic engagement.
Our two presenters, Professor Dave Dulio and John Kleminski, have distinguished themselves as political scientists who offer incisive, and readily understandable analysis of the components of political campaigns.
And unless you’ve spent the last week on another planet, you probably know that we’re in the season of political campaigning with the election only 12 days away.
Dave and John’s analyses are critical to understanding our obligation in the upcoming election, how Michigan was pivotal in the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, and how our state will play a vital role in the upcoming election.
Since 1980, political scientists from around the country have studied the attitudes and voting trends of Macomb county, often citing the political landscape of that county as a bellwether for national political trends.
It’s nothing new to Dave and John
Their work reflects a deep, intuitive understanding of the issues in our region that are driving our broader national discourse…
…issues such as globalism, the widening income gap, the need for more affordable health care, the future of Social Security, and the state of race relations, to name a few.
As a public university, Oakland does not take positions on candidates or issues. But we can take a position on one subject -- voting.
Your vote matters.
Exercising your right to vote reflects your engagement in the direction of our government.
If you are a woman, African American or others who once were denied access to the ballot box, your right to vote has been made possible by the struggles of generations who came before you. And, you … like me… owe past generations our gratitude… and the best way to express that gratitude is – you guessed it – to VOTE.
We are all familiar with the quote popularly attributed to Thomas Jefferson, who said: “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”
Education and voting must go hand in hand because education and freedom are two sides of the same coin.
We are in the age of unvetted information, gossip and innuendo spread on the internet along with the proliferation of conspiracy theories. Education and lucid, reliable political analysis are needed now more than ever.
And that’s what professors Dulio and Kleminski bring to the table.
At Oakland University, Dave and John are educating scholars and future professionals… and having a major impact in helping to build an active and engaged citizenry that participates in local, national and global issues.
Thank you, Dave and John, for all your work, and for demonstrating such a great commitment to elevating the quality of public discourse, civic engagement, and helping us understand elective politics at a deeper level.
And, of course, thank you for doing such a great job of representing Oakland University.