Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!
“Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!”
A crowd of UD students chanted as Jerry Springer walked through the Art Street Cafe doors. The University of Dayton College Democrats arranged for Springer to speak to students about current political issues and the presidential race.
Aside from hosting the popular “The Jerry Springer Show,” Springer used to be involved in the Cincinnati City Council, including holding office as the mayor 1977-1978.
During the Art Street event, Springer discussed his views as a democrat and why he believes that most people should identify as democrats.
Springer opened by saying, “The reason we’re democrats is just remembering what your mother told you when you were in third grade— you share, you’re not mean to people, you don’t hurt other people, you be a nice person. And it seems to me if we use that on every major issue that comes up, you would wind up being a democrat.”
Springer explained that we, as Americans, have a moral responsibility to say “thank you” to our society, which we do by giving back.
One way to give back is to ensure everyone has health insurance and to increase the minimum wage.
The gap between the top 1 percent and everyone else has never been greater, said Springer, and he believes we need to start focusing on fixing that.
“It doesn’t mean that we win every single election or every single battle in the moment, but the arc of history is such that without exception, in America, liberals ultimately win,” Springer added. “If you think of every major thing that you are proud of as an American today that is now mainstream, it started out with conservatives fighting it, liberals ultimately winning and now it becomes mainstream.”
Springer said many of today’s mainstream events is in part due to conservatives pushing against it, but liberals eventually succeed in taking initiative and “winning.”
He offered examples of slavery, discrimination, Medicaid and others to support this theory. He said deep down we are all decent people and would help our neighbors in a time of need, but as soon as republicans get into the voting booth, they vote against policies that would help lower-income families.
Springer noted that the best job he ever had in his life was being the mayor of Cincinnati. He explained that what he did as mayor was important; whereas, what he does now as the host of the “Jerry Springer Show” is fun.
Springer believes that next to being president, the best political profession is mayor.
In response to a student asking him for any advice that he could give to current students, Springer extended the same guidance to the crowd as he told his own daughter: “Be really good at whatever you’re doing, whatever your job is right now, and I promise someone will notice.”