What is it about Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert that we all seem to love so much? Is it the fact that they seem to be the only ones who actually share our viewpoints? Is it the fact that they are hilarious? Is it the fact that sometimes when I look into Jon’s eyes on television, I feel like we could run away together and live happily ever after?

No matter the reason, this school and this student body loves these men so much that they are willing to spend a huge amount of money so that 165 students can go and see them at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington D.C. Treasury has agreed to set aside $12,000 for buses, parking fees, gas and overtime for the drivers, just to get there and back. Students must pay a $35 fee to ride the bus.

This rally does promise to hold a great deal of intrigue and fun, and I certainly wish I had the time (or, for that matter, the energy to sit on a bus for 15 hours) to actually attend. But Treasury should not be spending its budget, our tuition dollars, on buses so that what amounts to less than 2 percent of the student body can actually attend the rally. With that kind of cash, SU could have gotten a speaker on campus that at least everyone would have had access to, not just the Jon Stewart fans lucky enough to get a seat.

Of course if students really want to attend the rally, they can try to get there themselves, but how many of us in this illustrious institution really have the time to drive 15 hours each way? There is almost nothing to be gained from going there in person, short of being able to say you actually attended.

Why then did Treasury approve this gross misappropriation of funds? Is it so that the school can seem more bipartisan? I guess this is a worthy goal, especially considering the fact that we have to seem centrist to attract the Presidential debates every four years. But what about this rally is actually centrist? I mean, it might be about restoring sanity in the political spectrum, but the people running it are as liberal as I am (and that is saying something). Would the Treasury have approved this kind of cash for students to attend Glenn Beck’s rally to restore America’s honor? (The answer is likely no, because I doubt the people on the Treasury board are conservative.)

Some members of the Treasury stated that they believe this money will help students who aren’t involved on campus to participate in a national event. But why not spend money to encourage students who aren’t involved on campus (and here is the novel idea) to get involved on campus?

Maybe if it cost less or allowed more than 165 people to go, I would be more inclined to see this funding decision as a good idea. But paying for select students to attend this rally will do absolutely nothing to bring us together as a campus and will only give those who are willing and able to spend their time and money a story that they can gloat about to their peers.

At the same time that they decided to spend $12,000 for the rally, Treasury voted against funding for Dance Marathon T-shirts, something they have traditionally granted in the past.

Next time, Treasury should think about trying to do something for the campus, or at least the majority of the student body. Rather than approve a huge sum of cash that is going to be burned on gasoline and parking, maybe Treasury should try to bring events to campus, rather than bring campus to the events.