PSST…We’re Screwed
The outcome of the ASUO elections this year is, really, quite unfortunate. While I’m not exactly surprised that Adrian did not make the run off, I am saddened and disappointed. This year’s Executive and E-board did everything in their power to assure that only ASUO insiders and cronies would turn up for the election. How else can one explain the overwhelming victory of Maddy’s hideous demon-baby, the PSST bloc? Did anyone else notice that the E-board did nothing to publicize the elections after the first day? The candidates were pretty annoying, but the E-board could have at least put up a banner accross 13th or something. Further, it’s quite ethically unsound for the Executive to first appoint the Elections Board, and then work on a campaign. ME doesn’t understand propriety, it seems.
Worse, they know the turnout in the General Election will be lower, and seem poised to do absolutely nothing about it (From the ODE story above):
Elections Publicity Coordinator Nathan Strauss said voter turnout for the general election, which begins Friday at 9 a.m. and ends Monday at 5 p.m., tends to be lower because many students don’t realize there is a second election, and because there are fewer candidates and less campaigning.
With an attitude like that, the general student body gets pretty screwed. In light of the choices before us, however, I would like to take this opportunity to make the official OC General Election Endorsement for 1) Ben and Diana for Executive, as they seem much more capable, honest, and willing to work with folks than Adam and Mena. 2) Anyone running against any of the PSST candidates in the general election or in the retake of the elections for seats 10, 12 and 14. There is hope yet, we’ve just got to make sure that PSST doesn’t have a pure majority on senate, otherwise the fee is going to go up to, I’d wager, well over $200 a term.
Speaking of the fee, I would like to offer a word of support to the ASUO Senate for deciding, rightly, to use part of this year’s over-realized fund to buy down next year’s fee. By taking $200,000 of the over-realized and buying down the fee, the Senate has taken at least one small step toward keeping fees from climbing. I fear that next year, we’ll have no such luck. Good work, ladies and gentlemen. It might only mean $5 to any individual student, but the principle is important.
