The other week was the election for our student government. As a big nerd, I am involved in student government so I pay attention to these types of things. After the regular election for president, we have a runoff if no one candidate can get 40% of the vote. I made this post on who I am supporting in the runoff and why on a website www.nakedvoting.com devoted to our student government's elections (I'm not the only nerd at my school). Here is the post and the link to it
"Coming into this election, I thought I knew who I was going to vote for for president. I had worked with one of the candidates before and I found him to be someone who was a good person and cared about the students of AU. He had my vote in the bag.
"Unfortunately, as the campaign progressed, his campaign kept doing things that left a bad taste in my mouth. He kept coming out with statements that seemed like pandering. He would bash the administration in order to get votes without examining the issue and not realizing that if he was elected, he would have to work with them. His statements trashing of the administration could severly handicap him when he actually had to sit down with them and advocate for the students. He was quick to blame Ben Ladner [our University's President] for anything and everything, even if he had little actual influence over the decision.
"He also sought to take political advantage of the elimination of the tennis and golf teams. While I do strongly believe that all of the presidential candidates should follow Polson's [our current student government president] lead and fight for a student voice on the issue, he was trying to use it for political gain. This is a big issue and should not be used to play political games.
"The final straw for me was at the GA [our student legislative body of which I am a part] meeting on Sunday. During the discussion of tennis and golf, everyone was allow to go around and say their piece, which he did. But as the Speaker called for the Assembly to stand at ease to allow the tennis and golf teams and their supporters to leave, he insisted on standing up to showboat. He went on a tirade against Ladner in which he insisted on marching down to the President's office from which he would not leave until he "got an audience" with Ladner. Never mind the fact that it was Sunday and Ladner was not in his office and would not be until at least until monday. That didn't matter. He saw potential voters and said what they wanted to hear even though it was just talk. I do not know if he ever even went down to Ladner's office (I had to stay at the meeting). But it wasn't even about that, it was about showing off and talking big even though it meant nothing.
"I have no doubt in my mind that this candidate is a good person at heart. But his willingness to pander and listen to political handlers, even though it may hurt his administration, makes me question what kind of president he would be.
"In the regular election, I voted for James Gardner. In the runoff, I will be supporting Kyle Taylor and I encourage you to do the same."
Our student paper did not mention any of the showboating in their next issue (Mon), though they reported extensively on the GA meeting and the tennis and golf team elimination. I made that post the day after the Monday issue came out, and in the next issue (Thursday), they made the following endorsement on their editorial page
"In last week's Student Government presidential election, Joe Gallina and Kyle Taylor both won about 30 percent of the vote, necessitating a run-off election between the two for Thursday. Though our endorsed candidate, James Gardner, did not earn enough votes to be part of the run-off, we will follow Gardner's lead and pass on our endorsement to Taylor in the run-off.
"As noted in our Feb. 24 endorsement editorial, Taylor very nearly won our endorsement outright. As we said then, we feel Taylor is enthusiastic and organized, and has done a stellar job in his previous Student Confederation roles of vice president and Eagle Nights director. Taylor has great ideas on improving basic campus services. He is capable and well-prepared to be SG president.
"Though Gallina has a strong personality and a willingness to fight for students, we fear he may be too antagonistic and confrontational toward AU administration to be productive. Just as important, we feel Gallina does not have nearly as clear a plan for the office as Taylor does.
" Gallina has been running posters referencing AU's decision to cut the tennis and golf programs, with an implication that he could or will do something about it. This ad campaign seems almost exploitative of current campus sentiment against the cuts. Even if he were SG president when the decision came down, there's precious little he could have actually done about the cuts. At Sunday's General Assembly meeting, Gallina's grandstanding about marching to President Benjamin Ladner's office came across as the political rhetoric devoid of any real answers. (Ladner in office on a Sunday? Please.)
"Students must remember that even if they voted in this past week's elections, their votes for president won't count in the run-off. Both candidates start with zero votes. Regardless of whom you supported in last week's election, or even if you didn't vote, Thursday's election is a chance to use your voice on how you want to be represented. Voting runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday in Mary Graydon Center 120."
When I read that I started cracking up. I wonder if they read the message boards on the election. I just wish they would have cited me. :-p Either way my candidate won handily.
Ok, I will stop slacking.
-Jesse