4
opinion
May 05, 2010
ARBITERONLINE.COM
ASBSU winners led positive campaigns Steven Mercado Guest Opinion
I’m responding to the recent article “ASBSU campaigning an embarrassment”
(Issue 58, volume 22, Opinion section). This was truly an historic election, regardless of the ups and downs. I agree that a lot of the campaigning from some was very
inappropriate. Did all the students running for ASBSU participate in negative campaigning in this past cycle? Absolutely not. Were all of us bribing people for votes?
No way. With that said, that’s what complaint forms are for. If this was an issue to anyone, please don’t wait next time after the election is over to voice your opinion. Stop it
dead in its tracks if you care that much about this process and follow up on it. I know I will do whatever I can to reshape election code for stricter penalties to prevent this from happening again. I can proudly say that everyone that ended up getting elected did not participate in negative campaigning. We truly have an amazing team for ASBSU and the students. I supported everyone that ended up getting elected towards the end, right along with some that didn’t end up in the re-vote (Lindsey and Lizzy) who didn’t participate in negative campaigning either. I felt this article was overgeneralizing all elections, just focusing on the negative few as the whole, and didn’t tell the whole story of this very different recent election. I’m glad that the sexually suggestive comments were pointed out and any other strategies within negative chalking, but with anyone that participated in this, they shouldn’t shape the students that did get elected into ASBSU respectfully with integrity and that didn’t participate in these actions, nor disillusion anyone from participating in the next election. As for empty campaign promises, using slogans, and not knowing what we represent, I will say this. The election board did a great job at having our platforms available online and next to the
paper ballot voting booth so that you can tell who was promising what, and so you can personally do the research to see if any of the things talked about were possible or not. Speaking for myself, I’ve never promised anyone I could lower tuition. I didn’t hear that from all the candidates I supported in this recent election either. We understand that this is an empty promise if told (lobbying for this cause is a different story though). Regardless of the miscommunication between ASBSU and the Arbiter, the fact that every year panels are held to hear from the candidates so that you can truly know who you are voting for has not changed. Not much coverage was given this year towards these discussion/ debate panels in the Arbiter where students could have really known who they were voting for and who was really just all talk. I’m writing this to make clear though that instead of just laying blame on anyone or just over-generalizing, I would rather come up with solutions going forward. I’m happy to announce that we are in the process of making sure we have five times better accountability and transparency towards ASBSU and future elections. More info will be available very soon. Thank you. Steven Mercado is an ASBSU senator.
Recession [Opinion page 3] choice, as it is less painful, but that can only continue for so long until the inevitable second action has to be taken. During the boom phase, resources were used and people were hired that would have been more productively used and employed elsewhere. The recession, though painful, is the necessary process of shift-
ing those resources to where they will be more productively used. Stimulus packages and trying to increase credit through artificial means only hinder this process. Several economists have said that the government must do something about the problem. I recommend that it does nothing, except get out of the way.
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