If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
There are "Student Senate" elections going on here right now. So people are putting up posters and signs saying "vote for me!" Most of them don't even bother to say why my vote should go their direction, and that's okay, because I'm not going to vote anyway.
This Student Senate thing reminds of me years before in school where the kids would go up on stage and say things like "vote for me and I'll put Mountain Dew in the water fountains- forever!," or "vote for me and you won't have any homework- ever!" or "pass this bill and I'll update America's infrastructure, and get America back to work- with no negative consequences whatsoever, and guaranteed success!"
Wait a second- that last one was just me pretending to be President Obama.
Of course... the funniest thing about the overly ambitious, clearly ridiculous, and unobtainable goals is that it's the same thing every year. There's always the candidate making promises that really don't... you know, work in that whole "reality" thing. Which is always a disappointing technicality.
But when kids vote for the demagogue, it's cute. After all, the demagogue is just a cute little kid too! Or he could be the bully on your bus that won't let you play Mario on his Game Bo- never mind, excuse me.
When adults vote for the demagogue, it's just sad. It really is. The strange thing is that I want to believe that liberals believe what they say- if you follow me. I don't like to attempt to go inside of someone's mind and find out what they truly believe. I want to believe that Obama really feels this plan will work. But anyway, just because one person is being irrational doesn't mean the entire nation gets a "Get-Out-of-Tyranny-Free-Card".
I really, really believe that Americans will realize how much of a farce Obama's jobs speech was, and how fallacious the plan is. I hope that a lot of Americans that voted for Obama before will now have the same attitude towards 2012 that I have towards this "Student Senate" election- who cares?
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Sep '11
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
To an extent I agree, it's hard to see our demographic voting for anyone other than the demagogue. Here in Boulder though, bluest district in Colorado, we've actually secured a conservative majority in our student government.
They promptly cut thousands in funding for various student groups that really ought to have charged member fees or done their own fundraising. I believe student fees dropped 8% after historically far outpacing inflation and tuition increases. Case in point was a "diversity theater" troupe which put on plays addressing social stigmas, and not tube socks and sandals, you know the one's. I'm sure that many didn't support many of their messages but were obligated to pay for their full-time secretary while they hadn't even done a single promised fundraiser [edit]. Of course, Wisconsin inspired protesting ensued. Well we've kept our majority.
Maybe you ought to reconsider your abstention, I know a certain guy who liked to vote 'present' and look where we are. What do others think?
Edited on Sep 9, 2011 at 2:49pmRe: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
@Gabriel: Wow- that's crazy. I would never think there could be a fiscal hawk student government. Alas, I highly doubt that's the case with my school's- but maybe I really should check it out.
And ha-ha-ha, that last part really hit home- that really is an effective line to get someone to vote- don't be Obama.
Anyway, the point was (before I saw your impressive exception) that kids in middle school get elected by making lofty promises, and I tried to compare this with an entire American political party.
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
Back in the last millennium, shortly before I was a student at Cornell, a fellow I later knew ran for the Presidency of Student Government on an Abolitionist ticket. I recommend that his arguments be revived.
"Can you see Student Government?" he would ask, and his supporters would yell, "No!" Then, he would ask, "Can you hear Student Government?" And they would yell, "No!" And, finally, he would ask, "Can you smell Student Government?" And they would reply, "We smell it!"
Apr '11
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
A mountain dew fountain? That's definitely something I can get behind!
Nov '10
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
The Dow is down 300 points today... I think we know what Wall Street thinks. Is that the sort of realization you were looking for?
RCP average has the President's approval currently negative by almost 8 points. Any prediction that that will sink over the weekend?
Love your writing style, by the way. Almost Steyn-ish. Keep it up.
Edited on Sep 9, 2011 at 1:02pmRe: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
Copperfield:
Love your writing style, by the way. Almost Steyn-ish. Keep it up. · Sep 9 at 1:01pm
Edited on Sep 09 at 01:02 pm
Funny, I thought it a little Goldberg-ian.
Favorite line of the piece:
Apr '11
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
Now to continue the analogy, imagine the student run paper running articles that say a vote against such-and-such candidate is a vote against Mountain Dew fountains and for homework. Also that voting against them shows you lack school spirit and hate school in general. Also that you should be expelled or not allowed to vote. Also that you are a bad person.
With every false proclamation, there are false prophets to cry out, "It's true, it's true!"
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
Judging by the candidates at my school, the Peoria police's K-9 Squad will be the ones smelling our student government. [click for laugh track]
@ctruppi: Well that's good to hear because not only will it not increase the deficit, it will pay for all other outlays.
@Copperfield: By "almost Steyn-ish",you of course mean Mark's third-cousin twice-removed Fonzie Steyn, who wrote Al Sharpton's infamous "resist we much" speech?
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
Diane Ellis, Ed. Funny, I thought it a little Goldberg-ian.
Sep 9 at 1:25pm
Well the reason these connections are being made (besides maybe the influence of alcohol) is that I was listening to the Goldberg-Steyn-Long podcasts yesterday, before I wrote this.
Jonah made a great joke, saying that those who oppose the Ryan plan because it "changes Medicare as we know it" are like someone who wouldn't care if a plane crashed as long as it kept "the flight as we know it."
@C. U. Douglas:Yes! Exactly. And if the bill doesn't pass (which it won't, right? Right? Right?) then they'll all say that the House Republicans (see: "Baggers, Tea") are evil and are destroying roads and schools, especially bus drivers and field trips to the local DMV to see "democracy in action".
Jan '11
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
If the upcoming were a student government election, I'd feel a lot better - safer - more confident that nothing in the near future will really change. But,...
Apr '11
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
I guess the President didn't reveal the fact that "The Little Engine That Could" was on his Martha's Vineyard reading list.
"Just Pass the Bill....Just Pass the Bill....Just Pass the Bill"
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
I agree with Gabriel and Ethan but I would problematize the focus on the President and "the liberals". CU did elect a conservative government yet the "dramatic cut" in student fees was disappointing to say the least. They saved us about $18 a semester (while cutting much more than a "silly" theater group).
So...when we take the time to look at the facts it is most always the case that one ideology/party/person isn't truly the problem or the solution. In this case I find it relevant to simply point out that congress and specifically the GOP really need to step it up.
Therefore, although understandable that Ethan may have lost hope, we must consider that when we chose to fulfill our civic duty it isn't black and white, liberal or conservative, it isn't that simple. If done right, it isn't that easy. Vote but try to vote smart, for all our sakes haha.
Sep '11
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
@simplyvargas
I'm glad to see another CU student on here in only two days of membership, very nice. You're right, students fees are still far too high and that barely scratches the surface. Overall though, 8% less is more the twice that percentage more. And at least it illustrates that there's hope for student government yet.
May '10
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
Are student governments absolutely ubiquitous in colleges these days? I would hope that some conservative universities, like Hillsdale or Ave Maria, have rejected the very notion.
Students are customers, not citizens, of their university. Apartment complexes somehow manage to avoid "representation" issues as well.
Sep '11
Re: If I'm Elected as Your Student Council President...
That's interesting, Aaron, I guess I've never even considered the whole notion of student government itself. It is an odd construction and now that I think about it, a little odd to think the have the right to essentially "tax" students by setting obligatory fees. Many of the things they really do could be billed as services by the University. Though, I'm not sure if I wouldn't be more upset if higher ed was given yet another way to push agendas.