Today marked the official start of ASUC campaigning. However, there is not much of an election going on. Both the Graduate Assembly and the RSF fee referendums are a mess (More on those to come later). The ASUC is shaping up to be a one party entity. I saw dozens of signs out on Sproul today. In fact if you have a flame thrower I think the signs would look really cool lit up. All these signs were for Student Action. I saw a few people promoting Igor and a couple for Victoria Mitchell. This begs the question, what is up with CalSERVE?

CalSERVE did not field an executive slate this year. There are two possible explanations I can see for this.

1. The party is poorly managed. There are plenty of viable CalSERVE Senators that could get some good votes and make SA fight for the executive offices.
2. CalSERVE decided to sit back for a year and let SA fight it out. Perhaps CS hopes if it plays opossum the varying groups that more or less side with SA will fight with each other and shatter their current collation. This would leave them easy pickings for elections next year when the entire CS machine appears out of nowhere to challenge the new fractured groups. The only problem here is I don’t know if they have enough discipline. To abandon any chance of executive offices and to remain a cohesive party for a year would be difficult.

Of those two choices, I am inclined to side with number one.

If CalSERVE is coalition building and focusing on issues instead of politics that is just fine. However, in the process they are losing their power as a force in the ASUC.

Let’s consider the signs CalSERVE has put up.

What do the War in Iraq, a “womyn’s” right to choose, gender neutral restrooms, being a progressive party, and immigrant rights have to do with student government? Absolutely nothing! The ASUC’s concern is students and its $1.5 million budget. I want to know what they are going to do to make this campus better.

Warning: If you are easily offended do not read the next three paragraphs, especially if you like CalSERVE’s above stated politics and will whine like a two year old.

Support a womyn’s right to choose. I have two problems with this. First, last time I checked, snuffing out a human life is killing. The choice comes when you get naked and hop in the sack. Second, where did “womyn” come from? Are you just so stupid as to not know how to spell woman? Or is it that you feel so oppressed by the male world? Women and men enjoy equal rights in the United States today. If you are going to cry I hope you save some of your tears for the women in other countries that can’t even show their face in public.

Gender Neutral Restrooms. To put it mildly, what the hell? Who wants gender neutral restrooms? Really, I would like to meet one person who supports this. Last time I was on the third floor of Eshleman, there was a comment written on the door of the non-discriminating restroom. It basically says we lock the door so a man will not walk in when we are using the restroom. The woman who wrote that comment clearly does not want a gender neutral restroom. I lived in the dorms last year and had no problems using a gender neutral restroom. However, it was well designed with concealing stalls and an agreement to use only one of the toilets standing up. I have not even heard of people desiring gender neutral restrooms, let alone campaigning on the issue.

Back to the political party that was CalSERVE. I don’t like their name, Cal students for equal rights and a valid education. Tell me, who does not have equal rights? It is not a right to go to college if you don’t work hard nor is it a right to pay instate tuition if you broke the law to get here. If they are for a valid education, that implies I am not receiving one. How is my education invalid? I don’t think adding a studies major or American Cultures requirement will fix the problem.

CalSERVE is fielding 6 serious senate candidates (Mehta and Besbris are not serious, but check out the dark horse candidate), one of whom lost her senate bid last year when CS ran 17 candidates. Currently in the senate, they have 7 people. So even if their candidates win, they will have less representation then they currently do. If they were a coherent ASUC organization they would at the very least try to retain their current power.