The spoils system. Riding in on the coattails of the president. A corrupt election process. Polarization.
It doesn't really sound like something that you would want to be involved with, does it? And yet, I think that I am going to be running for the ASUU Assembly this coming Spring. The Assembly is the student government's equivalent to the House of Representatives and deals largely with appropriations for various student groups. Yesterday I was waiting for the Hinckley Forum (about "The Mormon Question" and the Presidency - fascinating) with my TA for my US Gov class and the Vice President for ASUU's Government Relations Board (which I am on). The VP for Government Relations, Andrew, turned to the TA, Molly, and asked whether she was planning to run for reelection for the Senate. I asked them what they were discussing and after a few explanation (very few, I hardly know what I am getting myself into) I had made it onto Andrew's excel spreadsheet of potential candidates for the "Voice" party.
Later I ran into a girl that I have met several times at the Government Relations Board and at service projects who turns out will be running for ASUU president. After answering a few of my questions about the Assembly she informed me that I needed to find a campaign manager a soon as possible. Someone that I trust and would work hard to help me get elected. I easily recruited for this position my friends Brittany and Marissa.
I really don't know everything about what I am getting into but it seems exciting and a great opportunity to find out first hand what politics is like - for better and for worse.
A few things that I do know is that as an Assembly member I would represent a college (I could pick to run for the college of Humanities or Social and Behavioral Sciences), we campaign in March and April, Assembly candidates received about $5000 for their campaign (!), a term for an Assembly member is one year, Assembly members get paid about $1200 for their term, the Assembly meets about twice a month and votes on appropriating funds to different colleges and student groups.
Vote Ali!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Limitless
Although, I haven't seen the movie Limitless today I felt much as I imagine one would if one could use all of his or her brain.
Or maybe it is just possible if one gets more than six hours of sleep.
Either way, today I felt that everything was tied together. US National Government, Western Civilization to 1300, and Intellectual Traditions, especially. You see, although I am studying the national supremacy clause (Article VI of the Constitution) I am really studying the Code of Hammurabi at the same time as the supremacy clause is one of the four main points of that Babylonian document. Or, while we are examining the development of the judicial system through the Odessey and Agammemnon in Intellectual Traditions, I am really understanding another perspective of how the tyrants Solon and Cleisthenes reformed the judicial system of Athens. And you know, I now understand some more of the flaws of our judicial system and how to improve them from Sim Gill's speech two weeks ago at the Hinckley Institute.
Athens dominated the seas with their navy - so did Great Britain.
The Battle Marathon was the turning point of the Persian Wars - so was Gettysburg for the American Civil War.
Solon understand that a democracy couldn't be created instantly as there were none of the institutions in place - just as Hegel understood with Dialectics that life is a series of anti-thesis and thesis which result in a sythesis.
The recognition of Odysseus' hands by Erycleia because of his hands is similar to the importance of a mother recognizing a child's hands in Beloved
The Deus Ex Machina ending of Iphigenia in Taurus is just like that of Tartuffe
There aren't any boarders or boundaries. Everything that I am learning relates and explains the other things that I am learning or have learned.
I guess I should get more sleep more often. : )
Or maybe it is just possible if one gets more than six hours of sleep.
Either way, today I felt that everything was tied together. US National Government, Western Civilization to 1300, and Intellectual Traditions, especially. You see, although I am studying the national supremacy clause (Article VI of the Constitution) I am really studying the Code of Hammurabi at the same time as the supremacy clause is one of the four main points of that Babylonian document. Or, while we are examining the development of the judicial system through the Odessey and Agammemnon in Intellectual Traditions, I am really understanding another perspective of how the tyrants Solon and Cleisthenes reformed the judicial system of Athens. And you know, I now understand some more of the flaws of our judicial system and how to improve them from Sim Gill's speech two weeks ago at the Hinckley Institute.
Athens dominated the seas with their navy - so did Great Britain.
The Battle Marathon was the turning point of the Persian Wars - so was Gettysburg for the American Civil War.
Solon understand that a democracy couldn't be created instantly as there were none of the institutions in place - just as Hegel understood with Dialectics that life is a series of anti-thesis and thesis which result in a sythesis.
The recognition of Odysseus' hands by Erycleia because of his hands is similar to the importance of a mother recognizing a child's hands in Beloved
The Deus Ex Machina ending of Iphigenia in Taurus is just like that of Tartuffe
There aren't any boarders or boundaries. Everything that I am learning relates and explains the other things that I am learning or have learned.
I guess I should get more sleep more often. : )
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A Poltical Thought
Today I registered to vote. Never before have I been with so much excitement while filling out my name, address, and birthday. If only I had had my camera with me so that someone could take a photo of me with the people at the registration table. . .
I can vote!
This day got even better as I went to the Hinckley Institute Forum about "Civility in American Politics". Mayor Ralph Becker, Senator Karen Morgan, and Bob Bennet were there. While what every panel member said was interesting concerning the meaning of civility and the reasons for why we are where we are today, Bennet was by far the most interesting and the best speaker. Among other things, he brought up the incident of when senator (Sumner?) from South Carolina beat another senator from Massachusetts on the Senate floor until his cane broke. That is incivility. Bennet made the closing remark of the forum which ended on a question about one man's anger with his government leaders who he feels has failed him. Senator Morgan suggested to the man that he makes sure that he knows all of the facts and that he can always vote out his representative if he does not feel that he is being represented well. Bennett referred to this with his closing remark,
"Yeah, vote them out but don't take your can and beat them senseless."
That really wouldn't be the civil thing to do.
I can vote!
This day got even better as I went to the Hinckley Institute Forum about "Civility in American Politics". Mayor Ralph Becker, Senator Karen Morgan, and Bob Bennet were there. While what every panel member said was interesting concerning the meaning of civility and the reasons for why we are where we are today, Bennet was by far the most interesting and the best speaker. Among other things, he brought up the incident of when senator (Sumner?) from South Carolina beat another senator from Massachusetts on the Senate floor until his cane broke. That is incivility. Bennet made the closing remark of the forum which ended on a question about one man's anger with his government leaders who he feels has failed him. Senator Morgan suggested to the man that he makes sure that he knows all of the facts and that he can always vote out his representative if he does not feel that he is being represented well. Bennett referred to this with his closing remark,
"Yeah, vote them out but don't take your can and beat them senseless."
That really wouldn't be the civil thing to do.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Another Thought of the Week: Americans
So, somehow I am a magnet for foreigners. I don't really know how this happens but I have met several people from different countries such as Kuwait (which from my conversation with this young man during lunch today, apparently is some type of utopia as it does not have taxes), Germany, India, and Japan. Among other things, I am fascinated with how others view Americans. This repeatedly came up on last Saturday as I and several friends from high school spent the morning exploring downtown Salt Lake with two German exchange students: Janak and Anka. After much discussion on how Americans say things, I sighed and said to Janak, "Americans are rude. I'm sorry that we are so rude." He replied,
"Americans aren't rude. They're just ignorant."
"Americans aren't rude. They're just ignorant."
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Second Week
Tie dye
Walking
Think tank
Lecture by Jim Matheson
President's Honors Reception
First College Paper (91 out of 100)
Chai Tea Latte From Trader Joes
Closing Silver Bean
Racquetball
Home
Hiking
The Pie Pizzeria
Sorority Stories
Bride and Prejudice
Civic Engagement Conference
Opening Silver Bean
The Odessey
More Hiking
Ute Pride
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