Elections Cancelled
Back in the late 1990s, one of the major news periodicals — Newsweek, Time, US and World Report, (given my general reading of the three magazines, probably US&WR) — featured Portland State University as an example of a place with dysfunctional student elections, and negative student elections.
The elder statesman of the college newspaper, a student who fought in WWII, pointed out, perhaps a bit cynically, that it was perfect preparation for the reality of politics in the real world — no big deal.
Well, lo and behond, it’s now 2004. And the ASPSU elections at this particular college were canned, a day and a half into the three-day period of voting.
If the “Extra Edition” (all of 4 pages) were online, I’d link to the story… but alas, I’ll have to excerpt longhand:
The announcement sent shockwaves aross a crowded ASPSU office, which was filled with many candidates who cursed, cheered, or cried. “They just came down and dropped a nuclear bomb on this election,” said Election Committee Chair Aaron O’donnell. Amongst the crowd one name could be heard under the breath of many: Reina Abolofia. Samuels’ decision to terminate the elections revolved around the election committee’s decision not only to remove Abolofia as the campaign manager for the progressive slate and shut down a campaign web site, but also to bar her from even talking to fellow students about the election in an attempt to influence their vote. The committee came to the decision last week after they deemed campaigning materials that Abolofia made illegal.
The decision resulted in an e-mail from Abolofia to Endress seeking guidance from Endress in the matter. “My rights were violated, the slat’es rights were violated, and the student body’s rights were violated. As I mentioned when we spoke yesterday, concerns about this sanction violating your first amendment are not applicable.”
The email response shocked the fallen campaigneer, who then sought the legal counsel of ACLU lawyer Michael Simon.
This, in and of itself, is all unimportant and of no concern to just about everyone. The only thing I can surmise is that this particular campaign was an unapologetically negative campaign, prone to hyperbole — and indeed framed their campaign as a run against the college President. Beyond that, I don’t know… maybe the PSU students can elect Kevin Shapiro to every position… (or for that matter, “Bud Man”.)
But get out your tinfoil hats, and if not actually secure it onto your head, then just sort of move it over your head.
In the land of conspiracy theories, this being the Alex Joneses of the world, we get the pondering question of what it would take to cancel elections.
Look to Russia, recently hit with a terrorist attack — a subway bombing from those fighting Chechnians. Timed for the elections… though, as Colin Powell would phrase in more diplomatic terms than I — Russia ain’t a democracy… the party and Putin owns the media, and the difference between the upcoming election and the old Soviet elections is that Putin is primed to get 85% of the vote instead of the old standard 99.997%.
Look to Spain. Terrorist attack just days before the election. The elections proceed apace.
Elections, per se, are not cancelled. The problem with conspiracy theorists is that they occasionally can’t get out of the party-box: history runs apace whomever is tenuably in power. Elections can’t and won’t be cancelled.
Spin over to the USA. Right-wing absurdities not withstanding, I hazard to guess how a terrorist strike would affect the elections. I suppose it would consolodate power to the powerful.
But one need not tread there — such thought is irresponsible and reckless, and entertaining only in a fantasy realm of dark contrivances. Throw aside the persistant rumours that Bin Laden is on ice, while we’re at it. The truth actually appears to be just as cynical: after a couple years of laxity in our mission of punching Al Qaeda out of the terrain in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, in favour of scratching our Iraqi itch, we’re recommitting troops… we’re starting a new offensive, which might just capture Osama in time for the election…
Meanwhile, looking the other way on Pakistan’s misdeeds and inventing a fiction as to how the “Nuclear Supermarket to the World” has handled their business. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. World Politics is run off of the power of Fictions. (Just as Student Body Politics, actually.)