I would like to comment on the article titled ""ASM still too focused on itself"" by the Daily Cardinal Editorial Board, specifically on the very last sentence of the article which says, ""…and all we can do is watch and scoff at these low-brow actions and hope that some logic and rationale lifts ASM out of its primarily self-serving operations."" This sentence is tragically ironic for two reasons: 1) the article was published on the start of the ASM Fall Elections, and 2) it was conveniently placed on the same page as an ASM Fall Election advertisement in the print version. The article's closing sentence blatantly disregards the opportunity of action presented in the form of election.
Just as our American government is subject to the political process, so is the Associated Students of Madison. This process offers unto unsatisfied constituents the remedial route of electing different representatives. The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board, in its article, seems to ignore the present-day opportunity entirely. Instead, the Editorial Board chooses the route of expressing discontent for the sole purpose of fostering a negative atmosphere. Is not the objective of declaring one's discontent to eventually cause change? I would like to ask the Editorial Board, what exactly do you aim to achieve by creating an atmosphere of dissatisfaction, if you are not going to make a call to action? The timing and context of this article would make it a nearly perfect place to call the student body to flex their political muscle and vote, yet this is the opposite of what the Editorial Board chose to do.
Unfortunately, a large portion of the student body here at UW-Madison already chooses not to participate in their ASM elections. In the past four years we have not even reached an 8% voter turnout in a fall election or, minus one anomaly in 2010, a 15% voter turnout in a spring election. These are disheartening figures. Following suit of the finger-pointing spirit of the Editorial Board's article, I would like to point two more. One at the student body's apathetic attitude towards ASM elections, and one at The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board for furthering a disconnect between students and their elections.
Micky Stevens is the chair of the Student Election Commission and an associate justice on Student Judiciary.
