Endorsing Student Government parties is always difficult, and in an election season that saw unprecedented events, we found it even harder. Swamp is the only party with a full executive ticket, but we have serious reservations about encouraging the growth of a one-party system — especially when that one party has a history of corruption.
But Swamp is the only group that has mobilized successfully, set feasible goals and proved its members are qualified.
So, here it goes: The Alligator endorses the Swamp Party’s executive ticket for the Spring 2014 elections — with footnotes.
The state of SG is disheartening. It’s overwhelmingly run by Swamp, and the only way to start fixing that is to make Student Senate more diverse. For that reason, the Alligator also endorses all of the Students and Taco Libre candidates for Senate.
Swamp presents some good ideas. We love the proposed installation of more microwaves on campus — seriously, it’d be so much cheaper to make ramen between classes instead of buying Subway — and the planned lobbying for standardized taxi cab rates. In previous years, Swamp has been criticized for making extravagant, unrealistic promises in hopes of enticing voters, and although not all of its platform points this year seem doable — decreasing the cost of access codes? Come on — most can be accomplished.
We particularly liked that Student Body president candidate Cory Yeffet said he’d be a vocal member of the university’s Board of Trustees. Many presidents, like Tj Villamil and Christina Bonarrigo, have been more or less silent during the meetings in which they were the only student voices who could comment on issues like tuition hikes.
UF students need the Student Body president to speak up. The board is out of touch with students’ needs, and without proper representation by the SBP on our behalf, its power will go unchecked.
Yeffet promises he’ll be loud. We hope he is.
Also, we have full faith in treasurer candidate and all-around good guy Elliot Grasso. He knows how to handle money, he knows how student orgs work, and he knows how to help them.
Moving on.
This year, Swamp showed it cares about SG by presenting an achievable, well-thought-out plan. We support Taco Libre’s mission of making students care more about SG, and we think they succeeded by keeping it interesting. However, disorganization is not an excuse for failing to muster up executive tickets for both Students and Taco Libre parties. Students Party presented vague platform points — no prices, no plans. Taco Libre had a simple platform but lacked specifics about its feasibility.
To future minority parties, we say: The minority has to play the majority at its own game. It’s not enough to advocate for votes based solely on the fact that you’re the underdog. You need to be just as savvy and just as strategically driven as Swamp.
Regardless of this endorsement, though, we really just want students to vote. All you need is your Gator 1 Card (or a photo ID plus your UF-ID number) and a concern for UF’s future.
[A version of this editorial ran on page 6 on 2/18/2014 under the headline "Endorsement: Swamp, but with footnotes"]
