So here it comes. The moment of truth.
Like some cyclopean shadow, I’ve been watching the candidates from the darkest corners of campus all week long, my camera attuned to their every move. I’ve been to every debate. I polished off all of the excess sausages at the Candidate Breakfast. I slipped in Henry Whitfield’s bedroom window and stroked his hair while he slept.
Okay, perhaps you didn’t need to know that last part.
Point being, I’ve witnessed a lot. I’ve formed some very strong opinions. I don’t have the time to get a tenth of them out before the voting period opens though, so I’ll stick with the one that most of you will probably find the most interesting.
Last year I publically endorsed noted know-it-all and policy wonk Eric Snow for President.
That said, it’s probably pretty obvious that tomorrow I’ll be heading online, opening the DSU Elections website…
And voting for Greg Debogorski.
I will repeat that again.
I, John Hillman, pundit of minor note, am voting for Greg Debogorski tomorrow—and I encourage you to join me.
I realize that Snow has already implored you to vote anyone but Debogorski. We can all agree that “ABD” makes for a terrible rallying call though, so I urge you to at least hear me out. Pardon the length–I feel I need to make sure it is absolutely clear that I’m not making this endorsement lightly.
Eric suggests that everyone who is considering voting for Debogorski should be voting for Bailey. I beg to differ.
Greg may be a cantankerous SOB who doesn’t give a crap about whether people like him, but…well…he’s a cantankerous SOB who doesn’t give a crap about whether people like him. The DSU has a way of beating the individuality and ideals out of incoming candidates, and forcing them to conform to the status quo. On those rare occasions where likeable outsiders like Bailey get in, how many idealistic election promises end up getting abandoned, or watered down beyond recognition? Perhaps no one can overcome the problems inherent to the institution, but if anyone will go down swinging in defense of his ideals, it’s Greg Debogorski. He might end up impeached, but he’d make one hell of an effort to shake up the status quo along the way.
Now, I know that many of you are just peachy with the status quo. It’s hard to see the problem when you are as deep inside the belly of the beast as most of the pundits and fans of punditry.ca. Talk to some students you’ve never met though, ones who aren’t afraid to hurt your feelings because they don’t know how much work you have put into the union. Greg does it all the time.
There is a HUGE perception out there that the DSU is run by a small cadre of insiders who are more concerned with playing political games than looking out for the average student. This is fuelled in large part by the fact that most students have never (knowingly) had a conversation with a councilor. How can council effectively represent the will of the majority of the students if they have no reliable way of gauging their constituents’ opinions?
I’ve heard from a friend before that it’s not a councilor’s job to represent their constituents’ opinions, but rather to make the decision that they personally feel is in the best interests of their constituents. That may be the best you can do within the confines of a terrible system that has you representing upwards of several thousand students (only a tiny fraction of whom likely voted for you), but it is a pretty condescending attitude when you think about it. Whatever excuses we like to toss around about students not voting because they are happy with things, most apathy stems from the fact that people feel disconnected from the decision making process in their union, and God help me, I think Greg has the best ideas about how to fix this problem.
From my reading of his platform and listening to him in the debates, Greg proposes that we bring in an online system that allows the union to hold monthly referenda, and conduct monthly surveys. Direct voting on controversial issues, and a constantly updated stream of direct feedback from a large sampling of the student population. Empowering students and getting priceless input about their priorities—why is this such a stupid idea again?
Greg even proposes a way to draw skeptical students into this system, by rewarding voter participation with material benefits. In the debate, Bailey argued that there are plenty of students who would be willing to help move Dal forward sans-reward, and I agree to a point, but there is also a massive segment of the population that has written off the DSU altogether. You’ll never reach them without breaking through that invisible wall of skepticism, and the best way to do that is to offer them a tangible reward for voting. I think that once these newcomers realize they have a say in the decision-making, and are sucked in to the drama like those of us already here, they will be far more likely to extend their interest in the union to areas where there are no bribes.
As for the constant stream of criticism directed toward Greg’s lack of technical knowledge and perceived personality flaws, as far as I can tell, he is a smart guy with a degree in management. He may not have the detailed knowledge of the inner workings of the DSU, but I’m sure he can figure things out pretty quickly. I’ve talked with him several times at the events this week, and he’s also a surprisingly nice guy when you get to know him – a little blunt, but he doesn’t seem to hold any personal grudges against people who have belittled him for years, which is more than I would be able to say if I were in his shoes. He has a great sense of humour about himself, and its 100% genuine. As he says in his video, he’s rough around the edges, but he’s real, and I like that in a politician.
Do I think Greg can win? He’s a long shot, granted, but I’ll give him better odds than some of the others have. He had engaging performances in the debates—and he actually showed up for all three. He speaks to issues that average students care deeply about. He has a strong video and bio. He isn’t actively scowling in his picture this year. He managed to win me over at any rate, so who knows what effect he’s had on others. I guess his odds depend on if average students actually come out and vote—a crazy thought, but who knows, right?
To paraphrase his video yet again, I’m going to take a chance on Greg. Here’s hoping he fights like hell for me.
For the union!
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