IUSA candidates, cough up my money

I have been struggling with the IU Student Association campaign. Whether to write about it, that is.\nFor about 15 months, I've tracked the big election. You know, the one for president. Along the way, I've looked at senatorial races and the odd house race. It's been a good run, especially the two month bonus period. People were mad at each other. Protesters hit the streets. And for the first time in 100 years, our sitting president won fewer votes than his opponent. What a thrill.\nBut all of that is done. President George W. Bush is trying to pull everybody together in Washington, all the while nominating a right wing zealot for attorney general. And it looks like, for the time being, the Democrats are giving him the benefit of the doubt. Campaign finance reform won't be debated for another month, so I'll just have to wait for what is supposed to be the hottest of political hot potatoes. \nAnd I'm not even sure that I have the heart to tell you how much our country resembles pre-depression America. A booming economy and a foolhardy faith in the free -market? Look what deregulation did to California's power industry, for heaven's sake. Markets need thoughtful government regulation.\nBut for now, there's a lull. My editors keep begging the opinion staff to be timely. It's hard to do that right after America's longest campaign. The politicians are taking a break. So are the journalists. Even The New York Time's Maureen Dowd can't find anything to write about. Her new pet subject, which has occupied at least three columns, is the first lady turned senator's wash of house-warming gifts, all of which arrived before she took her senate oath. That's legal, Maureen. Not ethical. But legal.\nAnyway, I'm supposed to be timely. And the IUSA campaign season did kick off just last week ...\nKeep in mind that I have a major beef with this organization. They are, after all, the same people who forced a $60 bus token on us all. One that I have yet to use. One that doesn't even work on our campus buses, for heaven's sake.\nThey're also the same people that have promised me bike lanes. And a fall break. And textbook tax relief, which I don't even want. Now that the Indiana General Assembly wants to freeze state support for our beloved old University, I don't think it's time for a tax break.\nFor two years, I have dutifully voted in the IUSA elections. I thought the name "What the Students Want" was engaging. Now I want to know "What the Students Got?"\nI really don't want to make the obvious comparison. It just wouldn't be nice to compare IUSA to a high school student council. And the secret is, it's not an apt comparison. You want to know why?\nEven though IUSA never reflects the campaign promises of yesteryear, they wield a significant amount of influence. You'll understand if you'll only follow the money.\nA small part of what we all pay to attend this University goes to our student government. Of course, all those small parts combine to create one large sum. A dollar and a quarter for every student goes a long way.\nAnd it is IUSA that spends it.\nFunny, that amid all the campaign promises of bike trails and online class registration (I wonder if the Miracle ticket has taken time to speak with the registrar?), I never hear word one about money management. And it's the one issue that matters.\nWill the student fees be easily accessible? What are you going to do to ensure that students know how to access them? Do you promise you'll play fair with the big dough?\nThe real purpose of IUSA is to give money away. But as I've learned in the past 15 months, people will do anything to get elected. Promises, promises. Let's put a stop to all the empty promises.\nThat's why I am going to propose campaign reform for IUSA. From now on, no IUSA representative should be allowed to put their service on their resume. An independent counselor will inspect all outgoing graduate school and job applications. My college answer to the McCain-Feingold-Cochran Campaign Finance Reform Bill.\nMaybe then, it won't be worth it for candidates to lead unknowing voters to the polls with promises of boosting our ranking in U.S. News and World Report (since when did IUSA solicit alumni giving, one of the major factors for our status on that list?). Maybe then, we'll get down to the boring brass tacks.\nThis is why I write about real presidential politics.