Political Heartbreak  

The first time I experienced political heartbreak was in November of 2004. Unlike many Democrats, I really really really liked John Kerry. Actually, I loved John Kerry. I think he would have been a wonderful president, he would have surrounded himself with wise advisors and made incredible appointments.

I next experienced political heartbreak this last November when Jana Jones lost. To a lesser degree, my heart broke for Allen Anderson and a few other Democrats who lost.

But thursday night I experienced a different political heartbreak. On wednesday and thursday, 1,006 students voted for the ASISU Executive Office ticket that has lied to students, participated in acts of cronyism, assisted with the throwing out of ISU's previous constitution in favor of a new one with fewer safeguards and checks and balances. This ticket was part of a party which sought to take away student voice and representation and then pretend as if every good idea related to Reed Gym was their own.

I am ashamed and horrified that fellow students elected a ticket which had no original idea of their own, which couldn't react to true allegations and instead labeled the allegations "hateful", "negative campaigning", and "smear", which resorted to having no true message to offer students until a week before the runoff, and even then the message was inaccurate and laughable. I am ashamed and horrified that ISU students were tricked into voting for this ticket because they were offered donuts, candy, cookies, hot chocolate, nacho's, and baked potato's.

But I am relieved that 978 other students saw through the lies and tricks. As someone said thursday night to me, "you are a Democrat in Idaho, you are used to this." He was right, but it doesn't make it any easier.