New eVote a scam

Forget electronic voting machines being hacked. Forget Republicans owning the companies that develop the machines we use to vote. How about just ignoring the vote altogether?

ASI’s massive effort to get students to vote is a sham. Vote implies that your opinion will be represented and implemented based on whatever result gets the majority.

“This vote acts as an advisory to University President Warren J. Baker. ASI student government leaders are confident the president will implement the fee per the student vote,” a recent press release from the university said.

ASI just spent massive amounts of money promoting their position so that President Baker can make the final decision. Why not just skip having us vote, and take him out to dinner? Give him a tour of the Rec Center during peak use times because that would show him that more space was needed. I am glad that I got to “vote” but I could have just made a sign expressing my opinion, which is essentially what this vote was.

We don’t hold the power to decide whether or not we increase/decrease our fees. The implementation of our voices is different than when you vote yes or no on a measure in a campaign. The majority speaks and decides the outcome. Why not advertise this scam as it is, e-opinion, e-survey or e-wouldn’t that be nice.

I did notice how there was no publicity from ASI promoting the LEED proposal. This would probably add cost to the expansion but is something that Cal Poly, being a “leader” in sustainability, should demand in all new structures built on our campus. I thought we were supposed to learn something from Focus the Nation.

What do we need to do so that our voice is not just heard, but listened to? I am certain that Baker will approve this fee increase and that is a good thing. But why can’t we actually be in control? Are we that ignorant or stupid that we can’t be trusted? Aren’t we supposed to be adults? If they are so afraid of us making a mistake, can’t we learn from it? Learn by doing is something this school embraces, right?

David Hansen is a biology junior and a Mustang Daily guest columnist.