My Letter to CM Life: Wednesday, 25 February 2009

Several of you have asked me to publish my letter which I sent to CM Life concerning the upcoming SGA elections.

Probably deciding not to publish it for petty and rather hair-brained reasons (typical,) CM Life did the student body a disservice by not publishing it. Not that it was an earth-shattering letter by any standard of earth-shattering letter writing, it still had a lot of insights into the rather embarassing and glaring problems SGA has in its election rules and credential timing schedule.

Without further delay, my letter to the editor...dated 25 February 2009.

I would like to respond to something that I found to be both irregular and somewhat shady in my view concerning the rapidly-upcoming SGA elections.

Today, a friend of mine expressed a wish to run for an office in the SGA. I told this person that if they felt like they could make a meaningful and worthwhile difference at Central Michigan University by participating in student government, then I will be behind them 100%. A few minutes ago, this same friend came back to me with a defeated and forlorn look on their face and said, "I don't know exactly how I am going to do it, but amongst other things, I need fifty signatures by March 4th to be placed on the ballot as a Senate candidate!"

At the time of this writing (February 25th, 2009) that’s only seven days from now!

Smelling a rat, this prompted me to look at the rules pertaining to the number of signatures one has to collect in order to be a candidate for CMU’s SGA "at-large" offices, located on SGA’s website. Let's say you want to be on a ticket as Vice President with your friend as President and you just decided to do this oh…let’s say today; you'd need to collect 300 signatures (complete with their global ID and their printed and signed name) by “February 29, 2009!”

First off, as we well-educated college students know, 2009 is NOT A LEAP YEAR!

Secondly, the SGA, somewhat lazily in my view, recycled the 2008 election rules sheet (it’s even listed as “2009 Election Rules” on SGA's website!) This may cause some consternation and/or bewilderment to those who are thinking about becoming candidates in 2009. I know I would not want to be a member of a legislative body who may think that 2009 is a leap year or for that matter would not draw up a CURRENT election rules sheet.

Thirdly, collecting 300 signatures to be place on the ballot in a week is no easy undertaking, especially on this campus. As a matter of fact, it’s virtually a miracle that anyone can be placed on the ballot in the first place, if we are to go by just CMU’s 2008 SGA election vote totals. I suggest that whatever SGA committee is responsible for the elections this year, that they should revise their online election rule sheet to be up to date.

What is perhaps more important than this, they should also reconsider the candidate signature deadline and, if possible, all of the other deadlines at least a couple of weeks to perhaps the 18th of March or thereabouts. This would give people who would consider a run for office ample time to decide and procure the proper paperwork, and fulfill the essential requirements. It is my hope that someone in SGA will care enough to draw up a bill that would provide for such changes or changes of a comparable nature.

Because my friend would make a grand SGA senator!

~Lee Nelson,
Saint Louis senior.

....NelsOnline.

Stimulus Cluster****!

One of my favorite rock bands is the super-group "Chicago."

And, one of my favorite songs from that particular group is the hit tune "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"

Does our Congress know what time it is...? No...?

Then I'll tell you what time it is: It's time for prompt and decisive action to deal with our ailing economy!

When America is losing 19,000 jobs a day to company shutdowns, curtailments, outsourcing, bankruptcy and other situations...those illustrious personages on Capitol Hill have the audacity to bicker, bicker, bicker on details that, quite honestly, could be ironed out after the stimulus has passed!

Our Democratic congressmen and women are doing everything possible to get this needed stimulus passed. Sure...some of them have a few just reservations about certain things in the package itself; however, they realize that while they deliberate with the Republicans on this stimulus...thousands, indeed millions, are going hungry and/or running out of money and/or being evicted from their homes. They will vote on this measure and they will hammer out any problems they have with it at a more appropriate point in time.

So, you say...who's holding up the package? Answer=The Republicans!

I'll give a few of them credit: Senators like Susan Collins (R-ME,) Arlen Specter (R-PA,) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) realize that this package is necessary for the American economy. Yes, they have reservations and if none of their hard-won suggestions are in the final bill, they won't vote for it...but at least that's something resembling bipartisanship. Yet, for the most part, practically all of the House's Republican members and a good number of their Senate counterparts are dragging their feet on the proposal.

Why, stupid little things and silly vagueness, plain and simple...Bring on John McCain (R-AZ,) who calls the stimulus package "generational theft," adding "we are robbing future generations of Americans of their hard-earned dollars because we are laying on them a debt of incredible proportions." It's nice to think that Mr. McCain really cares about the theft of our future generation's hard-earned dollars...yet, I wonder if he though of the same thing when he helped authorized President Bush's attack on Iraq! Thousands of our citizens had more than their hard-earned monies stolen from them in this little venture; they lost their faith in their very own government.

Political foot-dragging is NOT what we need from our Elephant-revering friends in this time of crisis, neither do they need to pick apart this stimulus package subsection by subsection.

Many of us have come to believe that our Congresspersons, on both sides of the fence, have become nothing more than petty, squabbling, hot-aired blowhards. With this stimulus package, our Congresspersons have an opportunity to help the economy and restore a modicum of the faith in government that was lost during the Bush II years in one stroke.

But...whatever the case and whatever the result of their deliberations, it must be done and done quickly! Our Congresspersons have precious little time to dilly-dally over pork spending and Planned Parenthood funding in this bill. Debate over the package and pass it with all deliberate and necessary speed. The American people need help and now is the time to help those Americans most in need: practically everyone!

While Congress slowly deliberates, the hope progressively fades, and in some sectors of the American populous...hope is all anyone has anymore.

A Personal Letter to the Readers of Blue Chips

Dear esteemed and learned readers of Blue Chips,

I want to apologize to all of those who read my letter to the editor entitled (not by me) "Dont Bring Up Politics" in the Feb 2, 2009 edition of Central Michigan Life.

The letter that is printed in that edition resembles the letter I did write, yet through some editorial bungling on CM Life's part, some of the more savory (and perhaps funny) bits were left out or ignored altogether. My letter's overall effect was damaged and the prose's flow was left rather mangled as well.

The link for this "letter" is here listed:

http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2009/02/02/Voices/Letter.Dont.Bring.Up.Politics-3607545.shtml

I am all for the right of editorial license and all of that, but seriously...when one takes it upon himself/herself to edit a document to the point where the letter's main jist is crippled and makes the writer of said letter look like a right jolly fool, it almost makes one wonder why anyone would want to write to these "butchers" in the first place.

But hey, with this type of situation, its best to just let one's beef go with the paper and keep a' writin on. After all, this is only a collegiate newspaper...and students will make mistakes!

For your own reading, the original letter to the editor (written on Thursday, January 29, 2009) that I sent out to CM Life is included here:

"I never thought in a million years that I would say something like "I agree with Dennis," but sadly, I do.

I agree with Lennox’s argument in the January 28, 2009 edition of CM-Life, that Central Michigan University should seek re-accreditation for its Journalism Department. It would be a disservice to the university itself, and those majoring in the program (now and in the future) if CMU did not pursue and achieve accreditation with all deliberate speed. If CMU wants any measure of legitimacy outside of Michigan when it comes to its journalism graduates, then the proper step would be to provide them with accreditation for their degrees.

That is where my mutual agreement with Dennis Lennox II ends. Other than this very rare instance, everything else that he believes strongly about or argues for, is little more than your garden variety right-wing Republican tripe. He would have been at least tolerable in my eyes this time, if he would have just stayed in the whole Journalism re-accreditation argument thing…

But no, what did he do? He had to go and take a needless dig at former CMU Griffin Chair of Political Science, and now Congressman, Gary Peters (D-MI.) Lennox argues that “Peters owes his job to CMU” and that he’s a “professor-turned-Congressman.”

Well, in this instance, DL2 is partly accurate. Gary Peters is indeed a professor-turned-Congressman…but exactly what point are you making, Dennis. A friend of mine, former Republican State Senator Mike Goschka (R-Saginaw and Gratiot Counties,) was a “factory worker-turned-State Senator,” I don’t see any one making a big deal or really, any deal, about this! Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke can be considered an “actor-turned-“human train wreck”-turned-actor-again," but it’s hard to find anyone really harping on the “human train wreck” aspect of his career. I’m trying to figure out where Dennis is coming from, labeling Congressman Peters in this fashion…but so far, nothing.

The whole “Peters owes his job to CMU” thing does not hold much water, either. CMU let him run for Congress, sure, no argument there. But there’s really nothing illegal about that, despite what Gary’s position may have been here at the University. What is more, I didn’t see President Rao campaign for Mr. Peters last year at all (as much of a shot-in-the-arm a Rao endorsement would have been to Gary’s campaign.) Nor did I ever see Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe don a rainbow-colored fright wig and hold up a “Gary Peters for Congress” sign at CMU football games.

Saying that Congressman Peters owes his Congressional seat to CMU is a lot like saying that President George W. Bush cared about the detainees at Guantanamo, he doesn’t. In saying that, Lennox just disqualified all of those people who voted for Peters, who voted for change instead of stale Congressional representation.My recommendation to DL2 in this case is to next time just keep his skewed political opinions, no matter how slight, out of purely academic subjects."

For the "letter" posted in the February 2nd, 2009 edition of CM Life, I humbly apologize to you, the reader.

Your Friend,
NelsOnline.

PS-I promise, from now on, to write about purely Democratic political matters...provided that CM Life does not do a ham-fisted editing job on one of my letters to the editor again! While I appreciate CM Life for the posting of my letter and the cleaning up of a couple of gramatical errors that I missed in my final edit, what I am not appreciative of is their editorial style.

~NelsOnline.

The Return of NelsOnline

Hey folks, "I'm BARAAACK!" (ala 1982's Poltergeist-ish)

Not that my return to the blogosphere merits much triumphant horn-blowing (insert trumpets at your leisure) or anything, but it has been a while since my last blog to be honest. I have had some personal situations that I had to deal with and that, singularly, prevented me from focusing my attention to my blog's upkeep. In any event, I am back, ready, willing and able to officially discharge my duties as a blogger!

Before I begin my rant, I would like at this time to extend my most sincere and heartfelt condolences to Bri Hovey's family. I learned just yesterday that her father had died late last year, which may tell you how much out of the loop I really was. What words can one say to comfort someone who has lost a major figure in their life? Mere words and colorful statements cannot express this loss, but we can, at least, be there for them in their time of mourning. I would like to apologize to her at this time for not being there for her and Karl in this most trying time. I can only hope they can accept both my condolences and my apology.

Now...

I loved Election Day, 2008...didn't you? I noticed some things that made that day not only historical, but immensely satisfying! Things such as...

-A presidential election that ended at 11PM EST!
-A Democratic electoral victory that felt like America itself was running up its score on Madden 08!
-A triumphal speech to millions (OK...billions) in Chicago's Grant Park, 40 years after the debacle that was the 1968 Democratic National Convention!
-Winning Ohio: That felt good!
-Winning Pennsylvania: That felt even better!
-WINNING FLORIDA: Oh, God...winning Florida felt so damn fantastic and satisfying! My grandfather, I know, was dancin' a jig in heaven when Florida went for Obama!
-McCain's concession speech: pure class from a pure, decent politician, despite the mudslinging!
-Knowing that Gov. Sarah Palin would return to Alaska and HOPEFULLY, remain in its icy confines! Of course she can speak out and stuff...but remain in Juneau and Anchorage when you do so, please and thank you!
-I have to mention Joe Biden somewhere...ok, there I did it!

Of course, its been two months since then, and I still feel great! Knowing now that MN's next senator will be Al Franken makes it just that much better!

For the first time in my memory, we'll have a government that we can all be proud of. I feel that this government will be 10x more effective in dealing with problems both here and abroad than the last one we have had in the last eight years.

For the first time in my life, I actually have hope that our federal institutions will do right by us...yes, even the VA will do so, and that is saying a lot! From personal experience, dealing with this rather un-august body is not for the timid or faint of heart.

January 20, 2009 cannot come fast enough for me. I'm sure you feel the same way, too! When one can count down the hours of the presidency of GWB, it becomes a labor of love!

Finally, let me just say one thing to all of America: WE HAVE OUR COUNTRY BACK, LET'S TRY AND KEEP IT THAT WAY!

~NelsOnline.

Biden: We're gonna knock you out, sluggish US economy!

Obama: Damn right! Oh, Iraq...enjoy American-backed sovereignty while it lasts...'cause you're next!

Barack videos to motivate you to Get Out the Vote

Ouch:


Funny Ad:


Happy Ad:


30-Minute Ad:


Will YOU get out the vote this weekend?

October 21, 1987 and 2008 - I cried as I voted.

I cried as I voted today. I had been waiting for this day for so long.

Today is my 21st birthday. At 11:37 this morning - the time listed on my birth certificate - I filled in the oval next to Barack Obama's and Joe Biden's names to cast my first-ever vote in a Presidential election.

I had envied those who were old enough to vote in 1996, 2000, and 2004. For countless national, state, local, and school district elections, I had felt a sense of being left out. I had learned about the candidates - even met a few every now and then - but I couldn't participate in that basic civic duty of voting.

This is the eighth time I've voted since registering just before my 18th birthday. The February after I registered, I found out that the school district was asking voters to renew a sinking fund millage. I went to City Hall, cast my first vote by absentee ballot, and a week and a half later I found out that the millage had passed. I felt part of the process for the first time, even though not many people voted.

My first in-person, at-the-polling-place vote was on Primary Election Day in August 2006. I had the chance to vote for myself as I was on the ballot for Precinct Delegate here in Michigan. It was uncontested as three of us ran for three spots. I still remember that chill I felt casting my first in-person vote.

A few other elections have since taken place, and I haven't missed one yet - not even the controversial 'primary' here in Michigan (which I discuss at length here). But then, when it came time for the state and local primaries this year, I found out that I was one of three candidates for just two spots as Precinct delegate, and the top two vote-getters would win. Long story short, one candidate got 34, another got 29... and I got 30! Yes, I won by one vote!

But voting in a general election for President... Now there's something I hadn't done. I applied for an absentee ballot a few days before I returned to school, and it came about a month ago. (I would've re-registered at my school address, but I would've given up my spot as a Precinct Delegate to do so - which I obviously didn't want to do!) Still, I wasn't eager to just vote it then and there and then mail it back, which I did in 2006. Instead, I voted it over bit by bit. Diane Hathaway for state Supreme Court one day, Carl Levin for US Senate another. Ballot proposals (to legalize medical marijuana and stem-cell research) another day.

But I saved the best for last. I chose this day - October 21, my 21st birthday - to mark my ballot for Obama and Biden.

This morning, at 11:37, I looked up at a sheet above my desk in my room and read this quote from my choice for President:

Hope is what led a band of colonists to rise up against an empire; what led the greatest of generations to free a continent and heal a nation; what led young women and young men to sit at lunch counters and brave fire hoses and march through Selma and Montgomery for freedom's cause.

Hope-hope-is what led me here today - with a father from Kenya; a mother from Kansas; and a story that could only happen in the United States of America. Hope is the bedrock of this nation; the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is; who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.

Inspired by this wonderful diary on Daily Kos yesterday, I thought of my family and friends, of the many people who have struggled for freedom and justice through the ages, and of all those who today believe that 'Yes We Can' make our nation and world stronger.

I teared up as I thought to them, "This one's for you!" I used my pen, made from recycled materials, to fill in that oval next to Obama's and Biden's names.



When I go home this weekend, I will drop off the ballot at City Hall before celebrating my high school's Homecoming and then celebrating my 21st with my family.

And the, who knows, maybe I'll shed another tear.

Respect Our Vote!

Here's an article on The Huffington Post that was posted by Katie Naranjo, President of the College Democrats of America.

Senator Barack Obama inspires younger generations like no other politician in recent history. Rather than ignoring young people and writing off our entire generation as apathetic, Senator Obama reaches out to us and understands our needs. He offers the youth a refreshing alternative to regressive Bush-McCain policies, which continue to increase the financial burdens on college students. More importantly, our country is more vulnerable to another terrorist attack, and our economy is in crisis because of the current Republican administration. In this election, Senator Obama has inspired millions of people of all ages to get involved in our political system, making the point that change can only happen when "We the People" make it happen.

This is why according to a recent Rock the Vote poll, 87 percent of young people intend to vote this election cycle. Indeed, unprecedented voter registration numbers since the primaries have put a number of traditionally "red" states in play. In Virginia, home to 13 electoral votes, the Obama campaign registered nearly 50,000 new voters in August alone. The Obama campaign is rapidly closing in on its goal of registering over 150,000 new voters in Virginia by the October 6 deadline - a remarkable accomplishment in a state that hasn't voted Democratic since Lyndon Johnson carried it in 1964.

Yet with millions of young people preparing to cast their first vote, a shameful Republican misinformation campaign has emerged across the country. Inexperienced voters and young people are extremely vulnerable to miscommunication campaigns, and Republicans in Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, Virginia and all across the country have taken advantage of this over the past few weeks and months. In Colorado, a Republican county clerk falsely informed out-of-state students attending Colorado College that they could not register to vote in Colorado if their parents claimed them as dependants on their taxes. In Virginia and South Carolina, local registrars have intentionally lied to students registering to vote, telling them "you can't vote here." Indeed Republicans are discouraging young people from voting across the country, and these tactics must stop now.

But why would anyone try to strip someone of their right to vote? Yes, young people have voted increasingly Democratic over the past eight years - a USA Today/MTV/Gallup poll released yesterday found that 61 percent of young people support Barack Obama while just 32 percent support John McCain. But we live in a country founded on the premise that everyone has an equal voice on Election Day. We live in a country where you simply can't disenfranchise your political opponent's supporters because you cannot relate to their issues and their future.

To protect the essential right to vote and ensure that students are heard on Election Day, the College Democrats of America are launching a nationwide youth empowerment campaign. The project, entitled Respect Our Vote, intends to combat these despicable tactics and ensure that every student has all the information that they need to cast their vote on November 4th. Students will be able to educate themselves on their rights and report any incidents of voter intimidation on our new website: www.RespectTheYouthVote.com. More over, CDA will be transporting thousands of student activists from around the country to key battleground states to canvass colleges and inform students on the laws in their areas. The right to vote is a non-partisan issue, and we - as College Democrats - will do everything in our power to protect it. The youth vote will not be suppressed now or in the future.

Throughout our history, millions of people have fought to provide all Americans with the right to speak out, choose our leaders, and enjoy the freedoms that many of our peers are fighting for. We owe it to everyone in our generation to ensure that all of us are able to fulfill our civic responsibility. While Senator Obama continues to build a relationship between the youth and the political process, it is up to us to make sure that all students are able to voice their vote in the most important election of our lifetime.

I don't want to brag too much, but I will say that I wrote the first draft of this as part of my new role as Deputy National Communications Director for the College Democrats of America! Not every word in this article is mine, but Katie included much of it in the final draft. ;-)

No matter who drafted this piece, what matters is why it was drafted. Everyone who wants to vote should be able to vote.

Check out respecttheyouthvote.com for more.