Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2000)
Editor in chief: Laura Cadiz Editorial Editors: Bret Jacobson, Laura Lucas Newsroom: (541)346-5511 Room 300, Erb Memorial Union P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 E-mail: ode@oregon.uoregon.edu Monday April 3,2000 Volume 101, Issue 122 Effierald rx ^ Now that the ASUO elec tions have at long last been finalized, it is time to reflect upon the many or deals and grievances put upon the student body and ferret out the im portant lessons that we can take away from the often frustrating situ ation. Above all else, this year has proven, once again, that having the largest campaign war chest doesn’t necessarily equate with victory. And that’s a great sign for student govern ment. Jay Breslow and Holly Magner were announced victors in the ASUO Executive race Thursday, winning by a sizable margin, despite being outspent by front runners C.J. Gabbe and Peter Larson. Gabbe and Larson shelled out about $1,500 compared with Breslow and Magn er’s $530. This is not the first year the heavi est spenders have failed to attain the executive office. Last year, Wylie Chen and Mitra Anoushiravani were outspent by about $550 dollars on their way to a victory in the primary election for ASUO Executive. Those results are ample evidence that money doesn’t equate with vic tory in ASUO elections, meaning that candidates’ messages are weighed seriously by student voters. Whatever the reasons, it is the best assumption to say that students are actually listening to the ideas of the candidates and vote their con sciences that way. And when stu dents prove they are informed and listen to ideas rather than being swayed by who can create the most noise, whatever mandate they issue at the voting booth must be respect ed. While it may be a valid argument in national campaigns to say that the candidates who raise the most mon ey from individuals prove they have the will of the people behind them, such an argument appears faulty within the University’s political are na. Rarely do students give money to their favorite executive hopefuls, which makes it difficult to deduce Letters to the editor Frohnmayer leaves Workers’ Rights Consortium hanging In spite of all the glowing rhetoric about “working together,” “shared governance” and “community voic es,” University President Dave Frohn mayer (ODE, March 29) fails to con vince me he is willing to make the tough, moral choice — by stipulating that the Workers’ Rights Consortium monitor those factories that produce University apparel. Ironically, while Frohnmayer in sists that the entire University com munity be involved in coming to a consensus on this issue, he would deny those communities where the garments are made a similar consen sus. Since the WRC — composed of women, worker and human rights which candidate is the popular choice prior to the election. This makes our informed electorate very important as they can ignore popu larity factors in favor of the candi dates’ intelligent visions of the fu ture. The process of actually studying the positions, talents and passions of executive candidates helps the dem ocratic exchange of ideas on campus by making sure that the viewpoints groups and non-governmental organi zations — better represents their com munities than the industry-backed Fair Trade Association, isn’t it consis tent that he choose the WRC to moni tor these factories? For an issue so straightforward, so crucial to the integrity of the Univer sity, so morally compelling, why has n’t Frohnmayer already agreed the WRC is best suited to insure worker rights are respected? Could it be that his agenda is being dictated by the likes of Nike co-founder Phil Knight and other corporate sponsors of the University, who are making it clear that if Frohnmayer chooses the WRC, it will adversely affect their largesse? And does Frohnmayer think that by delaying his decision until the end of the academic year, he won’t have to account to the students and faculty who have left campus for the sum of the average student are represent ed by their elected officials. Instead of having to assume that as happens too often in American politics the richest candidates win, it is hearten ing to know that there is a great deal of viability for any serious student candidate should they be motivated to run for office. For those who remain skeptical about the entire political process, there is encouragement to be found mer? If so, he makes a mockery of the very community consensus he claims to champion. Peter Ferris Eugene Resident Sizemore missed invite to debate I never showed up because I was never invited. Your March 3 story about the de bate regarding Harry Lonsdale’s initia tive to reform campaign financing stated that I was a “no show.” The sto ry implied that I made a commitment to show up for a debate and then flaked out. Truth is, I was never invited. Harry Lonsdale, the author of the measure, thought the students putting on the debate were going to invite me. The on our campus. If this trend of the weightiest cam paign coffers failing in elections to less funded, better political minds, there is ample reason to believe that University students will continue to be represented well by their student government. This editorial represents the view of the Emerald editorial board. Responses may be sent to ode@oregon.uoregon.edu students apparently thought Harry was going to invite me. Neither did. Otherwise, I would have been there. Had I been present at the debate I would have criticized the measure for its gross unfairness. Fact is, there are two major spenders in Oregon poli tics: corporations and labor unions. Harry’s measure completely stops cor porations from contributing money to political campaigns but allows labor unions to spend without limitation. The result would be a one-sided, left wing debate with voters only hearing one side of the story. Campaign finance reform must be fair for everyone, not just the political left. Bill Sizemore Head of Oregon Taxpayers United _iHi wmm Thumbs To the bright White Paper. Last Wednesday, the University Sen ate Budget Com mittee offered its final draft of a plan to hike faculty compensation at the University, which has been about 18 percent below the average of similar universi ties. The plan was passed unani mously in three separate votes by the University Sen ate. To the return of a campus favorite. The Collier House reopened last Tuesday, offering three new eateries to be run by Uni versity Housing. The restaurant had been closed for nine months after the Faculty Club, the previous man agers, couldn't op erate it any longer. To a questionable cal!. The US. Supreme Court ruled in a way that will en* able local govern ments to regulate nude dancing. The Court did so by claiming it was an effort to combat crime related to adult entertain ment. To stiff penalties for a bad doctor. Oregon doctor Steven Gabriel Moos, 30, has been put on probation for 10 years by the Board of Medical Examiners for pre scribing the impo tence pi II Viagra and other medica tions over the In ternet. The prob lem, the Oregon board said, is that patients weren’t being examined properly before being prescribed the medications.
