SG Blogging Continues

Another fall election approaches for my alma mater, and judging by the news stories coming out so far, it sure looks to be a fun one to watch, even from 800 miles away.

First, before I get to all the fun stuff, let me point out that while I don’t care for the aesthetics of the Alligator website redesign, I do like the fact that the SG beat is given a prominent section of the website. Makes it considerably easier to track down the SG news.

The Party Name Game. The funniest part about the fall elections so far has been the high number of parties and their constantly shuffling names. For the record, the incumbent/System party is called Gator. There’s also two versions of the Swamp Party, one of which had renamed itself the Party Formerly Known as Swamp, and then Florida Students Party before switching back. Also in the running were the Progress Party, and the Greek Party. As far as I understand it, the Greek Party and the Swamp/FSP party have dissolved. This leaves Gator as the FBK-backed party, Swamp as likely a stand-in party to protect the name, and Progress, which I’m guessing is the standard God-Damn-Independents party.

The Greek Party. The biggest disappointment was that the comic genius behind The Greek Party has merged it with the Gator Party, probably ending the comedy that such a party could bring to the campus election. Too bad.

Not-too-brave prediction. I’m guessing Gator wins this election in a near sweep, with Progress losing big. Things might be more interesting if Swamp was a genuine opposition party and not a legal ploy, or if slating goes well for Progress. But I doubt either will happen.

Disclaimer. It’s been five years since my last legislative act as a student senator (creating Glenda Day for the first tuesday in April). Most of the people I knew are gone, as are the people who knew the people I knew. Colleges are like that. So I don’t claim to have any special insight into what is going on, in the specific. But from what I learned in my time at UF, and from the work I’ve done since, I feel I can post my own opinions about what is going on. And if I’m crazy enough, I just might make a joke or two about the whole thing.

You can take seriously the work Student Government does without taking too seriously the people or the political drama SG inevitably creates.

Agree? disagree? Have at it in the comments.