Many days of bright sunshine has given way to the hounds of winter once again. Rain is expected on and off for the rest of the week. A hot day turned into a very cool evening tonight complete with fog. I knew it got dark for a reason. The ASUC campaign season is up and running. Nothing against the people promoting their own causes, but do they realize what they're getting themselves into? One only needs to look at this year's ASUC senate, constantly bickering with the administration and promoting the undergraduates instead of the entire campus (though even the undergraduates aren't getting too much help). Meetings are filled with sometimes pointless legislation and disagreement on how to close a massive budget deficit on top of the debt payment that was ignored by the previous senate. We pay $27.50 per student to fund this but the return is negligible, save for its funding of hundreds of student groups, which must make due with a reduced budget.

My friend was vice president of the ASUC a couple of years ago and even though he kept going with a smile on his face, I couldn't imagine what he was going through. Presiding over Senate meetings that would last all night. Having his decisions questioned by opposing senators and the press. Overall, an inaccurate portrayal of who he is. Maybe that's the whole point. Maybe the ASUC is an accurate portrayal of the electoral process today.

Which brings me back to the basis of the ASUC, campaigning to join this body of government. Sure, democracy at work is a good thing to witness. But I just ask if I can get to my class without people jamming flyers in my face or tailing me to convince me to vote for them. The worst part is when the candidate isn't doing it, just a party faithful doing his job. All this is doing is clogging up Sproul. And as we get closer to Election Day, they're just gonna spread like wildfire. Big signs will appear out of nowhere. Flyers will be stapled everywhere. Buttons distributed. Clothes with the candidate's name on it. Whatever happened to finding out what the candidates want in a public forum? And I don't mean the little blurb written in the Daily Cal the week before elections. Being able to write is just one part of being a successful politician, another is the meet and greet with the constituents and in a large gathering as well. President Bush isn't the smartest person out there, but his demeanor made him seem like a nice, honest guy, attracting people who were turned off by Clinton's antics, which eventually won him half the election. It's a good thing those who hold executive office don't run for re-election. If they were held accountable for their campaign promises, they'd sink faster than the Sharks are right now.

So mark your calendars, because by next Thursday, it should all be over.