Monday, December 15, 2008

Explanation & Speculation

Nothing Wrong With A Little Debate

People ask me why TheRadikal is taking such a precarious direction as of late. Some would argue that my sole stake is hits, others speculate that my intentions are to bring about chaos, and some...just say 'move on Duque, you're old, you're no longer at UF. I guess the real reason I've embraced this new direction is to create dialogue. You can't have dialogue on the Wiggio b/c your email address gives you away. You can't have dialogue at meetings where the minority's rights are clearly trampled over. You can't have dialogue when people to trash the old guard that put it all on the line for countless terms leading up to today and are now on the receiving end of a lot of bullshit drama.

I am of the opinion that all the shit-talk on the comments section is healthy. I believe my blog is providing an outlet for a lot of the bad blood to be disseminated (given that The Officials have as of yet not given any indication that a primary will be held in Spring). I for one don't believe I'm sowing the seeds of chaos; I believe I'm sowing the seeds for real dialogue.

Orange & Blue must unite, but under fair terms. Placing a Prog for SBT is mistake. SBT is a separate ticket and could be used to draw a bigger name from the Multi-Cultural or GREEK community. Surely there must at least one Greek in Budget or Allocations that would jump at the idea of running with a party that came within 60 votes of taking District Fuckin C in a Fall election. This Greek would be the biggest tool of 2009 if he/she couldn't at least swing his/her house at that. I'm fascinated with drawing up exec. tickets - who isn't?

[Option 1] My favorite ticket as of yet is this:


McShera/Schneider/IFC/PC Greek
,


my [Option 2] second favorite ticket is:


McShera/Steiger/Huey



[Option 3] My third favorite ticket as of yet is:


Dictor/Trimboli/McShera


[Option 4] My fourth favorite ticket is:


McShera/Grasshopper/IFC Greek


[Option 5] My fifth & final choice as of yet:


Grasshopper/Gray/Huey





My Breakdown

Option 1
- speaks to the very real majority enjoyed by The Officials, putting a hardline Prog like Schneider close on the same ticket and allowing for The Left to influence cabinet. The ticket would be very strong b/c the SBT is a strong precursor-role for any SG'er wanting to run for Student Body President. The ideal candidate would be a Gator Party Senator from the Senate Budget or Allocations Committee.

Option 2 - this is a viable All-GDi ticket that would include The Progs and mobilize women voters to the polls. This ticket would also cater directly to SDS and would serve to show a real respect for the organization by way of The Officials.

Option 3 - would be an upset. McShera was willing to run as SBT for Miorelli, but today seems poised to hold the presidential nomination. This would be a solid ticket, but highly unlikely. I, for one, think Joe Trimboli has some Chris Chase qualities and should be considered as a Vice Presidential candidate.

Option 4 This would be an ideal compromise, but I prefer Schneider over Grasshopper, an (alleged) unwillingness to run can only signal poor performance if elected.

Option 5: - My longshot choice, showcases another good choice for Vice President. The Indies need to show respect to the women in the movement. Gray would be a choice candidate to counter The Progs' Steiger choice at the negotiations' table.

As the year draws closer to an end Gray seems to emerge as a stronger contender, according to big names within The Officials faction.




Even if I'm wayyyyyy off (as I'm unsure of graduation dates for some of these prospective candidates), I'd love to get some feedback on the tickets I've made. I've broken them down into options to make debate easier.

146 comments:

Anonymous said...

"McShera/Schneider/IFC/PC Greek"

This is not a viable ticket as Dave Schneider cannot exist independent of Ben Dictor.

Christian Duque said...

I'm not on the ground, but I'm very impressed with Schneider and it's not because he leaked me Wiggio info.

I think Dave may be overlooked by Dictor and should be studied by the Progs as a more viable compromise-candidate. I think Schneider would be a very GOOD Veep.

I also think Trimboli, who may lack SG exp., would do a very good job givin his passion for change and his hardwork with GDI parties.

For the record...I will publish just about anything, but surely, we can do better than comments like 10:44.

Let's hit on voting records, character, let's go after networking. But whatever... just my two cents.

Anonymous said...

Duque,

Dave is not overlooked by Dictor. From what I understand and have seen, he greatly respects Dave as what this party represents... and the future of where this party should be going. In addition, I feel he could certainly exist independent of Dictor. He would make a great OB leader, if not this year then at some point in his remaining 3 years!

Christian Duque said...

You misunderstand me. I'm not saying that Dictor doesn't respect Schneider. In fact I know Dictor is really grateful to have someone that hardworking and gifted in his camp.

All I'm saying is, Dictor is the leader of the Progs and like any leader he may not see that the best candidate to offer The Officials is not the one he's been looking at so far, but perhaps someone else that's close to him.

Anonymous said...

Schneider is constitutionally barred from running. Too young.

It's kind of funny that you changed your list when you added commentary, without any notice. Most blogs use strikeouts to avoid accusations of revisionism.

Anonymous said...

Duque, 4 and 5 are the only ones that don't have someone either too young or too old to run.

(The too-olds assume that no one but Dictor suddenly wants to go to Levin.)

Anonymous said...

Trimboli would rule cabinet with an iron fist... but he'd be a very difficult sell to the Alligator.

Christian Duque said...

Wow. I had no idea you had to be an upper-classman to run for SBP. What a great democracy they have over at SG.

Anonymous said...

You have to have been at UF for 3 semesters to run for SBP. Just like you have to be 35, and have lived 14 years in America, to run for POTUS.

Anonymous said...

I would like to see a fist run Cabinet by Trimboli.

Fist.

Anonymous said...

"Dictor/Trimboli/McShera"


This one is by far the most amusing. Dictor doesn't have what it takes to be SBP, McShera has zero qualifications to be SBT, and Trimboli has a resume too thin for SBVP (though he probably could do a decent job if given the opportunity).

Anonymous said...

Stacey Gray is eminently qualified to be Vice-President and would do a terrific job. It's just such a shame that Dictor won't quit long enough for the conversation to move forward to VP/Treas. Not surprising though, that would mean people would have to stop talking about him.

Anonymous said...

Dave Schneider is very smart and has the potential to be an Indie leader very quickly.

With that said though, he will not go anywhere in SG politics if he follows Dictor off a cliff.

Remember Dave (hopefully you're reading this) that Dictor and his crew are all on their way out. They are all done with UF very shortly. They have nothing to lose at this point. Nobody is advocating for you to compromise your principles or back down from what you believe but if you hardline too much and take too many shots at the majority within the Indie movement (many of whom have more time left at UF than Dictor et.al) then when The Matrix reforms you will find yourself absent from it.

This is all based on the assumption that Dave Schneider wishes to continue with SG Politics in the future of course. It is truly hoped by many that he does. He is talented and his raw talents could be refined and harnessed with devastating effect by the very individuals he is raging against.

So Dave, think about it. When this is all over and the dust settles make sure you have legs to stand on.

Anonymous said...

It's a shame he's not a UF student yet, I think both sides would embrace Armando Ramon Grundy Gomes as their presidential candiate. In fact, if Grundy ran, Gator might even stand down and endorse him too.

Anonymous said...

What about Liz Stinson? She would make a fine SBP.

Anonymous said...

A Stinson/Trimboli/Norris ticket would cause the UF administration to officially endorse the Gator Party ticket out of sheer unadulterated fear.

Anonymous said...

Dictor has officially left the O&B Party, Duque. Just thought you would like to know. As to what he's going to do next, you'll have to ask him.

A self-fulfilling prophecy methinks...

Anonymous said...

If Dave were really smart he would just shake off all this leftist nonsense (or not? bring in another potential voting block)and immediately join the gator party. In the Spring he could join ATO or any other first tier frat easily considering his dad is an ATO legacy.

If I were him, I'd be making some calls over break to pimp himself out to potential frats.

francisco said...

Just one issue on the ticket and two issues from the previous post:

1. I think the only person that Christian listed in the VP/Treasurer position qualified for those positions would be Stacey. I'm not sure Dave could even run since he is too young.

2. On the SRI issue, please have the facts before you act as if you know who was behind it. That issue was largely a Skeet, Travis Pillow, and Tina issue along with some of their friends. Now don't get me wrong, the issue was supported by a lot of people...but, Skeet and his friends was the person that largely gathered the sigs for that and campaigned for it.

Skeet was on the O&B ticket and I spared with him regularly not to break the 700 codes while wearing a O&B shirt (since he would only campaign for SRI rather than O&B). I had no problem with SRI, in fact I was in fact of a couple of the provisions. To further build on that, a large portion of the fliers we handed out (as a party in the Spring) focused only one SRI or the bicyclist Bill of Rights (which I still have not seen a written copy of by the way). Anyone that claims that does not deserve Skeet credit for the attention SRI got in the Spring is simply crazy. The person I saw 80% of the time pushing the SRI issue was Skeet, this can further be proven because O&B paid nearly 100 dollars in fines from Skeet while he was pushing SRI.


3. This whole hand scanner issue needs to be addressed as well. The hand scanner issue is/was not a Dictor or Cavataro issue: it was an issue of Skeet, Tina, and other, newer, members/supporters of O&B (although, I would not call it an SDS issue). When it came down to gathering sigs I believe Skeet gathered about 350, a friend of his gathered about 50, Josh N. gathered about 50 as well, and I gathered about 100. I was also the individual that represented the referendum when it went in front of Supreme Court. This issue had broad support and I mean BROAD.

The hand scanner issue was not simply a Skeet issue, it was an EVERYONE issue. Now, that being said, when the issue came time for something to be done at Senate, it became Cavataro leading the charge on behalf of EVERYONE that supported the referendum.


Just thought I would present some back story on those issues.

Anonymous said...

While I enjoy reading your blog, I feel that you give way too much credit to some of these O and B guys.

As a current Gator Party senator, I have tried working with some of these kids, and often, they do not even reply to my e-mails. They tell their constituents all they have accomplished, but include things that actually put senate steps back (i.e. the useless special meeting, "bi-partisan" my ass..Alfredo Pollichi.)

Perhaps the FBK backed SG needs reform, but don't credit these kids as the agents of change. A lot of them would be Gator Party senators if they hadn't been rejected from the Greek community. And no, I am not making assumptions about that. I can tell you what houses they tried to join and which cruised them promptly.

Anonymous said...

12:33 has clearly never met Dave Schneider. I think the world would stop spinning if he joined a frat.

Anonymous said...

shut the fuck up, you tool.

go do something other than blog with your life.

Anonymous said...

1:24, of the people involved in this, I don't think any tried to rush and failed. most never rushed, one, Trimboli, was an active Chi Phi for 2 years. if you want to smear, smear with facts.

most of us could be fantastic tools if we wanted to. but we don't.

Anonymous said...

McShera/Bracco/Jordan Johnson

Best. Ticket. Ever.

Anonymous said...

Why would grasshopper be on any exec ticket?

is he even a student? hes like 30 yrs old. he shouldnt even be in senate.

Anonymous said...

If this "francisco" is Frank Bracco (and based on his comments about who is "qualified" or not, I would say so), I can tell you for a fact he has never been to an SDS meeting. He is not someone to talk about what the SDS does.

No one said Skeet doesn't deserve credit for supporting SRI, but SRI is most certainly not all about Skeet, nor is SDS all about Skeet. Skeet doesn't even show up to meetings anymore. His involvement in the hand scanner issue amounted only to collecting signatures and writing an article in The Fine Print. Don't get me wrong, we appreciate that very much, but Skeet wasn't really involved in the planning stage of the protest in front of Rec Sports, nor did he even show up to it. This isn't to knock Skeet at all, but trying to give him all the credit for these issues is blatantly false, something I'm sure Skeet would agree with.

Christian Duque said...

Hey 5:38....

UF SG is for all students, both pimple-faced teenage know-it-alls and non-traditional students of all ages. You go to UF, pay the A&S Fee, and want to get involved - then you belong in SG.

Go blow your nose and then eat the tissue:)

Anonymous said...

Frank Bracco is not a member of SDS.

francisco said...

On the SRI and hand scanner issues:

1. SRI became a large issue because of the work Skeet, his friends, and O&B did. If his friends were members of SDS then great, but generally I never heard any of them talking about SDS other than Dictor. You cannot sit in some meeting and expect your message to magically reach the students by simply discussing it there. Skeet brought the message of SRI to the students. I also know there were a couple of students that brought the issue to the Investment Committee of the unversity.

2. Again, on the hand scanner issue, the only individuals I saw pushing it and driving the issue home to the students were Skeet, Tina, and O&B people.

Sorry kid, but the point has to be raised again: you cannot accomplish stuff and spread you message if all you do is sit in a room for 2 hours every other week and talk about "high-minded" issues. If you want to spread the message to the maximum amount of people you have to work like Skeet and his friends did. Many of those friends included O&B people, many of whom I never heard mention SDS in relation to any of these issues.

And your right, I'm not a member of SDS: that type of stuff is too intellectual for simple folk like me. When I want to know the issues of the left, I read the Iguana, listen to WGOT-LP, and I talk to those that are actually spreading the message like Skeet, Tina, Chuck, or Joe Courter.

francisco said...

Oh, and on my tiff with sitting around a room and not spreading your message: I generally think a lot of social groups suffer from this issue...including O&B on various issues.

Anonymous said...

Bracco, you don't know what the hell you're talking about. No one discusses high minded anything at SDS meetings. Ever. You have never even been to one. Stop pretending like your know what goes on in them.

"We" didn't sit around and discuss anything about the hand scanners. We planned a protest, with basically zero input from a completely absent Skeet. Skeet didn't show up at the Rec Sports protest either. Neither did you, Bracco, if you care about it so much. Did you talk to literally hundreds of students in this confrontational setting in front of Rec Sports? I did, and I told them when and where to vote, and told them to vote O&B as well. I'm sure you were too busy trying to decide which way the political wind was blowing.

Don't lecture me on political activism, "kid."

Anonymous said...

As a new comer to SG and this blog, I feel very troubled with the whole notion of politics...

who/what is real?

Since joining the student government ranks, and just being involved with different processes (whether that be the election cycle, senate meetings, this whole presidential/party divide) I just can't seem to find the realness - in people or in the system. Even those who I thought were great, hard-working and like-minded progressive thinkers seem to have gotten caught up in all the various BS along the way. Given time, it seems as if everyone changes.

I just feel like the whole thing is a game, which is scary because the SG level is only a microcosm of the real deal (that national stage)...

I do not wish to offend anyone at all, I'm just a bit lost and searching for some answers...

Sorry for sharing my stereotypical college-aged questioning and crisis with you all, but I figured what better group to ask then you all... who are probably best fit to help me answer as you are probably in a similar boat...

Anonymous said...

Anon 912 is Johnny Gersten and I claim my 5 pounds

francisco said...

To Anon 8:46PM: Uh yeah, that's right I didn't attend the protest because I was in class and at work. Sorry I am actually a student and I have to pay my bills :-). I did, however, talk to hundreds of students while I was gathering sigs with Skeet and afterwards, as well, when I had to try and explain to students why it was on the O&B platform. So, yeah, I contributed (along with others that outreached during the campaign on the issue) to reach the average student with the message. The idea that an issue as large as hand scanners, which 80-someodd percent of the students were against, could be an issue that is isolated to one small segment of the school is ridiculous. You reached one portion of the population with your “protest” while Skeet, myself, and others reached out to different portions of the population. I would have to say you would be the one wearing rose-tinted glasses if you cannot see that.


To Anon 9:12PM: " just feel like the whole thing is a game, which is scary because the SG level is only a microcosm of the real deal." You are absolutely correct; some of us have gotten to interact with state and national politicians who were involved with UF SG and their response: "if you can survive SG, you can survive politics anywhere". It is Student Government, hence it is supposed to be for fun and serve as a learning experience. Those of us with big egos sometimes get caught up in the fun and present this theatrical formula to it (good vs evil, Gator vs O&B), but ultimately it is really a way of learning more and passing time a we learn how to deal with others. Speaking for myself, I attend all these different meetings (Senate, Board of Trustees, university committees, etc) not only to keep up on SG issues, but to also learn more about how bureaucracy works and to learn about different viewpoints on issues. I come from a pretty simple background, so for me I learn something new every time I sit in on a meeting or argue with Kevin, Sam, or someone else about an issue. So, for the sake of my idealist nature, I generally see SG as a learning area and a way to help students at the same time: take part in the political process while learning about issues at the same time and attempting to make the university a better place (we usually don't succeed on this last point, but it doesn't hurt to try).

Anonymous said...

(9:36 post) I'm sorry dude, it was way to easy to call me out on that one... ha... no poundage.

Anonymous said...

JCB is Christian Duque, and always has been, and I claim my 5 pounds

Anonymous said...

As a former SGer, all of these guys come off as epic douches, and I would be amazed if any of them got elected. O&B needs a Jared, a Bruce, or a John Boyles. They should stop fighting over who gets to lose the election for them and actually find somebody that has a chance of appealing to the general student body, instead of the current party supporters.

Anonymous said...

And that is why Jared won? Oh wait, he didn't. He was a tool and the biggest douche to come through SG. He was IFC President and threw a fit when he didn't get the opportunity to run as SBP on the system's ticket.

Boyles was a win for the indies? Oh wait, he was Gator. Boyles was a nice guy but another huge tool. Did not accomplish a single thing and was the biggest sell out in history.

Anonymous said...

anon 1144 better be fucking joking about john boyles really appealing t the students

Anonymous said...

This is 8:46. I don't mean to slight your work in the hand scanner campaign, Frank. I'm glad you did what you did and I appreciate it, but please don't try to speak about what the SDS does when you aren't a member and never go to meetings, and don't try to put all the credit for SRI and the hand scanners on what you saw. A lot of people did a lot of hard work on those projects, and to single out a few specific individuals is wrong.

Anonymous said...

They don't have the numbers and they sure as hell don't seem to have the guts to stick around. the Progs are on the run and only Dictor's most fanatical loyalists will cross over with him.

Even Steiger will probably defect.

francisco said...

Anon 5:47 AM: I think we are finally reaching a middle ground. By no means am I saying that the few individuals were the only ones working on these issues; now don't get me wrong, in my opinion, they were driving forces behind them (Skeet, Tina, Travis Pillow, and their friends on SRI for example). My reading of your earlier posts came across as you implying, "Any idea that is too risqué for a Gator Party platform must solely be the property of SDS." This is the heart of the matter I was trying to get at: the SRI and hand scanner issues were worked on my a broad group of people...far too broad to just classify from as simply SDS or O&B issues. They were student issues.

Now, I want to address another issue. Since you seem so intent on driving home this issue of never attending SDS, then invite me out to a meeting. Even though we have all these supposed SDS members around, I have never once heard an individual stand up during Senate and state when a meeting would be (like other orgs do); I have never seen a message on the Gator Times; no one has ever sent me an e-mail or Facebook invite to an SDS meeting (other than the reading group, which to me = book club = too high society for simple folk like myself :lol:). Send me a Facebook invite or e-mail (this is the only way I will remember) with the time and the date of an SDS meeting and I will be more than happy to attend if my schedule lines up with it.

BTW: This is why I sign my name to my comments, so you can evaluate them on the merit. The only thing we all ever own is our word; if we don't own up to that then what can we own up to.

Anonymous said...

Grasshopper is still old. I don't even think he is enrolled in classes, which = NOT paying A&S fees.

Anonymous said...

1:24, which Gator Party senator are you, and with which O&Bers have you tried to work? We (and you) aren't as scary as we make ourselves out to be, and this is probably a good chance to address each other.

Anonymous said...

There can be no talk of primaries until The Officials opt to hold fair negotiations. This morning I phoned several of the faction leaders and everyone has sworn allegiance till the end to Dictor. We are facing perhaps the greatest test of our lives. Dictor will lead us into a new age of the Independent movement.

Anonymous said...

Bracco should be quiet about SDS, he's just another dirty official trying to lay claim to us.

Christian Duque said...

Frank is just trying to bring about some kind of compromise and 4:32 makes some valid points, however, they are trying to rectify the situation as well.

Both factions must work together to gain even more seats in Spring. The time to split off is not before us yet. There is ample time to dialogue, negotiate, and strike compromises.

Anonymous said...

How can there be dialogue when they put guys like Trimboli in positions of confidence?

francisco said...

I'm a dirty official? Christian calls me a turn coat, Anon. 4:52PM calls me an official, and yet I'm still not good enough to be part of the cabal. Man, true indie life is great...no one wants to claim me as one of their own :lol:.

Still waiting on that invite to an SDS meeting Anon. 4:52PM. As I said, I'm not taking credit for anything that isn't the facts...next your going to tell me it was Dictor or Dave that represented the hand scanner bill in front of the Supreme Court or that it was Fitz that gathered all the sigs for the SRI amendment. What's next, are you going to say that when I give credit to Sam for gathering sigs for online voting that I am laying claim to College Repubs :lol:.

I am offering to attend an SDS meeting and see how stuff works from your viewpoint and somehow that is wrong? It is times like these when I ask would you an individual even say these types of things if they had to sign their name to the post... Great job on representing your organization as fair and open Anon. 4:52PM :sigh:.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is so atrocious that they put somebody with 3.5 years of SG campaign experience in charge of running the most important Indie campaign in 4 years. What were they thinking, it's like they want to, you know, WIN.

Anonymous said...

Tina and Dictor were both nominated for Party Chair but they both turned it down.

Anonymous said...

SDS reserves the right to ask any guest to leave its meeting. The Officials, namely Frank Bracco, need to wake the fuck up. Don't come into our backyard and try to expand the reach of the cabal.

Anonymous said...

Too bad Frank was never mentioned in the cabal.

francisco said...

So your telling me that I'm not going to be invited to an SDS meeting? So none of your criticisms about me never attending a meeting can be valid then. Great job for a progressive organization: we close our doors to anyone that doesn't look, dress, and act like us. I'm sure your fellow SDS members will be proud of your actions.

Anonymous said...

Bracco is certainly part of the cabal. What do you mean he was never mentioned? He's being mentioned now. Who picked him? Who confirmed him? Why does he want to come to SDS all of a sudden?

francisco said...

I want to come because you critized me for not coming to one of your organization's meetings :lol:. Just look at 7:35, 8:46, and 5:47 and that is exactly what they say. So your telling me after you critize me for never attending a meeting it would be wrong for me to want to attend a meeting and actually see something from your viewpoint? Wow, your logic is worse than any Gator Party Senator I have come across.

francisco said...

It great how all you have done is flip-flop about on how you critize me. First you critize me for not attending, then I offer to attend, so you flip-flop to "oh your not welcome". So if I call your group non-inclusive what are you going to do? Are you simply going to say it is inclusive and invite me? I'm still waiting.

As I said, you are painting a great picture for your organization now. I'm sure Travis, Tina, and the other members of SDS would be proud of you right now

Anonymous said...

I am not 6:27 (though I am 6:08 and 8:46 and 5:47). I've never seen anyone kicked out of an SDS meeting, and I doubt anyone would want to kick Bracco out.

Please remember Gator Party kids can also write whatever the hell they want on these blogs to stir up shit.

Anonymous said...

I thought SDS was the group in the 1960s that became increasingly elitist and exclusionary and eventually became "The Weathermen?" Looks like that "participatory democracy" that they talked about then still hasn't taken hold. SDS should stand for "Students Demanding Subservience."

Anonymous said...

Don't forget, Ben Dictor is part of the cabal too. Why does everyone forget that

Anonymous said...

Rumor is that Miorelli will be attending Levin next year. Because of this he is considering running for SBP and has been trying to buy off key Orange and Blue senators

Anonymous said...

Oh mighty Miorelli, step in and run already.

Anonymous said...

Yes 6:27 PM, heaven forbid anybody with any real political acumen infiltrate your meeting.

Anonymous said...

Dave, great job at continuing your message of hate

Anonymous said...

6:37 PM is Dave and I claim my 5 pounds. You waterboard Josh into telling you some cabal exists then you defy whatever he tells you and lists whoever you want. Keep that brief case of names handy you will need them to kill all the Communists.

francisco said...

Anon 6:44 PM: Great to see we are finally in some agreement. Please feel free to e-mail or Facebook me whenver you would like to invite me out to a SDS meeting. Heck you could even have Christian do it, I'm sure he would love to make a big post about extending the olive branch between the SDS fraction and the only turn-coat-who-isn't-a-turn-coat (sorry Christian, you know I had too :lol:).

Anyways, on to the next topic...how badly is everyone going to do on finals :-(.

Anonymous said...

Who the fuck keeps talking about collecting pounds for guessing people's identities (you're always false when you try to guess who I am)? You even do that shit on the Alligator.

And the SDS isn't meeting again till January, so don't expect any invites soon, Frank.

Anonymous said...

We don't want Frank. Stop trying to give him to us.

Christian Duque said...

Frank, I've always believed you to be a very important member of the Independent movement - not a turncoat.

However, try to realize that anyone can post anonymously. I seriously doubt SDS wants you out of their meetings.

To the rest of you accusing Schneider and Dictor of some of these hateful posts, realize that these two are like McShera and Miorelli - they're leaders of key factions, they're not going to be on here spending countless hours posting silly things.

Anonymous said...

The first 11:29 PM is Justin Wooten and I claim my five pounds.

Sorry, but I couldn't help interpreting that as a challenge...

Anonymous said...

The only thing Schneider leads at is being Dictor's biggest cheerleader and lusting for Summer Lubart.

Anonymous said...

the left is done with Orange and Blue, we are creating the technoprogressives, all those that wish to win should follow

Anonymous said...

Bracco didnt even write the handscanner thing, cavatero did

Anonymous said...

@1:48, follow < participate in forming new leadership and use opportunities you find for creative expression / involvement

Inclusion > Exclusion

Anonymous said...

The Officials will win the vast majority of SDS and the Obama kids, the idea that any major faction will back The Progs is ludicrous.

Dictor needs to content himself with knowing he can influence the vp slot. Otherwise, The Officials under the leadership of Joe Trimboli will wipe the floor with them.

Anonymous said...

mitch tannenbaum is a known gator party plant

Anonymous said...

Dictor needs to quit taking credit for the hand scanner, that was entirely Skeet with help from Tina and new SDS recruits.

No way is SDS going to back Dictor over Mark McShera. Skeet is the main person in that organization and Skeet will NOT back the Progs.

francisco said...

Who ever said I wrote the hand scanner thing? Skeet wrote the ballot question, Cavataro wrote the bill...

Serious dude, reading skills.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone explain what the hell "technoprogressive means"?

Anonymous said...

There can be no dialogue. The officials just don't realize how loyal we are to Dictor. We will stand and fall with Dictor, loyal onto the end.

Anonymous said...

12:31 PM: Cult anyone?

Anonymous said...

Just like an official, 12:37. You people don't even know what the hell is going on right now. Without the Left, O&B wouldn't have won big last term.

McShera embodies everything we stand against. The whole concept of seniority has no place in our movement. The officials are creating elites and carrying out abuses against the entire movement.

Dictor puts the movement before himself and we will forever respect the sacrifice he has made for all of us.

We will protect our strongholds at all costs. We may be short of the numbers to take the nomination at this time, but we will fight for what's ours and if you choose to ignore us, you will find yourself entangled with a very worthy adversary come spring.

Anonymous said...

Duque, as a member of SDS who just started reading this blog I hope that you can relay this message to any other SDS members. My friends in SDS usually don't care too much about SG, but when individuals drag our name through the mud it is time for us to say something. We realize that having multiple parties only allows Gator Party to win. It is our hope that the individuals pretending to speak on SDS's behalf here stop doing so. You don't speak for me and my friends. Splintering into multiple parties does not help anyone, including us members of SDS.

Anonymous said...

Who is always before the Supreme Court alongside his master? Who was recently elected to a post by unanimous consent? Face it, if Miorelli walks and McShera is the nominee, Trimboli and others may lead on paper, but Frank Bracco becomes the new power behind the Officials.

Bracco and Trimboli must be removed from their posts before there can be any attempt to sit at the negotiations table.

Anonymous said...

@12:25 PM: Techno-Progressivism

@11:58 AM: Anonymous Coward

Questions, comments: satch {at} ufl

francisco said...

You do realize that I graduate in the Spring right? And that the Supreme Court is different than the Election Commission? Supreme Court = where Frank goes (not Sam or anyone else since no one attends these meetings), Election Commission = where everyone else goes for entertainment.


Yet again, spewing a message of hate, tssk, tssk, tssk. I am throughly enjoying responding to these things, even if they are Gator Party people :-).

Anonymous said...

Bracco is being an ass. Those of us that are willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for Dictor, as he has so done for us, are hardly Gator people.

francisco said...

How am I being an ass, anyone can post on this blog pretending to be anyone. For all I know, you could be Goldberger posting as an SDS kid (just as an example, not that Goldberger would ever do such a thing :lol:).

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:48 is Travis Pillow and I claim my 5 pounds

Christian Duque said...

I, for one, value dialogue and so long as no one really crosses the line, I'll keep approving comments. I'm sitting at the coffee shop watching WW2 YouTube vids, so it's not problem for me. In fact, I like reading comments.

But if I may throw my two cents in, I'd like to know what is actually being gained by the Progs tussling with Bracco? I mean I think he's taunting you guys and you guys are falling for it. I also think you guys are lobbing some accusations that may not necessarily be warranted.

I have spoken with several of you and one point I will agree with you on is that you are a serious group of people and that you are very loyal to your candidate.

From speaking with Sam Miorelli, I believe he also takes you guys very seriously and is REALLY trying to figure out ways to keep the party united.

Both sides fighting this way, can only benefit the party. However, I hope that as the primaries arrive and after the Party makes it's SBP selection, that both factions will find common ground and unite.

francisco said...

Hey, I just want to be invited to an SDS meeting after being called out for it three times. I think the orginial person I was going back-and-forth was pretty reasonable, these other individuals not so much. I guess I will just have to wait until January to see if I get invited.

Note: corrected spellling of previous post.

francisco said...

Christian and I should start a podcast: "Shades of The Independent Movement". Three part, 10-20 minute segments to be released over Winter Break. You in Christian? I'm totally game!

Christian Duque said...

It would certainly be very interesting. I've always wanted to do a podcast. :)

francisco said...

Shall we continue our discussion of this on e-mail or shall we have it in the open? Perhaps a new blog entry :lol:

Anonymous said...

Duque, instead of doing nothing at a coffee shop, shouldn't you be drinking your gallons of protein, sticking needles in your ass, and taping videos of yourself lifting weights since you must think we care about that crap

Anonymous said...

Heehee. Gator is having so much fun reading this shit. You guys are children. This is great entertainment!

Anonymous said...

I've been following these comments for a while now, and it's gotten painfully obvious that the last couple of messages written by the so-called prog kids are falsified. Way too dramatic, guys. Hope everyone else has caught on as well.

For what it's worth, I wish the progs and the cabal/officials or whoever the fuck checks their egos, gets their shit together, and beats the Gator Party in the spring. All of this name-calling really isn't worth it.

Unknown said...

wow, I thought this blog closed a year ago. good times...

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:48 is Alden Gillespy and I claim my 5 pounds

Christian Duque said...

TheRadikal will be here in 10yrs. You can count on that. :)

Swamp Juice said...

I haven't been on this for a while but you making a run at my comments record Christian. It took me 4 weeks and it took you 4 years!

Anonymous said...

@Frank and Christian: I'd love to hear you guys go. It'll definitely be in my feed catcher.

I'll even be happy to make the website and host it for you.

The only difference I have with it is the name. Why not call it "Shades of the Students' Movement(s)?"

Anonymous said...

..continuing

Just let me know when you have an episode and a domain, and it'll be up within 24 hrs following.

Christian Duque said...

Very amusing. I too would have had 100+ comments if all I had to show for four months had been 14 post-entries. TheRadikal.com has published over 500 :)

Anonymous said...

Mitch, Bob Marley called and he wants his hat back

Anonymous said...

anon 154 is naadira and i claim my 5 pounds!

Anonymous said...

Frank is an idiot and Duque is dodging the podcast issue.

Anonymous said...

I'm Anon 1:48, not a senator. I'm a constituent. Get your shit together.

Anonymous said...

Mitch, Tom Cruise called and he wants his crazy back

Anonymous said...

I'm Anon 1:48, not a senator. I'm a constituent. Stop trying to guess who people are (poorly) and get your shit together.

Anonymous said...

You splash across the top of your page,

"The Officials Open To Primary"

The only issue with this is that "The Officials" have ALWAYS been open to a primary. Dictor was the one who kept dodging the issue because he, and his close adviser Simmons, knew that in a primary setting Dictor did not stand a chance.

Anonymous said...

@Mitchell:

Don't try to hitch yourself onto an ideology you clearly don't understand.

Translation: You don't know shit about Viridian or Transhumanism.

Don't try to make yourself a player in a game you don't understand.

Translation: You don't know shit about politics or SG.

Anonymous said...

The Officials have been very kind up until this point. We have even allowed the Progs to essentially behave like stalkers. Their surveillance efforts are quickly becoming unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

Mitch, JJ called and he wants to perform the elephant walk with you and all of SigEp

francisco said...

Friends, comrades, lend me your ears! This week is international "Encourage Christian/The Radikal to take part in a podcast Week". As such, please go on the Radikal and encourage Christian to take part in the podcast I have invited him to.

Anonymous said...

We have visual confirmation of Swamp Juice's existence.

Christian Duque said...

I hate to play devil's advocate, but The Officials have behaved reasonably well over the last few days. This is why I have been urging the Progs to consider speedy negotiations.

Unfortunately, from my own sources, the last Party meeting only served to increase the tensions within the party.

With a likely McShera ticket & Trimboli head of the Party, it's going to take a vp slot and a great deal of inflence on the senate slate to bring the Progs back -- but this is my own observation, I am not in any way speaking for the Progs or with any knowledge as to their demands for re-entry into the Party.

What I can say with some level of certainty, is that the Progs no longer believe they are part of the O&B Party as of right now.

Christian Duque said...

& that means what exactly?

Anonymous said...

Stop dodging the podcast question

francisco said...

Well Christian, I am heading off to take my exam so our exchange will have to end for now. I hope you agree to the podcast. I'm sure we could make this quite entertaining for everyone.

Christian Duque said...

I think it would be very interesting, but right now things are way too tense. Let me think it over.

I do have a string of videos and a couple high level Q&A's for what's left of 2008. I'm also going to be busy building my other blog, StrengthAddicts.com

so we'll see. I'm def interested, just not sure when I can formally commit.

Anonymous said...

What happened to the Q&A with this Trimboli guy? He's the now the party chair amongst much controversy, being threatened by "The Progs", and you have him on your site as a potential pick for VP. I'd never heard his name until the last 2 weeks and now it is everywhere. Where the hell did this guy apparate from?

Anonymous said...

I'd be willing to introduce the beautiful Naadira Renfroe to big sexy himself, Armando Grundy.

Christian Duque said...

Joe's Q&A got started, but has been shelved. I will return to it later in 2009. Right now there are many calling for his forced resignation. I don't think now is the most appropriate time for the Chairman to speak.

There are other Q&A's in the works. Mr. Trimboli has been active in Independent politics since Impact (from he has told me). I am sure his star has only begun to rise.

Anonymous said...

@LongNowMember & @2:11 PM, The general sentiment I see in your comments is, "we have ours, so everyone else can be spectators, at best." When did this Movement turn into "the process works because we (those currently in power) say it does?"

I challenge you guys to be more inclusive, and to take into account the views of others, along with those of your own niche.

@LongNowMember: What game? I am not deterred by corrupt governments or imperfect systems, that's why I am advocating a new "Game." My playbook is much more universal than O&B's, and so are my intentions. Everyone deserves the chance to speak, as well as to vote.

How did you know I was a transhumanist, and where did you get the idea that I knew anything about Viridan?

It seems like you have ideas but no outlet for them. This will soon be available for you and everyone alike.

Anonymous said...

I'm available for the Spring Campaign.

Anonymous said...

lol, 11:43 isn't as clueless as I originally thought! That is, if it is the same guy doing it all the time. It seems to be a trend now.

Anonymous said...

Christian Duque dodging an on-the-record confrontation with Bracco creates a credibility gap this blog may never overcome.

Frank Bracco's behavior on this blog solidifies the fact that he has no future whatsoever in politics. Socially-awkward people all eventually get rolled.

francisco said...

Alright Christian, so here is how I envision it going down:

Either this Sunday/Monday/Tuesday evening we sit down using either a phone conversation or computer conversation. We set it at a max of 30 minutes that we will devote to the entire discussion and it will start with "What is SG and how should it work?". It will be just like a debate you would see on the Set or in the Plaza: off the cuff, completely rough, and a free discussion. We then release conversation with nearly no edits, just plain and rough, as a Christmas present.

All I need is the time and your phone number. Even you should have time for 20-30 minutes of free dialogue.

Anonymous said...

in a brawl between the progs and the officials, who would win?

i mean straight up brawling. punching, kicking, biting, hair pulling...i'm gonna go with the progs. they are shifty.

Christian Duque said...

That sounds like a very good idea. I'm down. My # is on facebook, but I'll email it to you. :)

Anonymous said...

anon 558 is matt goldberger and i claim my 5 pounds. massive douche

francisco said...

5:58 PM: Haha, very funny Matt. Good thing my goal in life isn't politics...after all, you should know I want to live on a park bench with a soap box by my side :-).

Matt said...

Frank you know that wasn't me, I've been in Tally all day. But I think I know who it was...

Anonymous said...

I'll give you that the officials want to negotiate, but they need to strip Trimboli of his position. We can deal with Frank, but with what we've got on JT, we'll demand he step down.

The earlier the better.

Anonymous said...

Goldberger is that the email you used to break the law?

francisco said...

Yup, I just wanted to get you to post :lol:

See what happens when you avoid studying for exams, you become silly like me and spend your day on The Radikal :-/.

Anonymous said...

When did Frank actually help Skeet? Duque, you shouldn't just post anything left anonymously.

Anonymous said...

Cleary 1:48AM is a dumbass that does not know what they are talking about. They say things shouldn't be anonymous but they post anoymous anyways

Anonymous said...

So Joe should step down because of the thing you guys wont tell us about! it all makes sense know, thanks for clarifying that one

Joseph Trimboli said...

If anybody chooses to spread malicious lies about me, they do so at their own peril. I refuse to live my life in fear. I will not live my life in fear. Those who try to gain political capital by way of blackmail, extortion, and other spineless means are worthless in the end and destined for failure in life.

I am not the Chair of the Orange & Blue Party by political favor. I am not the Chair by patronage. I am not the Chair for any other reason than I have 3.5 years of SG experience and have been heavily involved in the last 3 Indie campaigns, two of which were the most successful in the history of Indie politics at UF.

I don't believe for a second that those that are referred to as "The Officials" have anything but the utmost respect for the Left community. I don't believe for a second that the Left is really willing to burn the whole house down to help one individual obtain a revenge they feel they are entitled to.

The Orange & Blue Party does not win elections because of any one candidate or any one group. We win elections because the average student, the student who never hears about our party infights, who wouldn't know me or anybody else from a random person at the bus stop, that student believes in the Orange & Blue Party ideals. They know that they don't like the way things are being run in SG. It's almost an instinct, an intangible feeling. They don't like the wasteful spending, they don't like how exclusionary SG is, they don't like their A&S fees going towards the collection of their own biometric data, they don't like that the cabinet programming isn't all that it could be. They know how they feel and then they hear about us and realize that we stand for all these things and so they go out and vote for our PARTY.

It is high time that the PETULANCE ceased. Divided we are doomed to a fate of failure. Together though, we can win big in the Spring and start making some huge reforms.

If there are those who feel that I am not qualified to lead our party to victory in the Spring on the basis of my merit, then by all means, speak up. But if all you have is some rumors and hearsay that you plan to use to try and further bring the party into disarray then I ask of you this: stay home, unless you don't believe in what O&B stands for, then by all means, join forces with Gator to oppose us in the Spring.

francisco said...

Anon 1:48 AM: Oh ye of little faith, how I wish you would sign your name when you make stupid comments like that. Everything I have stated is part of the public record, you should check your facts:

1. You will notice that I am listed on one of the cover sheets for the hand scanner ballot question, which makes me a co-sponsor (along with Josh N, although we would never refer to ourselves as such since Skeet led the charge for the ballot question). You will also notice my name at the bottom of several of the sig sheets, certifying that I collected some of the sigs.

2. In the audio recording of the Supreme Court hearing, you will notice I am the student speaking for the hand scanner ballot question (not much to it, simply a two minute presentation and questioning). In fact, the only other student in the room was Tommy (I invited him since the hearing was at the law school and he was on a lunch break).

I would encourage you to record request such items, it doesn't require much to actually check your facts...then again with General Counsel stating everything is FERPA protected now-a-days you might have a new cause to fight when they deny your request.

Anonymous said...

Very vice-presidential look for Ms. Gray!

Anonymous said...

12:34: I hear JT is a thespian whose parents matriculated...

If you have stuff on Joe release it, until then you cowardly pricks need to quit your McCarthyite smears and innuendo.

Anonymous said...

Judging by Trimboli's response, it seems my pleas in the other comments section have fallen on deaf ears. You failed me, 1:29.

See you in the Spring, Trimboli, under the banner of a new party.

Anonymous said...

Christian, do you see the Progs giving up before the spring term?