Duque's Own, Wiggio Reviews

BREAKING NEWS!!!!::::::::Tyler Antar wins a MAL seat! It's a close one... 14 to 0::::Frank Bracco's in a MAL nailbiter...he wins 14 to 0:::::Graham Clark is on edge, he too wins! 14 to 0!

Frank Bracco is read stating (yesterday at 10:17p) that he was one of the ones 'protesting the meeting, but yet in the same message upholds the validity of the MAL-elections because 'everyone that was in the room voted.' How does that amount to protesting a meeting?

Duque's take: Frank, you've been able to side-hop for most of your SG career and - without ever being thought of as a turncoat. This is truly an art at this point. But I can't allow you to get away doubletalk on my blog. I'm going to call you on it buddy.


Dylan Billiodeaux cites a similar weasel issue as another top level Official - party meetings fall outside of the Sunshine Laws and thus there SUBSTANTIAL notice was given. That's totally MPC lingo right there....does anyone on this blog or the civilized world know what the fuck the word SUBSTANTIALLY actually means?

Duque's Take: this is definitely very interesting, considering your facebook message to me last night. Are you really concerned with party unity, b/c this reads like you're just out to serve the interests of The Officials with particular emphasis on making everything look, well pardon the pun, official.


Duque Speaks: Apparently Stacey Gray thinks a Party president that cancels a meeting and changes his mind 20 minutes later and does not object (for whatever the reason) to a huge faction being present for a very partisan vote - as totalling 'a fantastic job.' Fantastic? Not just good? Not great? But, fantastic?

I'm glad the meeting was videotaped, so was the footage at the Nazi death camps. Since when are VIDEO & BLOGS substitutes for Public Notice & Party Cooperation?


Duque Speaks: Gary Benedix congratulated Donte Hargrove for 'showing great leadership and decisiveness during his first 3 days as Orange & Blue President.' Great leadership?


Duque Speaks: Cavatero states there was 70% quorum of voting members and everything was done by unanimous consent. Does that make it ok Sen. Cavatero? Correct me if I'm wrong, but O&B has even less than The Progs 30% of voting members in the UF Senate. Would you be ok with the Gator Party saying...'well we have 80% of voting members, we don't need to hear the minority.' In fact isn't that EXACTLY what happened, isn't that what O&B filibustered for five hours to stop?

Why fight that kind of despotism in chambers, only to apply it to the minority within your own party? Could you please address this issue Senator?



Duque's Favorite Quote: "There is a huge difference between 100% and 59% majority." Excellent statement by the not-so-polite Stephen Fitzmaurice.


Duque Speaks: (from a Wiggio cite) Donte Hargrove claims that "if we democratize everything, we won't get anything done."

Where the fuck did you people find this guy? And then he asks people to 'trust his judgment.' Trust these nuts! You're a fuckin puppet, you can't even make a decision and have it last longer than 20minutes. You're about as much 'a president' as Ahmad Karzai....it seems like neither one of you can even wipe your own ass without getting permission from the forces that keepyou in power.



Duque Stunned: Why is Armando Ramon Grundy Gomes in an O&B Party meeting? He's not even a UF student yet and there he is talking about TheRadikal, pledging to give money to prospective candidates, and saying that everyone is a good person. Let's make to sure get Armando on record here....he states that the GATOR PARTY STAND FOR NOTHING. We don't want to see you on the other side. Thanks for name-dropping my blog dear friend...

& just so you know...I have access to everything, always have. Anything I REALLY want to know, I know.

This is Dictor's Party Too!

The Officials have made a mockery of the democratic process. This is not what I meant by a party primary. Just today I was watching the Sg-Span Judiciary tape and I was so proud of Sam Miorelli grilling the committee on Public Notice...only to see his faction cancel a meeting and reconvene it, without a single member of The Progs in attendance. Party Chairman Trimboii won office with a tally of 13:1. Congratulations to Joe, but how in the hell does anyone win office at 13:1 in a divided party?

Big kudos to Orange Blue Senate Leader Ben Cavatero for raising concerns that newly elected Orange & Blue Party President Donte Hargrove was unable to. Donte was elected by The Progs and he couldn't say anything? Is he just going to be a puppet this upcoming term? He told me on facebook to message him if I had any questions....ok.....here's my question dude: (1) Where are your fuckin balls and (2) Where is your fuckin sense of honor? (3) Why didn't you adjourn the meeting?

I always told Miorelli to fight hard against Dictor to come back to his old ways and lead the party against all the odds, but I won't support or look the other way to tyranny. And is Frank Bracco in Orange & Blue or not? Seriously, this kid gets System Jobs and Party Brass and he bounces from side to the other....PICK A SIDE AND STICK TO IT.

No Schneider, no Grasshopper, no Dictor, no Progs, no resistance, no problem...Donte will continue the meeting. Kudos to Kyle Huey for declining his nomination. Kudos to Alan Yanuck for his efforts, albeit too little, too late.

The Value of Democracy

Mark McShera finally seems to be starting to act like a prospective candidate for Student Body President. I think that in the absence of Sam Miorelli, McShera has been thrust into the spotlight as both the frontrunner and a peacemaker. (Btw, the photo here on the right is one of the latest additions on facebook, but I love this photo; this photo should be used in promotions for the party, it just seems to express everything I think of when I think of Orange & Blue and I'm not there, so just think how cool it is! I've not made such a comment in 3.5yrs of blogging).

Today's meeting will either put an end to The Prog's claim to the nomination or it will leave the Party on hiatus for Spring. The Officials stood back and allowed Hargrove to take charge, but will they allow The Progs to literally take control of the party? Will McShera finally step up and give his hardline supporters a reason to fight? Will McShera the frontrunner, finally, engage Dictor - the challenger?

We'll see. Will the Sam Miorelli we all know return to former form? Will Dictor remain composed, yet focused? Will The Ape try to adjourn the meeting early when things start favoring McShera? Will Dave Schneider make converts out of the nay-sayers? Will Tommy Jardon present? Will The Progs block Trimboli for Member-At-Large? Will Liz Stinson be there? And what will Kyle Huey say? Will there be a primary? Who does SDS really support? Are the Obama Kids more for Mark?. What will Gary Benedix have to say?!? Will Cain Norris be there? Will Cavatero shock the world? What will happen at today's meeting?

Insiders insist there will be little doubt who will run for O&B.

Minority Rules Senate...& Now O&B?

Hargrove Defeats Niederriter

Donte Hargrove, an alleged Dictor-loyalist, in a party that some believe is almost 2/3's in the bag for Mark McShera, defeats 'The Officials''s candidate!

It would seem logical for 'The Progs' to receive the party's leadership on paper as part of some exit package, but Dictor remains in position to challenge McShera for the Orange & Blue nomination for student body president.

Insiders from both sides have McShera at a comfortable lead, with Gator observers pleased. The FBK/Greek side seems uneasy about facing a united O&B Party given big losses in Fall and the ever looming possibility of Greek houses revolting.

'The Progs', under Dictor, have a stronger hand at the moment. Numerically speaking, Dictor cannot defeat McShera, but if Hargrove suspended the rules and declared Dictor the party's candidate next term, The Officials would find themselves scrambling for a new party name, spreading word throughout campus, and spending countless hours and money on damage control.

Conceptually speaking, as the frontrunner, McShera's voice should reign supreme (& McShera has recognized Donte Hargrove). However, until January 2009, The Officials will control the party through Sam Miorelli.

Miorelli could potentially suspend the rules and call for new elections. Rumor has it McShera opposes the idea of Josh Simmons being re-admitted to Exec., there would be a huge deadlock if the Party's SBP candidate forbade the re-admission of an Exec. Committee applicant, largely favored by the Party President. Miorelli just might make this potential showdown never happen...

Josh Simmons is also in an interesting position. A week ago he wanted back into O&B Exec. and today, some would say he's the power behind the O&B President-elect.

What an interesting time Spring may be. Simmons & Miorelli, both graduating next term, will be actively wrestling to get Hargrove in their corner -- who wins? Is it that obvious? How did The Officials lose the party presidency? I don't get it, but if one thing's for sure, Ben Dictor remains a viable underdog in contention for the party nomination.

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Simmons Writes Duque

Christian,

I unfortunately had to step out for a goodly portion of the business part of the meeting, but since you seem to have gotten the gist of what actually happened already, I'll talk repercussions with you.

As far as this farcical assertion that I am somehow in control of Donte, it's patently ridiculous. I'd never even been properly introduced to the guy until yesterday. He's not beholden to anyone - he was duly elected in the first free and fair officer election a minority party has ever held. Although I'm sure he's more likely to consider my opinion than Sam Miorelli would, that's not saying much - it's become incredibly clear to everyone, I think, that Sam Miorelli listens to no one except the voices inside his head.

With regard to the party's nomination, that matter wasn't considered, although the McShera faction tried to force his nomination through in the meeting's garbage time (after, in fact, Miorelli had gavelled the meeting adjourned) but that attempt was abandoned after Donte was announced as the new party president and the shock thereof. I'm not sure if Ben will seek the nomination again - you'd have to ask him about that. I think that he feels the election of Donte is a step in the right direction, though, towards restoring the principles he feels the party originally stood for.

As to my climbing back into the mystical realm of the "exec," frankly I couldn't care less whether McShera wants me or not. In fact, the mentality that there is some powerful group of "exec" members is the sort of thing I'm trying to change by supporting Ben Dictor. One way or another, I'm going to be in the room offering my perspective, and hopefully someone will decide that it's worth taking into consideration.

There's supposed to be another meeting tomorrow to elect the remainder of the party's officials and potentially the SBP nominee (although not necessarily), and we'll know more after that.

Cheers,
-Josh Simmons

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"I think it's reprehensible how people that I helped get elected now see fit to openly trash me and the other people who donated huge amounts of money and time to get them elected for their own personal political gain."

Sen. Sam Miorelli
Orange & Blue Party President