Thinking: A way of reasoning; judgment*

So...the Alligator doesn't seem to care about the possible FBK influences over Student Government...instead handing reporting duties to seemingly naive SG staffers and/or allowing for Student Op-Ed's (great ones such as Tommy Jardon's) but pieces that regretably lack the very angle I'm speaking about, the possiblity of Florida Blue Key manipulation over the Boyles Administration and possibly over the Senate's own leadership. For reasons unknown to me, the Alligator did a wonderful job last year giving coverage during the Peter Gruskin probe, Charlie Grapski's suit against Machen, and of course the Grapski-Telles-Irvin's probes in the expenditures involving student money and one, Gator Growl....and then...it all stopped, the articles stopped (either being written or being published) and devoid of press, one can only imagine what's going on in the annals of Student Leadership. The Alligator and other press publications (to a certain extent) serve as the proverbial "leashes" to SG's top brass, "leashes" that even UF's top adult administration could never dream of becoming!

There are other things on my mind right now. Mackenzie Moritz not only being accepted into FBK, but the fact that the leader of the "Green's" would even apply makes me very uncomfortable. I for one believe Voice was always more hardcore than Progress, but in all honesty Progress did the whole Indie thing and were much more successful at it than we were, from going with "GREEN" (whereas Voice saw itself as the logical evolution of the Radical Wing of the Access Party ::: seriously, we had Peter Gruskin, myself, Allison Andrews, and some others secretly helping us that I can make such a claim) and getting that Alligator endorsement and their whole tabling concept, they had the professional-Indie roadmap learned to a "T." We just learned as we went along --- PUNK ROCK BABY! --- // - THE DIY PARTY! -

You know....from what I've heard...FBK and the IFC/PC tend to have the top elected spots pre-picked sometimes as early as a year before the fact. Some people get to UF unsure of what major they'll study but fully cognizant that they have three years to impress the hell out of FBK to get a tap. So in very much that same vein...just to put my doubts aside...does anyone think that Mackenzie may have stood down (and with him, his party) to ensure that tap? If one does the math: Impact (2900) + Progress (2200) + Voice (800) = that would have beat Gator by enough votes to surpass the 50%-mark. Quite frankly, when we endorsed and Progress did not that was DICK! That wasn't the ultimate "indie" thing to do, we did the ultimate indie thing and that was know when the fight was over and do something positive, Keg did the right thing, but why not Progress.

When Mackenzie met with both main candidates I think he did in fact reach a deal with one of them! Mackenzie's endorsement of Dennis would have resurrected the Indie community and given Impact the on-campus housing pull it needed to truly stand a chance against Gator. Mackenzie's endorsement to Joe would mean little to nothing, because for however loyal as Progress' kids were to their new-found-guru, voting for the likes of a Joe Goldberg would have meant mutiny and/or complete disengagement and mass cross-overs to Impact! A neutral stance would have been the very best for Joe/Gator because it essentially removed the passion, the hunger, and the morale of the Progress Party and all of its adherents. And while the leaders of the party may have voted for Impact (as the case is made) the flock, that is the 2000+ that awaited instructions never got them. Keg gave its thousand to Access, Voice gave its 800 to Impact, and Progress gave nothing...yet it was Progress (not Voice) that merged with Impact...and today (for the last two semesters) the former Progress front man runs both parties, Mackenzie sits on the Board of Managers with an FBK lapel, and I'm sitting here writing about it a year later.

I'm not saying I'm right, but it sure is fishy. How does an independent get so lucky? I got on Board of Managers because of Jamal mainly (I'm not in denial about that)...how'd Mackenzie get such a prime appointment from Joe's 435+? How'd Mr. Moritz get into FBK after being elected with Access and then leading an unsanctioned-Independent party? I don't know, but I'd like to ask Mackenzie to buy me a lotto ticket this Saturday...I mean this kid sure is lucky...

Also, let's not forget that Boyles' initial party ENGAGE was headed up by one Mackenzie Moritz and that my entries on THIS weblog drew so much heat for him, that he personally emailed me requesting I stop. A few days later Engage was scrapped, Swamp emerged, and the rest is history.

Ok, I'm done thinking SG for today. Lunch was tastey. Time for work. Adios Comrades!