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Thinking Green

Abstract:
Green. It's always been my favorite color. After enrolling in college, however, I learned of a new meaning for the word.

To me, green stands for purity. When I leave our complicated, gray buildings on campus, green surrounds me. Walking along Lake Charleston gives me a sense of simplicity and peace at heart....

  • Displaying 1 - 16 of 16

Travis Bounds

posted 4/04/08 @ 2:09 AM CST

You, don't have a real firm grasp on political science, I'm a SOCIALIST, and yet I vote Democrat every single election, why you ask? because in a First Past the Post Plurality system such as our to vote for a third party is futile for many reasons.
1) He/she wont win, duvergerian logic states that candidates in a political spectrum tends towards the center in an electorate, this is especially true of single member districts such as those in the United States, and certainly noting the demographics of the 41st state senate district, includes some fairly conservative territory i.e. will county, a Democrat let alone a Green would have a decent time running in this area
2) Voting for a third party in an electoral system that makes it near impossible for them to win goes against strategic voting logic, which basically states that in any electoral system people make a rational choice between the candidates that can win and those who agree most with their positions. Certainly a Socialist candidate agrees with me 100% of the time however, no Socialist has won elected office Sans Bernie Sanders of Burlington Vermont in a long time. So i make the rational choice to vote for the Democratic Candidate who agrees with me say 65% of the time, as opposed to the Republican who agrees with me 3% of the time. So by saying your making a principled stand by voting for the Green, your actually hurting whatever it is that Green stood for because that vote made it that much easier for the Republican who is say 97% opposed to what you believe in to win.
3) If elected the Green wouldn't have any power anyway, since all legislatures in the United States work on partisans and some form of seniority it would be farcical to think the Democrats and certainly the Republicans would give him/her any committee assignments, so yeah you may finally get someone in office, but what good is it if that person doesn't have any power

That is not to say that third parties are evil, they aren't, however the more apt thing to do would be to lobby for electoral change from a Plurality system to some manner of Proportional Representation a system that has afforded general success to third parties in particular the Greens. before wasting your vote in a 2 party plurality styem

Travis Bounds
Angry but realistic Socialist
Political Science Graduate Student.
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geology giant

posted 4/04/08 @ 9:06 AM CST

Why are so many grad students angry? Also, why do they all drink non-domestic draft beers and listen to U2 all while wondering why after 7 years of college, "why can't I get laid?"

Mr. Bounds falls into this category. Thanks for the comment that eveyone will skip reading just to scroll down and read this shorter one with simple words. Hey, it's EIU. Know your audience; use simple terminology.

Geology Giant
Non-angry Graduate Student
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Travis Bounds

posted 4/04/08 @ 1:55 PM CST

Good Sir, at least i have the decency to place my name in full when i post, secondly if you had the ability to read coherently you would have found that I said angry but realistic socialist and that i was a graduate student. not an angry graduate student. Secondly sir, I do not listen to U2, i listen to an eclectic mix of music, although i do drink non american beer, because well it tastes better.

Selah
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Selah

posted 4/04/08 @ 4:38 PM CST

Nobody cares, Travis Bounds. Putting your name on these comments does nothing for anyone. Unless the author just needs to stroke his ego. And, yes, you listen to U2.

BTW, why do grad student always feel that intellectually superior? How do you know that guy lacks the ability to read coherently? You, good sir, give grad students a bad name. Shame on you.

Non Angry Graduate Student
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Travis Bounds

posted 4/04/08 @ 5:19 PM CST

Sir, I do not think I am superior, I know what I know and that is Political Science, I feel that it is only right that when I see something published that relates to my field I feel it behooving to opine on it. Also, putting your name on a post is For the love of God I never said i was an angry graduate student. I can most certainly tell you I do not listen to U2 you can go to my last.fm page and see that for yourself.
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Jason Rasch

posted 4/04/08 @ 6:11 PM CST

Well I think you should vote socialist if that's what you believe in, Travis. You're not an actual politician so you're over thinking it. As a member of the constituent base, the Republicans and Democrats will always win if people abandon their beliefs for what society claims is definite. A socialist or Green Party candidate will never get elected if people abandon them. Isn't that was Rick is saying? Do SOMETHING for change, to make a statement and inspire others to do the same. And even if the Green Party candidate gets elected and doesn't get any committee assignments, he can always introduce bills, make educated public statements, vote in the General Assembly, or even... expose pay to play games being played by the other two parties. A lot of good can still come from a different party being elected into office.

As for Geology Giant, you are a coward. You do not post your name and you make a fool of yourself with irrelevant comments. Maybe YOU are the one who needs to go get boned and GET A LIFE. You've commented quite a lot on dennews.com, which means you're the one sitting in your dorm room constantly looking at the website of "the worst newspaper in print." At least Travis contributed to the forum of ideas in responding to the article. You're talking about beer and sex is a waste of everyones time. Maybe you should go study some geology and know something about something.

Jason Rasch
Alumni
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geology giant

posted 4/04/08 @ 10:15 PM CST

Jason Rasch, if that's who you really are. You can post a name, but no one knows for sure. Or cares in your case. Aren't you also talking about beer and sex too? Does that mean you're wasting everyones time? Anyone reading the DEN is wasting time because it's a crap paper. You make a lot of assumptions too. But you're an EIU alum. That means you're an idiot! HAHAHAHAHAHA

Tell me where and when to meet you, then we'll see who's the coward. Bring it BEEOTCH!

P.S. Travis listens to U2 and is an angry graduate student!

P.P.S. I don't have anything to do with geology; I'm a bartender.
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Travis Bounds

posted 4/04/08 @ 11:42 PM CST

Geology Giant is a TOOL! I'm surprised it took me this long to realize it
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geology giant

posted 4/05/08 @ 11:11 PM CST

Originally posted by

Travis Bounds

 Geology Giant has a giant TOOL! I'm surprised it took me this long to realize it


Travis, you angry graduate student! Maybe if you turn off the U2 long enough you could get some anger management sessions in. EIU doesn't need you going into the work force with such a chip on your shoulder. Please do so. We all support you!
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Jason Rasch

posted 4/05/08 @ 12:53 AM CST

I'm a computer network designer in San Jose Cal. That's a bit of a walk from Stevenson, so swallow your pride and go back to work at Jerry's. I'm sure you were serving plenty of drinks to the under age girls when the police busted it a few months back. Keep stroking that ego big guy. I only check this site on down days because I'm registered to get the daily e-mails. You sir, are constantly on the site and a hypocrite. It's only 11 here in cali, but it's 1 am in Charleston. Why are you on the website of a 'crappy newspaper' at 1 am on a Friday? At least I just got off work. But I would prefer to be a geologist over a bartender any day. As for my comments being irrelevant, you're right. However, someone needed to put you in your place you cocky fraud. My being an idiot for being an EIU alum is due to incompetent people like you who somehow get diplomas from the school and make all of us look bad. So to stroke your ego for you... you're absolutely right about everything. Enjoy the feeling buddy, it wont last.
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geology giant

posted 4/05/08 @ 11:07 PM CST

Originally posted by

Jason Rasch

 I'm a computer network designer in San Jose Cal. That's a bit of a walk from Stevenson, so swallow your pride and go back to work at Jerry's. I'm sure you were serving plenty of drinks to the under age girls when the police busted it a few months back. Keep stroking that ego big guy. I only check this site on down days because I'm registered to get the daily e-mails. You sir, are constantly on the site and a hypocrite. It's only 11 here in cali, but it's 1 am in Charleston. Why are you on the website of a 'crappy newspaper' at 1 am on a Friday? At least I just got off work. But I would prefer to be a geologist over a bartender any day. As for my comments being irrelevant, you're right. However, someone needed to put you in your place you cocky fraud. My being an idiot for being an EIU alum is due to incompetent people like you who somehow get diplomas from the school and make all of us look bad. So to stroke your ego for you... you're absolutely right about everything. Enjoy the feeling buddy, it wont last.


Sir, your comment was irrelevant and at now time did it make any sense. I award you no points and my god have mercy on your soul.

P.S. Bragging about your job title does not lend you credibility. It was all lost when you said you were an EIU alum. haha, Loser!
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travis rausch

posted 4/07/08 @ 10:29 AM CST

I LOVE U2! I LISTEN TO IT ALL THE TIME!
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Charleston Heston

posted 4/07/08 @ 8:25 PM CST

I don't understand. First the guy doesn't listen to U2 and now he does. Poly-Sci students are a strange bunch.
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James Randolph Sweeney

posted 4/08/08 @ 3:31 PM CST

LOOK! I POSTED MY NAME! Does that mean I'm not a coward? Does it mean I'm a non-angry graduate student?

Sincerely,
Geology Giant
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Kevin O'Connor

posted 4/08/08 @ 4:20 PM CST

I find it amazing that this type of bickering occurs over such trivial issues. I'm 23 years old and running for State Representative. I'm doing something positive for the youth movement by making an example for how we can contribute to society. Democracy is just another word these days. If we really believe in it, we'd vote our hopes and not our fears.

To Mr. Bounds, Milwaukee just elected a Socialist Mayor which you can read about here (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract. html?res=9B0DE6D81139E333A25755C0A9629C946196D6CF). There is precendent of minor (non-corporate) candidates being elected to office when the citizenry demands REAL change. I'm not running for President and I'm going head to head with an incumbent Republican who has far surpassed his welcome in my opinion (in office since 1993). The ideological demographics are what you make of it (btw Will Co. is not in the 41st State Rep District). Are people against the war? Do they support strengthening democracy by supporting new voting systems like instant runoff voting and proportional representation?

Young people have also been elected to higher office. Aaron Schock of Peoria is most likely going to win Ray LaHoods open seat in the 18th Congressional District. He is currently in the Illinois General Assembly. Hopefully I can take what he did and we can recreate another success story.

Remember, it's only a democracy if we make it one. I hope you can at least take that with you. Thanks for the exposure Rick!
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Chemistry Giant

posted 4/09/08 @ 5:00 PM CST

Originally posted by

Kevin O'Connor

 I find it amazing that this type of bickering occurs over such trivial issues. I'm 23 years old and running for State Representative. I'm doing something positive for the youth movement by making an example for how we can contribute to society. Democracy is just another word these days. If we really believe in it, we'd vote our hopes and not our fears.

To Mr. Bounds, Milwaukee just elected a Socialist Mayor which you can read about here (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract. html?res=9B0DE6D81139E333A25755C0A9629C946196D6CF). There is precendent of minor (non-corporate) candidates being elected to office when the citizenry demands REAL change. I'm not running for President and I'm going head to head with an incumbent Republican who has far surpassed his welcome in my opinion (in office since 1993). The ideological demographics are what you make of it (btw Will Co. is not in the 41st State Rep District). Are people against the war? Do they support strengthening democracy by supporting new voting systems like instant runoff voting and proportional representation?

Young people have also been elected to higher office. Aaron Schock of Peoria is most likely going to win Ray LaHoods open seat in the 18th Congressional District. He is currently in the Illinois General Assembly. Hopefully I can take what he did and we can recreate another success story.

Remember, it's only a democracy if we make it one. I hope you can at least take that with you. Thanks for the exposure Rick!


Hey, Kevin! Nobody cares. You're going to make yourself look like a fool by losing. HAHAHA
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