Our View-The Forty-Niner delivers ASI endorsements

With the Cal State Long Beach Associated Students Inc. elections starting today, and running through Wednesday, we decided we should endorse candidates seeking executive positions. It should be noted that our method wasn’t scientific and should not determine how students vote.

Before giving our endorsement, however, we would like to point out that all candidates should be commended for investing the time and energy into their campaigns. Of course, some of the positions come with salaries and perks, but it still takes courage to put oneself under the public microscope.

Candidates face the scrutiny of those they are exposing their ambitions, goals and ideals to through the election process. The rewards seldom outweigh the sacrifice, unless the candidate fights hard to keep realistic campaign promises. For ASI officers, those campaign promises surround representing the collective student voice.

In a perfect world, the quality to lead depends on being able to stand up for constituents, regardless of the temptation to fall in lock step with non-constituents. ASI was created as an advocacy for students. Doing anything that isn’t in the students’ best interest is a violation of the corporation.

Airbrushing resumes is one of the benefits for the sacrifice, but is not intended to be the guiding purpose for public service. If one asks a voter, “Will you pay me $18,000 to be Administration’s puppet,” the candidate can hardly expect more than one vote — their own. Treat the job that way and be the advocates we’re checking the boxes for.

Unfortunately, we are not in a perfect world and elected leaders tend to forget the original mission almost immediately after being sworn into office.

The critical operative title for these positions is “Associated ‘Students’ Inc.” None gets elected to be Associated “Administration” Inc., Associated “Faculty” Inc., or Associated “K-Mart clerks” Inc. None of the latter conceptualizations pays your salaries and provides the additional job perks — we students do.

No constituent wants to feel they elected somebody who will run from adversity with their tail between their legs. When the majority votes, whether in elections or student initiatives, we expect leaders to battle to ensure the outcome is honored and our choice is respected.

It’s no longer enough to simply mimic “suits” in the big world that think the job is done when the gavel slams. Our communities need officers to actually get on the ground, not to just make appearances at administration’s and ASI’s pet events.

Following those admonitions, it’s important to point out that no Daily Forty-Niner votes were a landslide. Not one person garnered or lost our choices unanimously. Most submissions were close enough to be determined by only one or two votes.

Like many other students, we relied on very little information about the candidates. That’s how the CSULB ASI election system is. Candidates only have a short time to deliver their messages, making first impressions practically indelible.

Drum roll, please: The Daily Forty-Niner staff endorses Avis Atkins for president, Matt Barnett for vice president and Marilei Denila for treasurer.

We wish all of the candidates good luck in the elections and in their futures.