Arie Van Gemeren ran for ASUCD Senate as an Independent in the Fall of 2006 and won the Davis College Republican endorsement. His bid was unsuccessful. He was confirmed by the Senate as a Justice for the ASUCD Court.
Fall 2006 Campaign Statement
Hi, my name is Arie van Gemeren and I'd like for you to consider me for a Senate position with ASUCD this Fall. The issues that I feel very strongly about are as follows:
The most important issue to me is that of the military recruiters on campus. The military is our first and last line of defense, and the people who join our ROTC program are the bravest among us, and they should be respected, not kicked off campus. I'm going to stand firm for our soldiers here and off in foreign lands fighting for us by protecting the future of our military here and now and preventing the misguided Senate from expelling them.
I also want to spearhead some charity organizations. I think if elected, anybody could conceivably get their voice out to a greater majority of students and I want to start up some charity organizations on campus with the aid of the Senate, specifically for battered women and orphaned or abused children.
As your Senator I will permit the Pledge of Allegiance to be recited in Senate meetings, and will give meaning towards the Oath of Office for elected ASUCD officials. I will work to make ASUCD more open and to make sure the public receives up to date information. I am going to also make sure that Senate resolutions are truly the opinion of the students and not that of the special interests.
I have no attachments to a slate or to any interest group. I am my own person, an Independent running for ASUCD Senate. I would appreciate your vote.
I am a proud Davis College Republican and I will bring moderation to ASUCD. No more ultra liberal resolutions and socialist lobbying. It is time to finally bring political balance to ASUCD.
“Hi, my name is Arie van Gemeren and I'd like for you to consider me for a Senate position with ASUCD this Fall. The issues that I feel very strongly about are as follows.”
*The most important issue to me is that of the military recruiters on campus. The military is our first and last line of defense, and the people who join our ROTC program are the bravest among us, and they should be respected, not kicked off campus. I'm going to stand firm for our soldiers here and off in foreign lands fighting for us by protecting the future of our military here and now and preventing the misguided Senate from expelling them.
*The ASUCD apparently recently voted that the Pledge of Allegiance was too offensive to be said during group meetings, and I'll work to reverse this as well.
* Awhile back the Senate voted that the option to state "So help me God" when a Senator takes the oath of office should not be allowed. I will vote to reinstate these words into the oath.
* There should be a Constitutional Amendment to require a 2/3s vote to pass any resolution in the Senate. In recent times the Senate has voted on resolutions the public was never made aware of. Due to the lack of communication and advertising of these Senate meetings it gives an unfair advantage to the group that favors the resolution. Therefore a 2/3s majority to pass resolutions should be required. If the Senate has a 2/3 majority for its money it should have a 2/3s majority for its voice.
* I will not vote for resolutions that are aimed at dividing the student population, I am more in favor of resolutions that inform students and make positive changes within the University.
* ASUCD should outreach to charity organizations in Yolo County in order to promote women and children.
* Voting for me will help to make ASUCD independent of partisan slates and special interests.
* I will also vote against any and all communist resolutions and I sincerely promise to reduce communist influence in our ASUCD.
Thanks all for the support.
Comments:
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2006-07-10 01:38:25 All questions and comments will generally be answered by me. That does not mean that I share all of Arie's opinions but I know what all of them are. —SteveOstrowski
2006-07-16 12:39:23 Arie seems not to like Mohawks, he went to go see his friend's band, which was a punk band. At the concert he noticed someone with a mohawk and decided to punch him. A brawl resulted. THis makes him a great senate candidate. VEry tolerant. —EricKollars
The incident occured inside a moshpit where pushing and shoving is very common. We both agree that this claim that Arie is against mohawks is absurd. I am interested in whether this has any merit. I can't find Eric Kollars on facebook or in the UC Davis person search so I haven't contacted him. That said the incident occured his senior year of highschool outside of Davis. Steven Ostrowski
2006-07-16 15:07:34 I recommend removing all mention of Parental notification from your campaign because it is an issue unrelated to UC Davis. Many will take any official position on it to mean that you are not focusing enough on school issues. —PaulAmnuaypayoat
2006-07-16 15:10:33 I wish to make LEAD and Student Focus engage this issue. I do believe it relates to Davis because of the evident display of No on 73 stickers we saw on campus. —SteveOstrowski
2006-07-17 08:38:32 It is ok for individuals to excercise their right to free speech; It is not ok for the student government, which taxes all students, to waste resources (including time resources) on a non-UC Davis related issue. What you saw regarding the "No on 73" campaign was conducted by individuals un-connected to the government, and therefore cannot be controlled. —PaulAmnuaypayoat
2006-07-17 09:33:51 It is very much a UC Davis issue in that many students have younger sisters or have children themselves. We are of the same generation which means we must defend our younger members that are unable to vote. This is consisted with UC Berkeley's argument that they also are involved in this issue. That and many people on campus are passionate concerning this issue. —SteveOstrowski
2006-07-17 21:19:13 I think we are expanding the scope of the student government way too much. Many of us have older parents/grandparents who need prescription drugs. Should ASUCD take a position on that? What about people who had slave/slave trader/slave owner ancestors? Should we address them by taking a position on reparations? Smaller government makes ASUCD look better, not big government like what you are proposing. —PaulAmnuaypayoat
2006-08-28 17:34:53 Steve, I have a problem with all of these first person statements that Arie is making and yet nothing that officially documents that he siad them and not you. I don't think a candidate that starts talking about communist conspiracies is going to win in 2006. That is so 50 years ago. And some of the stuff on here is impossible to do or simply a waste of time. Promise something like staplers and then maybe you'll win - except somebody already did that. And came through! —RobRoy
2006-08-28 18:23:26 When it comes to the communist issue, you have to consider the audience in which it is being said to. Furthermore I talk to Arie all the time, he isn't as familar with the Davis Wiki is as I am so I made the edits, if you go to the Facebook Senate campaign you will find comments made by Arie and myself about this issue. Having staplers in the computer lab is a worthy platform, but I don't see it neccesary to run a campaign on such a small issue. There are many small reforms and bills I want passed but I don't want to clutter this page. —SteveOstrowski
2006-09-19 01:13:06 Man, I'm glad that there's a senate candidate who is finally doing something about all those pesky communist proposals coming out of ASUCD. -Tim —TimCoady
