And to address both you and the Judge Judy person, consider that most people–not you or I perhaps, but your general student–do not really know what it is the ASUN does. Your very asking of the question “Would the average student notice it's missing once it's gone,” is the fundamental point I am getting at. The ASUN has managed to quantify (in per credit terms) the monetary basis of people's apathy. …They shouldn't continue on this reason alone.

And I think we should all realize that my proposal is more of an academic exercise than any let's-torch-the-building radicalism. Sure the ASUN can do great things, I'll grant that. Sure, we accepted their award can in some way be construed as we somehow approve of them existing, maybe. Sure, it's an odd juxtaposition to say it shouldn't exist while taking its money, tragedy of the commons anyone?

Even at all that, the point remains the same: why should we have the ASUN? Did we, to any significant degree, actually consent to them? What if we don't consent? What if we don't want their benefits? Can I have my money back? What if I think the system is flawed and its effects are malicious? Can I have my money back yet? What if I think the system is unjust and promotes its own agenda through coercion? I'm really not getting that money back am I?

A-bolish the A-SUN.

This is my fault as I did not make it explicitly clear as to why I wanted the ASUN abolished. I assumed that those who regularly read this already know why I should want something like the ASUN gone.

In short, the ASUN is a failure of a system: it cannot work. It cannot work because it is run by people who cannot be held accountable in any meaningful sense. Without looking, name the senators. Without looking, name recently passed and pending legislation within this session. Without looking, name the three most effective things the ASUN has done to warrant its price tag.

Consider also the unfairness inherent in the system: those who work the most at school (that is, those who take the most credits) in general have less time to utilize the services provided by the ASUN while those who do the least amount of work (take few credits) have plenty of time to use those very same services. It is a system that takes from the hard working and gives to the sliding-by.

I don't want to reform the ASUN. If Hayek has taught us anything it is that good people acting through bad systems can and will produce bad results. I don't want to reform the ASUN, I want to abolish it.

And the claim, “it's not possible” is not a refutation of my legitimately held position. That's like saying world peace is not a noble goal because it's “impossible.” That's not the point. World peace is something to strive for on its own merits, regardless of its plausibility. The same is true of getting rid of the ASUN.

It should be noted, too, that this is my opinion and not the opinion of the club.

If you guys don't at least try to use legal remedies to fix the problems you see, I don't have any respect for you or your group.

I like what you guys do about ASUN, but your approach is destined for failure. (We know how well this group's previous attempt–UNR START–turned out.) As you guys so readily point out, the student body largely do not care about ASUN. But ASUN does. Take your fight to their arena. There is enough there to practically cause them to implode from the inside. All that needs to be done is have a fire lit under their asses. Others have the knowledge, and you guys certainly seem to care.

Abolishing ASUN is not going to happen, but you could certainly have a role in shaping its direction. If you can't kill them, grind them to a halt. ASUN is a stack of dry grass waiting for a match. Be the match, light the fire, then sit back and enjoy the view.