Apathy in law school

Shalala said the other day that “democracy is messy.” Here at the law school, ever since the impeachment fiasco ended last year, I’d say that “democracy is boring.”

I voted in the law school election earlier this week. I only checked three names on the ballot – president, ABA representative and one senator. I know the three people I voted for actually care about doing that job well and will do a good job because they are the type of people who are committed. I could have voted for six senators and a bunch of other offices like historian and secretary and quartermaster. (Maybe there wasn’t a spot for quartermaster. I’m not sure.) But I didn’t bother.

You see, not a single candidate came into any of my classes to give a speech. No one was insincerely nice to me during the "campaign" season. Everyone running is allowed to put up one poster on the wall of Subway so I have no clue what these people stand for. People put out a one paragraph statement that you can read at the voting booth –it typically would say something like ‘My name is [name] and I promise to make next year the best year ever!’ Oh, okay, I see why I should vote for you now. I thought we left that stuff behind in high school, but I guess not. Give me something substantive. In fact, anything remotely resembling substance that sounds like a good idea is enough to make me vote for you. I realize on a scale of importance, law school elections rank fairly low, since these people have little bearing on my life or on the law school experience. But just because the guy running for vice president is running unopposed, or I have had a few conversations with a guy running for senate and the black and white photocopied mug shot of the historian candidate looks like a woman who I’ve seen around campus doesn’t mean they’re getting my vote just so they can put this office on their resume.