Countdown to the Referendum...... U.S.I Yay or Ney?

While the Yes campaign was out in force today, this time sporting Yes to U.S.I T'shirts, we failed to see any substantial NO argument put forward. While some students, including myself, were subjected to candidates begging for our vote before a lecture began, we were also victim to the often inarticulate arguments on why USI is bad.

While there was an argument put forward by former exec member Mark Seery in the election handbook (that was released earlier today to the student masses), his arguments to not joining USI were easily refutable by the many vocal and informative Yes campaigners. The lecture addresses, as in this students case, was boiled down to the €5 levy on each student for ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP!

While Seery himself failed to show at the USI hustings for the argument, his replacement Gemma McGrory, did little better in convincing the crowd. While out talking to students about the issue it seems that only a small group or loud talkers are dominating the No campaign.

Further still, it seems that a startling majority of these are members of the NUIM branch of Ógra Fianna Fáil. Are these young Soldiers of destiny campaigning for the better of their fellow students? Or are they perhaps towing the bigger party line in the fear that a stronger USI with the possibility of every university as a member could unstable the Government if it tries to implement either a higher registration fee or in fact 3rd level fees.

Maybe tomorrow will pose an exciting last day on the canvass and maybe the NOs will pull one out of the bag........

For now,

-Juvenal