Alumnus Update: Jesse Bickel '05

Alumnus Update: Jesse Bickel '05

Before coming to GVSU, my speech professor at another university
suggested I take Political Science. He said I actually cared about
politics. While at GVSU I completed a Political Science minor, but
didn't get involved in political campus movements. In PLS 305 we
learned Mayhew's theory of politicians' actions: do what you can to
retain power. I place a high value on principle and ideology, which
is where most politicians fail. Until recently, my care for politics
was limited to the world of discussion and an occasional vote.

In October 2007 I thought it might be time to find a candidate for
President to support. Not necessarily monetarily, but in discussion.
Over the course of a few weeks, a candidate caught me off guard in his
consistency, logic, and principles. My views rarely shift but have
adjusted to match my candidate's purer reason. I have taken more
political action in the last four months than I did in the 25 years
before.

I have handed out literature in busy intersections, driven to a
neighboring state to rally and meet my candidate, knocked on hundreds
of doors in my precinct, met dozens of times with like-minded people,
fashioned signs with foam-board and markers, hand-written letters to
people, heckled opposing candidates, donated hundreds of dollars,
marched in an MLK parade, performed exit polling for 12 hours on
election day, validated precinct voting results, learned party
convention processes, hosted a training session for mass meetings in
my apartment, attended mass meetings, been elected a delegate to
county convention, schmoozed at a party picnic, spoken at training
events for conventions, and I am now coordinating a county convention
effort.

It is no coincidence that much of my work has been post-primary. An
election is not the end of action. I learned that actions are most
effective in areas outside the bounds of media coverage. Get involved
beyond election day.