Ed Board loves debate. It’s the lifeblood of a free and efficient society.
After all, who has found truth to be loser in an unfettered debate?
Once a topic is discussed and debated, the public has a much clearer view of the truth, a better understanding of the issue at stake and can make an informed decision.
That being said, today is the Strong Mayor Debate.
The Student Bar Association and Student Senate pitched in, and have brought the debate to SMU.
Those arguing for a stronger mayor are incumbent Laura Miller and Dallas lawyer Beth Ann Blackwood.
Their opponents in the debate are Councilman Bill Blaydes and SMU law alumnus Darrell Jordan.
SMU adjunct law professor Barry Knight will be moderating.
This is also the first time that Miller and Blackwood will share a stage while pushing for the strong mayor.
This debate is important to SMU students, because most of us are eligible to vote in the city election next month.
We believe that the issue may have been overlooked by students, so we will try to explain it in order to better prepare students for today’s debate, which is entirely student-run.
The choice is essentially between having a mayor with authority or using a weaker city manager in conjunction with a city council.
Ed Board feels that either method could be used effectively, however either method could also be abused.
Having a strong mayor means that there is a large amount of power in the hands of one individual, and as such, the use of that power is governed only by its bearer’s judgment.
On the other hand, a city council is a larger group of people, with power spread out, but this means that an individual, or group of individuals, has a better chance of carrying out some shenanigans without being noticed.
So that’s the debate, or at least the grounds for the debate.
Ed Board would like to encourage all students to go watch this event. No matter what your major, this debate relates to it. Obviously it relates the most to political science majors and English majors, but psychologists, anthropologists and philosophers will also have material to study.
The outcome of the May election could affect SMU in ways that even Ed Board can’t think of.
So go to the debate, it will be in the Umphrey Lee Ballroom tonight at 6 p.m.
