I had a couple of other column ideas for this week, but I came across a column in Friday’s Yale Daily News by a Yale senior named Elizabeth Moore (entitled “You made a big mistake, America”), which, in the context of the mostly feel-good nature of American politics last week, was too astonishing to ignore.

It’s not that she doesn’t have the right to say and believe what she wants; she certainly does. It’s just that if what she says is completely ridiculous, we all (Democrats and Republicans) have the right to point and laugh at it.

I’m no political columnist, but below are excerpts of the column with some comments interjected.

“Thank you, America, for making the biggest mistake of your life.”

Earlier this week, Cornell’s Survey Research Institute, along with CBS, UWIRE and the Chronicle of Higher Education, released a study examining Cornell students’ political views towards the upcoming election versus students residing in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina and Colorado. Six days before the election, the survey highlights the unique opinions of students, a demographic often ignored in political polls that rely on landline phone calls.

Students have historically had the lowest voter registration rates in the country. The survey shows that a higher percentage of Cornell students have registered to vote than students living in swing states, but a smaller percentage of Cornell students actually plan to vote.

Next Tuesday, America will elect the next president of the United States and new members of the 111th Congress. Perhaps more than ever scientific issues are at the forefront of the political battleground. The interaction of science and politics exists at all levels from the elementary classroom, to the university laboratory, to the halls of congress, to the oval office.

Cornell and its faculty have long made significant contributions to not only science but scientific policy as well. They have also seen their research affected by policy, and thus have a lot to say about this relationship — its past and present circumstances, and what the future may bring.

Dear Sen. McCain,

As we approach what many will call the final stretch of an historic campaign, I would like to formally commend you for your valiant effort. You may be aware, as it is widely accepted, that I posses a significant lead in all polls, to be the next President of the United States. Now let us not get ahead of ourselves; the race is far from over. However, I believe that the American people are ready for change and that I will soon be elected President of the United States of America.

When filling out my absentee ballot, I checked off every Republican, including a white-haired war veteran from Arizona.

But I’m not going to tell you to do the same or tell you why I think they’ll run the country better than others.

I have a Ronald Reagan poster in my bedroom and a McCain-Palin bumper sticker on my car. I gave Governor Mike Huckabee a standing ovation when he spoke at Bailey Hall last spring.

But I’m not going to advocate that you do the same.

What you do is your business. What you believe is your decision. How you express your beliefs is also at your discretion. And I’m not going to think any less or more of you because of who you support and what you believe.

Who am I to judge?

Before I begin this, I would first like to respond to all my detractors from two weeks ago. Yes, the Ron Paul folks sent me countless emails and left countless more comments on cornellsun.com. Although I was tempted to just print the same column again, to drive home a point, I instead decided to do some research and “oil my gears with the truth.” The conclusion? They have an agenda and I don’t. And who was that guy who wrote to me that, “as a senior citizen and an observer of economic trends over the last 45 years … [more libertarian agenda]”? Was that you, Dr. Paul? I looked it up and 45 years is actually about how long Ron Paul has been claiming to understand the economy. Ron Paulites, you made this personal.