Opinion - The Daily Cardinal

OPINION

Obama's acceptance of Nobel Prize politically irresponsible, undeserved

By Molly Reppen and Ben Turpin | Nov. 5, 2009

A roomful of reporters simultaneously gasped in shock. Thørbjorn Jagland, leader of the Nobel Committee, had just announced Barack Obama, a man who had been inaugurated president of the United States only twelve days before the February 1 nomination deadline for the prize, as the committee's selection from a field of 205 candidates for 2009. In the United States, the reaction was similar. Republicans, and even many Democrats, wondered what Obama could have done in 12 days to warrant being nominated for the prize and how what he had done in less than nine months as president could have warranted winning it. Obama himself seemed surprised. ""To be honest,"" he said, ""I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize.""

OPINION

Barrett needs to join race

By Andrew Haffner and Jamie Stark | Nov. 4, 2009

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton's sudden withdrawal from the 2010 governor's race was shocking, but it may leave the Democrats better off than the well-organized Republicans.

OPINION

Time for president to put focus on education

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Nov. 4, 2009

When the White House announced President Barack Obama would be visiting Madison, the public's eyes immediately turned to the Kohl Center and Monona Terrace. Both are standard venues for big occasions, and both played host to Obama during his campaign. To everyone's surprise, the president chose Wright Middle School for this visit to talk about our primary education system.

OPINION

Students must maintain pressure on city issues

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Nov. 4, 2009

Students on this campus have a lot to be proud of in the action taken at Tuesday's Common Council meeting.

OPINION

Letter to the Editor: Rail Transit Authority a worthy endeavor for county

By Maureen Backman and Melissa Balch | Nov. 4, 2009

It is often said that the world becomes smaller every day. Technology continues to connect us more intimately from vast distances in both a physical and figurative way. Information sharing has never been easier, with the internet constantly at our fingertips. Getting from place to place has never been so efficient, either. Asia has been the leader in innovation, with Japan and China pioneering high-speed rail systems that presently reach speeds of almost 200 miles per hour. Efficient transportation is becoming a major issue in the world. Places with efficient transit systems in place are more appealing for development, while those that are lacking become victims of their archaic systems.

OPINION

Leave Lawton alone

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Nov. 4, 2009

After Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton's surprise Oct. 26 announcement that she was withdrawing from the 2010 governor's race, the obvious reaction was, ""Why?"" Lawton was the first and only Democratic candidate announced against several Republican candidates. She has nearly eight years of experience as Wisconsin's first female lieutenant governor. It had seemed like Lawton had been gearing up for this moment for years now.

OPINION

Lending an ear to those in need

By Jessica Scheunemann | Nov. 2, 2009

Today's Student Organization Neighborhood guest editorial comes courtesy of SPILL. The Student Organization Neighborhood is a biweekly column dedicated to giving a voice to student groups across campus.

OPINION

Student vote on ALRC deserved

By Letter to the Editor | Nov. 2, 2009

I will appoint a UW student to the Alcohol License Review Committee. Ald. Bryon Eagon, The Daily Cardinal and Badger Herald have made convincing cases for the benefits of having a student as a voting member of the ALRC. Students have a unique perspective on these issues and their voices should be heard. Moreover, when UW students show an interest in civic issues, that interest should be encouraged. My hope is that student interest in alcohol policy issues might be the opening for increased student interest in other important civic issues like transportation, economic development, education, lake water quality and downtown redevelopment.

OPINION

Even after victory, high turnout needed

By Dan Sullivan and The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Nov. 2, 2009

Remember that issue of the Alcohol License Review Committee student voting member? That thing The Daily Cardinal has been harping on for over a week now?

OPINION

Students needed at Council meeting

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Nov. 1, 2009

For the past week, The Daily Cardinal has called upon students to contact city alders and express their support for District 8 Ald. Bryon Eagon's proposal to add a student voting member to the Alcohol License Review Committee. Spurred by the ALRC's unanimous rejection of the proposal, we have lauded Eagon's idea, printed contact information for the Common Council and called for a boycott of the Nitty Gritty, the bar owned by Marsh Shapiro, one of the most vehement and dismissive opponents of the student voting member. We feel all of these actions have been important to improve the chances the full Common Council will approve the proposal.

OPINION

Doyle's youth insurance request a healthy step

By Qi Gu | Nov. 1, 2009

Last Thursday, Gov. Jim Doyle sent out an executive order clarifying an existing statute on health insurance to young adults. This would allow citizens in their 20's to be covered under their parents' health-care plan starting January 1 next year. Any Wisconsin resident would be eligible if you are between 17 and 27 years of age, unmarried, and either not eligible for health coverage through your employer or your premium contribution is more than the amount your parents would pay to add you to their plan. Currently, only childless full-time students can stay in their parents plan till the age of 25. But with the passage of this new policy, potentially 100,000 young adults in Wisconsin could benefit.

OPINION

The thin line between classy and ""too soon

By Jamie Stark | Oct. 29, 2009

When is a costume ""too soon?"" We've all joked, cried and projectile vomited about the crucial question. But, as with the war in Iraq, there can be no standardized timetable to redeploy costumes from distasteful to hilarious.

OPINION

ALRC seat about more than alcohol policy

By Holly Noe and The Daily Cardinal Editorial | Oct. 29, 2009

When we declared a boycott of the Nitty Gritty bar for owner Marsh Shapiro's comments about a student voting seat on the Alcohol License Review Committee, we were not just asking students to seriously consider where they spend their money. We were also pointing out to city officials and businesses that students have a clear impact on neighborhoods across the Madison community.

OPINION

In-state tuition pivotal to immigrants

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Oct. 27, 2009

When Gov. Jim Doyle signed the 2009-'11 state budget, he also approved a provision, under certain conditions, allowing students who are undocumented immigrants, or the children of undocumented immigrants, to receive in-state tuition rates at UW System schools.

OPINION

Embrace Target at Hilldale

By Todd Stevens | Oct. 27, 2009

With this proven history of working to fit into communities, there is little reason to fret about the coming approach of Target. Instead we should embrace the opportunity this presents, including the jobs it will bring. Target at Hilldale is an opportunity, not some monster that we need to chase out of town with torches and pitchforks.

OPINION

Tips for renting next year

By Brittany Jones and Letter to the Editor | Oct. 26, 2009

Thank you for your recent editorial ‘Tenant Rights All About Education'. It's never been more important, on even more levels than those you mention.

OPINION

Think about meaning of pledge before reciting

By Andrew Carpenter | Oct. 26, 2009

Besides those of us who will go on to be teachers, no one really thinks about the pledge of allegiance. But if we really examine the pledge, its wording, how it is used and what it means, we find an issue we should be thinking about in great detail. Anyone who said those words, be it one time or every day throughout their schooling, pledged to support a nation ""under God."" For a campus that values diversity of opinion and freedom of choice, this is a startling realization. We all gave our allegiance to the idea that our country is guided by the hand of God with his principles influencing the way we run our state.

OPINION

Contact alders about ALRC student vote

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board and Leah Leonidas | Oct. 25, 2009

With last week's rejection by the Alcohol License Review Committee of District 8 Ald. Bryon Eagon's proposal to add a student vote to the committee, the issue now moves to the full Common Council. In the time between now and the upcoming vote, we urge students to get involved in the issue and express their opinions concerning student involvement in city policy.

OPINION

Diversity efforts not up to snuff

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Oct. 25, 2009

Over a decade ago Plan 2008 was implemented to place an emphasis on increasing diversity at UW-Madison. The plan targeted American Indian, black, Hispanic and Southeast Asian-American students at an early age to give them structure and motivation, primarily through PEOPLE (Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence). However, the plan's sentiments were undercut a few years later when the university was embarrassed by the cover of an undergraduate magazine that had a black student pasted in to create the appearance of diversity. The university found out quickly that Photoshop is not a proper substitute for actual minorities on campus.

OPINION

Grad school reform poorly presented but worthwhile

By Qi Gu | Oct. 25, 2009

Grad-school reform has recently become the talk of Madison. Front-page stories and town-hall series have thrust provost Paul DeLuca's proposal into the public eye. Currently Martin Cadwallader, dean of the grad school, is in charge of both graduate education and university research. DeLuca's plan would add a vice chancellor to take up the research part. While this appears to be a feasible idea, the provost failed to justify it to the entire UW-Madison community. DeLuca has offered a novel solution for UW-Madison. He just needs to be more honest about the ""why"" and ""how"" by dropping official rhetoric. Basically, all his plan wants to say is this: Cadwallader is overwhelmed by too much work. For UW's sake, he needs some help.