Opinion

---

Tough job ahead for ASM

Undoubtedly you voted in the ASM elections sometime in the last three days, right? No?! I nearly forgot myself. Had I not coincidentally used MyUW, I would not have noticed the small ""Vote now"" box encouraging students to vote for their own student government. At least they ran glorious full-page ads in The Daily Cardinal featuring ""Uncle ASM."" Good thing I was approached by text, not human beings lobbying students to exercise their civic duty.

Texting ban good for road safety

This Tuesday the state Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill proposed by Sen. Alan Lasee that would ban all drivers from texting behind the wheel. The bill, particularly as a more stringent, all-ages ban, would significantly increase safety for Wisconsin drivers.

Ban alcohol sales to chronic abusers

Alcohol policy in Madison is rarely simple, straightforward or one-size-fits all. Any proposed policy must be thoroughly vetted in terms of its impact on students, bar owners, police and the general community. This is a city that demands public participation in such decisions and should not be one that unfairly singles out a particular constituency for inappropriate burdens on personal rights.

Carry-in policy missing point of security

The last time I paid to watch a sporting event was last summer to watch the Brewers play. One of the best things about Miller Park, despite the inflated prices, is the stadium always allowed fans to carry in whatever snacks they might have brought from home to enhance the experience. Fans' bags were inspected on arrival, and upon entrance attendants observing that Mr. and Mrs. Baseball-Fan had nothing more than peanuts and sunflower seeds in their bags, they were allowed in.

Let them drink beer

In his column On Oct. 1, sports columnist Ben Breiner blamed the empty student section on apathetic students. ""Wisconsin's student fan culture does not give a crap about the football game,"" he wrote. I disagree. It's not that the students don't care about the game, they are late because they care about beer more.

Better communication needed from ASM

One of the easiest things to do is to understand the basic idea of ASM. Any politician in a finely tailored suit would catch the essence of it: a student government. So like any other political entities, it suffers a great problem of public outreach. To most students on campus, ASM is no more than some confusing headlines. The organization has always been working hard to make changes. But their overtly political approaches rarely attract new fans.

Students integral to union redesign

In May 2009, Union Council decided to discontinue the design committee in preparation for the end of the design phase and the beginning of construction of the New South Campus Union (NSCU). Dan Cornelius, former vice president for project management, was a voting member on Council when this decision was made. I became vice president for project management on May 7 after the May Union Council meeting. Dan Cornelius left office knowing there would be no permanent iteration of the design committee for the remainder of the NSCU building project, and that the next year of the project was entering a new phase because construction had begun.

Fight for LGBT rights up to this Generation

Give public access to court records

If State Rep. Marlin Schneider's, D-Wisconsin Rapids, top priority is grabbing the spotlight, he certainly has accomplished this. Earlier, the Democrat proposed property tax exemptions for newspapers. Now he has a plan to limit public access to circuit court records online. Like his previous ideas, this is still a well-intended but impractical suggestion.

Critics of Peace Prize bash president unfairly

The Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize committee's October 9 announcement that Barack Obama won the 2009 Peace Prize came as a shock to most.

Letter to the Editor: Summit smear improper

As a 2008 alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and as a former College Programs Coordinator for Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin, I am writing in response to Jamie Stark's October 7th column: Rejection of Chicago unjustified.

Female Halloween-wear matter of personal choice

As any veteran of a Madison Halloween will attest, the most commonly seen costume among female college students is some variation on a ""sexy profession"" theme. Though the costumes themselves are largely a non-issue, the judgment that many young women receive, especially by their fellow females, reflects a society fraught with fear of the expression of female sexuality.

Leave funding decisions to officials

Last week, Common Council members requested several amendments on Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's capital budget including hangups for two of the largest price tags. First, they challenged the tax incremental finance contributions to the Edgewater Hotel remodeling project, which could total up to $16 million in funding. Second, it was requested that the central library project, totaling $37 million, be put to a public vote. Underlying both referendum proposals is not only the possibility of political power plays, but also an unnecessary demand to put major spending decisions on the shoulders of the average citizen.

Community service should follow passions

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

Segredo's potential beyond bowling

 As students, we face our fair share of academic adversity. In the face of this adversity, I feel it's best to follow one simple rule: When things get tough, just go bowling. Hopefully this is exactly what Michael Hierl was thinking when he proposed his plan to remodel the puzzlingly popular nightclub Madison Avenue as a very trendy restaurant and bowling alley.

Secretary of State position deserves axe

State Sen. Alan Lasee, R-De Pere, has always been an interesting character. Perhaps it comes with the territory, as he is stranded over in the corner of the state in Door County, surrounded by tourists and cranberry farmers. Or it just might be the cowboy hat he totes around on his head. However it came about, Lasee has a reputation of being an interesting lawmaker, and with that comes interesting ideas. One of Lasee's most recent initiatives is actually one of his old standbys: give the offices of secretary of state and lieutenant governor the axe in Wisconsin.

Creativity required to solve issues of diversity

Diversity means more choices for community members and more ease to make choices for those outside of the community. It means going beyond the simple goals of Plan 2008. Efforts must be put forth like those previous that increased the amount of languages offered, particularly in the Scandinavian Studies department. Also, we must be more open to out-of-state students like the University of Minnesota is. UW's efforts today are certainly encouraging. But before it gets more diverse, the UW needs to think inclusively first.

Letter to the Editor: Union Initiative in need of Design Committee

 For the next 28 years, every UW-Madison student will pay $96 per semester, totaling about $800 to $1,000 per education, for a new Union South and for Memorial Union renovations. Cumulatively, the students' contribution to the Union project amounts to nearly $100 million, not including tens of millions of additional dollars in interest payments on the bonds necessary to finance construction.

New student vote on ALRC deserved

We urge both the ALRC and the full Common Council to support the student voting seat proposed by Ald. Bryon Eagon, with the Organizational Committee already giving their approval. A student perspective would help the ALRC craft policies that reflect student safety concerns and the realities of UW-Madison student life, being neither a rubber stamp nor an impediment to practical solutions for a thriving downtown.Thousands of students use alcohol legally and responsibly in Madison every week, it is long past time for their views to be fully heard.

Second Amendment rights must be preserved

As October is upon us, the start of the gun-hunting season is as well. Hunting has a rich history throughout our nation and state. Hunting is not only a recreational activity enjoyed by millions of Americans, but it is also an example of our guaranteed right to bear arms. ""A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"" is clearly etched into the Constitution, guaranteeing gun rights for every American.