Opinion

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Corruption is dominating politics

In our post-Citizens United government, corruption is perfectly legal, and we let politicians get away with it. According to the Sunlight Foundation, from 2007 to 2012, the top 200 most politically active companies in America spent approximately $5.8 billion influencing the legislators who are meant to represent the American public. Those 200 companies received $4.4 trillion in taxpayer support, government benefits and tax breaks for their efforts. While big money special interests laugh all the way to the bank, the American public is left penniless.

Eliminate Social Security

Social Security is close to being an untouchable government program. No politician wants to suggest reforming or eliminating it for fear of irritating the masses of older Americans who want to see the money they paid into the system returned to them. However, Social Security will need to be modified at some point. A system based on younger generations paying for the older generations’ retirements only works when the labor force is large enough to foot the bill of retirees. While that may have been true in the past, it won’t be true forever. Consequently, a change in either benefits or the 12.4 percent effective income tax to support Social Security must occur in order to prevent the program from becoming insolvent.

A new era in Daily Cardinal history

For 123 years, The Daily Cardinal has been at the forefront of student journalism on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. As editor-in-chief, it is my responsibility to put this newspaper in a position to keep it thriving for 123 more.

Christmas may be great, but don't forget about Thanksgiving

The hard truth about red meat

Economic prosperity not only factor in generosity

A global survey on charitable giving was conducted in 135 nations, and very well may provide us a sense of faith in humanity. In 2014, the World Giving Index examined whether people volunteered their time to an organization, offered assistance to someone they did not know who needed it or donated money to a charity. Around 2.3 billion people worldwide reported helping a stranger over a time period of one month, and 1.4 billion people reported that they donated money to a charitable cause in 2013.

Religious hecklers preaching through fear

It was a brisk fall afternoon on campus, and I had just handed over a crisp $10 bill in exchange for a foil-wrapped Korean burrito. I savored the delicious cocktail flavor, made even more precious to me knowing that I was directly jeopardizing my rent for the luxury of food cart cuisine. A fair trade, in my book. My friend and I began to look for a spot to sit down and stuff our faces with our feast, but as we walked down Library Mall, we encountered quite the crowd forming a ring.

Reinvigorating the primary election

Cardinal View: Soglin slips in tackling homelessness issue

Mayor Paul Soglin, since his landslide reelection victory in April 2015, has once again taken upon himself to address Madison’s homeless problem with rhetoric rather than substantial policy. Over the summer, Mayor Soglin proposed a new city ordinance which would tackle problematic loitering and lodging in Madison’s Central Business District. While not directly mentioning the homeless, the ordinance, which Madison’s Common Council has since voted down, attempted to clear out downtown of individuals whom were causing an undue nuisance to both city residents and the various business of downtown Madison.

Terrorism motivated primarily by perceived injustices, not prejudices

In response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, President George W. Bush promptly declared that the attacks were motivated by a hatred for “our freedoms” —particularly our freedoms of religion and speech. All of the evidence appears to point to a completely different idea. Terrorists did not attack us on 9/11 because they hated our freedom or were commanded by their religion. They attacked the World Trade Centers in order to get revenge for American actions they perceived to be injustices.

Rethinking Putin's Russian government

Patriotism. A word that inspires hope, respect and a willingness to forever defend one’s nation.

The European Union needs restructuring

Debt. Unemployment. Banking. Refugees. The list of words that preface “crisis” in Europe could go on for days.

Factory-made costumes are taking over Halloween spirit

Saturday night, the streets were filled with ghouls, ghosts and other garish creatures of the more unnerving persuasion. Classics enjoyed by many generations made their appearance as well, monsters like Frankenstein (Yes I know technically it’s Frankenstein’s monster), werewolves and all forms of vampire. And of course, the slutty nurse, cats that if they were cats would have no fur and professions clearly depicted with less clothing than usual. All these and more haunted the streets this weekend, revealing without a care by the light of the October moon, their visages magical and mysterious in the moonlight, titillating and enticing.

How to make your schedule work for you next semester

Enrollment can be a stressful time for us students. Especially when there seems to be an overwhelming number of requirements that we must fulfill in order to graduate. With enrollment for next semester right around the corner, it is a good time to start thinking and planning ahead to make your schedule work for you. Doing more of what you want is entirely possible, even with taking prerequisite courses and fulfilling requirements. All it takes is a little forethought, future planning, a positive attitude and an open mind.

Southeastern Asia threatened by fires

Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are literally choking under a thick haze of wildfire smoke caused by the yearly burning of forests for the production of pulp, paper and palm oil on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia. The smoky haze that has engulfed these nations had been described by the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics as a “crime against humanity.” Schools have been closed, roadways shut down and half a million cases of acute respiratory infection have been reported since July.

Letter to the editor: Sports teach women leadership skills

My fifth-grade classmate Mary Beth was one of the nicest people in our school. But playing against her in the girls’ basketball league, I found her incredibly intimidating. This was not the NBA.

Philosophy is the key to unlocking life's most-asked questions

It is so easy to lose the purpose of living in this world—feeling confused on what I should be, or want to do. In third grade, I was walking home from school in the late afternoon, looking at the orange sunset spread over the sky, and I wondered, “Why was I born? How is this world structured?” I thought that in order to understand what I should be doing, I need to understand the purpose of this world, how it is made and what it is made for.

Affordable college critical in bolstering economy and further generations

As current college students know, a college diploma is just about mandatory to succeed in the highly competitive job market after graduation. However, obtaining that diploma is an extremely costly task. It costs nearly $25,000 for Wisconsin residents to attend UW-Madison each year, with tuition for out-of-state students soaring to nearly $45,000. Under the current system for higher education, families either have to save for decades or plunge into the black hole of student loans to afford the cost of a college education. However, during this current election cycle, candidates are batting around the idea of a free public college education for students. This would not only alleviate the financial and emotional stress from millions of families across the country, but would also jump-start the American economy.

Routine is the bane of academic success

Everyone’s had a dragged-out Sunday at College Library. A stack of empty paper coffee cups. Bags of sour gummy worms forming a pile. A mountain of unfinished work. I often find myself stuck in this all-too familiar scene until the walls blend into the floor and my reading comprehension abilities are put into question. When I finally make my escape, it is not without a pledge that Helen and I will meet again next Sunday to repeat the same mundane production.

Debate needs to return to its origins

Let’s get something clear. Being opposed to same-sex marriage does not make you homophobic. Being opposed to abortion does not mean you hate women.