Opinion

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Police can kill less with one easy step

It’s been a long week and Thursday night finally rolls around. Going out to the bars and slugging down some Glenlivet on the rocks (if you’re like me and awesome) is just about a necessity. What you don’t expect is walking back home and finding a stranger there. This crazy situation turned into a nightmare after the cops saw Paul Heenan fighting with the homeowner of the house he mistook for his own. Paul Heenan—an intoxicated new neighbor—was fatally shot by Officer Stephen Heimsness after he reported to the scene.

Technology-obsessed media failing the American public

We live in an age where we are constantly being bombarded with political media. In this past presidential election, for example, many news organizations used social media like Facebook and Twitter to connect with readers. In addition, many networks created election teams to cover political news across the country, while many cable news networks increasingly promoted their shows featuring pundits and talk show hosts giving their own take on a candidate or an issue. Thus, with a seemingly endless supply of constantly available political information, one would think we would be more informed on the issues and understand the important problems facing our politicians every day. But are we really? Sure, media is important, but more political media outlets in no way guarantees better quality.

Expectations for the next four years

Job Creation:

Homeless need long-term solutions not empty promises

This is the final installment of a three-part series I've written on a single meeting held Monday night. I've used this meeting as an opportunity to delve pretty deeply into the tensions and issues surrounding the tent city of Occupy Madison as it moves from neighborhood to neighborhood. Things have happened since Monday; developments in this story are ongoing, and for timely updates I urge you to check the news section of this paper, which has had the best coverage of any traditional media in Madison, or a blog called "Forward Lookout" written by Brenda Konkel, about whom we will learn more shortly. Despite the fact that this meeting occurred Monday, over the past three days I have used it as a snapshot to provide insights into the escalating breakdown in communication between the homeless and, apparently, the whole rest of the world.

Homeless have limited legal options

Yesterday I wrote about a municipal listening session held for the Northport community about homeless people who had set up tents in a county park in their neighborhood. A brief recap: The neighbors, while surely compassionate people in their private lives and upstanding citizens in their public ones, didn’t understand why the homeless people had come and why they couldn’t go elsewhere. The city and county officials, notably including Lynn Green, the director of the Dane County Department of Human Services, felt put-upon, frustrated and incredulous that the needs of homeless people living at the encampment could not be met through existing, legal channels. And the homeless in attendance and their allies felt weary, stigmatized and misunderstood.

Politicians shouldn’t have to resign because of sexual affairs

Just a few days ago, the subject of the most recent high-profile adultery scandal, this time involving David Petraeus, came up in discussion amongst some friends of mine. I had been largely apathetic to this news, since this sort of thing has been known to happen on about a yearly basis to various important people. Interestingly enough, the conversation skewed in the direction of not particularly caring about adultery in politics at all. This made me think a bit and has resulted in a bit of confusion. Why is it that America demands that its politicians resign or be impeached over an act that is perfectly legal?

Occupy movement still politically relevant in Madison

People have a hard time equating the Occupy movement with the tent city for the homeless that Occupy Madison has become. Denizens of Madison, particularly residents of the various neighborhoods where the Occupy encampment has moved, have adopted a not-in-my-backyard approach to the issue. On the other hand, the movement has picked up allies everywhere it has gone. Everyone wants to know why these people are still on the street.

The Electoral College, although unpopular, still serves a valuable purpose

The race is over; the ads are gone; the smoke has cleared. Obama has come out on top with 332 electoral votes and over half of the popular vote to boot. I thought the election was going to be much closer than it was but I guess that the general public is still capable of separating the nuts from the berries; my belief in the people is restored. While this election was a clean call there have been years when the statistics did not line up. In the presidential election between former President George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000, the results were decidedly split. The race had been close, with Gore winning the popular vote but Bush winning the presidency through a victory in the Electoral College. How is that right? How is that democratic? HOW IS THAT AMERICAN?

Humanity's progress will topple marriage inequality

Improve school by encouraging teachers

A fundamental tenet of economics is that humans are generally rational, self-interested actors. It’s no surprise, then, that many of America’s best and brightest students are choosing to study disciplines and pursue careers in industries that will move them forward on a path of financial independence and success. In fact, many students are willing to major in subjects just for the very chance of making the big bucks.  

Referendums create federal tension

While civil rights issues in the 2012 presidential election were doomed from the start due to the two candidates being Bush 2.0 (President Barack Obama) and Bush 2.5 (former Gov. Mitt Romney), a few state initiatives were passed that lit up the gloomy aura hanging over our country (pun intended). In both Colorado and Washington, ballot initiatives called for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. In Massachusetts marijuana was legalized for medical use. Colorado also has decriminalized the personal cultivation of marijuana.

The Grand Old Party not so grand, only getting older

Is it just me, or does the Republican party make no sense?

Good, cheap housing a rarity

Rental season has just begun and Madison’s thousands of students are all searching for the best deal on next year’s housing.  

Big business has more influence in elections than voters

Some have called this 2012 election historic, reasoning that it has ushered in the most female senators in U.S. history and had the highest turnout of Latino voters in any election thus far. While this is certainly significant, this past election was particularly historic in the fact that presidential campaign spending reached its highest level in American history, with collective spending between President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney nearly reaching two billion dollars. This increase in spending wasn’t limited to the presidential race, however. Congressional races around the country also experienced large increases in campaign spending, with some outside groups spending more than the candidates themselves.

Scott Resnick sheds light on city issues

When UW-Madison students arrive on campus, they are greeted with a wide array of resources to make their time at the university as productive and comfortable as possible. Arguably, some of the most helpful yet underutilized of these resources are the Madison city alders. When this editorial board met with alder Scott Resnick recently, we were welcomed with a wealth of knowledge about the inner workings of the city. Resnick exemplifies many characteristics that foster a productive relationship between the city and its constituents. Students and the city alike would benefit from more involvement from individuals with Resnick’s dedication and initiative in city politics.

College athletes should not be paid unless it is for education

It’s not a new story, but it seems as though there is no escaping the constant struggle for money. And the question of whether college athletes should be paid is about one story away from being as burned out as Ryan Leaf. Seeing as how there has been an article in The Daily Cardinal this year addressing the issue already, I feel it’s my responsibility to test just how close we are to beating the question to a pulp.

Tea Party’s extremism alienates voters

I would like to consider myself an independent voter. In truth, I am probably more of a moderate Democrat than an Independent, but I have always disliked labels because most things factoring into them are contingent and malleable. Tuesday, Nov. 6, I was forced to do something that I hope I never have to do again: vote straight democrat. It isn’t that I will never again vote straight Democrat or that I never again want to vote straight Democrat. Rather, I hope with all of my heart that I never again feel it absolutely necessary to do so. In fact, I sincerely want to be able to one day endorse a Republican candidate.

The election is finally fading away, and with it goes challenging our beliefs

Whether my guy won or lost will be decided by the time anyone but the editors read this. But as I am writing this, the decision of who will become president is still very much in limbo. It’s exciting, invigorating and just a tad bit terrifying to contemplate that this year’s election is a bit more up-in-the-air than any in my recent memory.

Gossip, expectations can limit our interactions and growth

This morning, as I was making my usual breakfast fare of bean-mush and egg, one of my housemates came in to make her usual eggs and oatmeal. We talked, as housemates will, about our other housemates. Onions frying, she told me that the night before she had heard the names of her and her boyfriend float into her room from the common-space. She was being gossiped about! It had taken her by surprise, and made her wonder: Did our housemates often talk about her behind her back? I said I supposed our housemates talked about everybody.

Natural-Born Citizen Clause outdated

Donald Trump’s hair and the big orange person it sits on top of were on television again. As many of us know, Trump’s hair has been conducting investigations on President Barack Obama’s past in an effort to prove he was not born in America. The wispy blond strands made news two weeks ago when the person underneath them announced he would write a check for $5 million to a charity of Obama’s choice if the president released his college records and passport paperwork. I imagine the president will choose not to dignify this message with a response. Sometimes the best way to get a child to stop crying is to ignore him.