Opinion - The Daily Cardinal

OPINION

Judge Juan Colas should stay his repeal

By by David Ruiz and JoEllen Amato | Sep. 19, 2012

Late last week Judge Juan Colas struck down major portions of Act 10, the law that severely curtailed how public employees can collectively bargain. Judge Colas argues that the implementation of the law violates the constitutional rights of state employees, specifically the rights of free speech, association and equal representation under the law. Colas views Act 10 as illegally denying public employees the rights afforded to workers who earn their wage in the private sector.

OPINION

PETA, despite reputation, could be useful on campus

By Whitney Newman and by The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Sep. 19, 2012

We have all heard the stories of the extremes members of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have gone to in order to turn heads and call attention to incidents they determine to be animal cruelty. So upon learning of PETA’s accusations that a UW-Madison animal research lab violated animal welfare laws while using cats to perform brain experiments, many of our initial reactions were to question the legitimacy of the claims. But while the group is controversial and sometimes disruptive, we welcome its insight onto our campus.

OPINION

Netanyahu is not pulling any U.S. strings

By by Zac Pestine | Sep. 17, 2012

There are two holidays that I absolutely love, that I eagerly anticipate each year: Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. This past summer was the first time in my life that I was not able to celebrate the American Independence Day within United States’ borders. As a second semester junior, I chose to study abroad. After a long and careful search for the right program, I discovered that the Hebrew University of Jerusalem appositely fit all of my wants and needs. Consistently esteemed in world rankings, in the heart of a land that I love and a region I wanted to learn more about, and equipped with easy access to Europe for vacation getaways, H.U.J.I. appeared as an easy choice for the place I would spend my semester. But as my travels there extended until July 9, I was forced to celebrate the Fourth of July there.

OPINION

Letter: Cabs on State Street keep students and community safe

By by Dan Statter | Sep. 16, 2012

As students at UW-Madison, time spent on State Street is a large part of the Badger Experience. Students working, living, and enjoying themselves on State will carry those experiences with them for the rest of their lives.

OPINION

Political issues should not lead to dismissing others

By by Noah Phillips | Sep. 16, 2012

China and Japan might go to war. A few days ago, Japan purchased some islands off the coast of China. These islands are disputed territory between the two countries. Yesterday and the day before, Chinese streets were filled with hundreds of thousands of protesters. Japanese stores have been looted. Japanese people living in China have fled. The protesters are demanding that China declare war.

OPINION

Walker cannot play nice with others

By by Kate Krebs | Sep. 16, 2012

The battle over collective bargaining continues. Dane County’s very own Judge Juan Colas declared aspects of Act 10, Gov. Scott Walker’s baby, unconstitutional last Friday in a case brought by the Madison Teachers Union and Public Employees Local 61. Colas based his ruling on the discriminatory nature of the law, which caps union workers’ wages but leaves their nonunion counterparts totally untouched, among other things.

OPINION

Obama administration has plans for the Iranian threat

By by Zac Pestine | Sep. 13, 2012

A few weeks back, I wrote an article pertaining to the threat of an Iranian nuclear program. Attempts to cripple the success of their program, which most world intelligences believe to be aimed at attaining nuclear weapons, have failed. If red lines are not drawn to deter the Iranian nuclear program, one of the most sinister governments in the world will possess arms that can destroy hundreds of millions of human lives worldwide. I also wrote that, although under no circumstances should Iran have these weapons, a Cold War is much more likely between the West and Iran than a nuclear one. But that does not mean that red lines should not be drawn.

OPINION

Conventions, laughable but here to stay

By The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Sep. 13, 2012

The political convention predates the Civil War, but since the presidential primary system was enacted it has lost most of its original political purpose. Conventions today serve as pep-rallies, filled with pageantry and rabble-rousing; their purpose now is energizing the base and gaining (positive) press coverage for their party and their candidate. Although there are unsavory aspects to the political convention, it is here to stay.

OPINION

Compromise needed to solve economy

By Tom Walsh and By: Matt Beaty | Sep. 12, 2012

If you look at poll numbers, pundit columns and anywhere else in the news, you know now is the golden age of Bill Clinton. According to Gallup polling, 69 percent of Americans view him “favorably.” Clinton’s Democratic National Convention speech was the most “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed” over, leading to people wanting him to be “Secretary of Explaining Stuff.” Even many Republicans, including Mitt Romney, have been caught testifying of the 42nd president’s greatness.

CAMPUS NEWS

Conservative presence growing on campus

By Scott Allen and By: Steven Nemcek | Sep. 12, 2012

On September 11th the University of Wisconsin-Madison Student Organization Fair was held at the Kohl Center, and I had the opportunity to work at one of the organization booths. Over the course of the fair, which was three hours, thousands of people passed me, and after a while I started noticing a prominent trend that made me very optimistic for Wisconsin’s future. There is a conservative wave sweeping this state that will turn the liberal agenda of fiscal irresponsibility on its face and lead to a new era of prosperity, both for the middle class and especially for recently graduated college students now entering the workforce.

CAMPUS NEWS

New sexual assault program relates better to students

By by Kate Krebs | Sep. 11, 2012

University Health Services has taken it upon itself to create a brand new sexual assault awareness program titled Tonight. The program is an interactive video that asks students to evaluate situations and reflect on how they would react.

CAMPUS NEWS

Preventing violence should be a priority

By Daily Cardinal Staff and The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board | Sep. 11, 2012

Those with the power and responsibility to look after the public’s safety are faced with a task of epic proportions. The job is never done, and any progress seems to eventually roll back down the proverbial hill.

OPINION

Official review for police shootings needs to improve in Wisconsin

By Steven Wishau - The Daily Cardinal and by David Ruiz | Sep. 10, 2012

Earlier this summer, Wade Page opened fire at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek Wis. The first reporting officer, Lt. Brian Murphy, was shot 15 times before another officer brought Page down with a rifle shot to his mid-section. Footage from the officers’ dashboard cameras was released yesterday, allowing the curious to gain a more complete image of the grisly scene and the role the two officers played in ending the attack.

OPINION

E-Books cheaper but with drawbacks

By By: Nick Fritz | Sep. 10, 2012

UW-Madison and more than two dozen other higher education institutions are taking part in a project to evaluate the use of e-books and other electronic alternatives to conventional learning. The idea is to look at the impact e-books have on student learning and interactions between professors and students.

OPINION

Obama is the right leader to deal with tense Middle-East

By by Zac Pestine and By Andy Kerber | Sep. 9, 2012

With the presidential election looming in the not-so-distant future, several key issues remain effervescent within the news. Clearly, headlines regarding the economy are inescapable, and abortion, healthcare and gay marriage ride just behind in its wake. At the same time, international policy, an arena that also demands much attention, garners its share of media coverage. And with the Middle East as politically charged as ever, we look to our fearless leader, our commander-in-chief, el presidente, to guide us past murky waters.

OPINION

Economic assumptions damage society

By by Noah Phillips | Sep. 9, 2012

As we move through the world, there come times when we can’t help but interact with other people or make decisions. When this happens, I would argue that we rely on two things (among others) to see us through the trying process: our assumptions and our values.

OPINION

Landlords at fault for tenants' messy move-in

By Jessica Dorsky and by Kate Krebs | Sep. 7, 2012

It is the beginning of a new school year and many students have chosen to leave University Housing for the liberating spirit of apartment life. Unfortunately, that feeling of freedom may be short-lived as inexperienced tenants move into their new homes.

OPINION

Organizations' displays on Bascom Hill should be held to higher standard

By by David Ruiz | Sep. 7, 2012

As students, fresh or weary from their summer breaks, walked onto Bascom Hill for their first day of classes Tuesday they were treated to a commercial and educational display on Bascom’s lawn. The display, which promoted a new grocery store in Dejope Hall, featured dozens of plastic flamingo lawn ornaments embedded all across the grassy expanse below Bascom Hall. The display itself might come off as esoteric, but is actually a call-back to the infamous Pail and Shovel student government party which ascended to power in 1978.

OPINION

Chinese investment risky for university

By by Matt Curry | Sep. 7, 2012

A little over a year ago, the University of Wisconsin-Madison opened up a new office in Shanghai to help further its reputation and to establish more research and business associations. To help open up the office in Shanghai, which is officially called the “UW-Madison Shanghai Innovation Office,” Chancellor David Ward joined with a delegation that included local Chinese officials and Wisconsin business representatives; some of these included the representatives of major multinational corporations such as Promega and Abbott Labs. A few months ago, Abbott Labs pleaded guilty to knowingly selling inappropriate and subsequently harmful medication to elderly people in the U.S.; they are also paying a mammoth $1.6 billion fine.

CAMPUS NEWS

Student organization creation process needs to be simpler

By By: Steven Nemcek | Sep. 5, 2012

When I attended my Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR) session three years ago I was told the requirements to form a student organization on this campus were minimal. The University only demanded that the organization be composed of at least three students, and I don’t even remember hearing that an adviser was needed. Because I have held “leadership” positions in two organizations, I can tell you first hand that the requirements to form and register an organization have expanded dramatically. This is my complaint letter.