| OCR Text |
Show Views&Op inion Page 10 ►FROM THE LEFT, Page 9 ►FROM ASUSU VIEW, Page 9 Trying to keep entrance costs low people can showcase their talents in poetry and music, relax and socialize, all while enjoying diverse performances on stage. Seeing how successful PoBev has become, due to its consistency, got my brain going when I applied for the position. I came up with an idea to start a Cinema Series. Many people enjoy movies, but movie theaters can be pricey for poor college students, and some of our students lack modes of transportation. Why not have movie nights a few times a semester on campus? The TSC Auditorium already has a great screen and recently got new seats. It is in the process of getting an upgrade in sound and visual equipment. The entrance fee into one of the Cinema Series events is either $1 or a can of food. Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. we'll be watching "Elf" and giving away a prize pack to one lucky student in attendance. January, an Alfred Hitchcock double feature will show in the same venue, and I would love to hear what movies students would get excited about seeing spring semester, whether it be new releases, documentaries, cult classics or old favorites. Lectures are some of the more underrated events hosted on campus and not just ASUSU-organized lectures. It's a shame when any department or organization puts on a lecture that has a small audience; because it's obvious that speaker is worth listening to, or they wouldn't have been asked to speak. There are some amazing life stories shared by some of these lecturers, while others bring a wealth of knowledge that can be applied to students' lives. Last spring, Arts and Lectures hosted David Coleman, the date doctor, and was glad to see a packed audience. Coleman was engaging, entertaining and, most importantly, honest and helpful when students presented their romantic entanglements. This coming spring semester our first lecturer will be Jordan Christy, author of "How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World." Her book gives honest and upfront advice about how to live a successful life. Some of the subjects she'll expand on are how to be successful in the workplace and in personal relationships. I don't want to give too much away for the rest of the semester; but I will say there is a serious business guru coming in February who was featured in BusinessWeek; an adventurer coming in April; and we're planning something big to go along with that event. Lectures are an amazing way to expand your horizon while at USU. Perhaps, even more fun than attending events is volunteering for events, and I'm not just saying that to plug involvement. The time I've spent with organizations on campus has taught me a lot and allowed me to meet people who have brightened my life. Obviously, I'm biased, but as you can see, the Arts and Lectures board is possibly the best. So, if you're looking to get involved, I'd suggest you start there. — Marie Squyres is Arts and Lectures director under ASUSU's Programming vice president. A column from an ASUSU leader appears every Monday. Comments on these columns can be sent to statesmanoffice@aggiemaiLusu.edu . always enough money to kill, maim and destroy each other but never enough for education, schools, roads, health care or other programs that help our neighbors? Republicans like to use phrases such as, "redistribution of wealth" and "socialism" in order keep ordinary people like you and me from supporting policies that are in our best interest. But redistribution of wealth happens in America whether we like it or not. And rather than trickling from the top down, it is surging from the bottom up. According to new data from the Congressional Budget Office, the income of the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans tripled from 1979 to 2007, while enjoying record-low tax rates. Additionally, income inequality hit levels not seen since the Great Depression, the U.S. ranking lower than any other Western, industrialized nation. Thanks to tax loopholes and subsidies, recent studies indicate 25 of the largest corporations paid more to their CEOs than they did in taxes — if they paid any at all. In a time like this, how can Republicans even think about cutting Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security? America's double standard of welfare for the rich and pull-yourself-upby-your-bootstraps policies for the rest of us need to end. Banks and corporations don't deserve a bailout. Right now students, working people, sick people and the elderly do. To even think about balancing the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable in our society is absolutely unconscionable. What alarms me most, though, is that even some Democrats, including our current president, believe the nonsense narrative peddled by the far right and agree that long-standing welfare programs should be fair game for cuts. Let us be clear. It was not Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid that got us into this mess. As I said before, we had a budget surplus in 2000 and those programs were quite intact. It was our wrong-headed foreign policy, our penchant for war, and banks and investment firms gambling with the livelihoods of ordinary people that has fed our deficit. Whatever you may think about Occupy Wall Street, there's no doubt it is changing discussion in this country, bringing real issues to the forefront and grievances that have been largely ignored by the media. I am encouraged by them and believe that they are going to play a significant force in this election by bringing the Democrats back to their base, which values helping working men and women, opposing war and supporting social programs for the poor. — Andrew Izatt is a sophomore majoring in religious studies. Comments can be sent to him at andrew.izatt@aggiemaiLusu.edu. Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 ► FROM THE RIGHT, Page 9 gotten too big and is trying to do far more than it should. This is not a moral statement on what government should or should not be responsible for. I make no statements on whether or not a government is morally responsible to provide health care or unemployment benefits, economic stimulus, or even military defense. Those are moral questions. This, however, is a budgetary problem. In my adult life, I haven't mulled over the question of whether or not I should buy a new TV. It has always been outside of the budget, and therefore out of the question. Understandably, not all government programs are like a new TV. Sometimes people need welfare assistance or access to medicine. The point, however, is you don't solve a spending problem by raising more money to spend. Unfortunately, our political system doesn't work like that. The government buys things or invests in programs and the public rarely wants to see the price tag. For a citizen, it feels someone else is picking up the tab. For politicians, promising new benefits is a great way to win votes. This brings us to the original problem of why we haven't been able to solve the debt crisis yet: partisanship. Do all the Republicans really believe any tax hikes would be a moral crime? Do the Democrats believe we should continue to fund unsustainable programs? Certainly, there is some conviction, however, I do not believe either side is as polarized as they appear. When it comes down to it, the debt crisis can't be solved because of elections. The Republicans must refuse tax hikes and the Democrats must refuse funding cuts because politicians who campaign with these platforms loses votes. In short, exercising long-term fiscal responsibility will cost them their jobs. While I side with the Republicans on this issue, I hope people of responsibility and integrity in both parties will step forward to solve this problem. People may protest and take their jobs away, but politicians should remember it is ultimately not the people who they serve. According to John Adams, "The Magistrate is the servant not ... of the people, but of his God." I don't care if your God is religion, science or simple logic. A true politician should look beyond the immediate desires of himself and his constituency and act according to his conscience. — Mike Burnham is a junior majoring in international relations and economics. Comments can be sent to him at mike.bumham@gmail.com . Wonion's - Mate' www.utahstateaggionem |
