4 4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 2, 2004 +t . * 420 MAYNARD STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com OPINION NOTABLE QUOTABLE RACHEL HEAFIELD F o. (NE YEAR ONLY EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890 JORDAN SCHRADER Editor in Chief JASON Z. PESICK Editorial Page Editor Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Daily's editorial board. All other pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. I don't have to - "4 -hrA vote now. Don't even T have to go to the v'v -4- U polls. Saved m e a trip --.on e a on Tuesday." -Green Bay Packers safety Darren Sharper, after the Packers' 28-14 win over the Wash- ington Redskins, referencing the correlation .. between the result of the Redskins'final home game and the outcome of the presidential elec-- tion, as reported yesterday by ESPN.1 The (very bumpy) road ahead JASON Z. PESICK ONE- SMIAI OLCE 4 4 4 f this year's presi- dential campaign has made anything clear, it's that both George Bush - and John Kerry want to be the president - very, very badly. There's no other explanation for why they would subject themselves to the insanity that has come to characterize a U.S. presidential campaign. The sustained personal commitment is enormous, and then when it's finally all over, the winning candi- date has to serve as president of the United States for at least four years. The question that the campaign did not make clear is why either of these two men would want to be president. The degree of difficulty that lies ahead can be partially understood by com- paring becoming president now to taking over for quarterback Chad Henne with six minutes to go in Saturday's game. Only the stakes are a little higher. The incoming president will face a number of difficult challenges. Here are a few, although there will be many, many more: Fiscal and entitlement shortages The nation's annual budget deficits have become extremely large. Last year's deficit was $375 billion; the Congressional Budget Office predicts this year's will be $422 billion. The annual deficits begin to disappear at the begin- ning of the next decade, but that assumes the president's tax cuts are not made permanent. And the projections don't take into account large spending increases that will undoubt- edly occur. Making matters worse, the size of the deficits appears up to hundreds of billions of dollars smaller than it actually is because it includes the Social Security surpluses that should be dedicated toward preserving the program for future generations. Two Brookings Institution scholars, Wil- liam Gale and Peter Orszag, estimate that future generations will owe current genera- tions $44 trillion for programs such as Medi- care and Social Security. The Baby Boomers are preparing to start retiring, so unlike 12 years ago when Bill Clinton had time to cor- rect the nation's fiscal maladies, Kerry or Bush will find himself in a race against the clock. Iraq and national security The number of U.S. troops who have died in Iraq is now at 1,121 or higher, according to the Associated Press, and even though there are now about 142,000 U.S. troops there, the country is not under U.S. control, the Iraqi government's control or even the insurgents' control. Iraq, which was once under the control of a ruthless strongman who was in turn being closely monitored by the United States, is now a threat to U.S. national security. It's difficult to buy the argument that Libya decided to commiserate with the United States for fear of an attack. In fact, the difficulties the United States is facing in Iraq not only make it more difficult to attack another country, but it may be impossible to fight a truly necessary war. Iran and North Korea are each more pow- erful and more threatening than Iraq was, and they also both know how difficult it would be for the U.S to fight a war against them. And it's become incredibly difficult to imag- ine a scenario in which either Bush or Kerry could send troops into a country like Sudan where U.S. troops could help avert a major humanitarian disaster. Sending troops to fight for our principles will have a lower priority than protecting our national security, and we may not even have the troops to do that. Arab-Israeli conflict The Arab-Israeli conflict has bedeviled U.S. presidents for decades. The one con- stant for many of those years, Yasser Ara- fat, may be nearing death. This could end up having positive results if a more responsible Palestinian leader takes his place, but it also makes the conflict more confusing and com- plicated. Saddam was a bad guy, but getting rid of him didn't necessarily improve much of anything. Could someone worse take over for Arafat? Would a new leader be unable to control the complex web of factions with- in the Palestinian community? And what would happen immediately following Ara- fat's death? These problems are not just headaches for the incoming president. Having to study for a midterm and cover a presidential election at the same time is a headache. Either Bush or Kerry will face impending crises. So why would anyone want to be president at a time like this? Well, taking over at the last minute provides the opportunity to attain greatness 4 - something the country could use out of its leaders. But when you go to the polls today, don't forget that the policy failures of one of the candidates are largely responsible for at least the first two crises. Pesick can be reached at jzpesick@umich.edu. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Like Wolverines, Bush will stay the course in Iraq TO THE DAILY: With about six minutes remaining, the Spartans winning 27 to 10, Michigan fans began pouring out of the stadium. Yes, winning seemed grim and tough for the Wolverines, and many would just as soon give up and leave than stay with their team through the tough road ahead. Sure, some people may have hadtheirreasons, but when word gotout that Michigan was making an amazing comeback, herds of people came swarming back to the game. Many people abandoned their team in the face of difficulty and strife. True Wolverine fans however, stuck with their team, seeing it through to victory. True fans understand what it means to stay the course amid trying times and difficult circumstances. True fans understand that when things get tough, the tough get going. True fans placed theirtrust in the coun- try's best football team and its coach, Lloyd Carr, knowing that the Wolverines would give their all, all the way to the end. Like it or not, those loyal supporters were symbolic of everything our presi- dent, George Bush, stands for. In a bizarre coincidence, President Bush's daughters visited our university and spoke about their father earlier that day. They spoke of a dedi- cated man. In an example, they mentioned how their father, before he was president, would never leave a game his favorite baseball team was play- ing, whether they were winning or losing. He would see them through to the end. Bush understands what it means to stay the course, even when things seem the toughest. He understands that wavering amid difficulty, losing confidence in the objective and leaving before the job is done are not the actions of a true leader. He understands that when times are tough, the mis- sion and the team still deserve our unrelenting support. He understands that when something is right, like removing a leader who kills and tor- tures innocent people for amusement, America must keep its promise to the world and do it, weapons or no weapons. It was right! Kerry would have left with the herds of countries who have forgotten what it means to support a world dedicated to doing what is right. He would have left with the countries whose corruption is only now being uncovered - abandoning our most loyal sup- porters of freedom and democracy, who will never waveratour side. Bush will neverleave the field. Alex Grimes LSA freshman The letter writer is a member of Students for Bush Students have unique opportunity to impact the outco mof the election TO THE DAILY: We huddle around the TV, yelling, screaming, begging, and plea giously, 11 Saturdays each fa 1998 post-graduation migration cisco, no matter the circumstanc the confused questioning of ou Pac-10 friends, we gravitate tog vicariously through you. We lon you among the 111,000,to feel t ing, screaming, begging, andF contributing to the cause. The ft has a bye this week, but our be much like it has been for tl - with one exception - this w convene around the TV on Tu than Saturday. We will yell, s and plead, all the while living through you. In California we part, but we are not in a positio impact the outcome of this ele you are. On Saturday we saw ju erful you are - the power of t voices of 111,000 Michigan Wol have the opportunity to have s ence on Tuesday - we will all you - PLEASE VOTE! It's C Michigan Wolverine. Bush's grammar prot are indeed telling To THE DAILY: In his column, Wrong cand country, wrong time (11/01/04 claims that he would rather "h dent who wavers on his gram president who wavers in the fa opinion." Lee, grammar is ver you were interviewing candidat tion at your high-stakes com you choose someone with poo Of course not, because gramm. about a person than his imme edge of the possessive and cont of "its." Why, then, would you for the most difficult position i the president of the United Sta really want someone who can a correct sentence representing American people to the entire w If we ask one thing from our 1 minimum level of intelligence a also write that, eventually, Sad "would have" had weapons ofr tion, "and then where would we be ment represents everything that i Bush and the Bush ideology. If w attacking defenseless nations be remote possibility that they coul the distant future, be a threat to t our nation, almost no nation wou ed. This type of pre-emptive vio extremely dangerous precedent f the world. What if India were to u iding. Reli- 11 since our to San Fran- e, no matter ir newfound ether to live ig to be with hat our yell- pleading are ootball team routine will he past nine week we will tify attacking Pakistan or South Korea North Korea? As the world's most powerful nation, we have an enormous responsibility to set a higher moral standard, to mend rifts with our brains and not with our guns. Violence begets nothing but violence. Suzanne Swanson LSA senior Bush's Iraq campaign is reckless and irresponsible esday rather TO THE DAILY: cream, beg, D.C Lee points out in his column Wrong can- vicariously didate, wrong country, wrong time (11/01/04), will do our that President Bush's stated position of "for- n to directly eign-handed foreign policy" does not preclude ction - but the president from exercising an even-handed ist how pow- foreign policy. Indeed. Rather, it was Bush's he wills and clear and single-minded determination to verines. You invade a country that did not attack us - while imilar influ- drawing troops and resources away from our be watching response to those who did - which is enough ireat to be a to do the trick. ("But at least he was clear!" I can hear Lee thinking.) Josh Scott Lee then offers us, presumably as a defense Alum of the war in Iraq, the rat analogy. A rat bites your child, you kill the rats, wherever you lems can find them. Got it. I submit that there are a number of ways to kill rats. We'd do well to choose 'one that does not result in the deaths of over 1,000 more of our children, the killing of many more thousands of our neighbors and date, wrong the eventual birth of an exponentially larger rat ), D.C. Lee population even more inclined to bite. have a presi- Matthew Walker amar than a Rackham ce of public ry telling. If es for a posi- LETTERS POLICY pany, would ir grammar? The Michigan Daily welcomes ar tells more letters from all of its readers. Letters from diate knowl- University students, faculty, staff and racted forms administrators will be given priority over do the same others. Letters should include the writer's n the world, name, college and school year or other Uni- ites? Do you versity affiliation. The Daily will not print 't even form any letter containing statements that can- you and the not be verified. world? Letters should be kept to approxi- eaders, it is a mately 300 words. The Michigan Daily nd skill: Lee reserves the right to edit for length, clarity dam Hussein and accuracy. Longer "viewpoints" may be mass destruc- arranged with an editor. Letters will be run ?" This state- according to order received and the amount s wrong with of space available. ee are forever 0 Letters should be sent over e-mail to cause of the tothedaily@michigandaily.com or mailed to the d possibly, in Daily at420 Maynard St. Editors can be reached he security of via e-mail at editpage.editors @umich.edu. Letters ild be exclud- e-mailed to the Daily will be given priority over lence sets an those dropped off in person or sent via the U.S. or the rest of Postal Service. se that to jus- THE BOONDOCKS A s I (E,sTOt0, E "SOON"CDOtsaW BE CE so MiteN cus 0 M MANIASE. ti' YAHESBENO CP M O y w