4 - Tuesday, September 9, 2008
EL74 tIC t an al
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ANDREW GROSSMAN
EDITOR IN CHIEF
GARY GRACA
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
GABE NELSON
MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflectthe officialposition of the Daily's editorialboard.Allother signed articles
and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
A semester away
Semester in Detroit will launch soon. It should succeed.
P articipation - that's what usually keeps good ideas from
becoming great programs. Student groups, academic pro-
grams and movements frequently sprout up and fizzle out
not long after, not for lack of ingenuity but for lack of widespread
effort. Students shouldn't allow Semester in Detroit - a University
program that will give students a chance to learn, live and work in
the Motor City - to join the graveyard when it launches next semes-
ter. A great idea with a lot of potential to help a city and the Univer-
sity, Semester in Detroit promises to be a great success - but only if
students remain excited about it.
If the cost of milk had risen as fast as
the cost of college since 1980, a gallon
would be $15."
-Rep. Peter Welsh (D-Vt.), commenting on the rising cost of tuition during a roundtable discussion with
lawmakers and more than two dozen college presidents, as reported yesterday by The New York Times.
ELAINE MORTON I W EATURE CAL EE-MAIL ELAINE AT EMORT@UMICH.EDU
WHAT rare Sm. oiinl4xe c;-.tS
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Remember that war we lost
After months of hard work on the part of
dedicated students, University professors
and administrators, the Semester in Detroit
program is ready for its inaugural run next
semester. The program hopes to recruit 25
students to take classes at the University's
Detroit center and live at Wayne State Uni-
versity. While taking three classes tailored
to the program, students will also par-
ticipate in an internship with a city-based
organization that will help students learn
and improve the city.
Though Detroit is close to Ann Arbor,
most students have yet to experience - let
alone understand - the city and its story.
Detroit's story is fundamental to the Ameri-
can story. It's an example of the pain that
Northern racism caused and continues to
cause. It's a warning to governments every-
where about the dangers of over-reliance
on one industry. And it's home to about
900,000 people. As such, there is perhaps
just as much to learn from Detroit as from
any city abroad. Semester in Detroit is a pro-
gram as valuable as a study abroad program
but just 45 minutes away and at a fraction
of the cost.
More importantly, this program provides
the opportunity for a mutually beneficial
relationship between Detroit and the Uni-
versity. Detroit is in a precarious situation
and needs help revitalizing itself. The pres-
ence of more hard-working, enthusiastic
college students who want to make a differ-
ence could do a lot of good for the communi-
ty. And the more that students are exposed
to Detroit, the more they will care about
the city's future; this program could even
motivate students to devote their talents to
Detroit and Michigan after graduation and
strengthen the educated workforce so nec-
essary to the state'.economic future.
Even the Unive'ity standsto gain from
this program. Students who are engaged
in the city, promoting the values that the
University espouses, will serve as a vital
resource in the effort to recruit students
from Detroit. Detroit is home to a large
number of underrepresented minorities
who will now see that students from Ann
Arbor care about making Detroit a bet-
ter place. Program participants can act as
ambassadors to prospective students, effec-
tively conveying that the University still
wants underrepresented minorities to feel
welcome in the wake of the state's ban on
race- and gender-based affirmative action.
Considering the program's potential, the
people who put so much work into getting
Semester in Detroit off the ground should
be applauded. Students now have a less
expensive option to study outside the Uni-
versity that will still offer them a once-in-a-
lifetime experience. Detroit will gain a new
outreach program to improve the city. And
the University will have a more substantial
presence in an urban center that needs to
understand Ann Arbor's continuing com-
mitment to diversity on its campus.
Now all the program needs are students
who want to make a difference in one of the
country's largest, most stricken cities. Stu-
dents who are ready to embark on a Semester
in Detroit - or who would just like to learn
more about the program - should attend one
of two meetings at 7p.m. on Thursday, Sept.
11 or Tuesday, Sept. 16 in Angell Hall Aud.
C. Do it for yourself, for Detroit and for the
University that strives to instill such com-
munity values in each of its students.
O April 19, 2007, Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-Nev.) said what all Demo-
crats were thinking
at the time: The war
in Iraq was lost.,
"This war is lost
and the surge is not
accomplishing any-
thing as indicated
by the extreme vio- I.
lence in Iraq yes-
terday," Reid said.
A . prudent ALEX
observer could eas- PRASAD
ily have countered
that Reid's com-
ments, at least regarding the surge,
were a bit premature. The troop
buildup wasn't set to peak until July,
and offensives using the new troops
couldn't start until then at the earli-
est.
Yet it was easyto follow Reid's train
of thought. The Democrats had just
scored a resounding victory in the
midterm elections, President Bush
had made an unpopular decision to
increase troop levels just months
before - seemingly against all logic
- and violence in Iraq had spiked. So
with the wind at his back,.Reid took a
very small leap of faith.
He was in good company. Speaker
of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) were
right with him, opposing the surge
and promising to get all of the troops
out of Iraq within 16 months ... no
matter what.
An unlikely Republican joined the
chorus of criticism but called for a
different approach. From the out-
set of the war, Sen. John McCain
(R-Ariz.) believed that the small foot-
print philosophy of former Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld would
lead to sectarian violence, and it cer-
tainly did. The Sunni-Shiite violence
was so intense that Sen. Joe Biden
(D-Del.), Obama's pick for vice presi-
dent, decided the best solution was
segregating Iraq's three major ethnic
groups - the Kurds, Sunnis and Shi-
ites - into three separate countries.
Segregation didn't work in the United
States but supposedly could in Iraq.
Luckily for Iraqis, Bush had
announced a surge of U.S. combat
troops in January, a decision sup-.
ported by McCain. It was a desperate .
act but one that had been called for
repeatedly by the eventual Repub-
lican presidential nominee. Now,
almost 16 months later, the opinion
held by Reid, Pelosi and Obama could
only, in the friendliest terms,, be
called an error in judgment.
So what do we have to show for this
surge, long opposed by the Democrat-
ic leadership and long supported by
McCain? Well, an 80-percent reduc-
tion in violence since July of last year,,
for starters. According to the Iraq
Coalition Casualty Count, this July
saw the lowest casualty totals for US
troops (just 13) since the invasion
began. But when the facts put Demo-
crats in the politically untenable situ-
ation of declaring defeat in a time of
progress, they jumped on a new band-
wagon: the benchmark bandwagon.
The liberal Center for American
Progress's blogsaid it best in January:
"The purpose of the surge was to pro-
vide the 'breathing space' for political
reconciliation to occur. Yet over one
year later, political progress has been
scant, and what progress has been
made is not durable." Indeed, at the
time, only 3 of 18 of the benchmarks
set forth by Congress had been met.
Today 15 of the 18 have been met,
and some of the unfulfilled bench-
marks have been met in different
ways. Though the Iraqi parliament
has not passed an oil-sharing bill,
oil revenues are being shared among
Iraq's provinces evenly, and produc-
tion is nearly identical to what it was
before the war. And remember the
electricity problems that the media
cried so much about? According to
the Associated Press, the, average
Iraqi gets 3.3 hours more of electric-
ity than they did under Saddam Hus-
sein by the most ambitious pre-war
calculations. More Iraqis have land-
lines and cell phones than before the
war, and more have access to potable
water than ever. Criticism that vio-
lence would skyrocket after surge
troops pulled out has also been qui-
eted, and troop levels are now near
pre-surge levels.
The man behind
the surge that
saved Iraq.
Of course, it hasn't been all, peach-
es and cream in Iraq. There have
been many deaths, much strife, mass
exodus and refugee problems. But
despite overwhelming criticism,
McCain - not Bush - led this coun-
try on a path to victory in Iraq. After
watching Obama challenge McCain
on national security issues at the
Democratic National Convention
with the line, "If John McCain wants
to have a debate about who has the ...
judgment to serve as the next com-
mander in chief, that's a debate I'm
ready to have,"
I would expect that McCain, will-
ingly and ably, will stand on his record
of judgment.
Alex Prasad can be reached
at atprasad@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Harun Buljina, Emmarie Huetteman, Emily Michels, Kate Peabody, Robert Soave, Imran Syed
ISSUES. 2008
ON THE ECONOMY
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:OLLEGE DEMOCRATS ! E T .COLLEGE REPUBLICANS VEWP: NT
An economic plan for everyone Recovery through competition
Eight years of President George W. Bush's eco- on oil companies and would involve an imme- Our economy is on the path toward recovery. ages this kind of investment and job creation.
omic planhave destroyed our economy, which diate $1,000 check to every American family to Whileit mightnotbe obvious,our economygrewby At 35 percent, our nation's corporate tax rat
vas the envy of the world, and laid waste to a deal with increased costs. 3.3 percent in the last quarter. Last week, though, the highest among the 30 countries in the Org
udget surplus built up by President Bill Clin- Obama would also invest in our national the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that isation for Economic Co-operation and Devel
on. John McCain supported this plan every infrastructure to help state budgets and cre- unemployment is at a five-year high, underscor- ment. This is why we are losing our competit
ailing step of the way. Wages have remained ate the foundation for a post-carbon economy. ing that our economy still needs to be fixed. John edge and our jobs to other nations. McCain
at while the price of fuel and other commodi- This investment in solar technology would cre- McCain offers an effective solution to our nation's pledged to lower corporate taxes by 10 p
ieS have risen substantially. Over the past five ate "green jobs" in many fields, including heavy economic problems thatwill create additional eco- cent, making it cheaper for companies to stay
ears, the cost of attending an in-state college machinery, the auto industry and cutting-edge nomic growth and much-needed recovery. the United States while remaining competit
as increased, on average, by 35 percent. companies and interests. These jobs would McCain's plan focuses on the long-term recov- abroad.
But while the middle class is squeezed tight- replace our lost manufacturing jobs. ery, growth and competitiveness of our economy. McCain is not your typical Republican. Af
r and tighter, McCain and the Republican Obama also believes that government should We need an environmentally friendly path to eight years of high and wasteful spendi
e is
an-
bp-
ive
has
er-
in
ive
ter
ng,
Party have sought only to reduce the burden
of the wealthiest among us. A government that
once provided its citizens the tools for eco-
nomic success has now abandoned the average
American.
To correct these problems, it is essential that
we create an economy that works for everyone,
not just the wealthy or the well-connected. This
is where Barack Obama's promise - and plan -
for economic change become vital.
The first step is middle-class tax relief. That
will include a tax cut for more than 150 million
workers and a tax increase on the wealthy so
that they pay their fair share. But it's not just
about taxpayers: It's about the corporations
that ship jobs overseas and use loopholes to get
out of paying American taxes. Obama supports
ending tax breaks for all companies that out-
source American jobs (transferring those tax
credits to companies that create jobs at home)
and enforcing our trade agreements to make
sure other countries play by the same rules.
It is unacceptable that workers who lose their
jobs because of outsourcing aren't receiving
the help that they need to find another well-
paying job.
While these plans will bring relief in the long
run, most people need help now. This is why
Obama is proposing a second economic stimu-
lus package to help average Americans deal
with the rising costs of food and gas. The pack-
age would be funded by a "windfall profits" tax
provide workers with
the tools necessary to
compete in our new
economy. This is why
he believes health This is part one
insurance should be
affordable for all Amer- by College.
icans and supports sub-
sidies and regulation of Republica
the insurance market i-s
to cut costs and provide important iss
quality care for every Elec
American, making our
industries more com-
petitive on the world
stage.
This new economy also demands an edu-
cated workforce, which is why Obama sup-
ports recruiting new teachers with better pay
and offering students a $4,000 tax credit in
exchange for community service to make college
more affordable.
This election presents us with a clear choice.
We can choose four more years of economic
disaster, or we can choose an economy that will
take on the challenges of the future and deal with
the real issues that Americans face today. Barack
Obama will provide the leadership to carry our
country back to prosperity.
This viewpoint was written on behalf of the
University's chapter of College Democrats.
in a
Den
ns th
ues
tion
maximizing economic
growth that will cre-
ate new businesses
and jobs and fund vital
five-part series social and economic
programs. With the
iocrats and economic hardships
that face many Ameri-
1at looks at cans today, the clear
path towards recovery
leading up to lies in the pro-growth
Day. principles McCain
advocates.
Low taxes are essen-
tial to creatingthis pro-
growth environment.
That's why McCain has pledged to make perma-
nent the tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003. Now is
not the time to raise taxes, and allowing these tax
cuts to expire would result in one of the biggest
tax increases in our nation's history. That is some-
thing our nation can't afford right now.
In addition to extending these tax cuts, McCa-
in's plan includes fixing tax loopholes for oil com-
panies, phasing out the Alternative Minimum Tax
to prevent millions of families from paying higher
taxes, raising tax deductions for families with
dependents and cutting corporate taxes. These
changes are designed to encourage investment and
the creation of new businesses, which will create
new jobs and encourage economic growth. Raising
taxes, even on the wealthiest Americans, discour-
McCain's commitment to fiscal discipline doesn't
sound like Republican policy. McCain has made
a career of being a maverick reformer, fighting
wasteful spending that costs American taxpay-
ers billions of dollars and breeds record-high
deficits and corruption. He broke with his party
in 2001 and 2003 to oppose the tax cuts because
they would lead to greater deficits. He continues
to break with his party on spending earmarks,
which further increase the deficit. McCain's fis-
cal responsibility is not.only helping taxpayers
save money; it is also bringing the Republican
Party back to its conservative roots.
Barack Obama's plan appears to be more
progressive, but it shows little concern for the
economy. Our economy needs real, workable solu-
tions, not a fortune-cookie plan that's catchy yet
detrimental to the economy. With an economic
plan focused on tax increases (raising taxes on
two-thirds of the tax base and allowing tax cuts
to expire), increased government spending and
more government regulation, Obama's economic
plan reads like a laundry list of items designed to
kill economic recovery rather than spur growth.
That's not change we can believe in.
We need to rely on experience, not just hope. As
we continue on the path to economic recovery, we
need a plan that caters to pro-growth ideas that
work. Let's enrich individuals, not government.
This viewpoint was written on behalf of the
University's chapter of College Republicans.