4 - Friday, January, 27, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4 - Friday, January, 27, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
i idtigan 4:3a
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
JOSEPH LICHTERMAN ASHLEY GRIESSHAMMER JOSH HEALY
EDITOR IN CHIEF and ANDREW WEINER MANAGING EDITOR
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Imran Syed is the public editor. He can be reached at publiceditor@michigandaily.com.
Salling better care
State House shouldn't delay insurance exchange
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has the
potential to bring necessary improvements to Michi-
gan's health care system. But gridlock in the state
House of Representatives threatens to hold up implementa-
tion of the bill, which will bring improved medical coverage
to .Michigan residents. House Republicans are stalling leg-
islation pushed by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder that would
create a Michigan health insurance exchange as mandated by
federal law. The GOP majority should stop dragging its feet
on passing this beneficial law. Failure to pass this legislation
would force Michigan to adopt a federally managed exchange
program instead of a system unique to Michigan's needs.
It's all about you(tube)
Atypical day at the florist that
my family owns involves
some "idiot teenager" - or
so my aunts
say - order-
ing a ridiculous
floral arrange-
ment online
because "your
generation 3
doesn't have
enough. social .ADRIENNE
skills to pick ROBERTS
up the phone".
We usually then
have to call up that certain idiot
anyway to let them know what they
chose were out of season, we can't
deliver to their area or the vase they
chose only holds about $5 worth of
flowers.
I cringe when I hear this, and
struggle to think of some - usu-
ally inarticulate - reason why it's
simply not true that my generation
has poor social skills, that it's just
all a misunderstanding. But this
small misinterpretation of genera-
tional differences has turned into a
major catastrophe. Being an active
member of this so-called "YouTube
generation" comes with a price.
My generation has been called
self-promotional, computer nerds,
technology-dependent and simply
not self-aware. The name calling
reveals a deep mistrust between my
generation and those previous.
The Stop Online Piracy Act and
Protect IP Act showed the YouTube
generation just how much igno-
rance exists surrounding the tech-
nologies that define our era.-The
second part of the sentence seems
redundant. Watching congressmen
call people who know how to use
the Internet "nerds" in condescend-
ing tones is slightly unnerving.
SOPA is not the only expose of
the animosity that exists between
generations. On Jan. 14, Saturday
Night Live aired a mock talk show
segment called "You Can Do Any-
thing." It was loaded with sarcasm
and,. unfortunately, some truth.
The hosts say lines such as, "You're
so self-promotional and everyone
enjoys that" and "the incredibly
high self-esteem of the YouTube
generation." This parody put into
words what many are thinking:
Members of the YouTube genera-
tion believes they can do anything
they want from the comfort of a
computer screen.
The fact is that my generation
and previous generations need to
work on understanding and accept-
ing the way different generations
live and function in society if we
hope for any social or political
progress. The YouTube generation
- the generation that represents
the future. workforce and lead-
ers - is constantly judged on how
its actions will change the present
and future. It can't look productive
to previous generations as my gen-
eration sits at a job, or in a.lecture,
switching between Facebook and
Twitter. There is a perception that
people in the YouTube generation
have no social skills because their
heads are too frequently buried in
various mediums of technology.
There is a flip side to these accu-
sations. Many times, using social
networking sites and still getting
work done is possible. Technol-
ogy has become seamless, mean-
ing that while someone else's day
might end at five, people now do
homework and write papers on lap-
tops and smart phones way past the
standard workday.
It's essential for the progress of
our society to agree to disagree.
It's quite possible that a person
free of technology can accomplish
the same as a person engrossed in
new technology. People aren't get-
ting dumber; the way we think is
simply changing. Social skills have
not died with older generations.
They have, however, been modified
to fit into today's society. Change is
scary for older generations because
what they know and have grown up
with is slowly becoming obsolete.
Younger generations must realize
that social skills and the ability to
accomplish things without technol-
ogy are still essential.
The world has
0
changed in style,
not content.
The world has changed less in
content and more in style. The
need for communication and the
desire to do one's best work have
not changed. A cross-generational
understanding of this concept has
the power to unite people of all
ages, leading to the accomplish-
ment of beneficial change and much
progress in this world.
And please, just pick up the
phone to order flowers. My aunts
will thank you.
In March 2010, President Barack Obama
fulfilled a key campaign promise by signing
major health care reforms into law. Among
other initiatives, the reform package calls for
each state to create a unique health insur-
ance exchange, offering a private market-
place with a variety of plans for consumers
to choose from. In Michigan, approximately
500,000 residents would use the exchange to
buy insurance. The state must approve leg-
islation to create an exchange marketplace.
There's no reason for House Republicans
to continue delaying. Health care interest
groups within the state, including Michi-
gan Consumers for Health care and AARP
of Michigan, are pushing for immediate
approval of the plan.
Both Snyder and state Senate Republicans
support the measure, but House Republicans
are delayingthe bill, hoping the U.S. Supreme
Court will rule the health care act unconsti-
tutional. Members of the House should follow
their counterparts in the Senate and approve
the bill. A decision from the Supreme Court,
even if it were to limit parts of PPACA, may
not be handed down until the summer. State
leadership in Lansing can't put off passing the
bill for that long. A local insurance exchange is
vital for Michigan now, not later.
Continued delays put the state at risk of
losing the opportunity to develop its own dis-
tinctive healthcare exchange. If legislation is
stalled until after Jan. 1, 2013, the state will
lose control of nearly $10 million in federal
funding. Failing to meet the deadline is unac-
ceptable for the people of Michigan and state
insurance providers.
Passing on the option for an exchange set
up by Michigan legislators will limit choices
for consumers because local providers could
likely be left out in favor of larger national
firms - meaningless competitive and specif-
ic insurance options for Michigan consum-
ers. In order to ensure that Michiganders
receive the best coverage, the exchange
should be managed on the state level.
With the passage of the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act, the Obama Admin-
istration took a major step towards ensur-
ing access to health care for all Americans.
Millions of uninsured Americans will now
receive competitive coverage and treatment.
Republicans in the state House are putting
politics before their constitutents. They
should abandon attempts to postpone this
important legislation and move forward with
the creation of a Michigan health insurance
exchange.
-Adrienne Roberts can be reached
at adrirobe@umich.edu. Follow
her on Twitter at @AdrRoberts.
"1
CONTRIBUTE TO THE COVERSATION
Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should
be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words.
Both must include the writer's full name and University affiliation.
Send submissions to tothedaily@michigandaily.com
Thne gr eeningo ogil
You're on your way to class. mer governor of California, agrees nervous breakdown."
As you reach to check the that nobody likes a cranky, preachy , Though we currently face many
time on your cell phone, an environmentalist. In 2007, while urgent environmental issues -
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Aida Ali, Laura Argintar, Kaan Avdarn, Ashley Griesshammer, Nirbhay Jain, Jesse Klein,
Patrick Maillet, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Harsha Panduranga, Timothy Rabb, Adrienne
Roberts, Vanessa Rychlinski, Sarah Skaluba, Seth Soderborg, Caroline Syms, Andrew Weiner
JACOB LIGHT I V
Worth the wait
I don't consider myself an outdoorsy per-
son. As a matter of fact, I try to avoid being
outside as much as possible - especially over-
night. I can count the number of times that I've
camped out on one hand, and each of those
instances has been for a midnight Harry Pot-
ter release. While I try to avoid camping at all
costs, I'll have to add another outdoor experi-
ence to the tally: Waiting outside the Michigan
Union to get my hands on a ticket to President
Barack Obama's speech this morning.
Words cannot describe how exciting it is to
know that the president of the United States is
going to be on our campus. Today, more than
ever, it's important that our student body pays
close attention to what Obama has to say. Con-
servative or liberal, Democrat or Republican,
Obama's address presents our student body
with an incredible opportunity to hear what
he is planning to do for us, as students and as
Michigan residents.
Obama's speech at the University is not sim-
ply an opportunity to use political rhetoric to
feign interest in our state's welfare. The presi-
dent has consistently shown a vested interest
in the state of Michigan throughout his time
in office. Just months into his presidency, he
invested in Michigan's automobile industry,
which saved thousands of jobs and prevented
two of the largest employers, General Motors
and Chrysler, in our state from shutting down.
During his State of the Union address on
Tuesday he highlighted Michigan's economic
comeback as an example of American resil-
ience and successful government interven-
tions. Again and again, President Obama has
shown his firm commitment to the success of
our state.
As University students, we should also pay
close attention to Obama's vision for higher
education. With skyrocketing tuition costs,
college is becoming increasingly out of reach
for many Americans. Many at the University
face the prospect of graduating with insur-
mountable student debt. This frightening
future is one that both President and First
Lady Michelle Obama have experienced them-
selves - they spent a decade repaying their
own student loans. In his State of the Union
address, he discussed rising tuition costs and
crippling student loans, and introduced plans
to increase work-study opportunities and urge
states to make higher education a priority. For
a state that cut higher education appropriations
by 15 percent last year, Obama's call to action
couldn't come at a better time.
In November, we will have the opportunity
to choose the person who will lead our country
for the next four years. When listening to what
candidates for the presidency have to say, ask
yourself, "What will he or she do for students.
For Michigan?"
As a state, we cannot risk electing a candi-
date like Mitt Romney, a man with Michigan
roots who argued that the automakers should
be allowed to "go bankrupt." As students, we
cannot afford to elect a candidate like Newt
Gingrich, who blames education debt on stu-
dents' own irresponsibility. We must take great
care to elect the person who supports our state
and supports our education. Obama is thatcan-
didate.
I am willing to forego my aversion to camp-
ing outdoors for only a few people. For a while,
only Harry Potter could get me to get out a
sleeping bag and camp outside of a bookstore or
movietheater. Giventhe uncertaintyfacingour
country's future, however, I think I can make
an exception for Obama.
As University students, we should be hon-
ored that Obama is coming to address the
University. His visit shows that he cares about
Michigan and about students. It is up to us to
give him our attention and support as we move
into the most important election of our genera-
tion.
Jacob Light is an LSA Freshman. This
Viewpoint is written on behalf of the
University's chapter of College Democrats.
over-caffeinat-
ed, over-friend-
ly beggar leaps
out at you. He's
holding a clip-
board and recit-
ing shocking
pollution statis-
tics. You focus
your gaze on the KRISTEN
sidewalk and KILEK
quicken your
pace. Ignoring
your obvious cues, he pushes on
with his agenda.
"Without your help, we can't
make a difference! Show us how
much you care about the environ-
ment and donate now!" he instructs.
How exactly will your donation
be used? Are there other ways in
which you, a not-so-financially-
endowed college student, can con-
tribute to the cause? And most
importantly, why is he shouting so
loud? Never mind those details. He
just wants you to feel guilty, really
guilty, until you fork over the cash.
When pitching views about the
environment and public health,
activists, marketers and others
often use dramatic guilt and fear
tactics to catch their audience's
attention. Though this can be
effective in attracting people to
the cause, it can also come off as
pushy and irritating - and unlike-
ly to accomplish much in the long
run.
Fear and guilt-induced moti-
vations to support or reject envi-
ronmental initiatives are fleeting.
These tactics are no substitution
for solid facts, thorough research
and sincere passion in their poten-
tial to change long-term viewpoints
and motivate others to action. It's
time to look past such desperate,
emotional pleas.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the for-
in Washington to meet with the
head of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, Schwarzenegger com-
mented on California's strong role
in the forefront of modern environ-
mental progress, saying, "Success-
ful movements are built on passion;
they aren't built on guilt."
Schwarzenegger also compared
environmentalism to bodybuild-
ing, which he said was considered
"a marginal sport for weirdos" in
the past. But as with bodybuild-
ing, Schwarzenegger thinks that
the role of environmental issues is
going to take a major shift." (Body-
building) became mainstream, it
became sexy, attractive - and this
is exactly what has to happen with
the environmental movement," he
said.
Maybe environmental issues
don't quite have the same poten-
tial for the literal attractiveness of
bodybuilding, but they should be
reported in a way that is interesting
and accessible to the public - with-
out making those listening feel like
they're doing absolutely everything
wrong. An interaction on that note
is just plain draining.
A Nov. 25 article on Canada.
com echoes the importance of this
sentiment. It uses terms like "eco-
anxiety" to describe environmental
guilt trips and states, "If you carry
the weight of 'green guilt,' consider
this column your permission to get
over it. You can't take care of any-
one if you can't take care of your-
self," Canada.com reported.
The article also mentions a
recently published book titled, "Spit
That Out! The Overly Informed
Parent's Guide to Raising Children
in the Age of Environmental Guilt."
The book was written to help moth-
ers recover from spinning on the
hamster wheel of healthy living
advice and nearing a "green mom
non-renewable resource depletion,
loss of global biodiversity and cli-
mate change, to mention a few -
fear and guilt-induced decisions to
make lifestyle changes in the name
of sustainability aren't the answer
to effective and long-term action.
Though I have the utmost respect
for all who make major, immedi-
ate lifestyle changes in the name of
sustainability, that process can be
overwhelming and isn't practical
for everyone.
Nobody likes a
cranky preachy
enviromentalist
I'll admit that I've taken on the
persona of the unrelenting environ-
mentalist in the past. Not always on
purpose, but sometimes yes. It can
be a force for good, but, when alone,
it is less likely to have positive con-
sequences than when coupled with
facts, logic and pragmatism.
Ecology is 'all about trade-offs.
Though some organisms alter their
ecosystems more drastically than
others, all species must do so in
order to survive. No matter how
much we try to become "one with
the earth," we will never literally
be capable of such a feat.
So, chill outa little bit. Don't ago-
nize over drinking from one paper
cup or give your mother the silent
treatment for forgetting cloth gro-
cery bags. You're doing your best -
and your best will never be perfect.
- Kristen Kiluk can be reached
at kkiluk@umich.edu. Follow her
on Twitter at @KristenKiluk.
0
FOLLOW DAILY OPINION ON TWITTER
Keep up with columnists, read Daily editorials, view cartoons and join in the debate.
follow @michdailyoped
to get updates on Daily opinion content throughout the day.
--lhe
podium
Upgrade/Downgrade: Does birthday sex make a
college relationship worth it?
Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/The Podium