4 - Friday, March 16, 2012 0 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4 - Friday, March 16, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arhor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com ASHLEY GRIESSHAMMER JOSEPH LICHTERMAN and ANDREW WEINER JOSH HEALY EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR 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. FROM THE DAILY Ensure integrity Supreme Court should follow ethical guidelines A n ethical judiciary is an integral pillar of a well-functioning democracy. In an appeal for the United States Supreme Court to adhere to a high ethical standard, a petition signed by more than 100,000 citizens, 212 law professors and three members of Con- gress calls for the court to formally observe the Code of Conduct for United States Judges - a set of ethical guidelines designed to maintain judicial integrity. The Supreme Court doesn't abide by the code, and it should embrace these guidelines and establish a clear standard for recusal from cases in which justices may have a conflict of interest. The issue of judicial ethics has gained atten- tion as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement - the 2010 healthcare reform law. Progressives argue that Justice Clarence Thomas should recuse himself from the case. Thomas's wife, virginia, has worked against the implemen- tation of the ACA, calling for the repeal of the law in question. Likewise, conservatives maintain that Justice Elena Kagan shouldn't hear the case because she served as Obama's solicitor general while the law was meander- ing its way through Congress. The solicitor general represents the U.S. federal govern- ment before the Supreme Court. This individual case highlights the necessi- ty of having a clear and coherent set of recusal guidelines for the Supreme Court, especially since judges in all lower federal courts are bound to follow them. The standards are not unreasonable - they generally commit judges to uphold integrity, avoid impropriety, perform duties fairly and refrain from politi- cal activity. Formalizing these rules for the Supreme Court could, at the very least, stop calls for recusal and provide a set of stan- dards to facilitate public appeal in the inter- est of reasonable judgments. In the case of the healthcare law, people calling for Kagan or Thomas to refrain from ruling would have legal backing for their arguments through specific provisions of the Code of Conduct. The highest court in the land should undoubtedly be bound to the same, or high- er, ethical code as all other federal judges. The decisions of the Supreme Court carry the most weight and effectively serve as the final say short of Constitutional amendment. The Supreme Court has decisively shaped the American legal system with rulings on wide ranging and controversial issues such as school segregation and abortion - issues that have immense implications for individual rights and legal precedent. It follows that for- malized judicial ethics must be the foremost concern of the court, not an afterthought. Regent Denise Ilitch (D-Bingham Farms), Chair of the University's Board of Regents, excused herself from the board's vote last month on whether the NHL's Winter Clas- sic could be played in the Michigan Stadium, because her family owns the Detroit Red Wings. If Ilitch can recuse herself from a deci- sion with a far smaller impact, the Supreme Courtshould - at the very least - adopt a gen- eral set of guidelines for Justices' behavior. It's true the Supreme Court's formal accep- tance of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges could contribute to additional politi- cization of the court with frivolous partisan calls for recusal, but the benefits outweigh the costs. The Supreme Court is too influential of a legal entity to not exercise appropriate pru- dence when it comes to potential conflicts of interests. While justices are already trusted with high integrity, formal guidelines would serve to maintain the bar they've set. LIoIIlL 'I ("'R !R @TornadoWarning thanks for wasting 2 hrs of hw time... we were trying to 12) get ahead for #St.Potrick'sDay -@michdailyoped Sourcing your coverage T he other day I decided to accessible, 24/7 news society is that on a downward spiral of immense go on a Twitter rampage in news is easily and inevitably person- polarization. In the eyes of count- attempt to follow every news alized - and maybe too much. Itread less Democrats, Rush Limbaugh source I could numerous articles every day regard- will continue to become the devilish think of. I felt ing the disaster of the never-ending face of the Republican Party and for like I had to in GOP primary, issues pertaining spe- many Republicans, Barack Obama order to stay up- cifically to college students and this will steadily become less and less to-date. Twitter so-called "war on women." With so "American." now breaks news many news options available, there's first.I was some- no incentive to continue reading if what selective we aren't entertained or agree with in adding these ADRIENNE the article we're reading. New s is never news sources,ARBENTE This is true especially in college. however. Any- ROBERTS We all have extremely busy and truely objectve thing Fox News- sometimes solitary lives that don't , related didn't leave room for social and political it is biased. exactly make the cut. Why? Because discussions. It's almost a require- I can't stand the thought of seeing ment to bring your laptop and home- an endless stream of liberal bash- work with you to meet up with ing. Also, I just didn't feel like read- friends, even if you're just going out Each news source does have some ing tweets from a news source that I for dinner. When I first came here as element of truth. Every second, we disagree with 99 percent of the time. a freshman, the first thing I noticed are bombarded with varying types Looking back on my decision, it's is that we live in a bubble that of news, and it's our responsibility easy to see why this country, myself secludes us from the real world. If to critically read a plethora ofsourc- included, is so biased and uniformed news doesn't pertain to us as college es. Uniformed consumers of news on certain issues. News is now more students, we probably won't know make for more uneducated debates available than ever before. When I about it unless we seek that informa- and deeper misunderstandings. was younger, my family would wake tion out. Even if an article doesn't pertain up to the Detroit Free Press in the News is biased. No matter how to you specifically, it doesn't mean morning and faithfully watch NBC objective a news source claims to it won't have an effect on those Nightly News with Tom Brokaw at be, it's not, and never can be, com- around you. It's crucial to read and 6:30 every evening. Those were my pletely objective. Each reporting watch news with an open mind only sources for news each day. This decision made in an article you're because that small grain of truth, is hardly the case anymore. Now, reading- from the angle of the story portrayed in something you may each morning I get up and check to the seemingly extraneous facts not completely agree with, is some- Twitter, scrolling through and read- that are edited out - is a choice, and one else's belief. And no matter how ing articles written by people I fol- that choice creates a certain bias many liberal-bashing tweets come low and find interesting. News is for anything, harmless or not. Once from that dreaded news source's constantly being updated, and if you we accept that news will always be Twitter account, maybe it's worth don't check your television or the biased, we will realize that we are it to follow them, if for nothing less Internet for two hours, you could inadvertently inhibiting our own than entertainment's sake. miss something huge. capacity for knowledge. In theory, I'm doing better than News is destined to remain a per- some. At least I'm paying attention vasive factor in our society. Until - Adrienne Roberts can be reached to the news. But the underlying we recognize our own flaws in how at adrirobe@umich.edu. Follow her on problem with the advent of the all- we engage with it, we will continue Twitter at @AdrRoberts. 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. Take out the (space) trash EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Laura Argintar, Kaan Avdan, 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 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM Keystone XL pipeline would threaten major water source depletion of the Ath which extends into Park - due to unfe ment, is hardly "ove TO THE DAILY: Obama recognizes Kyle Smith omits many important consider- won't allow constru ations from his March 12th viewpoint, "Focus pipeline. He happen onjobs,notre-election".Asoilused to be,water cial interest enviro is viewed as an endless resource, the conserva- port him" and this tion of which is therefore not necessary. to "anger" them, is t Smith's article was brought about by our Corresponding spec current oil crisis. Living in an affluent country, undoubtedly angere we notice a shortage of oil much sooner than able energy, whichi one of water, but unlike oil, water is necessary able than oil from C for life on our planet. The fact that Smith fails are far more jobs toI to even name the Ogallala Aquifer reveals deep there are by constru ignorance of environmental issues with water. On top of all the: Because it provides 30 percent of the ground- Smith's article, and water used for crop irrigation, contamination that any presidentn oftheOgallalaAquiferwouldtherebycausethe he does not conce nation to suffer if it were to be contaminated. A dates have certainly good argument would at least take into account before job creation: the name of that "aquifer in Nebraska", which actually extends into 7 other states as well. Juliana Ley This threat, along with contamination and Engineeringsenior abasca River watershed - beautiful Jasper National ettered tar sands develop- rblown." President Barack this and consequently uction of the Keystone XL ns to agree with the "spe- nmental groups that sup- , rather than not wanting the reason for his decision. cial interest oil groups are d by a movetoward renew- is even more safe and reli- anada. Furthermore, there be created in this areathan ction of a pipeline. se facts that are lacking in even when we grant him eeds a plan for re-election, de that Republican candi- y been putting other issues as well. The modern sum of man- made waste has gotten to be out of this world - some of it quite literally. According to NASA's web- site, more than 21,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 centi- meters, 500,000 pieces 1 to 10 KRISTEN centimeters, and KILEK more 100 million pieces less than 1 centimeter are currently orbiting our planet. Orbital debris - useless bits of man-made metals, paints, human waste and other random objects introduced by humans into Earth's orbit - are becoming increas- ingly dangerous to contemporary space navigation and satellite func- tion. NASA estimates that a piece of debris smaller than half an inch could cause an impact similar to a bowling ball moving at 300 miles per hour if it collided with a satellite or spacecraft. Though scientists have been aware of the growing galactic gar- bage mass for decades and many national space programs have instituted policies to monitor its movement and reduce future addi- tions, very little of what's already out there has been eliminated. A September 2011 report assessment from the National Research Coun- cil called upon NASA to develop technologies that actively remove debris from space. It also stated that the amount of orbital debris is approaching a "tipping point," when so much material will be in orbit that it will continuously col- lide and multiply. Most orbital debris originated from satellite collisions. The Union of Concerned Scientists' Satellite Database alone lists more than 900 active commercial and government satellites currently orbiting Earth - and the number is increasing. The 2009 collision of U.S.-sourced Iridium 33 and Russian Kosmos 2251 satellites serves as a prime example of the massive potential for orbital debris generation. This single event accounts for one-third of all cata- logued orbital debris. Though the United States has made great strides in monitoring orbital debris, it needs to step up on its remediation strategies. Last month, Switzerland announced its plans to lead the world in orbital debris removal. The Swiss are cur- rently developing CleanSpace One - endearingly referred to as "the janitor satellite" - a prototype for a line of satellites they'll send into the cosmos to pick up decommissioned satellites within the next three to five years. CleanSpace One will be a very small device - only about 10 centi- meters by 10 centimeters by 30 cen- timeters - and is aiming to offer a relatively inexpensive method for space disposal services. It will travel at 17,400 mile per hour, latch onto its target with its appendages and then fly toward Earth on a kamikaze-like mission, with both masses burning up as they re-enter the atmosphere. Here's the catch though - the United Nations' Outer Space Treaty of 1967 prohibits the reclamation of any other country's object in space. This means that the CleanSpace satellites from Switzerland will likely focus on remediation of orbital debris hailing only from Switzer- land. In addition to the extensive amount of time it would take to get each space-faring nation to reme- diate its rubble, there is also great potential for miscommunication and misunderstanding among nations claiming individual space objects as their own property. I have a feeling that no matter how much pride a nation has in their spacecraft, it's a bit difficult to dif- ferentiate between scraps of metal speeding around the Earth at rates upward of 20,000 miles per hour. These pieces of junk, though, are a nuisance to all space exploration, no matter who they belong to. This situation represents a tragedy of the commons in which everybody has to take responsibility to tackle the problem. Orbiting debris is approaching a tipping point. Though there is no specific inter- national treaty on orbital debris, many leading space agencies have come together through the Inter- Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee to limit future growth of orbital debris. NASA also reports that the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has discussed orbital debris since 1994. Though a difficult undertaking, Switzerland's innovation in the area of orbital debris remediation dem- onstrates that viable options are surfacing. It's about time that major space-faring nations get together and clean up their messes - not only to reduce our footprint on the universe but also to allow for the successes of current and future tech- nologies in outer space. -Kristen Kiluk can be reached at kkilukumich.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @KristenKiluk Backlash over column on sexuality was beneficial Just be safe, heal Looking back, footing. Not yet f I was, instead of TO THE DAILY: felt I was on the' I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the in my life, but I: readers of The Michigan Daily, especially those it was. It could 1 who took the time and effort to comment on my my new job as a opinion piece last summer, Pandora's Box." At abroad, assisting the time, the criticism was very hard to take in ing the Daily opir stride, and I was overwhelmed with feelings of going to be, it ne embarrassment. But in actuality, reading those chance. Good, ba comments was incredibly helpful in learning move, and I ende a hard lesson - I made a mistake. I put myself I'm luckythat out there and fell flat on my face in front of the will live forevert entire University. But that's okay. - it's a part of m I want to make clear that the attitude deny or hide fron expressed in my previous piece is no longer an I can only ta accurate portrayal of myself. My understand- personal growth ing of sexuality has grown significantly since I edge I've gained1 wrote my "sex column" last summer. It's more sophisticated and mature, and frankly I won't Molly Payton be commenting on sexuality anytime soon. LSA sophomore thy and happy. ,I see myself still finding my had I come to terms with who f who I thought I should be. I verge of something significant couldn't quite figure out what have been a myriad of things: bartender, possible semesters a local band on tour or join- nion staff. But whatever it was eded my willingness to take a ad, or ugly I needed to make a d taking a wrong turn. this hiccup in my adult career thanks to the Daily's archives y history and I'm not going to m it. ke this as an opportunity for and try to balance the knowl- with the experiences I've had.