4A - Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam 4A - Thursday, January12, 2012 The Michigan Deity - michigandaily.com ( l e Iicl ig n +. ily Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com ASHLEY GRIESSHAMMER and ANDREW WEINER JOSH HEALY 'EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPHLICHTEHMAN EDITOR IN CHIEF I know they call it football, but really, did Alabama have to take it so literally?" - Los Angeles Times opinon writer Paul Whitefield said about the number of field goals in Alabama's 21-0 win over LSU in the BCS National Championship on Monday. Te pivotal outhvote 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. A fair shot Campaign contributions shouldn't sway elections Jt takes a lot to win a presidential election in the United States. Candidates need a platform, supporters and a staff - but most of all they need money. The 2010 Supreme Court ruling Citizens United v. The Federal Election Commission removed any and all lim- its on contributions from businesses to Political Action Committees. These super PACs permit corporations to indirectly fund political campaigns limitlessly, they threaten to drown out the voices of the people and allow companies to manipulate politicians and influence elections. The ruling hurts many of the quality candidates who don't have enough cash to keep up with other candidates, and the citizens of the U.S. deserve an election that isn't impacted by finances. Presidential candidate, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman's financial moderation may be hurting him in the polls. Huntsman has suffered several attacks from former Massa- chusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the GOP front- runner, and he finished a distant third in the New Hampshire primary. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's PAC, Winning Our Future, just received $5 million to finance negative advertising against Romney in South Carolina. Huntsman isn't in the same type of financial position to further his own campaign. The upcoming presidential election will be the first impacted by the Citizens United ruling, and its effects are already visible. It's no coincidence that Romney was the biggest spender. His Restore Our Future super PAC spent more than $700,000 on attack ads. Rom- ney's attacks on Gingrich, who finished fourth in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire Pri- mary, significantly affected the former front- runner's campaign. Gingrich also spent more than $700,000 less than Romney. It seems that the winning candidate won't necessarily have the most appeal or best ideas, but he will have the largest bankroll. A significant portion of these funds come from support of the gas, tobacco and casino industries. It's unfortunate that the Supreme Court has allowed such pervasive corporate influence to affect our political system. The court's deci- sion was based on the theory of "corporate personhood," which dictates that corporations are individual entities deserving of representa- tion. The Citizens United decision was made to protect political speech, but it has effec- tively diminished it. The electoral process has become decentralized from theneeds of the voter and is focused on corporate interest. Corporate personhood drowns out the average voter and amplifies the voice of a single organi- zation, giving it the-powers that a single person alone does not have. The Citizens United decision changed the culture of campaigning. Before 2010, a provi- sion of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law prohibited private companies from spon- soring advertisements advocating for a spe- cific issue. However, the new Supreme Court decision overturned this aspect of the Act. The Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act, a 2010 effort of the congressional Democrats that never passed, would have created greater transpar- ency in campaign funding and expenditures. Such a measure would not fix the problem, but would be a way to further provide Americans with the information they need to make an informed voting decision. The responsible course of action is to repeal corporate personhood and abolish super PACs. Monetary gifts may translate to an unfair advantage in the polls. Campaigns shouldn't be bidding wars. Elections should reflect the dem- ocratic ideals upon which the United States was founded. The American public deserves an election free from the bias of the pocketbook. The Iowa caucuses serve as an early glimpse of the front-runners of the non- incumbent presidential nomina- tions. Theytell us a lot about what's on the minds of Americans, including young voters. Like in 2008 when then- senator Barack Obama received SARAH a whopping 66 ROHAN percent of the vote from people ages 18-29, this year the pivotal youth voters have a strong preference - Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). Receiving 48 percent of the youth vote in Iowa, Paul beat out overall victor Mitt Romney and runner-up Rick Santorum by a mar- gin of 35 percent and 25 percent, respectively. In Tuesday night's New Hampshire primary, Paul received 47 percent of the youth vote. Paul's considerable margin of vic- tory among the youth tells us more about America's young voters than simply their preference of nominee. The results illustrate emerging atti- tudes and trends in young voters. As a libertarian, Paul' promotes the idea of a limited government, even more so than do his conserva- tive opponents. At the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2010, Paul stated that, "Personal liberty is the purpose of government; to protect liberty, not to run your personal lives,not to runthe economy and not to pretend that we can tell the world how they ought to live." In congru- ence with this statement, Paul advo- cates reduced federal interference in issues of civil liberties such as gay marriage and drug use. Young Americans tend to equate the idea of diminished government interference with increased inde- pendence, making Paul an alluring candidate. Paul's non-intervention- ist foreign policy ideals also appeal to voters raised in a culture of "do what's best for you." In recent gener- ations, enlightened self-interest has come to replace communal respon- sibility, and it's demonstrated by the 48 percent of young voters who chose Paul at the caucuses. Unlike his counterparts, Paul extends the idea of scaling back government to the U.S. military, where he wants to cut both size and spending. Since the vietnam War and onward, the military has been a source of great concern to young Americans as they come of age to be citizens of service. And, as a costly and controversial decade-long war comes to a close, Americans are even more inclined to advocate for a smaller military role. America's youth also greatly admire Paul's willingness to halt excessive spending. As the federal debt stands at $15 trillion, younger generations become increasingly aware that they are the ones who. will be responsible for stabilizing America's spending and control- ling the debt. One way of doing so, according to Paul, is to cut spend- ing on Medicare and Social Security - two programs that do not benefit American citizens until their later years. "Stabilizing the budget should be atop every candidate's list," LSA freshman and first-time voter Beatrice volkmar told me in an interview. "Of the Republican nomi- nees, Ron Paul is the most willing to cut spending that America cannot afford. His cuts might be extreme, but so is the debt." What makes Paul such a viable candidate to young adults is that he represents radical change. You don't need to look further than Obama's 2008 campaign to understand that as optimists, and perhaps even ide- alists, the youth believe in the ben- efits and possibility of change. While more weathered voters view Paul's These voters believe in the need for change. positions as unrealistic, extreme and risky, the young see them as quick and effective fixes to festering prob- lems. Though endorsements by the youth alone are unlikely to carry Ron Paul all the way to GOP nomi- nation, Obama serves as an example of the impact young voters can have on an election. In 2008 he received 66 percent of the youth vote. With- out it, he could very well have lost the race. Ron Paul - though accru- ing a smaller percentage of young votes - potentially stands in a simi- lar position. If Americans can learn anything from their youth in the last election and so' far in the Republi- can primaries, it's that the young like radical change, even if it may be unrealistic to achieve. Political risk takers of today enjoy support from the generations that do not yet have much to lose. - Sarah Rohan can be reached at shrohan@umich.edu. 01 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Kaan Avdan; Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Nirbhay Jain, Jesse Klein, Patrick Maillet, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Timothy Rabb, Adrienne Roberts, Vanessa Rychlinski, Sarah Skaluba, Seth Soderborg, Caroline Syms, Andrew Weiner KAAN AVDAN Las demo move; Russi. seriou questi eventl half a a year volati path a Th the gl mon Millio that t limiti ple in think tive of piness voiced was h therei thoug The almos histor will c fell sc tion ai makin differ. isn't m it's ac above Ant ian go repres ing th Now in pol Europ after t Th pie's f short- it lead cratic of the power A new era of democracy t year could be called a great year for of Eastern Europe were well acquainted with cracy. The Arab Spring, the occupy democracy by 1989, and successfully estab- ment and protests in countries such as lished democratic regimes. a, Hungary and Greece all raised some , Yet today we see more and more attempts by is issues. The stage is now set for these Eastern European political leaders to consoli- ions to be addressed in 2012. After a very date power. For example, consider the change ful year in which dictatorships spanning of Hungary's constitution. The change needs century ended, I don't think 2012 will be to be kept in mind when evaluating the Arab 'of resolution. Rather, it will be a year of Spring. We need to remember that the estab- lity as nations struggle to find the right lishment of democracy is a continuous process. ifter many successful protests. Arabs will not have very efficient democracies, e unique thing about the uprisings across but they took a big step towards the process obe is that they were all ignited by acom- of becoming a democracy. Even though the motive, resentment toward government. regimes will tend to be authoritarian in the ins of people in the Middle East realized near future, in time, democracy will become a heir authoritarian leaders were greatly value deeplyembedded inthe conscience of the ng the people's power and freedom. Peo- Arab people. the United States and Europe began to The Occupy movement in the U.S. and that economic policy wasn't representa- Europe was mostly directed against economic f everyone. There was a collective unhap- and social inequality. Most importantly, the s among the population, which they movement was propelled by the youth. There d through protests. Not every participant are two crucial questions as the movemnent ighly intellectual. Many people were just comes to a hiatus, or even an end - will the to express their feelings about what they movement affect policymaking? And will it ht was wrong. persuade more youth to vote? e Arab Spring was a revolution that I find it unlikely that the protests will have :t no one saw coming. Looking at similar a considerable impact on policymaking as they ic occurrences can help us predict what are premature and without a solid political ome next. The Arab Spring revolution basis. For the protests to create incentives or smewhere between the French Revolu- force legislators to change policy, the Occupy nd the fall of communism in 1989. Before movement has to prove its durability and unity. ag comparisons, we should look at what Even this may not be enough. entiates the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring Just as it's important whether or not the auch of a nationalistic movement. Rather, youth will begin to vote more consistently. all for equality, the end of corruption and, The answer to this question will determine all, freedom. how widespread the policy effects of the other difference is that the totalitar- Occupy movement will be. The participation vernments in the Middle East had long of the youth can bring about change in the sued Islamist groups and parties, decreas- long run, but most likely not in 2012 when eir representation in the political sphere. almost everything will be dominated by the that there isn't tight control over Islam presidential election. itics, people will embrace it as Eastern As the U.S. elects its next president, the ean countries embraced nationalism European Union tries to implement new eco- :he end of Soviet suppression. nomic policies and Arab nations strive to build e French Revolution was the French peo- democratic regimes, 2012 will be a year full of irst introduction to democracy. It proved ups and downs, speculation and uncertainty. lived because it was easy for a charismat- Nonetheless, 2012 marks the beginning of an lerNapoleon, tooverride the weak demo- era in which people highly value democracy control mechanisms and the conscience and actively struggle to safeguard their rights. It's been 5,908 days since I have eaten a fruit or vegetable. This isn't a joke. This talent may not be super- hero-worthy, but that's likely because the. Justice League clearly hasn't gotten around to my applica- tion yet. Mind you, 5,908 is a fairly YONAH exact number. LIEBERMAN The proof is in a picture from my third birthday party. It's pretty clas- sic, as photos go - a child holding a banana, mouth wide open, probably smiling but possibly crying. The jury is still out on that one. Another awkward confession - the majority of my life before 16 is extremely hazy. So what I know about childhood, I've learned by watching a few Gerber commer- cials and Discovery Channel docu- mentaries. I tend to think that kids might not even like eating fruits or vegetables. Shocking, I know. For some reason - on the eighth day - God created phrases like "here comes the choo- choo train" and "open up for the air- plane." It's kind of interestingthat we are supposed to open our mouths for motorized vehicles. There must be some sort of hidden meaning there. As a history major, I'm inclined to think this has something to do with capitalism and the Industrial Revolu- tion, but my friend studying psychol- ogy swears that Freud would make some sort of phallic analysis. I'll spare you all the jokes. ' Apparently I came to some bril- liant realization after my third birthday party and joined my peers by resisting the oppressive fruits 5,908 days and vegetables. What separates me from the pack - or the berry bunch, if you will - is that I never caved to the pressure. To this day, when I see salad I can feel my stomach shrink up like a raisin in the sun. Luckily Langs- ton Hughes isn't around; just a lot of chopped vegetables next to an imag- inary Pillsbury Doughboy, willing me not to make his past nutritional mistakes. I never listen. But I always rub his belly. These days I avoid fruits and veggies at any cost. I've boiled my diet down to five main food groups: bagels, cheese, eggs, tortillas and cheese, again. New federal guide- lines may force an end to my streak before it hits 6,000 due to my love of pizza. However, 'I am confident the rule was only changed because someone in our big government was jealous of Herman Cain's pizza- infused smile. This isn't information I readily share, because when I tell people, their quizzical reactions are .more predictable than my Facebook news- feed before a football game. They always ask, "Why?" . My first reaction is to shake them and scream, "Just because!" I don't do this, of course. The tipping point was probably when my grandmother took out a restraining order on me. There mustbe some sort of double standard at play. How come Gushers and Fruit by the Foot don't count? The word "fruit" is literally in the title. Where is big government when I actually need it? In reality, the answer to the pre- dictable question is actually quite simple. Fruits and veggies freak me out.Imagine if you picked the earwax flavored jellybeans like Dumbledore did or if a serial killer kidnapped you and locked you in his basement (and then gave you the jellybean). In a world where most of my food can be processed to taste better, how can I enjoy anything natural? Fruits are sticky, and vegetables are dirty. Not my cup of tea. Butgive me a little sour cream and a few cheese quesa- dillas and I'm in heaven. I love nature just as much as the next person - probably even more. I just don't want to eat it. I'd rather enjoy it on a full stomach of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and a bag of Doritos. Don't hide from the quirks that define you. Seventeen years without fruits or vegetables hasn't been so bad, I've learned a lot about myself and about the world. For example, I've deduced that either scurvy does not exist or that I would have made a damn good pirate back in the day. I realize that this entire column has been hard to swallow. For many of you, fruits and veggies are simply parts of your day. For me, though, it's a struggle to even write about them. But in the end, this is me. Each of us has these strange things we seek to hide from the rest of the world. I encourage you all to not hide from the weird quirks that make you who you are. Tomorrow will be my 5,909th day without eating any fruits or vegeta- bles, but hey, who's counting? - Yonah Lieberman can be reached at yonahl@umich.edu. Follow him on twitter at @YonahLieberman. 0 0 people. Through this, he consolidated r in his hands. In contrast, the peoples Kaan Avdan is an LSA freshman. 4 A a