4 - Friday, March 22, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4- Friday, March 22, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Mhe Midigan 3allm A Republican critique Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF 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. Give students asay Selecting commencement speakers should be more inclusive Trending news on campus is the announcement of the 2013 commencement speaker, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo. A gradu- ate of the University with a degree in computer science, Cos- tolo was invited to speak on May 4 by University President Mary Sue Coleman. The selection of a new commencement speaker during Cen- tral Student Government election season brings an important issue to light: Students don't have an adequate say in deciding who the com- mencement speaker will be. Regardless of the method it chooses, the University should give students a more active role in choosing their n Monday, a breath of fresh air was blown into the Republican Party with the release of a new mandate call- ing for dramatic reforms. The Growth and Opportunity Project provided a harsh, but realistic, critique TIMOTHY ofmanyissues BURROUGHS that led to Mitt Romney's failed presidential cam- paign. It focused on effective com- munication of the party's platform while avoiding any serious discus- sion of changes in policy. When I spoke with Ari Fleischer, co-author of the report and press secretary under former President George W. Bush, said, "If you are goingto be a growing, vibrant party, you need to be able to learnfrom your mistakes." The Democrats met the 2008 election with an open mind and pio- neered social media campaigning. In contrast, Republicans have consis- tently been playing catch-up - using Reagan-era rhetoric and appealing to a consistently shrinking audience. The report points out that Republi- cans have lost five of the last six pres- idential popular elections. "The numbers speak for them- selves," said Fleischer. "Republi- cans need to be more inviting and inclusive about what it means to be a conservative." The report stresses the impor- tance of establishing a much stron- ger youth base for future success. Fleischer explained, "You get the sense that young people think the Republican Party is too old, too white and too wealthy and that it is not a home for them. Republicans need to listen and welcome young people into the party." Getting this group engaged clearly needs to be the party's top priority. By motivating students, Republicans create the next generation of party members while bringing energy and innovation to current campaigns. Tea Party leaders have already condemned the report. Jenny Beth Martin, a co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, released a statement saying we "don't need an 'autopsy' report from RNC to know they failed to promote our principles and lost because of it." Other far-right conservatives, such as radio host Rush Limbaugh, have criticized the report for making the party appear weak and calling for unnecessary reforms of Republican protocols. This arrogance and resistance to change has led to the major decline in the Republican Party's influence at the federal level. Its stubbornness has caused voters to see Republicans as outdated and unable to evolve. Fleischer explained, "America is changing. It's less white than it used to be and more diverse than it used to be. Republicans have to have policies that are conservative and appeal to a growingslice of the electorate." Following the November cam- paign, many criticized Republican candidates' single-minded policy approach. However, Fleischer said, "We say here (within the commit- tee) that our standards should not be ideological purity, but invite conservatism that recognizes if someone disagrees with us on 20 percent of the issues, that doesn't make them a 100-percent enemy, it makes them an 80-percent friend." A positive step came recently when Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced that he supported gay marriage after reevaluating his views. The true strength of party was apparent as many claimed, that while they might not agree with Portman, they respected him and testified that he's still a good Republican. Fleischer commented that this is an example of how the party really is a "big tent," where many can feel welcome. While the report outlines a stra- tegic path to grow and strengthen the GOP, the party is still far from the White House. Following a presi- dential term filled with unfulfilled promises and continued economic woes, noconservative candidate was able to separate himself through the primary process and defeat Barack Obama. Additionally, many Republi- cans, ranging from Tea Party mem- bers to moderates, lost Senate and House races that appeared to be locks. Fleischer and the committee's plan only works as well as its imple- mentation, which will take signifi- cant effort and funds. However, the message and ideas are clearly there to rejuvenate the party - its success just depends on the party's willing- ness to join the 21st century. Their success just depends on their willingness to join the 21st century. With party leaders such as House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and former House speaker Newt Gin- grich applauding the report as a great first step, the future is bright for the Republican Party. Clearly, there are significantissues that need addressing, but the platform and principles appear as strong as ever. Inclusivity and innovation could be just the kick-starts the party needs. If the party can become one of a broader base by preaching accep- tance, the Republicans will gain the added boost they need to retake the White House in 2016. - Timothy Burroughs can be reached at timburr@umich.edu. commencement speaker. Commencementspeakers are chosen by the Honorary Degree Committee. The commit- tee is led by Coleman, and only two students serve on the committee. There's an online selection form that students can fill out and send into the committee, but ultimately, the committee makes the final decision. Also, the speaker must be eligible to receive an honor- ary degree from the University. Recent com- mencement speakers include Sanjay Gupta, Governor Rick Snyder and President Barack Obama. There are, however, several faults with this process. The option to submit a request for a speaker isn't publicized well enough, so students don't even know they can influence the decision. The two students who do get on the committee can't possibly speak for the entire student body. Plus, one student submitting a form has much less influence than deans or higher-level officials. The com- mittee must allow students to participate ina broader and more unified way. The lack of a student voice can lead to conflict over the speaker. In 2011, when Sny- der was selected to give the commencement address, students protested the choice by signing a petition and protesting a Board of Regents' meeting. Students were upset that he had recently cut 15 percent of the state's higher-education funding, yet they barely had a voice to choose someone else whom they preferred. The Honorary Degree Commit- tee must concede its power over choosing the speakers, and students should be able to have a strong influence on the process. Finally, CSG candidates must have a stance on this issue. Past CSG Presidents have prom- ised to secure more student involvement in the selection process, but they've failed to keep those promises. CSG candidates can look to other schools for ideas. For example, Syracuse University has an online form open a year in advance. An all-student committee organizes every student submission, trimming it down to a short list they send to the chancellor, who makes the final decision based on availabil- ity and cost, but overall, students are more involved in the process. The selection of commencement speakers must be expanded to include the student voice. The speech, after all, is meant for the students, and the speaker is there to deliver an inspiring message to the graduating class. The Univer- sity needs to publicize the process of selecting a speaker, and it could even create a shortlist of eligible speakers for the students to vote on. By making students valuable participants in this process, the University can ensure that the speaker, in some sense, is the voice of the student body. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Patrick Maillet, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Jasmine McNenny, Harsha Nahata, Adrienne Roberts, Paul ShermanSarah Skaluba,Michael Spaeth, Luchen Wang, Derek Wolfe Out o touch and outdated LAURA HOBBSI D Sustainable divestment On Wednesday, representatives of the LSA Student Government voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution supporting divestment from fossil-fuel-industry financial assets. Unfortunately, just one day earlier, the Cen- tral Student Government failed to pass the same resolution. This failure highlights a serious contra- diction here at our University. Michigan is a leader in climate change research and sus- tainability. Yet, the University directly invests in the industry most responsible for the rapid rate at which our climate is changing. Stu- dents can't stand for this. "If it's wrong to wreck the climate, it's wrong to profit from that wreckage," as Bill McKibben, an environmentalist and journal- ist, has said. Divestment from fossil fuels is a concrete step toward moving beyond fossil fuels both here and on Capitol Hill. It sends a clear message that we will not be passive sup- porters of the status quo any longer. The University is at the forefront of climate science research, with 667 faculty members across 13 schools and colleges all focusing on sustainability. Furthermore, the administra- tion has increased its funding for sustainabil- ity research by 200 percent since 2003. Student organizations are also at the fore- front of campaigning for change. Histori- cally, CSG has played an important role in the sustainability movement on campus. They have supported a number of issues for public transportation and water-bottle refill sta- tions. However, these steps are not enough. The students here at the University want to see systemic changes in the way we produce and consume energy and a resolution in favor of divestment. A tentative analysis of university invest- ments (pending further disclosure) shows at least $900 million invested in the fossil fuel industry. This nearly billion-dollar invest- ment completely contradicts the University's commitment to climate science. Let's use our University's endowment, and the endow- ments of other universities, to support solu- tions to the crisis, and not add to the problem. As a first step, the University must disclose all current investments in the fossil fuel industry, then move to divest. It's imperative that both the University administration and CSG take a stand for this. Furthermore, they should sup- port more investment in sustainable sciences, technologies and economic ventures. As students and faculty members of this great university, we cannot stand idly by and indirectly support fossil fuel investments. Our campaign asks that you get informed on the issue, start a dialogue and show your representatives how you feel about the issue. Let's work to align our University's invest- ments with its core values. This is the time to speak up. These student leaders represent us. Show your support for divestment by visiting our website (dives- tUM.org), signing the petition, volunteer- ing with the campaign, signing your student organization as a coalition partner and/or voting next week for CSG candidates who strongly support sustainability and want to move forward with divestment, such many candidates running on the forUM platform. Take a stand, Michigan. Laura Hobbs is an LSA freshman. f I were a Republican, I would be very concerned for the future of my party. I would question how my party has forgotten the core elements b that once made it so appealing. Presently, being conservative and being Republi- can can mean PATRICK two entirely dif- MAILLET ferent things. What hap- pened to the party that stood firmly upon the one core concept that the government should stay out of peo- ple's lives as much as possible? This core concept has been com- pletely disregarded by the GOP in their vehement opposition to gay marriage. Beyond party platform, opposition to gay marriage has become a reckless political agenda. A 2012 Gallup Poll shows that 53 percent of Americans support the legalization of same-sex marriage. More alarming to the GOP though, is that 73 percent of members of the 18- to 29-year-old demographic sup- port same-sex marriage. Aside from the complete hypocrisy of a "conser- vative" believing that the govern- ment can tell someone whom they are allowed to love, the GOP's anti- gay stance is one that will hurt them in coming elections. If I were a Republican, I would question why a party founded on staying out of people's lives is obsessed with controlling the repro- ductive rights of women. When will the GOP realize that their war on women is one that women will inev- itably win? As we saw in this last election cycle, it turns out women actually get upset when prominent Republicans mention "legitimate rape," refer to women who defend their right to take contraception as "sluts," or promise that, if they were elected president, they would only nominate U.S. Supreme Court Jus- tices who advocate on overturning Roe v. Wade. Who knew? It's almost like women actually took a stand to the concept of a bunch of men tell- ing them what's best for them and their uteruses. Maybe this has something to do with the gender voting gap in the presidential election rising from a 12-point difference between men and women in the 2008 presidential election to a staggering 18-point dif- ference in 2012. As if that statistic wasn't enough, swing states such as Ohio, New Hampshire and Penn- sylvania - all states that ensured Obama's electoral victory - were the states where the gender gap was strongest. After all, when the most well-known female members of the GOP are Sarah Palin and Rep. Michelle Bachman, can you really blame women for running desper- ately to the left? The worst part about the GOP's complete disregard for women in the 2012 election is that they haven't done anything to reverse this sui- cidal trend. Along with countless Republicans still opposing equal pay for equal work - and when I say "countless," I actually mean Repub- lican senators voted unanimously against the Paycheck Fairness Act in 2012 - many prominent Republicans opposed the reauthorization of the "Violence Against Women Act" last month. Those Republicans included Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). These men are widely considered the "rising stars" of the GOP, and Rubio was even cho- sen to give the Republican response to this year's State of the Union. If one of these men is on the presiden- tial ticket in 2016, does the GOP real- lythink womenwillsimplyforgetthe egregious stances these men possess? From suppressing voters to pro- tecting tax cuts for the wealthy, it's not surprising that the GOP has gained the reputation of being the party of rich, white men. Obviously, this stereotype isn't entirely true, but can you really blame the Ameri- can people for giving Republicans this typecast? After all, when men like the Koch Brothers and Sheldon Adelson - the three mega-donors of the GOP - are treated like royalty within the party, aren't the aver- age Americans eventually going to question where the GOP's alle- giance lies? Moderate Republicans don't stand a chance in the GOP primary. Unfortunately, the solution to the GOP's grim and outdated future doesn't seem very attainable. The problem lies mostly in the ridicu- lousness of the GOP's primary sys- tem. As we saw in this past election, any candidate who can even be con- sidered for the Republican nomina- tion has to throw him or herself so far to the right that once the gener- al election begins, most moderates are turned off by the candidate's radical views. Although candidates certainly have to prove their liberal credentials in the Democratic pri- mary, it's not nearly as damaging as the Republican counterpart. Due to this extreme weeding-out process, any socially moderate Republican is kept far from ever gaining the Republican nomination. Repub- licans such as Jon Huntsman or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg - two men that would probably bring in many moder- ate voters - don't stand a chance at surviving the grueling process because Republican primary voters will chastise any of their socially- lenient stances. The RepublicanPartyhasbecome out of touch and outdated. It needs to rethink what its core ideals are or it will continue to lose presidential elections. Unless it begins to ree- ognize its faults, the GOP will con- tinue to ostracize more and more American voters. - Patrick Maillet can be reached at maillet@umich.edu. L ETTER 1 0 I'L E T O R SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM Women don't need special consideration for to be commementment speaker attitude is dang As a studentc I have chosen, n excited to heari would be comic demonstrates ei TO THE DAILY: ceed in leaders I found Anjali Bisht and Chelsea Jedele's President Mary viewpoint ( "Where are all the women?", from the next 3/19/13) extremely frustrating. I fundamental- University of I ly disagree with the idea that, in the year 2013, Ora Pescovitz s the committee that chooses commencement campus. Ignorir speakers should take immutable characteris- the world in ter tics into consideration when making its deci- fications will do sion. Were the selection committee to choose ments women h a woman based on statistics, the implicit mes- will to further t sage would be that women are not worthy based on their achievements alone. This isn't Nicole Miller true, and adopting such a backward-looking LSA senior erous. of economics - a characteristic rot one that I can't help - I was that a successful entrepreneur ng to campus. Our University very day that women can suc- hip. In addition to University Sue Coleman, female leaders provost, Martha Pollack, to Michigan Health System CEO erve in important roles across rng this and continuing to view ms of gender and other classi- more to set back the advance- ave made over the years than it heir cause.