Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
10 — Wednesday, September 14, 2022
T
oday we live in a
wearied
America
where tensions run
high and trust in government runs
low. With over three quarters
of Americans convinced the
country is headed in the wrong
direction, the need for political
stability is perhaps as high as it’s
ever been. With inflation, the
economy and poor leadership
ranking among the top issues
for
Americans,
conservative
leadership is needed to balance
out a progressive agenda that
has achieved some success, but
has largely gone unchecked with
Democrats in complete control
of the legislative and executive
branches.
Unfortunately,
the
Republican Party in its present
form
is
ill-suited
to
meet
this challenge and needs to
change dramatically to once
again become a constructive
contributor to the two-party
system.
Up until the 2016 election
cycle,
the
Republican
Party
prided itself on fighting for
family values, public safety and
a strong economy, but the last
6 years have seen the party’s
leadership lose focus entirely.
Now, the party of Reagan and
McCain has been overrun by
conspiracy theorists, right-wing
extremists and hate groups. With
Joe Biden’s approval rating down
nearly 10% since the start of his
term, the GOP looked destined to
achieve a tremendous midterm
victory just a few months ago. As
the party continues to devolve,
however, they risk distancing
themselves
from
everyday
Americans and failing to take
back the House and the Senate
this November.
Since
Donald
Trump
left
the White House, his power
within the Republican Party has
arguably increased. In the two
years since his loss, he has used
his influence to close ranks and
fight back against those within
the party who question his
election narrative. His level of
control has been stunning, with
only two House Republicans who
voted to impeach him advancing
to
their
general
elections.
Perhaps the most high-profile
Republican
to
oppose
him,
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.,
recently lost her primary by a
colossal margin of over 37%
In addition to the dangerous
election
security
narrative,
Republicans have shifted to
become more extreme on other
issues like abortion. After the
Dobbs decision this summer,
the party’s leaders raced to
implement
stringent
bans
on abortion, with some GOP
members
even
pushing
for
national legislation to prohibit all
abortions through the Heartbeat
Protection Act, introduced by
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa.
Beyond national politicians, the
GOP is being completely remade
at the state and local level. In
Michigan, Tudor Dixon, the
GOP candidate for governor,
has pushed the false election
narrative
and
promises
to
prohibit abortion in all instances,
including rape, if elected.
With
all
these
extreme
stances,
the
Republican
Party is on the brink of falling
into
irrelevance
and
needs
to immediately pivot to save
itself from becoming a fringe
organization.
As
anti-Trump
Republicans in leadership thin
out, however, the GOP is left
with fewer and fewer examples
of what a moderate agenda might
look like. Luckily, an example of
a reformed GOP can be found
in the policy proposals and
governing styles of Sen. Mitt
Romney, R-Utah, and Virginia
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, both of
whom have fought to maintain
independence from Trump. If
Republicans are serious about
helping restore balance to a
fractured political system, it’s
paramount
that
leadership
ditch Trump-era priorities and
focus on the mainstream issues
championed by Romney and
Youngkin.
While the GOP has moved
further to the right, Romney has
been an outlier in continuing
to push moderate policies that
align with the family values he
ran on in 2012. Most recently,
he proposed a plan to send most
parents up to $350 monthly
per child. As opposed to the
vitriolic proposals of many other
Republicans, this policy would
reach back to the roots of the
GOP and help improve quality of
life for many families. According
to
the
Niskanen
Center,
Romney’s proposal would slash
child poverty by approximately
12.6%, a tremendous boost to
the working class Americans
that Trump Republicans claim
to fight for. In addition, it could
provide couples with the support
system they need to expand their
family
comfortably,
without
concerns about feeding and
providing
support
for
their
children. Rather than forcing
women to start families against
their
will
through
abortion
restrictions, this policy would
offer a healthy boost to the
family values that Republicans
have traditionally embodied.
Another
example
of
a
Republican bucking the trend
of their party is Youngkin,
whose
economic
policies
helped Virginia make a strong
pandemic recovery. While other
Republicans have diverted their
focus from economic reform, a
large part of Youngkin’s agenda
has centered around helping
small businesses, promoting job
creation and helping individuals
weather
economic
hardship.
With economic problems ranking
as the top issue for Americans,
Youngkin
has
advocated
for measures that focus on
household problems rather than
ideological squabbles.
Since taking office, Youngkin
has aggressively cut regulations
and red tape surrounding the
creation of businesses, part of his
goal to add 400,000 new jobs and
10,000 startups over his term. In
addition, he has worked to cut
taxes across the board, reducing
taxes on veteran retirement pay,
eliminating the grocery tax,
reverting the gas tax hike and
instituting the largest tax refund
in Virginia history. With these
popular policies, Youngkin has
fortified Virginia’s economy and
demonstrated the true power of
classic conservative values.
If & when Joe Biden and
Democratic leadership continue
to lose support, Republicans
have an opportunity to capitalize
on their political weakness by
retaking one or both houses
of Congress. Even if the GOP
succeeds
in
doing
so
with
their current agenda, however,
implementing
the
dangerous
policies their platform proposes
would further alienate the party
from voters in future election
cycles
and
fail
to
improve
the lives of most Americans.
With the right mix of policies,
Republicans can remake their
tarnished image and provide
relief and stability for everyday
Americans in a turbulent time.
It’s time for common-sense Republicans
to take the party back
NIKHIL SHARMA
Opinion Columnist
Read more at MichiganDaily.com
I
n Michigan, we innovate.
From cars to medical
equipment,
aerospace
manufacturing
to
defense
vehicles,
and
even
energy
production, Michigan remains
one of the top states in America
for high-paying manufacturing
jobs. In fact, nearly 20% of
Michigan’s economy is based in
manufacturing.
That’s
nearly
$100 billion of economic output
and over half a million jobs for
our state.
Our economy is as strong as it is
because we don’t just look to the
jobs of yesterday, we are retooling
to compete in this global economy
for the high-paying jobs of today
and tomorrow. The pandemic
hit everyone hard, but one major
bright spot was our clean energy
and transportation industry.
While overall job recovery
from the pandemic was slow,
Michigan’s clean energy sector
grew by over 20% in the latter
half of 2020, leading our state’s
economic recovery. Additionally,
the shift to hybrid and electric
vehicles brought over 24,000
new jobs back to our state. In
total, clean energy in Michigan
accounts for over 100,000 jobs,
with nearly 20% of those jobs
being in rural communities, and
that number is growing fast.
In other words, if we hadn’t
started transitioning to a greener
economy when we did, many
people who are working now and
taking home a check would not be.
That
brings
us
to
the
transformative
climate,
healthcare
and
economic
investments
made
in
the
bipartisan Inflation Reduction
Act (IRA), which President Biden
signed into law last month. The
IRA will hasten the transition
to a cleaner economy, creating
scores of high-paying jobs across
Michigan and helping households
save on their energy bills, all
while reducing toxic greenhouse
gas emissions. The benefits to
our state will be tremendous,
as highlighted by the members
of our statewide congressional
delegation
who
lent
their
support to this landmark piece of
legislation.
A study commissioned by the
BlueGreen
Alliance
estimates
that the investments included in
the IRA will create as many as 9
million jobs nationwide over the
coming decade — all supported
by strong labor and prevailing
wage standards codified in the
bill. Through record investments
in green power sources such
as wind and solar, the bill is
projected to create 5 million jobs
in the clean energy sector. The
legislation is a particular boon to
the manufacturing industry — a
critical component of Michigan’s
economy
—
as
tax
credits
for the production of critical
technologies like solar panels and
battery cells prompt innovation
and hiring.
Clean energy jobs already
pay 25% more than the national
median, putting more money
into people’s pockets, and these
jobs are far more likely to include
health
care
and
retirement
benefits. Once more, the median
wages in solar, wind and grid
modernization are higher than
jobs in coal, natural gas and
petroleum fuels. All people —
even those who do not work in
the clean energy economy —
will benefit greatly from this
investment. More higher-paying
jobs
mean
other
companies
wanting to compete and hire
workers will need to pay more,
raising wages across the board.
But
perhaps
even
more
importantly, the transition to
electric vehicles (EVs) that the
IRA has encouraged will lead to
huge savings on a family’s daily
commute. EVs cost less to power
than those powered by internal
combustion
engines,
helping
keep the price to power a vehicle
low. It’s why I championed
bipartisan legislation to enhance
EV charging infrastructure in
our state. The energy equivalent
right now to fully power an EV is
the equivalent of paying $1.40 for
a gallon of gas. And that’s with
today’s rampant price gouging,
with
gas
prices
remaining
stubbornly high. With advanced
battery technology and wider EV
adoption, that cost will only go
down. The IRA, with rebates up
to $7,500 toward the purchase
of a new electric vehicle or up to
$4,000 toward the purchase of a
used electric vehicle for low and
moderate-income families, helps
to put the cost of an EV within
reach for all Americans.
Much
of
the
commentary
around the Inflation Reduction
Act has focused on the significant
impact that the legislation will
have on our climate, and rightfully
so. Predicted to help lower
greenhouse gas emissions by as
much as 40% by 2030 — and 50%
when coupled with the bipartisan
Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act of last year — it makes
significant strides to curb the
climate crisis. But let’s not forget
about the economic benefits as
well. At a time when many are
feeling the pinch of inflation and
rising gas prices, this legislation
will bring welcome respite in the
form of good jobs and savings on
energy costs.
The Inflation Reduction Act is
a big win for the state of Michigan
— a win that is only possible
because of bold leadership and
a strong call for change from
millions of residents across our
state.
State Rep. Padma Kuppa, a
mechanical engineer and former
member of the Michigan House
Energy
Committee,
represents
Troy and Clawson in the Michigan
Legislature.
State Rep. Padma Kuppa: “The Inflation Reduction Act is the economic
investment Michigan needs”
PADMA KUPPA
Opinion Contributor
From the Editor: Leadership
changes for Fall 2022
PAIGE HODDER
Editor in Chief
I
write
to
you,
the
faithful, occasional and
everywhere in between
readers of The Michigan Daily,
as the newly elected editor in
chief of this publication. The
details of this transition in
leadership may seem pedantic,
complicated and unnecessary
to
your
engagement,
but
are nonetheless essential to
maintaining
transparency.
We are a publication that has
operated for over 130 years,
providing an accurate and fair
account of the news and issues of
consequence while maintaining
editorial
independence
and
accountability to its readers. As
such, this communication felt
especially necessary.
For those who may not know,
The Daily operates in two cycles
of managerial staff, one during
the school-year months, from
January to December, made up
of mostly upperclassmen and
longtime staffers. Another staff
of editors then works during
the summer, generally made
up of younger staffers, many of
whom are taking on leadership
roles for the first time. Our
school-year editors, including
the editor in chief and managing
editor, my previous role, are
typically elected in November
and work the next calendar year.
Unfortunately, the previous
editor in chief had to step
away
from
The
Daily
for
personal reasons after the end
of the Winter 2022 semester.
After
they
announced
their
resignation over the summer,
I, as managing editor, stepped
in as acting editor in chief in
their absence. Following this,
the appropriate steps were then
taken, in accordance with the
bylaws of our organization, to
elect a new editor in chief.
In
July,
I
was
formally
appointed
interim
editor
in
chief by The Daily’s governing
body,
Management
Desk
(MDesk), which is made up
of each section’s senior and
managing editors. In this role,
I managed our publication’s
transition back to school-year
staff, acting as both editor in
chief and managing editor as I
transitioned from my previous
role and prepared to take on my
next.
Once an all-staff election
could be held, I ran uncontested
and
was
elected
permanent
editor in chief of The Daily. Once
in this position, I appointed Kate
Weiland and Vanessa Kiefer as
co-managing editors to fulfill
the role I was leaving open. I
will hold this new role until the
end of the Fall 2022 semester,
when
our
next
school-year
editor in chief will take office.
We
always
welcome
interaction with our audience
as we strive to better serve
our
community,
but
that
communication
will
be
especially important and valued
during this time of transition.
I can be reached at eic@
michigandaily.com.
As of right now, email is also
the best way to communicate
with our various sections, and
this contact information can be
found here.
As a final note, I would like
to express my sincerest honor
to have taken upon this role
and my deepest commitment
to fulfilling my responsibilities
with
care,
compassion
and
integrity; I hope to serve you,
our readers, well.
Paige Hodder is The Daily’s
Editor in Chief and can be reached
at eic@michigandaily.com.
The feminist importance of girl-talk
I
know what you’re thinking:
the term “girl talk” reeks
of
uncomfortable,
pre-
adolescent
years
where
your
clothes
fit
differently
every
day and you’ve ruined one too
many pairs of jeans when it
was “that time of the month.”
And no wonder! Judging by its
definition, the term sure seems
like it was coined by a man. Girl
talk (apparently) is “conversation
between women or girls, typically
about subjects considered to be
uninteresting to or inappropriate
for men.” How can we not cringe
at the thought of having girl talk
when its meaning conditions
women to think of themselves
as people with very little of
significance to say to each other?
Periods, bodies, feelings. These
aren’t matters of importance!
Not like drinking, sex and sports,
anyways.
For decades, women have been
having
conversations
between
themselves under a male-imposed
societal
framework
whose
core belief is that the feminine
experience is of little to no
significance. Men were the bearers
of the realm of importance: they
held the keys to inclusion, respect
and equality, and they weren’t
about to include feeble-minded
women in their
scope.
Therefore, throughout history,
discourse between women has
both been written off as trivial
and has been silenced, sometimes
brutally. In 1917, 33 women
suffragists
were
beaten
and
tortured at a prison in Virginia
for peacefully picketing outside
the White House. Incumbent
president
Woodrow
Wilson
wrote to his daughter at the time
that suffragists “seem bent on
making their cause as obnoxious
as possible.”
So, if not about superficial,
trivial matters, what constitutes
girl talk?
Girl talk is about sharing the
female experience. Whether it be
sex, identity, relationships, work
or education, being a woman in
a male-dominated world always
is a challenge. Through girl talk,
women get to feel empowered,
confident and prepared to take
on the world. Most of all, we don’t
feel alone.
For years, my best friend and
I have relied on girl talk. When
we were 14, we wondered what
it said about us if we kissed two
guys in one night. At 17, we tried
to determine at what point in a
relationship oral sex was socially
accepted. Today, we try to balance
our sexual desires with their very
real consequences. In a world
where feminine roles in society
are constantly being re-evaluated,
we are often unsure of how to
behave. These conversations help
to alleviate that uncertainty.
One of the greatest benefits
of girl talk is giving women
(particularly
younger
women)
an understanding of how to deal
with men — specifically, how to
approach
sexual
relationships
with them. Because, frankly, the
U.S. is failing at that. As of 2020,
only 29 states and the District of
Columbia mandate sex education.
35 states require schools to stress
abstinence in the case that sexual
education is taught. Only 16
require instruction on condoms
or contraception, and only nine
require talking about consent.
When it comes to exploring
one’s developing sexuality, girl
talk is essential for validation,
whether you’re a teenager or
an adult. Women and those
who identify as feminine have
to consider multiple facets that
raise multiple questions: how am
I supposed to act? What is the
feminist thing to do? What do
other women expect from me?
What do men expect from me?
What do I want to do? More often
than not, we need help from peers,
friends,
mothers,
sisters
and
others to find the answers.
This quest for answers doesn’t
come to an end with maturity.
Girl talk is essential at a young age
because that’s when our minds
and identities are most vulnerable,
and it is crucial that we develop an
understanding of ourselves that
is centered around self-love and
acceptance. However, once you
get older, a lot of things also get
messier. Decades into a career you
might find yourself still having
to deal with male chauvinism in
the workplace and figuring out
how to balance your ambitions
with your family. Because while
we may be more empowered and
independent than a century ago,
our previous responsibilities still
fall on us. We are still expected
to be mothers – and present ones
at that. Additionally, we are to be
in charge of meals and décor and
generally providing a happy home,
even with a male partner at our
side.
Reconciling social expectations
with our personal beliefs and
desires is no simple task. We
need to help each other answer
questions like: “should I lose
myself to my sexual desires if,
come Monday, I’ll feel crappy if
they haven’t texted me?” There’s
a lot to unpack in this example
alone. For instance, do you feel
crappy
because
you
honestly
liked them? On the other hand,
do you feel bad because you’re
replicating
antiquated
notions
about sex, that on Friday you
claimed to have forgotten, that
tell you you should care? Girl talk
is the medium through which we
get closer to answering all these
questions. By sharing experiences
and perspectives, women can
help each other find the solution
that best fits their desires and
personalities. We can help each
other avoid falling into the traps
that
our
intrinsically
sexist
upbringing has laid out for us.
It’s time girl talk got the respect
it deserves for encompassing
one
of
the
most
pertinent
conversations of the 21st century.
Today, we are no longer confined
to the cultures and societies we
grew up in. Through social media,
women are exposed to a vast array
of ideals and beliefs on how to be
true to ourselves — on what that
truth even is! Girl talk is a bridge
between theory and practice
where we can be transparent and
honest about the struggles of our
womanhood.
AZUL BLAQUIER
Opinion Columnist
Read more at MichiganDaily.com