In its purest form, the opinion page of a newspaper is a forum where citizens can share ideas, express concerns and promote change. It is a place where readers can find out not just what happened, but how what happened will impact them. It is also a place where all… Read more »

When the world’s population reached seven billion earlier this month, it came with the realization that overpopulation may be a very real threat. On a planet with limited resources and huge income disparities, adding more people inevitably means adding more hunger, more pollution and more expenses. Yet Republicans seem to… Read more »

Republicans don’t want to save the economy. They don’t want to put Americans back to work. They don’t want to get out of the recession. At least not until they see one of their own with their hand on a Bible on Jan. 20, 2013. Sound cynical? Ten years ago… Read more »

Fall Semester 2011. It could be good, it could be bad and at times, it will most certainly be ugly. That’s where we come in. Welcome, or welcome back, to the Opinion page — the place where we put all of the above in perspective. Protests the likes of which… Read more »

As you read this, you are one step closer to joining the prestigious community known as the University of Wisconsin. Holding this paper, you’ve been introduced to an essential voice on campus for the last 42 years. With this paper in hand, you’re…one step farther from summer. Fret not! While… Read more »

Mass protests, calls for secession from the UW System and shifts in power all made this semester one of the most politically exciting in recent memory. While for some the term is an oxymoron, for the Opinion page, it’s a boon — the more outrageous, outlandish or polarizing the debate,… Read more »

It has been almost two weeks since the nation was shook by the shooting of Congresswoman Gabriella Giffords in Arizona. Six people, including a child, were killed, and 13 others were injured, bringing the entire country into mourning. The gunman is in custody, yet although many attempts have been made,… Read more »

After the turkey has been consumed, the wine-induced giggles have quieted and the last of the relatives have told their tried (tried and tried again) and true jokes, it is time to head home from the Thanksgiving festivities. While some begin to wind down in their tryptophan haze, others begin… Read more »

In high school, essentially all of us were required to take a U.S History course. Dates, figures, and movements were pounded into our heads, and more than 200 years of history were compartmentalized into about 180 easy-to-swallow class periods.  Some events were emphasized, some were mentioned, and some were deemed… Read more »

Last Tuesday in Madison, 40-year-old Keith Severson opened fire on an unarmed 25-year-old, Eugene Walker, shooting him dead with a total of seven bullets. One week later, he was cleared of any charges. Even considering the fact that Walker charged at Severson and was believed to have had a gun,… Read more »

It seems like all anyone wants to talk about these days is the election. It’s been dominating media on all levels, from the nightly news to prime time commercial slots, from billboards to web ads to the airwaves and from the front pages papers to our humble little Opinion page.… Read more »

The United States is apparently in a recession. Home sales fell to their lowest level ever just three months ago. The DOW fell to its lowest ever intraday point, briefly resting at just 998.5 points in May. Unemployment was recorded at 9.6 percent in June. In theory, people everywhere have… Read more »

To many in this great country of ours, the Golden Arches inspire more excitement than the Golden Gate Bridge. They are a beacon in this desolate world, promising hot, glistening french fries and burgers that are guaranteed not to be tainted with any healthy shit. And who could not become… Read more »

“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech.” Those few words from the First Amendment of the Constitution are among the most cited in American history, and remind us that citizens (in theory) have the right to say what they want without fear of persecution from the government. Today,… Read more »

April 20 is one of the most famous days of the calendar year. On this day, Adolf Hitler was born and Mark Twain died. The territory of Wisconsin was officially established by Congress. Columbine happened, pitching the nation into a state of grief. The code name for meeting to smoke… Read more »

Americans are good at many things. We know how to devote as little energy as possible to driving while we’re on the phone with friends updating them about our kickass weekend. We can order a grande nonfat no-whip white chocolate mocha without a hint of irony. We can look like… Read more »

Jamestown failed because it was a socialist settlement. Franklin D. Roosevelt caused the Great Depression. Thomas Aquinas was more influential than Thomas Jefferson. Joe McCarthy was a hero. This is not a delayed April Fool’s joke: It is the new curriculum imposed by the Texas State Board of Education, and… Read more »

Earlier this month, Gov. Doyle signed into law a ban on the drug salvia divinorum, making Wisconsin the 19th state to do so. The law specifically prohibits the sale, delivery or manufacturing of the drug with the intent that it be consumed by a person. Doyle stated the ban was… Read more »

March is finally upon us, and although we are at the tail end of winter, visions of bikinis, beaches and sweating beer bottles are dancing in our heads. For many, spring break will mean stripping off our winter layers and exposing our long-covered skin to the sun. This year, however,… Read more »

“The courts of our state belong not to the lawyers and the judges, but to you — the public.” This is the message from Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson that graces the home page of the Wisconsin Court System’s website. The website is home to the Circuit Courts Access Program,… Read more »

Often, the strategy of tic-tac-toe is not to win, but to prevent your opponent from beating you at all costs. This victory often results in a “cat’s game” where neither player wins, but neither has been beat. After listening to President Obama call again for bipartisanship in his first State… Read more »

Every January, people worldwide decide what they would most like to accomplish in the 12 months ahead. They resolve to lose weight, save more money or finally quit smoking. This year, however, you can expect a few more people planning to go bungee jumping or learning to ride a motorcycle.… Read more »

Think of the crudest, most degrading thing a person could be forced into doing. Now, turn it into a competition, sell your idea to a television network, and they’ll not only run with it, but find hundreds of people who would clamor for a chance to perform this task… Read more »

Low-carb, low-fat, sugar-free, low-sodium diet. These adjectives are music to many Americans’ ears. As a society, we spend an average of $42 billion dollars a year on foods, products and services specifically designed to help us lose weight. But somehow a whopping 34 percent of American adults are obese.… Read more »

It’s the Monday after Halloween. By now, everyone’s hangovers have dulled, their Facebook pictures are updated, and they’ll have figured out how they got home Saturday night. The costumes are put away, but the stories of the shenanigans will be the only topic of conversation for the next week… Read more »