Graduation is just two weeks away, people are entering the “real world” and others are choosing their classes for next year – or their graduate school of choice. With our society the way it is, it’s hard to know which college major will give you the best chance of thriving… Read more »

One of the most chronically repeated maxims about the University of Wisconsin holds that this institution, ostensibly renowned worldwide as a model for public higher education, is simply an “economic incubator.” This is a convenient way for technocrats in Bascom Hall to explain to their counterparts down State Street what… Read more »

I’m out bitches. It’s been an interesting past three years, and I definitely enjoyed most of it. To all the real Badgers out there who had my back on all Mifflin-related issues, you guys are swell. To the rest of you, thanks for the page views. Never change, Madison. Keep… Read more »

A set of old Herald sweatshirts bears the words, “Dangerously close to cult status.” Perhaps the saying is a bit presumptuous and just a tad politically incorrect. But it is also entirely true. I have to admit the saying has real merit when it comes to the Herald family —… Read more »

Daily is irrelevant, and print is on its way out. These are quickly becoming the maxims evoked to scare any freshman thinking about pursuing journalism back to the job security of the business school’s hallowed halls. But instead of clinging to our daily print edition and our conceptions of what… Read more »

If you have read any of my columns this semester, you have likely noticed a trend. They all advocate for self-development and informal credentials with an anti-establishment and anti-tradition tone. In other words, I’m all about making a ruckus by challenging the status quo. Am I the only one? Last… Read more »

Some of my favorite Bills include Cosby, Clinton, Gates and of course Shakespeare — however, I am not a fan of this new bill that is currently in the process of being approved by the state Assembly. If passed, this bill would make it legal for bars to sue underage… Read more »

This summer the state Legislature will be deciding on a budget for the state of Wisconsin — a process that should be full of controversy. Gov. Scott Walker has proposed his biennial budget, which includes tax cuts, increased spending on vouchers and charter schools and cuts to the Government Accountability… Read more »

Let’s rewind about a month and a half. As hard as it may be to believe, it actually looked like relations between the University of Wisconsin and the state government were on the mend. Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank had just been chosen as UW’s next chancellor — a… Read more »

Participation: It was once considered to be the mere act of showing up and handing in your homework on time. But lost are the days of middle school. Along with milk breaks, recess and rewards of candy for doing good deeds, passively-earned participation points became a thing of the past… Read more »

Frustrated by the efforts of Dane County judges to delay the implementation of state legislation, a number of Republican lawmakers, led by Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, and Rep. David Craig, R-Big Bend, have introduced a bill that would limit the authority of circuit judges. Currently, an injunction placed on… Read more »

Mifflin happened this weekend; it looked a lot different than it has in the past, but we still had a pretty good time. It bugs the crap out of me that the city gets to call it a huge success and act like they beat back the menace that is… Read more »

The end of winter means the start of disc golf season. So, dutifully, my friends and I headed to Token Creek Park last weekend to play 27 holes. It was the start of the season, and the course was busy. While waiting to tee off on hole seven, I managed… Read more »

This summer is going to be phenomenal. After all, one could say that it’s the story-making season. I would also say that it is the season of life experience — when you build up your street smarts, when you work the right side of your brain, when you finally get… Read more »

One of the most important roles of a government is to build and maintain infrastructure — without a sound transportation network, not much else matters. If Wisconsin is to be, in the words of Gov. Scott Walker, “open for business,” the state must make sure it is a place where… Read more »

It’s no secret: Wisconsin is one of the drunkest states in the nation. To students of the University of Wisconsin who live in downtown Madison and are familiar with the typical mayhem of Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, this factoid is rather unsurprising. A more eye-opening observation is while Wisconsin… Read more »

State Street is getting a major facelift, with construction currently happening on the 100 block and plans for development on the 500, 700 and 800 blocks in the works. The question is whether or not this is a good thing for the downtown area. To answer that question, the first thing… Read more »

Many civilized societies are heavily dependent on maps. News networks produce maps to give viewers a geographical context of a reported event. Individuals use maps to find their way through a building with the help of a building plan or navigate a city using GPS. However, terrible mistakes can occur… Read more »

It has been succinctly said that the U.S. Senate is where ideas and legislation go to die. Although the Senate has been criticized for filibustering and slowing down the legislative process (a sentiment I have concurred with in the past and still do to a certain extent in the present),… Read more »

After four years at the University of Wisconsin and 18 years before that as a child of two American parents, I’ve heard the word “privilege” with a steady degree of regularity. Its use starts as a warning like, “Having your toy is a privilege, not a right,” and in an… Read more »

Is Revelry the new Mifflin? No chance, Lance. Maybe if they get some legitimate artists in the coming years – otherwise it will be like trying to replace a Ferrari with a Prius. Yes, the Prius might be safer and better for the environment – sort of like Revelry –… Read more »

As the outrage about the cancellation of the Mifflin Street Block Party escalates, there may be some value in considering where Mifflin began and where it is now. Everyone knows that the event began as a late 1960s protest of the Vietnam War. Students at the time were so passionate… Read more »

You can measure a paper as well by the quality of its readers as that of its writers. By that measure, it should come as no surprise that The Badger Herald enjoys its fair share of intelligent critics. Here are some of my picks for the most nuanced and thoughtful… Read more »

News never breaks twice, but one news story can lead to another. With journalistic insight, I have to say we are two weeks away from seeing this happen. The reason? The Mifflin Street Block Party. Quickly, for those who missed the news, Mifflin has been “cancelled” for this 2013 year. (I… Read more »

To paraphrase Bob Dylan, it looks like the times are changing. Even though the Mifflin Street Block Party has been around for more than 40 years, the Madison Police Department wrote in a recent letter to Madison residents, “There will be no Mifflin Street Block Party” this year and it… Read more »

The Affordable Care Act, in an attempt to help establish a health care system that would cover nearly all Americans, allocated money to the 50 states to strengthen their Medicaid programs. However, Gov. Scott Walker has decided not to take the money, and to weaken Badgercare by reducing the income… Read more »

The most vital part of a successful democracy is its electoral system. Almost every other problem in a democratic government is fixable in the long term through voting. Since elections are the most powerful means of change, if elections are broken, there is little the people can do to try… Read more »

Some debates are perpetual in nature. The never-ending debate about whether or not the minimum wage is good economic policy is one of them. Regardless, it is a debate I find intriguing and one I feel obligated to enter. Contrary to the assertions of free market economists, writers and pundits,… Read more »

The best way to view the world is to stand on the shoulders of giants. As you can imagine, giants do not like you climbing on them. In order to stand on their shoulders, you have to persuade them to allow it. You have to show them it would benefit… Read more »

Runners often say that running is its own reward. After a long day of thinking, reading or arguing with peers, it’s refreshing to lace up your shoes and march to your own drummer. Your body, your music, your pace. Running releases daily stress, gives you a sense of control and… Read more »

The only way to describe the upcoming spring commencement at the University of Wisconsin is “tight butthole.”  That’s because Anders Holm, a UW alum with a history degree and one of the creators, writers and actors of the hit show “Workaholics,” will be speaking. Considering that last year’s speaker was… Read more »

Hospitals are never an easy place to be, and the quality of care you receive as a patient can be depend strongly on the quality of advocates you have by your side. The frustration visitors experience can certainly be magnified when trips to the hospital fall over the weekend or… Read more »

I have no views on the musical abilities of Canadian-born pop star Justin Bieber. But I do have strong views about the new prepaid debit card he has recently endorsed, called the SpendSmart Prepaid Mastercard. Although Justin Bieber says this prepaid card will help teenagers learn how to manage their… Read more »

Marijuana — the very mention of the word conjures up the images of cultural icons like Cheech and Chong, Harold and Kumar and, of course, anyone and anything having to do with the 1960s. With the recent legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado, it is easy to see marijuana… Read more »

So the city and the university have finally drawn the line in the sand — according to a letter from the Madison Police Department, “There will be no Mifflin Street Block Party.” They are also cancelling having an unsanctioned good time anywhere that weekend. Good. I’m sick of the half-assed attacks… Read more »

In 1905, the University of Wisconsin’s tuition was $10 and $25 per semester for Wisconsin residents and nonresidents, respectively.Knowing this little trivia puts today’s tuition in perspective. It is no secret the cost of going to college in this country has ballooned in recent years. Not only that, but the… Read more »

“Drop out of college.” Some people need to be told this. Others already realize this on their own – but, of course, they never follow through. They would rather complain. In light of recent articles on educational expectations and some brutal comments from educators on those pieces, the following needs… Read more »

Ever wanted to play with lasers? Join the Navy and you might get the chance. Earlier this week, the U.S. Navy released a video of its new toy, a high-energy laser designed to destroy patrol boats, surveillance drones or anything else vulnerable to large concentrated bursts of energy. According to… Read more »

The worth of master’s degrees, MFA degrees and PhDs in the humanities has been a long-debated topic. As an English literature major who is about to graduate, I have entered into the internal and external debate of whether MFAs or PhDs are worth the considerable trouble and money they cost… Read more »

During our spring break, the U.S. Supreme Court heard Perry v. Hollinger and Windsor v. United States, two cases on the constitutionality of gay marriage bans. The court will release its decisions on both cases before the session ends in June. Both cases focus on the equal protection clause in… Read more »

In 2010, Gov. Scott Walker campaigned for his office on a platform of creating private sector jobs. In fact, he promised Wisconsin voters that under his administration the state would create 250,000 new private sector jobs by the end of his first term. So far, under Walker’s administration, Wisconsin has… Read more »

Pedal pubs are a new drinking concept that are beginning to gain popularity throughout the United States. For those of you who don’t know, a pedal pub is shaped like a trolley and requires the riders to pedal in order to move the quadricycle. The pedal pub then has a… Read more »

There very well may be University of Wisconsin students with perfect attendance records. After all, in a population of more than 40,000 students there ought to be some statistical outliers who show up five minutes early to every class, week in week out, for four straight years – an attendance… Read more »

Our student government recently passed a proposal to help protect students’ living situations. The Tenant Bill of Rights, in essence, allows for the Associated Students of Madison to endorse landlords who adhere to their stipulations.  Fortunately, ASM was wise about this proposal and consulted the university’s law department to ensure… Read more »

How often do you save work that you did in class? When you finish an assignment, a project or an art piece, do you stick it in your portfolio? Do you hang it up? Do you Snapchat it or post it on Facebook? It’s a yes or no answer, and… Read more »

Welcome back to Madison, ladies and gentleman, the city where politics never sleeps. Hopefully you spent your spring break preparing for another round of politics, because the city held a slew of local elections on Tuesday to celebrate your return. Which elections you ask? Well, a lot of them actually.… Read more »

Since the Kohl Center has not held a concert since 2009 and the Alliant Energy Center is just really inconveniently located, Madison gets shafted time and time again by big-name music artists. It was revealed that Fall Out Boy – yes, the same band that played on the speakers in… Read more »

According to a memo released by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau last week, Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget would result in structural deficit of $664 million.  A deficit is not the end of the world — Wisconsin is no stranger to unbalanced budgets. And Walker deserves credit for finally balancing… Read more »

Voter turnout in student districts during spring elections is traditionally embarrassing. Last night’s elections proved no different. Memorial Library saw only 73 voters Tuesday — the equivalent of 4 percent of registered voters in the district. Gordon Commons hosted only 128 voters, or 4.1 percent, and only 81 voters… Read more »

Recently, two notable Wisconsin Republicans, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Gov. Scott Walker, clarified their positions on the subject of gay marriage. When put on the spot, both politicians took the stance that gay marriage is a matter of “states’ rights.” In an interview with Fox 6 News in… Read more »

Late last year, this newspaper announced it would cease publication on Fridays with the goal of giving reporters and editors an opportunity to experiment with online publication models. As the year comes to a close, I am pleased to announce that The Badger Herald will continue this march into… Read more »

Voter registration is moving online around the country and Wisconsin needs to get on board. In a rare agreement on voting policy, red and blue states alike seem to agree that offering online voter registration is a good idea. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 17 states already… Read more »

Today is the election between incumbent Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Patience Roggensack and challenger Marquette Law School professor Ed Fallone. Before I get into an analysis of the candidates, I have to make sure everybody knows that polls are open until 8 p.m. today and that you can find your… Read more »

When I look up reviews of classes and professors online, or discuss them with other students, one complaint always seems to surface about mathematics professors in particular: professors don’t explain topics well enough, but at the same time, they explain some things too much. From what I’ve gathered from online… Read more »

Just a little more than 50 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the landmark case of Gideon v. Wainwright. In this case, the Supreme Court brought to fruition the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of a criminal defendant’s right to counsel in state court, even if the defendant has limited financial… Read more »

This column is going to ask you to take a risk and make yourself uncomfortable. This might not work. You may dislike what I have to say about our society. You may even hate how personal this will be. This column starts with a serious statement: Everyone is lonely. Since when… Read more »

Summer vacation can be great. It offers time to catch up with old friends, take a break from classes and make some extra money. However, there comes a time to examine whether we really need summer break or if that time could be put to better use. The University… Read more »

Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, has written legislation that would ban citizens from carrying concealed weapons in the Capitol. The legislation is aimed at changing part of the concealed carry legislation signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker in July 2011. It is simple — guns should not be allowed in… Read more »

Last week’s elections for the Associated Students of Madison once again boasted impressively poor turnout — roughly 15 percent, all told. With such woefully low turnout, ASM is dangerously close to being an illegitimate government. Luckily for them, however, no one actually cares enough to make a fuss about the… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker spent the weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference dancing around the idea of running for president in 2016. Walker told Politico in an interview Friday he was not ruling out a run for president. Walker also declined to commit to serving a full second term if… Read more »

The negative effects of the 2008 financial collapse are still lingering in the U.S. economy, making it harder for people to find long-term employment and also impeding the efforts of college graduates to keep up with their student loan payments. Yet the biggest Wall Street financial institutions seem to be… Read more »

I’m going to be bold here and ask a question: “Does anyone pay attention in lectures?” Of course some students do, but the majority are busy with other things: Facebook, emails, applying to internships (I hope you see the irony of this), reading, texting and now - what is most trendy… Read more »

If there was one person who understood the value of Coca-Cola, it was Andy Warhol. “What’s great about this country,” Warhol said, “is that … the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest… the president drinks Coca-Cola, Liz Taylor drinks Coca-Cola… you can drink Coca-Cola, too… no amount… Read more »

If there’s one thing I love about America other than the song “Free Bird” and water skiing squirrels, it’s American tradition. American traditions range from hot dog eating contests to chopping down a tree with your family during the Christmas season – something that almost led to disaster one year… Read more »

Throughout the past several days, I have watched my Facebook newsfeed explode with whiney posts asking members of the University of Wisconsin community to sign an ever-changing petition to “preserve” Langdon Street. Langdon residents of all sorts have signed this petition, which requests that the city approve the Langdon area… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker has begun his transition back into re-election mode by stepping away from his 2010 campaign promise to help the state create 250,000 jobs during his first term. The 250,000 jobs promise was the biggest campaign promise Walker made, and it will be the standard he is held… Read more »

Wisconsin is not just known for making world class dairy products or for being the home of the historic Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, we are known for something else: our pervasive drinking culture. Drinking in and of itself is not a bad thing. Yet, when our state laws permit people’s… Read more »

I have a confession: I have a huge sweet tooth and can’t resist a bubbly beverage (I’m referring to soda, of course). But neither can America, and what’s the cost? With more than 65 percent of adult Americans overweight and 5,000 dying every day as a result of obesity, it’s… Read more »

Two stories have so far defined this semester at the University of Wisconsin: an important search for the institution’s new leader and a much less important debate over someone who believes he holds control over the entire UW community. But the university’s search for a new chancellor, possibly the most… Read more »

The possibility that the tuition cap on University of Wisconsin System schools could increase is causing much anxiety among students. Fearing that if left to itself UW would increase tuition, student organizations have been lobbying for the cap to stay. There are many arguments people use to oppose letting tuition… Read more »

Let’s talk about sex. About two weeks ago, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin announced it would be closing four of its health centers in the state. This amounts to a little more than 10 percent of Planned Parenthood infrastructure here in Wisconsin. Planned Parenthood cited state budget cuts as the primary reason… Read more »

Recently, the University of Wisconsin announced it will be offering four online courses next fall that will be available to the public free of charge. These courses will be taught by UW professors, but students enrolled in the courses will not earn college credit. Upon hearing this news, I was… Read more »

Michelle Alexander, the author of “The New Jim Crow,” is visiting Union South this Thursday to discuss race in America. Her book points out the undeniable institutional racism that exists in the American prison system. Race has a dark history in this nation. When black Americans were promised freedom they were… Read more »

This past week, the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate passed a controversial bill which would drastically change Wisconsin’s iron mining regulations. An identical bill will be picked up in the state’s Republican-controlled Assembly this week and will mostly likely pass there as well. Republican lawmakers authored the bill to hasten the process… Read more »

The Associated Students of Madison is using student segregated fees to reimburse several students for the cost of attending the Conservative Political Action Conference this month, the latest bad idea in a long tradition of bad ideas for using segregated fees. The students attending the event will be from different… Read more »

While we may all still be stuck in the marshes of midterms right now, in a few weeks we will be preparing for the end of another semester. And a good portion of us will be preparing to take advantage of our last opportunities to have fun and relax before… Read more »

I grew up hating naps.This may have been due to the traumatic experience of waking up from a nap when I was six years old to the sound of chainsaws cutting down my favorite climbing tree. Or it may have been I felt I was wasting nearly an hour – sometimes… Read more »

Another day, another debt crisis. Last Saturday, The New York Times published an article about the dangers of student loan debt from graduate school. Which graduate programs you ask? Surely law school, where reports of six-figure debts, unemployment or underemployment are commonplace. Perhaps a special on for-profit schools, institutions where approximately 86… Read more »

Earlier this month, Gov. Scott Walker declined federal funds to expand Wisconsin’s Medicaid coverage to more of the state’s citizens. The exact details of the expansion and Walker’s alternative proposal are not important — suffice to say that, as compared to Walker’s plan, expanding coverage as part of the Affordable… Read more »

I want to talk about the “UW-Madison Confessions” Facebook page and the manufactured controversy that has recently surrounded it. If you’re the rare student not aware of what’s going on, here is the gist: two weeks ago, someone started a Facebook page allowing University of Wisconsin students to post anonymous… Read more »

When I enrolled in Gender and Women Studies 103 — Women’s Bodies in Health and Disease — I was looking to score some quick, non-sciencey science credit. I was more than a bit skeptical about taking a GWS class because I was convinced it would label me a feminist and… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker unveiled his budget proposals last week in a speech before the Legislature. Many of his proposals have received criticism throughout the state, including those on tax cuts, Medicaid coverage and school vouchers. Although his budget proposal to collect DNA from people arrested on felony and certain misdemeanor… Read more »

In his budget address last week, Gov. Scott Walker cited plans to end residency requirements throughout the state of Wisconsin. While only taking up a paragraph of the 600-page document, the prospect of ending residency requirements has been one of the most controversial parts of Walker’s budget plans. Residency… Read more »

When I visited last Monday’s ethnic studies roundtable, I was surprised to find all of the opinions aired were in favor of the university’s ethnic studies requirement. The only complaints were regarding implementation issues. Supposedly, the purpose of the requirement is to promote cultural understanding. In this light, the requirement… Read more »

As I read the piece titled “Bipartisan pressure key to halting Iranian nuclear program,” by Chris Hoffman and Jeff Snow in The Badger Herald on Tuesday, I was struck not only by the complete lack of specifics but also by its neo-colonial mentality concerning the United States’ role on this… Read more »

Hark! Good news! According to a recent Gallup survey, congressional approval is on the rise — from 14 percent in January to 15 percent in February. Unfortunately for Congress, this staggering increase of one whole percentage point is unlikely to stick around in the face of billions of dollars in… Read more »

I’ve always been a hockey fan. Maybe I was genetically predisposed to love the game, considering my father taught me to skate as soon as I could walk, and that his father coached his neighborhood peewee teams. It could also be a byproduct of growing up in St. Paul, Minn.… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker announced plans to expand private school voucher and charter school programs Monday. While charter schools may be a reasonable investment, vouchers have many draw backs that outweigh their benefits. School vouchers have a noble goal, but ultimately are counterproductive to the greater good. While students who are… Read more »

A report by the Government Accountability Board came out Monday saying it could cost the state as much as $14.5 million to end same-day voter registration. State Republicans are still considering the measure to end same-day registration anyway, because, of course they are. Following in the footsteps of the Voter… Read more »

Today is the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary election. Sadly, few, if any, will take the time to participate in this all-too-often nuanced election, which will narrow the field from three candidates to the two who will face off in the April 2 general election. However, I feel it is my… Read more »

Wisconsin residents have the opportunity to vote in the state primary election today. Voters will decide which candidates move forward to the spring general election, including candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. I encourage you all to make your voice heard today by voting. Even so, I think the state… Read more »

The debate over how to optimize the college system has been approached from countless angles. Is it best to aim for smaller class sizes, increase scholarship funding or explore new methods of learning? For my part, I believe the best way to improve a college education is to start at… Read more »

A few weeks ago, the first of several community meetings was held to address the unfortunate November shooting that took place last semester. Paul Heenan was fatally shot during a confrontation with a Madison Police Department officer who was responding to a burglary call that stemmed from Heenan mistakenly entering the… Read more »

The most prescient lesson Republicans took away from the 2012 presidential election was the need to pay attention to demographics. As Americans are becoming more racially, economically and socially divided than at any point in our country’s history, the Republican Party’s narrow appeals to the descendants of WASP’s and Rockefeller’s need… Read more »

In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Barack Obama called on Congress to pass legislation changing the minimum wage to $9.00 per hour, up from its current value of $7.25 per hour. Not surprisingly, this proposal has garnered plenty of opposition from congressional Republicans. House Majority Whip… Read more »

Question: What is the connection between the movie “Babe” and experimental cats at the University of Wisconsin? Answer: James Cromwell. After Cromwell’s role as Farmer Hoggett in the childhood classic, “Babe,” we all thought he was a pig person. We were wrong. Cromwell was arrested last Thursday after storming into… Read more »

In recent weeks, Gov. Scott Walker has been pushing for renewed efforts to expand Wisconsin’s school voucher program, without exactly specifying what this program would entail. Walker’s renewed effort to expand the program coincides with the efforts of three former Republican state representatives who are now lobbying for an expanded… Read more »

In the State of the Union address, President Barack Obama approached higher education from the same economic perspective he usually does. He stressed how education builds a well-trained workforce and fuels a high-tech economy, opening up the subject of higher education with the truism, “The more education you have, the… Read more »

The Kohl Center’s policy on signs is terrible. It stinks. There I said it, and I still don’t feel better. For years now, the Grateful Red, Wisconsin’s die-hard section of student fans for men’s basketball games, have been deprived of the ability to bring in its own signs, flags and… Read more »

President Barack Obama’s second term is off to a chaotic start. In the first few weeks since his inauguration, most of the nation’s focus has been on the issues of immigration, gun control and, of course, the wonderful senatorial sideshow of cabinet confirmations. While all (or at least two) of… Read more »

One of my strongest hopes for what President Barack Obama will introduce in tonight’s State of the Union address — a renewed commitment to the green jobs agenda — is highly unlikely to even receive lip service when he steps onto the House floor. Green jobs became the Achilles’ heel… Read more »

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama should unequivocally state he will not adopt the economic austerity policies congressional Republicans have been advocating for the past few years. In addition, he should demonstrate his full commitment to embracing Keynesian economic programs during his second term, at least… Read more »

In the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting, gun control has taken center stage in both state and national politics. In tonight’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama must capitalize on his momentum to further the gun control debate. The attention gun control is currently receiving will not last… Read more »

As the Northeast digs itself out of the recent snowstorm, the National Weather Service warns of a blizzard heading for the north central U.S. Wisconsin is likely to be included in the periphery of the weather event. Southeastern Wisconsin is expected to get mostly freezing rain, which would make travelling… Read more »

Newspapers cover anniversaries too often. This is a painfully common sentiment among media critics and the paper-reading public; at some point a momentous event becomes impossible to eulogize or commemorate without seeming repetitive. This week marks two years since the beginning of “the protests that changed Wisconsin forever.” The occasion… Read more »

When I heard last week that a number of U.S. Senators, including Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla, had drafted a framework for immigration reform, I was cautiously optimistic. I even wrote under a quote on the subject from President Barack Obama, “While … immigration reform has year… Read more »

I have an awkward history with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. When he was trounced by former President George W. Bush in the 2000 Republican Primary, he seemed interesting to me, like a gentile Ariel Sharon. When he blasted the Bush administration for torture, he seemed like a humanist. When he nominated… Read more »

Purchasing expensive textbooks is, for the most part, a necessary evil. After all, it’s not easy to make a textbook. Writing a college-level text requires a significant time commitment from a number of very well-educated and intelligent people – people whose time is valuable, and who must be compensated well… Read more »

The U.S. Senate is taking action on the issue of illegal immigration, and attempting to give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship. While this bipartisan action is a breath of fresh air compared to the toxic, paralyzed environment on Capitol Hill we have grown accustom to, it is also something more.… Read more »

With beer, brats and “Jump Around,” Wisconsin football game day has a reputation as the most electric and thrilling atmosphere in the country. It’s definitely one of the highlights of my Wisconsin career and I’m sure every other fan could say the same. This semester I had the incredible opportunity to… Read more »

Under pressure from opponents of his gun control agenda, President Barack Obama recently released a photo of himself skeet shooting at Camp David to prove his assertion in an interview with The New Republic that he goes “skeet shooting all the time.”  The sincere controversy over this skeet shooting photo… Read more »

A fight resulting in a shot being fired outside a concert at The Frequency Jan. 28 has led the venue to eliminate hip-hop shows in the future. The small music club on West Main Street announced on their Facebook page they would no longer host local, regional or national hip-hop shows.… Read more »

Society is in a constant state of flux. As society and technology change, the law must change along with them. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act does not reflect the evolution of technology that has occurred since its passage in 1986 and is now outdated. It is time for Congress to… Read more »

All fields of study are created equal. Some are just more equal than others. For example, business, nursing and computer sciences are perceived as more worthwhile for a university to have than, say, the Scandinavian languages (who would ever … ) or comparative literature. The latter group of “less valuable”… Read more »

Committee hearings are political drama par excellence. Witnesses speak under oath, cameras are on full display and questions have been meticulously prepared by those conducting the investigation to be both barbed and combative. Senators stare down at those testifying from behind their nametags, waiting for the opportunity to ask a… Read more »

For those of us who leave the state for winter break, it can be difficult to keep up with current events in Wisconsin. So while I wasn’t surprised to find I was behind on the news when I came back after break, I was pretty shocked I had somehow missed… Read more »

Over the years, Madison has gained a reputation for being a “party school,” with beer guzzling, keg-standing college students running amuck every which way on weekend nights. So, it only makes sense a beer company would eventually begin to advertise more aggressively in Madison. And not just any beer company… Read more »

Academically speaking, one of the relatively few universal undergraduate experiences at the University of Wisconsin is an ethnic studies course. It’s a graduation requirement that serves as a sort of common ground for the student body — a common ground that is constantly evolving. As the UW prepares its new… Read more »

Can you name the party that has control over the House of Representatives? How about the five freedoms afforded to you by the First Amendment, or how many amendments are included in the Bill of Rights? What about the bill’s purpose? It’s quite likely not all of you could answer… Read more »

Shortly before his State of the State address, Gov. Scott Walker released a report detailing the findings of a review board he commissioned, which consisted of lawmakers and small-business owners. As a result of the board’s recommendations, Walker has urged state lawmakers to consider a major overhaul of the rules and… Read more »

Earlier this month, the State Assembly and Senate passed new rules for acceptable behavior in the Capitol gallery that prevent people from recording in any way the actions on the Assembly floor. Republicans were able to move the new rules through without support from Democrats. There were a couple other… Read more »

Israel has been increasingly isolating itself from other countries through many policies, including its continued program of building Israeli settlements in the West Bank. With these continued settlements, a peaceful agreement between Israel and the Palestinians for a two-state solution seems quite remote. But the recent Israeli parliamentary election —… Read more »

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced his intention to lift the military’s ban on women soldiers serving in combat. Predictably, some members of the media were quick to hail this as a positive, or even necessary, change. Not much of the discussion welcoming this change considered its… Read more »

For a newspaper that was labeled a “racist propaganda machine” just a year ago, The Badger Herald sure is squeamish about mentioning race. On Jan. 24, 2013, The Badger Herald declined to publish that day’s Ya Boi, Inc. comic strip, created by artist Vincent Cheng. In the interest of full… Read more »

I feel lucky The Badger Herald has employees like Design Director Gus McNair, whose commitment to free speech principles is so steadfast he’s willing to publicly challenge the final decision I made to pull a comic by Vincent Cheng. But I stand by the decision I made along with my… Read more »

Don’t ever let anyone trick you into thinking universities aren’t businesses. They produce quality products for which there is a huge demand: skilled workers. They put money down on infrastructure and football teams in an effort to attract the best investments they can: the brightest and most driven learners. Then… Read more »

Mining regulation reform has returned to the foreground of Wisconsin legislation. Last year, controversy erupted over a bill that would streamline the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources permitting process and reduce environmental standards for mines across the state. The plot was thickened by the fact the mining firm Gogebic Taconite made clear… Read more »

For those students prefer to tune into Netflix more than campus current events, right now there’s a search and screen going on for the University of Wisconsin’s next chancellor. While there have been concerns raised over the process, such as the fact the university is throwing money at a private consulting… Read more »

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” These 26 words have sparked a great deal of debate throughout our nation’s history as to their meaning and how they relate to our… Read more »

My suspicions tell me that, if polled, most undergraduates would list the cold period between New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as the year’s most boring. Those lucky enough to remain in Madison stay in an unusually sleepy town — downtown merchants curtail their hours and few… Read more »

An infectious disease is quietly spreading across the country, harming students at college campuses and high schools alike and leaving behind collateral damage that can take years to correct. The disease often goes unheard of, precisely because censorship lies at the center of the epidemic. Yet those responsible for instituting… Read more »

The wave of mass shootings that rocked the United States in 2012 reignited the gun control debate with explosive force. After so much tragedy, politicians in Washington are under pressure to do something — anything — to slow the epidemic of violence. Last week, President Barack Obama passed executive orders… Read more »

The most difficult part of running a democracy is deciding who should be in charge of setting up elections. Allowing elected officials to govern over elections presents a clear conflict of interest. After all, once elected, politicians have a strong incentive to rig the game to stay in power (i.e.… Read more »

It should be self-evident that the $1 trillion war on drugs has failed to accomplish its goals. Although the creators and enforcers of American drug policy may have had good intentions, the consequences of this policy have not been so good. It is past time that the U.S. government reforms… Read more »

There was only one month of my time at the University of Wisconsin where I was not involved at The Badger Herald, which is arguably the best secret fraternity on campus. For the last three and a half years, my head was always in some new venture or problem and… Read more »

Live, strong. Apart they are two simple words, but when brought together on a yellow band mean so much to so many. The product of these two words, Livestrong, has become a symbol of hope in the fight against cancer with the legendary cyclist, Lance Armstrong, leading the charge. This… Read more »

In the northern United States, we like to say that there are two seasons of the year: winter and construction. As anyone who has been woken up by the sound of a jackhammer on pavement at 9:00 a.m. can tell you, construction projects around these parts are never ending. Whether… Read more »

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald is hoping to change the way in which the members of the Government Accountability Board are chosen. GAB is in charge with overseeing Wisconsin’s elections, specifically in the areas of campaign finance, elections, ethics and lobbying laws. Currently, the GAB members are six former… Read more »

The time has come for me to bid farewell to my loyal readers. That means you, mom! And you, anonymous Tea Party commenters! While I can’t say I’ve enjoyed every comment you’ve left me, I can assure you they’ve strengthened my inner eye muscles as the result of the constant… Read more »

In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. He said “Rule number one of the opinion section: Don’t talk about the opinion section.”  As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be… Read more »

Much of the post-election discussion in Washington has been focused on the upcoming fiscal cliff, and this will likely continue through the beginning of next year. This is understandable considering how important of an issue the fiscal cliff is. However, it’s not the only important issue right now, and the… Read more »

Companies, research centers and advertisers are always putting out new questionnaires to gauge American public opinion on issues that matter to them. In an economy that centers on providing people with the exact goods and services they desire — sometimes before they even know they desire them — information about… Read more »

The filibuster invokes images of a courageous lawmaker taking the floor of the U.S. Senate and talking for as long as he or she can to delay or block legislation that, in the senator’s view, is a detriment to the American people. Contemporary filibusters rarely require a U.S. senator to… Read more »

This semester, the University of Wisconsin has lost two students to suicide. Nothing I can say will fully express how tragic this has been for their families and friends.  These are not isolated incidents. UW has higher suicide rates than most other Big Ten universities. That is why it’s extremely… Read more »

Whenever I joke about becoming an undercover reporter in the seedy world of crime, my mom doesn’t think it’s so funny. We’ve all heard the quintessential story of a journalist who gets too close to his or her story, but what if that story ends in a court case? On… Read more »

Public service workers have time been snubbed by society time and time again and, in the last 24 months, have received the evil eye from Wisconsinites. The thought of giving the people who give up so much to ensure the cities, counties and states throughout this nation function to their… Read more »

The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release their monthly report on the employment situation Friday. On a national level, the jobs recovery seems to be picking up steam so far this year. On the other hand, in the State of Wisconsin, the recovery is not going well. As the Bureau of… Read more »

In the 1996 blockbuster film Jingle All the Way, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Howard Langston and everybody’s favorite comedian, Sinbad — emphasis on the “bad” — as Myron Larabee, the most sought after toy during the holiday season is Turbo Man. In the film, Langston battles Larabee for the last… Read more »

Several CEO’s, like Papa John’s John Schnatter, have made headlines in the last few weeks saying that Obamacare will force them to raise prices. Ian’s Pizza part-time owner Nick Martin thinks it’s about time national chains have to take care of their employees. Martin told the Huffington Post that he… Read more »

It has been less than a month since the 2012 presidential election, and already, the Republican Party is coming up with a plethora of excuses to explain their predicted and well pronounced loss. In the week following the election, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney made his now famous ‘gifts’ comment… Read more »

For anyone whose Facebook has not yet been dotted with the latest viral status, this time it was a legalese attempt to fend off creative property theft. Humor me by reading this. Even a brief skim will do.”In response to the new Facebook guidelines, I hereby declare that my copyright… Read more »

Unless Congress and President Barack Obama can reach a compromise before Jan. 1 to avoid the fiscal cliff of $560 billion in mandatory tax increases and spending cuts, the economy will likely be sent into another avoidable and unnecessary recession. It is time for our political leaders to make tough… Read more »

Elections in America are like that significant other you always seem to keep coming back to. We can’t live with them, but we can’t survive without them, either. Yes, to the chagrin of many, 2016 presidential election speculation is already underway. Wisconsin, home to Gov. Scott Walker — one of… Read more »

Taxes. The economy. Abortion. Medicare. Pot. Name any issue, and it likely was discussed during the most recent election’s campaigning. One of the more complicated issues, however, is gay marriage. In case you had been living under a rock since election results came in, Maine, Maryland and Washington all legalized gay marriage,… Read more »

Last Monday the University Bookstore had a sale in which the prices of almost everything were 25 percent lower. There were some things that were not included in the sale. Art supplies and half priced books were affected, because before the sale their prices were already cut. For example, before… Read more »

Media personalities are noted for their egos, and even local journalists are susceptible to an annoying lack of humility. Talk radio has always been the most attractive outlet for egomaniacs. Rush Limbaugh, Vicki McKenna (a fellow Hononegah High School graduate!) and Glenn Beck are among the most infamous ultraconservatives who… Read more »

Madison’s WTDY made headlines after it laid off all its staff last Wednesday, and the University of Wisconsin’s young-journalists-of-the-future shared a collective moment of panic. Additionally, because there seems to be no programming plan in place, J-schoolers and professional journalists alike are unsure about the future of radio. But it’s… Read more »

Recently, news talk radio station WTDY underwent some pretty significant changes. While firing news staff was definitely a big move, the most worrisome step WTDY undertook was firing John “Sly” Sylvester. Sly, known for his “Sly in the Morning” slot, was noted for his caustic on-air style and, among other… Read more »

The day after the election, news sources declared Republicans had been “drubbed.” Democratic candidates talked about the vindication of their platform. Republicans finally seemed to be taking notice of the nation’s changing positions on social issues and demographics. The consensus seemed to be the “conservative coalition” was dead, that the… Read more »

Chances are every student here will at some point set foot in Union South in their years at the University of Wisconsin. While it is an architecturally impressive building, it only takes a view visits to realize the university deserves a face-palm from students. Considering, as the Wisconsin State Journal… Read more »

Free bus passes are one of the many benefits University of Wisconsin students receive. However, since these passes are issued separately from Wiscards, there’s an opportunity for students to try to game the system. Specifically, a student who never rides the bus could get his or her free bus pass… Read more »

As I was glancing through Monday’s headlines, I thought for certain that Tara Golshan’s front page article, which chronicled a Friday rally organized by Students for Justice in Palestine to protest the Israeli bombardment of Gaza and the subsequent counter-rally in support of Israel attended by members of the Madison-Israel Public… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker recently unveiled his plans for Wisconsin’s future while visiting California. His policy goals include decreasing taxes, boosting the school voucher program and requiring schools, technical colleges and universities to meet certain benchmarks to earn state funding. Why Walker chose to unveil such crucial plans for the state… Read more »

Republican governors across the United States, including Gov. Scott Walker, have decided not to implement a state health insurance exchange. Two of their common arguments for not implementing a state health insurance exchange are that it denies individual states the right to adequately regulate their own health insurance exchanges and… Read more »

As you may have noticed, Associated Students of Madison’s Student Services Finance Committee recently approved almost $70,000 of funding from the General Student Services Fund for the student organization Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics. On the surface, it appears that this is only fair. Religious student organizations such as Badger Catholic… Read more »

Nine Republican assemblymen made the news Tuesday with some peculiar requests. Chief among them: a desire to arrest federal officials who attempt to implement Obamacare. I have talked at length in the past about the benefits of moving the nation away from universal coverage based on emergency care and toward coverage… Read more »

The Republican Party just learned a lesson about having radical factions in your party at a national level: You will lose votes, and, consequently, elections. When candidates have to tailor their platforms not only to the moderate left or right, but extreme factions like the Tea Party, having to appeal… Read more »

Following last week’s election, the Vatican starkly reinforced its opposition to gay marriage, but this is a backwards and antiquated position. Yet to some extent, they know they are fighting to preserve a tradition. What they call tradition, I call a fevered death grip on a romanticized and fictional past,… Read more »

Last week Tuesday, the state of Wisconsin once again stepped into the spotlight by electing Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, to be the first openly gay Senator in United States history. With this historic election, it is time for Wisconsin to legalize gay marriage. Baldwin will soon hold one of the… Read more »

It’s an uncomfortable part of medicine that doctors make mistakes. My dad returned home from a toe surgery two years ago, and when he came out from underneath the effects of the sedatives, he discovered three neat, tidy stiches still intricately embedded in his skin. It was hardly a life-threatening… Read more »

President Barack Obama was re-elected with a resounding victory over former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., in which he earned a total of 332 Electoral College votes. This victory demonstrates the American people have rejected the laissez-faire economic policies Romney advocated for during his 2012 presidential campaign. It is a mandate… Read more »

First, let me start off by revealing an inherent bias: I am originally from Austin, Texas. In regard to a recent story by The Washington Post, it appears Texas is attempting to secede from the union. Cards on the table: We’ve always wanted to. Texas is not alone, as other… Read more »

I never got the impression that Texans were thrilled to be a part of the American experiment. It has always seemed that the state of Texas never forgot the Republic of Texas long enough to be comfortable as a part of the United States. Shortly after it joined the Union… Read more »

Starting today, University of Wisconsin students boarding Madison Metro buses will be required to show their Wiscards if they want to board using an Associated Student of Madison bus pass. This is actually nothing new, as it is already a policy of Madison Metro to require identification for usage of unlimited-use… Read more »

For centuries — and decades, in this publication’s case — newspapers have played a critical role in the emotional and physical connection Americans have with society and their communities. Reading my dad’s copy of the Chicago Tribune every Sunday growing up remains a uniquely nostalgic routine of my childhood because… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker’s administration had another “oops” moment when it realized President Barack Obama was re-elected. Walker, who was hoping Obama would be ousted, stalled on implementing Obamacare all these months and now has to get a statewide health care exchange together — by Nov. 16. Whether or not you… Read more »

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi has recently begun considering the possibility of running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court against current incumbent Patience Roggensack. In case you don’t know the name Sumi, she is the judge who ruled the Legislature violated the Wisconsin open meetings law when it passed Act… Read more »

Wisconsin just can’t make up its mind. On the same night we helped re-elect President Barack Obama and elected Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., both obviously Democrats, we once again turned sole control of the state Legislature to the Republican Party. What does this mean going forward? The first indication of… Read more »

I’m going to do a bit of a pre-postmortem on the 2012 campaign. So, without further ado, here are the top five most important moments in the presidential election, as determined in a completely non-rigorous manner by a carefully selected committee of one (me).  Honorable mention: The Paul Ryan pick.… Read more »

Presumably, I’m not the only Facebook user whose thread was inundated in political expression two nights ago as election results were pouring in from across the country and political science experts were scrambling to call the race. It was as if the entire social network imploded upon itself in a… Read more »

The Internet is the invisible embodiment of the marketplace of ideas. It’s a place for ideas to roam free and unrestricted. But of course, there are downsides to that liberty. When it comes to internet forums, feelings can be hurt. World views can be shattered. Egos can be smashed to… Read more »

Voting is something everyone who is of voting age should do. It’s a chance to participate in democracy — to influence the future actions of our governmental institutions. As Cicero said, “Freedom is participation in power.” When more people vote, there is more participation in power, there is more democracy… Read more »

The only thing worse than hypocrisy, in my eyes, is myopia. At least hypocrites understand the issues on which they rhetorically fail.Ignoramuses are just too thick-skulled to even comprehend what they say. Unfortunately, this near-sightedness is the dominant theme in American politics. Many — hopefully all — of you voted… Read more »

Congratulations, Tammy Baldwin. You did it. It took a lot of work and some pretty decisive, thought-out campaigning, but you did it. Now the real work starts. Sen. Baldwin, D-Wis., has remained fairly under the radar during her time as U.S. representative for the second congressional district. The accomplishments she… Read more »

Well, it’s finally November here in Wisconsin and if my years of living in the North have taught me anything, it may be this: It will get very, very cold soon. Definitely “put an extra blanket on the couch” cold, and not something to be taken lightly. Now, there’s an… Read more »

By the time this column is published, we will already know how the election has turned out (or there will be a lot of very tired people who gave up on Ohio’s ability to tabulate ballots at around 4 a.m.). Since I won’t be able to write this column after… Read more »

President Barack Obama has Bruce Springsteen. Who does Mitt Romney have? Kid Rock? Actually, yes. Romney’s theme song for his campaign is “Born Free” by Kid Rock. Bold strategy — let’s see if it pays off. If presidential elections were solely based off of which entertainers supported the respective candidates,… Read more »

Although I’m voting for President Barack Obama for president this fall, I’m mainly voting against Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. I’m doing this not because I believe Romney is a bad person or poor business leader, but rather because I believe the values and perspective he brings to the job… Read more »

President Barack Obama has been the first great American president of the 21st century. He has moved American social, economic and international policy in the right direction and has brilliantly and tactfully addressed the problems facing this nation. Not only has Obama earned a second term based on his performance… Read more »

Politicians have a tendency to view science as a means to an end — for them it stands for technological innovation, a strong industrial economy and an ever-increasing standard of living. Sure, they support science in an abstract sense, but I get the impression many of the politicians making critical… Read more »

When it comes to political issues, there are so few that are as black and white as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. You’re unlikely to find a person who does not feel strongly on the issue, either for gay rights or against gay rights. For this reason, it’s important… Read more »

A lot of election rhetoric will naturally and logically focus on candidate platforms. President Barack Obama supports social health care, while his opponent, former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., stands for cutting spending, etc. You know what I mean — the stuff we get beat over the head with by advertising. These… Read more »

I’m sure by now you’ve heard of the two congruous civil wars being fought in this country: the War on Women and the War on Moms. The wars seem to have escalated as of late, with both the GOP and Democrats claiming attacks on the female race are a critical… Read more »

Within the past three months Wisconsin has been the site of two major mass shootings, which have resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including the shooters themselves. In response to these shootings, two Democratic state legislators intend to reintroduce a bill that would place stricter laws on gun control.… Read more »

With the presidential election coming up this Tuesday, I find myself asking, why the heck do we vote on a Tuesday? The answer, as CNN showed, is we passed a law in 1845 to vote on the first Tuesday in November to accommodate people traveling by horse and buggy. That’s… Read more »

Believe it or not, for a period of time in the mid-2000s, it was trendy for some liberals to refer to themselves as “libertarians.” The implication was these liberals were against the Iraq War, against the PATRIOT Act and for gay marriage — but they weren’t those crazy wackos who… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin lost a member of its community to a cardiac arrest Monday. The student who died was found in Smith Hall, a UW-owned and operated building. Without knowing all the details surrounding the student’s death, it is impossible to say whether it could have been prevented if an… Read more »

The economy has been considered by many as the most important issue in this election, and in some ways it is, but social issues are just as important, especially considering their effects on everyday Americans. Tammy Baldwin would make sure, as her record demonstrates, that both economic and social issues… Read more »

Madison is a wonderful city, as everyone who lives here can attest. It even has a reputation around the country as a vibrant, safe place to live with plenty of jobs, to boot. In fact, we consistently place highly in rankings of best small cities in the U.S. The secret’s… Read more »

Attorney General JB. Van Hollen is making headlines these days in the state of Wisconsin. He’s pushed the State Supreme Court to rule on voter ID in hopes that the law will be in place for the November election, and he’s openly disagreed with the Government Accountability Board. On Thursday, Van… Read more »

I’ve got a question for everyone reading this: How many of your problems in the last four years were you able to solve only because of your ready access to an army-issue M-16 assault rifle?  If your answer was greater than or equal to one, don’t fret — the federal government’s… Read more »

There is something curious about the implicit assumptions of the article “Female faculty rises in system” that appeared in The Badger Herald Thursday. The first paragraph reads, “Although the number of female faculty in University of Wisconsin campuses still hangs below the national average, their presence has been on the… Read more »

If the inevitability of a close presidential election has a silver lining, it’s that Gov. Mitt Romney might win the popular vote and lose the electoral college. The hypothetical is enough to make small-D democratic purists wet their pants at the possibility of a nation united against the antiquated constitutional… Read more »

Vice presidential candidate and Rep. Paul Ryan’s recent visit to a soup kitchen definitely raised some eyebrows. In case you missed it, The Huffington Post explained that Ryan, R-Wis., his wife and several of his associates “ramrodded their way” into a soup kitchen in order to stage an unauthorized photo… Read more »

A deep-seated point of personal disappointment for me is that I love bottled water. I know I need to be more environmentally friendly, but tap water grosses me out. And, after having seen the 2010 documentary “Gasland,” a breakthrough documentary on natural gas extraction, or “fracking,” I’m even sending the… Read more »

Following the tragic shooting at a spa in Brookfield, Democratic lawmakers said they plan to introduce legislation that would force people under restraining orders to prove they have given up their weapons. The current law requires people with restraining orders to give up their weapons either to law enforcement or… Read more »

On Sept. 30, 2012 the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, also known as the Farm Bill, was left to expire under the indecisive eyes of Congress. As the son of dairy farmers, I consider this action an insult to the agriculturists who work tirelessly 24 hours a day, seven… Read more »

The most notable building on the Madison skyline sits like an egg atop a nest of surrounding buildings. By night, it acts as a beacon of light for the weary and otherwise disoriented. This building, of course, is the Wisconsin State Capitol. The Capitol is the tallest building in the… Read more »

Traffic enforcement is not generally one of the most popular duties performed by police. Most people can attest to the unpleasantness of looking in the rear view mirror and seeing a squad car turn its lights on. However, there are two good reasons speed limits exist — they save lives and they… Read more »

Nearly 100 certificates are offered at this school, yet the message about what they actually are must have been lost on me during freshman orientation — I’d guess at some point between capstone courses and the Wisconsin Idea. In preparing to write this column, I spoke to an academic adviser… Read more »

On Aug. 5, something terrible happened in the state of Wisconsin. In an attack described as “a domestic terrorist-type incident,” a white supremacist named Wade Michael Page burst into a Sikh temple in Milwaukee suburb Oak Creek and opened fire with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. The attack ultimately killed five… Read more »

>Voter ID laws swept across the U.S. after the Republican Party took political control of most state legislatures in 2010. Wisconsin was no exception. These laws were introduced by legislators who are members of the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council. During the 2011-2012 state legislative sessions, 62 photo ID laws… Read more »

Last Wednesday, Trek Bycicle Corporation became yet another company to break ties with legendary cycler Lance Armstrong over allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. Trek joins a growing list of businesses — which includes the likes of Nike, Giro and Anheuser-Busch InBev NV — that have decided to drop Armstrong as an… Read more »

Trek Bicycle Corporation, headquartered in nearby Waterloo, recently distanced itself from multiple Tour de France-winning cyclist Lance Armstrong. In regard to performance-enhancing drugs, I will pose you a question someone once asked me while drunk: “What if doing drugs to get ahead in sports was required?” Of course, this notion… Read more »

Last week, Republican lawyers were ordered by a federal judge to release 34 emails regarding the redistricting process. The court has already ruled two state assembly districts in Milwaukee were drawn inappropriately. The law firm Republican lawmakers contracted to redraw the districts has already been fined $17,500. This only goes to… Read more »

With three weeks until the Nov. 6 elections, Wisconsin is a microcosm of the entire country, with both the presidential and senatorial races within a single percentage point, according to a Marquette University Law School poll. With overall national polls showing the presidential race just as tight and the senate… Read more »

I don’t drink coffee and never have, so you’ll have to excuse my ignorance. However, a recent article in MadTable titled “Madison’s local food news” said local coffee producers are angry at the organic certifying organization Fair Trade. So angry, in fact, one member said they are “angry like a… Read more »

“Racist” is such a loaded term that it’s not really useful in intelligent debate because calling someone a “racist” will always put the accused on the defensive. It will trigger them to point out they have several black friends, or that Martin Luther King is one of their greatest heroes.… Read more »

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed a complaint over University of Wisconsin animal research, which they believe violates the Animal Welfare Act. The allegations specifically cited veterinary care without adequate anesthesia, which allegedly caused significant suffering to a cat creatively nicknamed “Double Trouble.”The PETA complaint against UW was… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Post is toast. The student newspaper serving the Milwaukee campus recently published a front-page editorial essentially begging their readership to come to their aid with advice and financial support. The Post did not mince words: The newspaper industry is dying, they say, and the Post is… Read more »

This presidential election has seen its fair share of vitriol and low blows, especially as we near the final stretch before Nov. 6. Every election is prone to wild mischaracterizations that feed into the news cycle and angry, eager voters. Every election pits two amorphous groups against one another, but… Read more »

Madison is known for being extremely bike-friendly. This is clearly a boon for the city — more bikers means fewer cars, which means less traffic and less air pollution, and these gains come from relatively small investments in biking infrastructure. However, a recent string of three accidents involving bikes and… Read more »

Education is a constantly changing field. Regardless of what the US News and World Report rankings would have you believe, the places where you can get a quality education are constantly shifting as academic institutions adapt to new technologies, trends and pressures. This phenomenon is not just true of the… Read more »

The student loan bubble is growing bigger and bigger, and there will come a point when it bursts just like the housing bubble did in 2008. The result will be economic chaos and turmoil for millions of Americans. To stop this economic bubble from bursting and to give every American… Read more »

A few days ago, there were some people handing out free cupcakes on Library Mall. I was delighted and took one. Before I took a bite, I noticed that there was a single candle on the cupcake and attached to it a label that read: “A cupcake for the first… Read more »

Last Thursday, Editor-in-Chief Ryan Rainey wrote a weak explanation giving the reasons why The Badger Herald will continue to use the term “undocumented immigrant” in place of “illegal immigrant.” This is completely absurd, and the newspaper would do well to reconsider its position. Rainey’s entire justification was premised upon his… Read more »

I know I wrote on Mayor Paul Soglin last week, but this guy has had a busy couple of days. I like it when politicians do things I like. I begrudgingly accept when they do things I don’t like. But right now, I can’t even figure out Soglin’s strategy. Last… Read more »

Tonight millions of Americans will tune in to a televised vice presidential debate, and it is important that we take the time to look at Wisconsin’s addition to this much anticipated event. When Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, was nominated to be former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s running mate, many people… Read more »

When someone says “Penn State,” what is the first thing that springs to mind? For many, given the past year, it is the Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky scandal. For any university, having such strong ties with a disgrace is a nightmare. Past achievements are ignored as the media and… Read more »

If Montee Ball can get ticketed at Mifflin — him being of the legal drinking age and acting entirely sober, at that — then it’s absolutely reasonable for fans to expect the same treatment when they are breaking laws and acting out at football games.Students drink and get rowdy —… Read more »

Although it was written almost a decade ago, The West Wing is still relevant today. Arguing about Social Security with one of his advisors, fictional President Josiah Bartlet cautions against participating in the debate. “Social Security is the third rail of American politics,” he warns, “Touch it, and you die.”… Read more »

As I get older, I become more convinced of several things. One is that bluegrass is America’s most underrated folk art form. Another is that Sim City is the most important game ever made. When I was younger and played Sim City 2000 on an eMachine running Windows 98, I… Read more »

Madison has been having a tough time with homelessness. Recently, the city decided to put an end to panhandling in the downtown area. As long as I can remember, the rattling of change in a plastic cup and the usual pleasantries that accompany it have been quintessential features of a walk… Read more »

In response to John Waters’ column titled “President Obama delivers for Wisconsinites,” President Barack Obama sure did deliver in the form of a gigantic package called “preaching to the choir what they want to hear” and a refrain of his failed policies. Of course, after getting thoroughly destroyed by Mitt… Read more »

President Barack Obama looked to begin his rebound from his loss in the first debate with a rally on Bascom Hill, and he did not disappoint. According to officers I talked to at the event, 30,000 people turned out for the president, with even more turned away at the door.… Read more »

The Associated Students of Madison recently approved legislation that will allow an exception to the rules that prohibit door-to-door soliciting for voter registration in residence halls. This is absolutely the right move by the university to encourage voter participation and civic involvement from a young age. The university should continue… Read more »

Students gathered Thursday to hear one of the most significant political figures of our time speak in the heart of their campus: the first African-American president in the White House, the second visit from a sitting president in two years since President Harry Truman in 1950, all coming together on… Read more »

Everyone knows Madison has a grave and growing problem with homelessness. Shout-out to whichever group is feeding them in Lisa Link Peace Park next to my house, because the city currently has no concrete plans to provide them with the basic human right of shelter. Last Wednesday, Dane County Executive… Read more »

As we all know, President Barack Obama is coming to the great state of Wisconsin this Thursday, and many of us couldn’t be more excited. The President is coming to Madison for the second time in two years and regardless of our agreement or disagreement with his views, the opportunity… Read more »

From the repeal of collective bargaining to the recall elections to voter ID, in the past year Wisconsin has been a battleground state. Considering that our campus and our Capitol are at the epicenter of these debates, one would think that the President of the United States would have mentioned… Read more »

There are plenty of issues that immediately impact college students — financial aid and health care, to name a couple — but what about climate change, caused crop failures and flooding across the nation this summer? Students living in the Midwest without air conditioning know what global warming feels like,… Read more »

I love a good story, and even if you have not liked all the endings, Wisconsin politics has been full of good stories. Legislative politics has become dramatic to say the least. And it grows more dramatic with the partisan caricatures who say and do things outside the realm of… Read more »

Now that we’re almost a month into the semester and starting to worry about midterms, it’s easy to forget the biannual pain of purchasing textbooks. The National Association of College Stores estimates that, in the 2008-2009 academic year, the average college student spent $667 on “course materials” — namely, textbooks.… Read more »

I can’t seem to turn on my television or load a YouTube video these days without being saturated with attack advertising claiming that Barack Obama hates my future children or that Mitt Romney wants to give my money away to rich people. Considering that both campaigns still have at… Read more »

Last Monday, Student Labor Action Coalition representatives criticized the University of Wisconsin and Chancellor David Ward for the ongoing law suit with Adidas. The pro-labor student organization has found fault with the chancellor for not doing everything in his power, even if it’s foolish, to support workers’ rights. What a surprise.… Read more »

If you’re reading, this then you’re probably like me — a college student investing in an education while accumulating student debt. In order to pay for our higher education, we all make sacrifices. We hold two jobs during the school year and try to fit in some homework on the… Read more »

Due to the gloomy slump the economy is in and the way public unions have been taking the spotlight in a not so positive way, students of our generation tend to look to the public sector with an evil eye. Everyone wants a six-figure salary post-graduation, working for a private… Read more »

This weekend, one of the youngest detainees and the only Western prisoner left at Guantanamo Bay was released to Canada. Omar Khadr, who was just 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan, grew up incarcerated in the United States prison facility off the coast of Cuba. He was subjected to… Read more »

Today, the Department of Administration received a strongly worded letter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development telling it to quit writing checks it couldn’t cash. As Gov. Scott Walker’s administration plays the finger-pointing game, it’s unclear what the funds in limbo will mean for the Wisconsin public.… Read more »

This week, Wisconsin once again found itself in the middle of a union labor dispute. This time it was about referees, not teachers, and the people getting screwed were our favorite millionaires, not our children. After the “Inaccurate Reception” ruined my Monday night, it managed to bring the country together… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker’s collective bargaining law was struck down late on the night of Friday, Sept. 14. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has yet to rule on the constitutionality of the law, but already a firestorm of debate and controversy has taken place. The most recent action in the unending battle between… Read more »

Saturday, our University of Wisconsin Badger football team took on the University of Texas-El Paso Miners. The who? Exactly. Over the course of the week leading up to the game, I watched as the tickets in the Facebook exchange zone dropped from an ambitious $55 to a dismal $20 —… Read more »

Between expensive parking, wide sidewalks and a relatively progressive array of bike lanes and paths, it’s never been more attractive to be a carless student in Madison. Plus, Google’s incorporation of the Madison Metro bus schedules into its Maps feature has made it even easier to make use of our… Read more »

Death is a very difficult topic to discuss. It’s not a subject that most people enjoy pondering. It is especially difficult to discuss with someone whose death may be imminent. Like many issues, it might be easier to just avoid the topic altogether. However, as is often the case, pretending… Read more »

It’s undeniable that every member of the student body has come in contact with a homeless person, either while tossing them spare change on State Street or crossing them elsewhere across campus. For most of us, that’s all it is — a mindless encounter that comes and goes thoughtlessly. As… Read more »

It’s good that the presidential race will be over in a month and a half, because the issues that have been raised lately sound like bad jokes. Did you hear the one about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s sweeping generalizations and our cultural affinity for percentage values? No, no, not… Read more »

“What are you going to do with your life?” Journalism students are, at least theoretically, trained to ask questions. But thanks to a polar shift in the media industry, we’ve found ourselves tuning our canned answers to that loaded, never-ending question. However, the media industry has already decided what the… Read more »

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Public Policy Polling released a poll Thursday that has President Barack Obama with a six point lead over Mitt Romney in Wisconsin. This joined several other polls all giving the president about a five to seven point lead heading into the final six weeks of the… Read more »

Throughout the upcoming fall and winter months, the university will begin processing thousands of applications for admittance for the 2013-2014 school year. Yet there is one troubling aspect about how applications will be evaluated: Utilization of affirmative action policies. Affirmative action is one of the most racist policies currently in… Read more »

In U.S. News and World Report’s most recent ranking of national universities, The University of Wisconsin was placed 41st among all national universities and 10th among public universities. This is up four places from last year, when UW was 45th. This is a good sign for the university’s national reputation,… Read more »

Before you read any further in this column, you must know that I have an absolute and unshakable bias: I am a crazy cat lady. But the reason the University of Wisconsin’s recent run-in with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has me all aflutter is not just because… Read more »

Madison is one of America’s greatest biking cities. As such, bikers should have adequate access to safe navigation throughout the city. In this spirit of safe navigation, the Madison Police Department has recently begun a bicycle ambassador program. The Madison Police Department’s programs aim to ease relations between motorists, pedestrians… Read more »

I’m graduating this December with a journalism major and a certificate in whining. If I forget my computer charger at home, want a snack or incur some “great injustice” from a professor on a test, I will voice my temporary inconvenience, sometimes with a sigh dipped in martyrdom. I was… Read more »

With Chicago public school teachers on strike, there are 350,000 students out of class, causing critics to question educators’ commitment to the children they are supposed to serve. But long before the strike, Chicago’s schoolchildren, like their peers across the nation and around the world, have felt the brunt of education… Read more »

Much has been said, perhaps too much, about the effects of the budget cuts championed and implemented by Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican state legislature. However, most of this discussion revolves around the short-term effects of the cuts. And these cuts will have serious short-term consequences, indeed. However, the… Read more »

Cornell University just dropped its contract with sports apparel juggernaut Adidas amid allegations that after the closing of an Indonesian factory, the company neglected to compensate over 2,700 workers with the $1.8 million dollars they were due. The University of Wisconsin-Madison also contracts with Adidas, and has raised similar concerns… Read more »

I wouldn’t want to try to start following politics from scratch these days because they just don’t make any sense. Last week city officials, including Mayor Paul Soglin, stated their opposition to a proposed $30 million redevelopment for the complex of Nob Hill, an apartment compound on Madison’s south side… Read more »

I’m not normally one to consider the environment as one of the more pressing issues needing to be addressed. But when I read about how President Barack Obama plans to maintain his $300 million annual funding to the Great Lakes, it made me wonder: Why have politicians in this state… Read more »

Last Friday, a Dane County judge struck down Gov. Scott Walker’s law on collective bargaining. We’ll admit it; we didn’t expect this kind of news when we woke up Friday morning. The rest of the state probably didn’t either. The ruling quickly spread, dominating local and national news headlines. After the… Read more »

Readers wholly unable to digest anything “politically incorrect” or offensive are advised to read no further. A two minute segment of the nearly 14 minute trailer for the movie “Innocence of Muslims” recently provoked religious riots all across the Middle East and Africa, resulting in the murder of the U.S.… Read more »

As protests sweep across dozens of countries in the Middle East and beyond, under the guise of rage against the now infamous film titled “The Innocence of Muslims,” news analysts are quick to make sweeping and general statements about the clash between Muslims and the West.   Lack of nuance… Read more »

This morning, I received an email, as Iʼm sure the rest of you did, from Transportation Services notifying me there were changes to the bus routes I use the most. Starting last month. Not only are they modifying where the 80 picks up (and, by the way, no map to help… Read more »

The Government Accountability Board said Thursday it does not want to see the state Supreme Court rule on the voter ID bill before the Nov. 6 presidential election. Kevin Kennedy, director of the state GAB, said he doesn’t believe there is enough time to implement the law and told Attorney… Read more »

If the Mayans are correct and the world will come to an end in December, there is really no point to the presidential election between Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama this November. However, I think that on Dec. 22, the sun will rise, the birds will chirp and my… Read more »

In this week’s arts section of The Badger Herald, I came across an article that claimed, in spite of concrete evidence, that organic food was somehow beneficial to one’s health. Now, for those of you who buy organic food for its unique taste, I have no problem with your logic… Read more »

This week, the Wisconsin State Journal reported that 482 panic buttons were installed in offices in the Capitol in an effort to further step up security. It’s sad that Wisconsin state representatives feel their safety is in danger enough to justify panic buttons. Yes, someone did pull a box cutter on Rep. Brett Hulsey… Read more »

As an intern, it can be frustrating to see your full-time, salaried counterparts roll out of the parking lot at 5 p.m. in their ’09 Camrys, knowing they are headed home to luxuries like cable TV and a non-microwaved meal. Internships rarely offer competitive wages if they offer compensation at all,… Read more »

With the Supreme Court’s ruling in the infamous Citizens United case, much has been said about the influence of money in politics. Many politicians, especially Democrats, have decried the money pouring into this year’s campaign. While the increased prevalence of money in politics does raise real concerns, it is not… Read more »

It’s stupid early in the morning. I’ve just dragged myself out of bed, clammered onto a frigid bicycle while clutching a thermos coffee for warmth and psychological comfort and pedaled down a deserted University Avenue to the University of Wisconsin chemistry building for a morning lab.  The laboratory is crowded… Read more »

Women’s rights have been a point of debate since the women’s suffrage movement. Yet despite all the improvements fought for and won by the women of the past, it seems that with any step made forward another two are moving us back. It is the nature of media today that provides… Read more »

Elections are all about differences. They are an occasion for our two major political parties to explain why their strategies and values are diametrically opposed to those of their opponents and to clarify what they stand for in stark, hard-nosed terms. But as this presidential election continues down the stretch,… Read more »

Brace yourselves. With another year of hardship and austerity ahead of us, we’re about to hear the term “student power” repeated incessantly thanks to the good people in our student government.  This time last year, I stepped into the Associated Students of Madison’s office in the Student Activity Center and… Read more »

Imagine a company presents you with a great investment idea: “We will set up your investment account for you, only we — and not you — will determine how much you invest. Your account will be pooled with others and you’ll have no right to your individual contributions. The return… Read more »

A report by The Nation came out Wednesday showing Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, wrote a letter of support for the Kenosha Community Health Center to open a similar health center in Racine. The ensuing media conversation about this fact shows the flaws in our nation’s health care… Read more »

Over the past two weeks, the two main parties in our political process have showcased the best they have to offer and presented two starkly different visions for this country’s future. As some of us prepare to cast our first vote in a presidential election, we should be reminded voting… Read more »

As the school year approaches, most University of Wisconsin students are moving into new dorms and apartments. But even as we’re just settling in, some of us are even beginning to think about housing for next year. While figuring out who you’re going to move in with may be exciting,… Read more »

Going away to college for the first time raises a plethora of emotions in both students and their parents. Students are anxious to get away from home and see what life is like living on their own. Parents can’t help but give lectures on what their child should or shouldn’t… Read more »

The campaign for the soon-to-be empty seat of Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., is in full swing, and as many of us now know, Wisconsin’s next senator will be either Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., or former governor Tommy Thompson. Already there is a non-issue being brought to the forefront of voters’… Read more »

In May 2011, Gov. Scott Walker signed into effect the controversial voter ID law, which would require voters to show any of several types of state issued IDs in order to participate in elections. Supporters of voter ID claim some form of identification should be required in order to better… Read more »

The Badger Herald’s office is a sight to behold this time of year. In the last several months, we have removed doors that refuse to shut, picked a broken desk apart by the legs and, as I write this, we continue to endure the August heat in an office that… Read more »

Half-truths and outright lies are nothing new in politics. Politicians are adept at bending the truth any which way in order to suit their needs. However, in his recent speech at the Republican National Convention, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, showed a remarkable disregard for facts, as reported by The Washington… Read more »

As we dive headfirst into election season, the countless attack advertisements that have plagued our televisions, especially at the height of the recall elections, are coming back to flood the airwaves in Biblical proportion — all thanks to the onslaught of super PACs footing the bill.But the American public has… Read more »

The excitement of a new school year, a return to the college lifestyle and the crunch of autumn leaves have all been tempered by sudden tragedy in the waters of Lake Mendota. Mendota has for many years been a scenic landmark beloved by Madison residents for its natural beauty, cool… Read more »

It should be pretty obvious to everyone but the most oblivious hermits in Wisconsin that politics over the past year have taken a very conservative turn. Gov. Scott Walker has dominated headlines by pushing conservative legislation and now Walker, vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan and the GOP’s National Chair, Reince… Read more »

With election season in full stride, campaign ads, partisan political experts and my own grandparents are all daunting me with what this election period could mean for me as a student, as a member of a middle-class family or as a soon-to-be young professional. While it is certainly true the… Read more »

The story of Zachary Tennen’s attack is a common one in its basic arc: As reported by The Huffington Post, In the front yard of a house party where he had been enjoying some beverages, a 19-year-old sophomore at Michigan State University was punched in the face. After the incident,… Read more »

For perhaps the first time in his life, Lance Armstrong has stopped fighting. After nearly a decade at the pinnacle of competitive bicycle racing, the seven-time Tour de France champion and Livestrong founder called it quits in his legal battle against the United States Anti-Doping Agency, declining to rebut their… Read more »

For the first time since the days of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and high top fades in the early ’90s, Dunkin’ Donuts will be here in Madison, as reported by the Wisconsin State Journal. Dunkin’ Donuts? More like Dunkin’ Go Nuts! Because that is exactly what I’ll be doing. From… Read more »

I have had my share of emails start off with the same refrain: Your paper is horrible. The reasons abound: You’re full of liars. You lack morals. You’re racist. Sexist. Xenophobic. When I worked at The Badger Herald, especially as Editor-in-Chief, I got these emails and phone calls on a daily basis.… Read more »

Earlier this summer, Anne-Marie Slaughter wrote a much-buzzed-about article for The Atlantic titled, “Why Women Still Can’t Have it All.” The title alone can jolt knee-jerk emotional reactions from many. The “all” she refers to is the ability to balance a career and a family without the aid of wealth… Read more »

It’s easy to forget how black ink on a piece of dried wood pulp can force you and me to change our daily lives. On Thursday, June 28, a group of people reached a decision. They put their pens to paper — or more likely, made their clerks type up… Read more »

Congratulations on making two very wise decisions. You have elected to attend one of the world’s greatest universities and you have begun reading one of the nation’s best student newspapers. That type of ego-inflating rhetoric is common at any university or at any student newspaper. But you will soon find… Read more »

Moments after this year’s gubernatorial recall election was called for incumbent Gov. Scott Walker, left-wing propagandist Lawrence O’Donnell was on MSNBC calling foul play because of the tremendous financial advantage Walker had from big money donations to his campaign that officially kicked off the “Citizens United” era of politics. While… Read more »

Recently, President Barack Obama has granted the state of Wisconsin a waiver to be exempt from many of the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, as reported by the Sheboygan Press. The No Child Left Behind Act has been at the forefront of criticism for several… Read more »

We need to talk. No, no, this has nothing to do with what Student Council did. Yeah, I heard about Barack’s interview, but that’s not the issue here. No, it’s not Walker either. Just listen! Badger Herald, … I’m leaving you. … It’s over. Don’t get me wrong; Things have… Read more »

As Ryan said in his column, I’m becoming managing editor next semester. So this farewell isn’t a farewell like others on the page today. I’m not graduating, and I’m not done writing columns. Well, not really. I intend to pressure Reggie to let me off writing as much as possible… Read more »

What a joy it has been to be a conservative at the University of Wisconsin and, for the past year, being able to bring some much-needed right-wing ideology to the voice of The Badger Herald Editorial Board and the pages of the Opinion section. When I told my family I… Read more »

In a Monday conference with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, a panel of experts discussed the achievement gap, an issue that has caused a great deal of debate and turmoil in America for decades. According to the New York Times, in the past it has been thought to be… Read more »

Long before I penned my first opinion column for The Badger Herald, I recognized the importance of having an opinion. I have never hesitated to speak my mind when it comes to matters I feel strongly about, regardless of how trivial they may seem to others. However, my experience writing… Read more »

Hello all, I’m hesitant to write a farewell column, because I haven’t officially graduated. I still need to pass a required gym class, which is somewhat iffy for me. But, at the risk of angering the physical education gods, I’d like to take the time to thank those who have… Read more »

To say that political rhetoric has been heating up over the past several years would be a massive understatement. As the differences between the two parties have grown greater in number, the language used by both has grown stronger. This, in and of itself, is not inherently bad. However, this heated… Read more »

On Saturday, thousands of students gathered at the Mifflin Street Block Party before the dark clouds of finals descend upon us. Some negative responses have been surfacing about Saturday. Police Chief Noble Wray told the Wisconsin State Journal he didn’t “think in any measure this could be considered a success.”… Read more »

So this is my last article of the year. It has been interesting, as always, and I want to leave with a simple message: Go vote. Today is the Democratic primary, and I have already endorsed Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett as the candidate needed to take on Gov. Scott Walker.… Read more »

The net effect of Wisconsin’s ongoing recall process has been a deepening of political divisions along party lines. Since last February, the state has been involved in a constant political debate — protests led to a petition drive, and recall elections this fall will mark the end of a year… Read more »

This column is in response to Hannah Sleznikow’s recent column titled, “Safety concerns outweigh rights to bear arms.” On the Constitution being a “living document:” This is only true in the sense it is in full force today and can be formally amended. However, it cannot simply be reinterpreted based on… Read more »

On Saturday, in the shadowy recesses of the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba, the trials of five alleged Sept. 11 conspirators resumed three years after the Obama administration attempted to bring them to civilian court in New York. After fierce opposition to the civilian trial, which was to be… Read more »

Once again the petitions are being signed for another recall election to take place. This recall, however, is the first to take place that is not in response to the events that took place here in Wisconsin back in February 2011. State Sen. Bob Jauch, a Democratic senator from Poplar,… Read more »

In the world of higher education, the merit of a liberal arts education is in question. From an English major to a philosophy major and everything in between, the question that surrounds the liberal arts approach to education remains: What can you do with it? How can a liberal arts… Read more »

What does it mean to be a “fake” politician? I have to think that Machiavelli did not envision this when he wrote “The Prince.” The Republican Party of Wisconsin has managed to field six of their own to run as Democrats in primaries across the state this year. Initially, their… Read more »

Leadership is not a quality easily taught; it’s just not for everybody. The fact is though, all too often those not suited for leadership are thrust into the role. This column is not about those people. This column is about the people who had the potential to do great things… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker released a $100 million initiative to revitalize Milwaukee’s troubled economy. As of February, Milwaukee has a 10.5 percent rate of unemployment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and is in need of efforts to get its economy back on track. This is a noble effort to… Read more »

There are a few important, useful buzzwords I’ve learned as an undergraduate at a liberal arts institution, with “privilege,” “diversity” and “segregated fees” being a few. But another important one I’ve picked up is the importance of being “sex-positive,” or to not shame or limit the ability of others to… Read more »

Since moving here from the Chicago suburbs last fall, I’ve become accustomed to most of Wisconsin’s quirks. I’m no longer fazed by the strange obsession with cheese. I accept that the Packers are a religion. I’ve gotten used to, and even come to enjoy, the constant political drama. However, I’m… Read more »

I’m sure by this time none of us find ourselves unfamiliar with the “Occupy” movement. Starting on Wall Street in New York City, the movement exists to protest against social inequality. Phrases such as “I am the 99 percent” run rampant, continuing the argument that the many suffer while the… Read more »

It’s Mifflin time again! I hope everyone enjoys this last chance of the semester to blow off steam with one of the University of Wisconsin’s best-known traditions. Oh, right, I forgot; we have rewritten the past few years of Mifflin history and turned it into the Drunkpacolypse that must be… Read more »

Founded as a protest to American involvement in the Vietnam War, the Mifflin Street Block Party has now devolved to the point where students feel like they’re fighting the power by calling out the poor production value of a YouTube clip. There is something pathetic about a generation that can’t… Read more »

Chemicals are cool, but they can be scary as well. After suffering through a year of general chemistry, I learned that some chemicals can be very useful in various industrial and biological processes and that some are toxic to humans. Unfortunately, some chemicals have both these properties — in particular,… Read more »

Large broadcasters will be required to post documentation of who is buying political ads and for how much in time for the 2012 presidential election after a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission Friday. But by limiting the new requirements to the four biggest networks in the top 50 markets,… Read more »

Gun control, by its very nature, is a contentious issue. Inscribed in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution is the enumerated right for all American citizens to bear arms: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to… Read more »

“Don’t go. Don’t go to that event.” These words will live in infamy, at least for the Mifflin Street Block Party 2012 cohort, thanks to Dean of Students Lori Berquam. The now famous video, posted online, removed and then reposted by some anonymous dark knight of Madison, features a concerned… Read more »

The Supreme Court of the United States is about to hear a case that may change the status quo on affirmative action. Fisher v. the University of Texas at Austin is going to be heard this term and may cause constitutional interpretations to be changed such that any form of… Read more »

If there’s anything liberals have done over the past few months, it’s complain they don’t have good enough candidates. Boo- hoo, Russ won’t run. Falk panders to unions. A race with Barrett is just a re-do. Vinehout who? And the state Senate recalls are a veritable who’s who of obscure… Read more »

The rhetoric surrounding Gov. Scott Walker’s decision to repeal the Equal Pay Law is inaccurate and misleading. What is actually an effort to reform tort law in Wisconsin is being framed as a “war on women” by Democratic gubernatorial candidates in order to gain the sympathies of the undecided voters… Read more »

Former Governor of Utah and United States Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Jr., performed laughably in the Republican presidential primary race, dropping out in January after a lackluster showing in moderate New Hampshire, the state in which he had the best chance of coming away with a victory. Huntsman’s abysmal… Read more »

On April 25, 2012, students across the nation are gathering to mark “1TDay,” or $1 trillion day, as the total student debt now exceeds $1,000,000,000,000. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York report titled Grading Student Loans, “total debt on student loans easily surpasses total debt on credit… Read more »

With the recall primary two short weeks away and the ultimate battle looming a month later, the candidates are all in campaign mode. I’ve sat down to see how I think they are doing, and toss out some grades as the candidates take on the issues. Kathleen Falk: She attempted to… Read more »

During my nightly “West Wing” double feature ritual the other week, a line from one of Aaron Sorkin’s characters struck me as particularly interesting. Ainsley Hayes, the smart and conveniently good-looking Republican that is brought to work as at the legal office of the West Wing by the fictional Bartlett… Read more »

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson has made energy independence a recurring theme in his campaign for U.S. Senate. On his site, Thompson, a Republican, has outlined a plan to “Restore America,” which he claims would spur economic growth and make the country independent from foreign oil. The main objectives of… Read more »

The Equal Pay Enforcement Act became law in Wisconsin in July 2009 and was written much in response to the Supreme Court decision of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. In this court case, Lilly Ledbetter, a Goodyear employee, was being paid less than her male coworkers and decided to… Read more »

Last Saturday, hundreds of people attended a rally in Waukesha in opposition to a proposal by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee to build a mosque in the city, as reported by the Brookfield Patch. Anti-Islam sentiment has been seen across the United States over the last decade, but that this… Read more »

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Two centuries later, Benjamin Franklin’s evaluation of taxation in America remains astonishingly relevant. Our nation began as, and continues to represent, a land of freedom and opportunity. The popular notion of the American Dream as an… Read more »

The veepstakes have begun. Earlier this week, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney announced the search for his vice presidential nominee would be led by former chief of staff and confidante Beth Myers, as reported by The New York Times. With the general election in November likely to be close and… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin is increasing its spending on the Athletics Performance Center project by more than $9 million. The money, which comes from gift funds, will be used to renovate Camp Randall, build new lockers and other athletic facility changes. While I recognize the need for keeping up-to-date athletic… Read more »

Six years ago, the nation witnessed a case of unparalleled media negligence that resulted in the destruction of the lives of three young men. The Duke lacrosse case, in which three Duke University lacrosse players were investigated for the rape of a female college student, is an example in which… Read more »

When this whole mess started over a year ago, I was thrilled. I lived a block and a half from the biggest action in the state, thousands upon thousands of protestors circling the Capitol, genuine outrage, creative signage; what wasn’t to love? It was an exciting time to live in… Read more »

With the recall election only a few months away, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has decided to shake up the ballot by tossing his name into the ring. What was going to be a battle between former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and Gov. Scott Walker will now likely turn out… Read more »

Conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican, Wisconsin people are passionate and the Wisconsin recall elections offer the people of this great state an opportunity for a creative, progressive pursuit: Let’s see how mean we can get. Let’s focus our time and energy to get nasty. I want to see unions… Read more »

Now that Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has entered the ring, things are looking less promising for, well, just about everyone else. Dane County Executive and Democratic candidate Kathleen Falk is pissed, and Gov. Scott Walker has a little more reason to start looking through the classifieds. But especially, this means… Read more »

If a Democratic governor is elected and Democrats gain a majority in the Senate in recall elections this summer, much of the legislation Gov. Scott Walker has pushed will still be around for a while. I don’t like it and you might not like it, but that’s the reality. Collective… Read more »

Wisconsin politics was boring as hell in 2010. Tommy Thompson refused to run against Russ Feingold for the U.S. Senate. The tears streaming down the faces of Feingold’s supporters in Middleton became election night’s top story, and the symbolism behind Sen. Ron Johnson’s status as a “plastics manufacturer” was a… Read more »

According to Urban Dictionary, the definition of a “shit show” is as follows: “A description of an event or situation which is characterized by an [sic] ridiculously inordinate amount of frenetic activity. Disorganization and chaos to an absurd degree. Often associated with extreme ineptitude/incompetence and or sudden and unexpected failure”… Read more »

As spring rolls around and we in Madison start to venture outside for more fun in the sun, it’s important to remember that warm weather is hardly ubiquitous in its good-hearted nature. In fact, halfway across the world in Afghanistan, the spring brings violence and conflict as the local guerilla… Read more »

With the birth of the 20th century came a push for a change of the societal construct fueled by women. From the earliest days of the suffrage movement, women have steadily grown more and more equal to men in the eyes of the masses, but have not achieved total equality… Read more »