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OPINION
TUESDAY OCTOBER 28 2008
FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD
THE UNIVERSITY DARBY KANSAN
AVIPER2K7 @ CREATIVE COMMONS
Re-elect Francisco for state senator
Kansas Senate, District 2
The main issue
in Kansas' last legislative session was the proposed coal plants in Holcomb, and proponents of the plant have promised to make it an issue again.
Kansans have realized that coal's time has come to an end, and Francisco has consistently supported clean energy and opposed the coal-fired power plants.
This is why the Kansan editorial board has chosen to endorse incumbent state Sen. Marci Francisco. Most
Unfortunately, the local elections seem to have gotten the least amount of attention even though they may be the most important because of how they influence students' lives.
Opposing supposedly cheap energy is not an attractive political position to take in light of the economic crisis and the surely higher energy bills that will come this winter. But it's time for Kansas to move forward in its energy policy, and Francisco has been that progressive candidate.
ELECTION 2008
Francisco's challenger, Scott Morgan, supports similar clean energy initiatives but had not given definitive answers about
what he would do until recently. Morgan told the Lawrence Journal World in June that he didn't know how he would have voted on the coal plants but has now given more details about how he would allow coal plants with a time line to phase them out
on his Web site.
The majority of Morgan's print and online advertisements that have appeared in The University Daily Kansan say that Morgan supports the Amethyst Initiative to start a discussion about lowering the drink
ing age. Although this was an obvious attempt to hook college students, this conversation isn't even relevant at the state level yet, and Kansas has other, much more pressing issues to work on. Including this issue among energy, higher education and taxes is laughable.
Kansas House of Representatives, District 44
Incumbent Rep. Barbara Ballard is running unopposed and has the Board's support.
- Lauren Keith for the editorial board
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Don't always trust the media about elections
My fellow voters — Political ads are designed to appeal to the emotion, not the intellect. Check out the "why" and "how" of what any candidate proposes and beware of demagoguery. Know political history. You may be surprised to discover that what one side is accusing the other is often distorted and omission of facts. I certainly was when I did my own research.
Martin Luther King once said we should judge others by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. I think he
was referring to all people and not just one particular race. I don't have to remind you that this is a very historic national election for both parties. Fair-minded voters won't allow the media and politicians to do their thinking for them. I encourage you to read the article for Orson Scott Card, Meridian Magazine, titled "Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn on the Lights?", an opinion piece that laments the current state of journalism. It should be required reading for every student of journalism.
— Rosalind Woody is a 1977 graduate living in Kansas City, Kan.
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THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kanaian Editorial Board are Alex Doherty, Jenny Hartz, Lauren Keith, Patrick O'Donnell, Raye Seibert and Ian Stanford.
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
or mgibson@kansan.com
FROM THE DRAWING BOARD
WELL, SENATOR OBAMA
SOME VOTERS STILL
SEEM TO SEE YOU AS
LESS THAN AUTHENTIC.
DARN. AND I'D CALCULATED SO CAREFULLY TO APPEAR AUTHENTIC!
NICK SAMBALUK
Would Kansas really go back to Roberts?
I had the chance to meet Jim Slattery, who is running against Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), in Wichita last week.
And I'm no fan of Roberts.
He repeatedly brought up how Roberts voted to add $3 trillion to our national debt over the past seven years. And then he asked me how much it takes to get someone fired, namely Pat Roberts.
My answer was that, evidently,
it takes a lot.
I didn't get to interview Slattery, but I did get to hear him speak. And when I shook his hand and introduced myself as a columnist at The University Daily Kansan, I told him I wrote about state politics. In our conversation, he made a good point.
But that isn't the part I find so scary, that Roberts sucks just look at government spending and the joke that is the Senate Intelligence Committee. And the scariest part is that Kansans don't care.
Slattery has been gaining some popularity, but it's still going to be a long shot getting him into the Senate.
Why is that? Why is it that we have seen what President Bush, who Roberts closely identifies with, has said and done to this country and some people still think it's a good idea to elect Bush's supporters back into office?
Stupidity, maybe. Or it could possibly be that no one really cares. Apathy is a subject that has been mulled over time and again in newspapers. People are so apathetic. Blah, blah, blah.
But when you try to get that next loan for school next semester and you're denied, thank Republicans like Roberts for deregulating the markets, which has led us to the economic crisis we're in. Or thank him when you can't pay for school because you lost your college fund. Keep those things in mind when you're voting in November.
I know I'm voting for Slattery.
Yes, I'm a yellow dog Democrat.
But that's not without reason.
Even with an unjust war and incomparable government spending and growth, Roberts still tries to cover up for his buddy in White House when reviewing whether the war in Iraq was handled well
Because, after all, this is your life we're talking about and these guys have a say in it. Better choose wisely.
Don't like it? Then vote Roberts out. Get someone new in who will treat you like a constituent and not just a number that gets him a paycheck.
Slattery
or whether it even should've happened at all.
The world is a joke, and it's making you the punch line.
Stewart is a Wichita senior in journalism.
Why it's not always bad to be a single-issue voter
I'd always thought it was stupid when people voted based on a single issue. Whether they were voting only regarding abortion rights, the death penalty or any other hot button pushers, I thought they might as well just write in a vote for themselves.
Gay rights will take only baby steps in this election. Neither candidate is taking huge strides in supporting or opposing gay rights, but one is at least going in the right direction.
Marriage between same-sex couples in California is legal. A ballot initiative in California, called the California Marriage Protection Act, seeks to ban marriage between same-sex couples and will be voted on next week in California. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama opposes this attempt
to amend California's constitution, labeling it as divisive and discriminatory. Obama opposes same-sex marriage, though.
When I cast my vote in a week, though, a lot of my vote will be based on the candidate's position on gay rights. It will be, though, more than a single-issue vote.
Republican presidential nominee John McCain supports the initiative, which would undo the May 2008 California Supreme Court ruling that legalized marriage between same-sex couples.
That's the main issue this election season, but gay rights go beyond marriage.
For adoption, McCain is an adoptive father himself, but he opposes same-sex couples adopting children. Obama supports same-sex couples adopting.
For the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, McCain thinks it works and considers LGBT people in the military an intolerable risk. Obama seeks to repeal DADT and wants to allow LGBT people to serve openly.
For hate crime legislation, McCain has voted against including sexual orientation into Federal Hate Crimes legislation in 2000, 2002 and 2004. Obama supports the Matthew Shepard Act, which outlaws hate crimes, including those committed on the basis of sexual orientation.
For discrimination, McCain voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which
prohibits discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation. Obama supports the bill.
For HIV/AIDS prevention, McCain supports the fight against HIV and AIDS but has not released a formal plan. Obama released a six-page report detailing exactly what he plans to do.
McCain consistently touts his voting record.
Well, I am looking,and all I see is a consistent aversion of LGBT people and their rights.
I vote Democrat because most of my political ideals are more in line with Democrats than Republicans. If gay rights were, for whatever reason, more advocated by the Republican candidate, I would consider voting Republican.
It's that important to me. It affects me, right now. It affects the viewpoint of the media. It affects how people look at gay rights and the LBGT community. It goes past a single issue and affects it more at a personal level than any other bill, legislation or law could.
I can look past other issues and vote for the candidate who knows I am an equal citizen — nothing more, nothing less.
Hirschfeld is an Augusta senior in journalism.
To contribute to Free for All, call 785-864-0500.
The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese. Think about that.
I love you, Wildcats
--what to say to you.
--what to say to you.
I don't care if KU plays the Cowboys of the 1990s. For our homecoming football game you still pick Kansas over Texas Tech.
I'm so hungover today. I almost jumped in a truck on my way back from class.
--what to say to you.
I just saw a Missouri Department of Athletics van with a parking ticket. That made me
--what to say to you.
Free for All: I'm very sad when you are not in the paper.
Hey athletes, don't drive your mopeds on the sidewalks.
Stupid people shouldn't be allowed to drive or reproduce, because we don't need more of your spawn running around this world.
--what to say to you.
--what to say to you.
Hi.
I have nothing to say, ever.
To the kid with the blue hat
You are creepy, in all of my
classes, and in the Boom
Boom Room. Stop coming.
You cannot dance.
Dear Free for All: I've been staring at the paper for five weeks and I still don't know that to say to you.
--what to say to you.
My friend was so excited that she was on Juicy Campus that she forgot it was about licking brittle.
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Rip his fucking head off
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Since when does our football team completely suck?
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There are two types of boos after a game: "Whoo Kansas!' and "Screw Texas."
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Wow, the triple steak burrito is not worth it at all.
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I don't think that the kickoff chant was the source of our embarrassment on Saturday
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Since we can't say, "Rip his fucking head off"; so let's try "Flip his truck and sped off"
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Thank you Tri-Delts. Not only do you produce the dumbest vice presidential candidate in history, but you also don't tip.
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There should be a sign on the highway that says "2008 Debate Champions" and "2006 Bowling."