THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 5A
EDITORIAL
Roberts a responsible choice
Nearly two months have passed since John Roberts was first nominated to serve on the Supreme Court and, by now, decision makers in Washington have a pretty good idea of the type of man they are being asked to confirm. Despite this, many are still calling for long and detailed hearings in the hope that Mr. Roberts can be pinned down and made to look bad enough that his nomination can be defeated. Instead of political posturing and partisan tactics, though, what needs to happen now is a quick confirmation of Mr. Roberts.
It is true that Mr. Roberts will be stepping into a important position if he is indeed confirmed as the next Chief Justice, but this is no reason to delay his confirmation. One common complaint that has recently surfaced is that the next Chief Justice should be someone with more experience who is already on the court. This argument is specious, though, because the
last three Chief Justices before William Rehnquist (Burger, Warren and Vinson) were all appointed directly to the top position and did just fine. It is also absurd to suggest that Mr. Roberts, who clerked on the Court for Mr. Rehnquist, would be so inexperienced as not to be able to perform his job.
Despite this complaint and the outcries from many on the left about the need to further vet Mr. Roberts and ask him specific questions about hot-button issues, Mr. Roberts is probably about the best compromise candidate there is right now, which only strengthens the argument that he should be confirmed as the next Chief Justice. Sure, he has a solid track record as a conservative and has argued in the past that Roe vs. Wade should be overturned (the greatest anathema there is to the political left), but he also has moderate views, which no one seems to be interested in reporting. For instance, many
conservatives were shocked to find out that he helped, pro bono, a gay rights group to overturn a Colorado state law. Many may also be interested to learn that although he has often argued against affirmative action, he has also argued for it in certain circumstances. And, even though he has argued against Roe vs. Wade, he has also recently made comments that he respects precedent and that the Roe ruling is "settled law." (For NARAL members out there, that's conservative code word for, "I won't overturn it.")
More importantly than his views, though, is the fact that he is extremely well-qualified. Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg, who has been an ACLU lawyer and has an obvious prochoice position, was confirmed to the Supreme Court nearly unanimously based not on her views, which were opposed by more than the three senators who voted against her, but on the fact that she
was extremely well-qualified. Mr. Roberts is no different. He has distinguished himself beginning in college when he graduated summa cum laude, through his time as a clerk for the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, until now, as a judge of the DC Court of Appeals (a post for which he was confirmed by unanimous consent). He has been given the American Bar Association's highest rating of "well-qualified" and there is absolutely nothing in his record that would indicate that he would do anything less than a spectacular job.
With all of the other problems that our nation is trying to come to grips with right now and another vacancy on the Court that needs to be filled, the last thing the country needs is a drawn out confirmation battle about a person who genuinely deserves to be on the Supreme Court.
Josh Goetting for the editorial board.
▼ LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Columnist trivialized hurricane coverage
The issues surrounding the New
I am writing in response to Alaide Vilchis' article "What in the World." While I agree that news coverage of the world in smaller papers such as the Kansan and the Lawrence Journal-World is subpar, her comparison to Hurricane Katrina is beyond appalling.
"...Heroes emerge every day to reach out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina."
Orleans disaster are tremendously vast and complex.
Matters have arisen that have made the American people question the efficacy of their government, the 'Intelligent Design' that would allow such a tragedy to happen and the things that matter most (i.e. family).
tory evacuations, to the diseased water pervading the city, New Orleans will never be the same.
Ibarna states, "Americans seem to care more about the latest miracle weight loss pill than the 4,000 people in Ukraine potentially dying because of radioactivity."
From the looting, to the manda
I disagree.
As American citizens continue to outreach to the thousands of refugees from Mississippi and Louisiana.
Americans are actually caring more about each other than anyone could ever fathom. We may not be in close proximity to help the 4,000 people in Ukraine, but heroes emerge every day to reach out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
If ibarra would like better coverage of world events, she should read the New York Times, not trivialize a natural disaster that has deeply distressed the entire country to its frightening core.
Jayme A. Aschemeyer 2005 Alumnus
Free for All
Call 864-0500
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to emit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
The only thing worse than old people is Geek Squad drivers.
I was going to read the Megan Logue article today, but I got distracted for five minutes by trying to say the headline five times fast.
Gina Ford should offer solutions to racism instead of just biting about it.
Hey dumb guy at the bar, I gave you the wrong number. If that isn't an indication of me not being interested, I don't know what it.
Get well soon, Max Falkenstien.
Hey in Brian Wacker's article his roommate Jake sounds more like a life partner than a roommate.
Gene Roddenberry got his idea for *Star Trek* from listening to Bill Brakley in his sleep.
Due to the article about the Eiffel Tower, I will never look, think, feel or talk about it the same way again.
So there's a guy on the 4th floor of the Union playing the music from Final Fantasy II and that's awesome.
My roommate thought he lost his wallet at a party, but it was under my bed, because I ripped off his pants in a fit of passion.
I hate you, Free for All editor. I hate you,
I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.
Listen, I know I messed up. I know I messed up bad, but I miss you, baby, I need you. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, for Free All. Don't leave me! I love you!
I have the strength of a bear that has the strength of two bears!
I think that the hot dog cart should be there every week of the -aw, man. I'll call right back.
This is to the guy that said the mayor of New Orleans would be a racist for not sending the buses. You are an idiot. Those are two completely different points.
This is to the people in Wescoe who take all day to eat at the Underground. If you want to do the crossword, go to Anschutz. The Underground is for eating only.
♦
So let's not make this hurricane thing racial, but if it was a bunch of white people that got hit by the hurricane, things would have gotten done a lot faster.
Brian Wacker can write a hell of a news story!
I love you Brian Wacker!
Wait a second. Lew said we were really good fans, but Reid said we basically sucked, so what are we?
To Laura Wattkins, the Buzz has never posed as a punk station. They're an alternative station. You don't deserve to be a DJ, learn your genres.
If I get hit by the beautiful truck, someone is going to get hit by the beautiful fist!
If we can spend $30,000 on a new logo, I think we should build a canal on campus, and have a guy named Mario row us to class.
I heard Bill Braskey was in Rhombus House.
*
I'm about to drive home drunk because Safe Ride won't answer my phone. They should divert funds from the TV's in the rec center and put it in Safe Ride.
Tequila and I are no longer best friends.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sarah Stacy's love of alteration seems contagious among all Kansan writers.
Legislation hits pocket books
With the start of classes comes the headache of making sure the tuition bill is paid. But for students with grants and loans, their ability to afford school will become dramatically reduced in the near future. Recently, lawmakers proposed the largest cut ever, an estimated $9 billion, to the federal student aid programs when they passed H.R. 609 out of the House Education Committee.
An article in The Chronicle of Higher Education states that
H. R. 609, cleverly named the College Access and Opportunity Act, is anything but an opportunity for students receiving federal loans. Tuition prices at all Kansas Institutions of Higher education increase annually. Unfortunately, this legislation puts affordable higher education even further out of reach for students. This bill freezes funding for grant programs, hikes student loan interest rates, and charges students bigger up-front fees to borrow.
lawmakers believe an additional $2 billion of further cuts when Congress reconvenes. Currently, almost 100,000 students will lose their Pell Grants. Countless others will experience significant decreases in the face of soaring tuition prices.
This legislation also fails to include a vital piece of legislation that would significantly help students attend higher education institutions. The Student Aid Reward Act (STAR) or H.R. 1425, would provide more then $17 billion in student financial aid without any burden to tax payers. In fact, every year the program
Average student debt in this country is higher than $17,500. H.R. 609 will add an additional $5,800 through fees and interests rates while simultaneously cutting the amount students can receive in financial support. Every student who receives federal financial loans will feel the effects of this legislation.
would create more revenues that could be funneled into education.
Instead, atrocious cuts in the higher education budget are going to pay off the national debt. As fiscally unsound as this legislation is, H.R. 609 is an even worse education policy. At a time when tuition rates are soaring, Congress should be working to send more students to college rather than cutting financial aid budgets.
This is the wrong direction for our country's future. Congress is scheduled to vote on the measure on September 26th. Log onto www.house.gov in order to contact your respective legislators. Let them know that they should do the right thing for Kansans and vote against the irresponsible policies that H.R. 609 proposes.
Josh Bender Legislative Director Student Senate Sterling Senior
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Also: The Kansas will not print guest columns that attack another columnist.
Cars Ford, Vanting Wang, Julia Melim Coelho,
Dan Hoyt, Annie Waintner, Julie Parish, Nataly
McGinnia, Josh Goetting, Sara Gartick,
Chase Edgerton, Ray Wittlinger, David Archer
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GOOD TO GO
Discussing Good influences
Let me ask you a question:
Who is your hero? And I mean
your real hero, not some fictional
creation you saw a movie about.
During some recent job training, I was asked this very question. After learning that I could not use Spider-Man as my answer, I found this question surprisingly hard to answer.
Many people in the group answered their parents, which is an entirely understandable reaction. With rare exception, one's parents are the most influential people during the most formative years of life.
After my initial impulse to say my parents as well, I stopped and thought about my answer. Yes, my parents have been incredibly helpful to me, and I would not be who I am today without them. But I'd like to think my parents know that, and they are certainly not the only people who have done those things for me.
Staying within my family, I can think of many other people I would describe as heroes. My grandfather is a good example.
He is a World War II veteran, having served a tour of duty in the Pacific, which continues to blow my mind. The idea that someone related to me actually fought for a cause such as that inspires me every day and makes me infinitely proud both of my family and of my country.
During my life, my grandfather has also been a continual source of inspiration and advice. All of my grandparents have always been proud of me, but he is the only one who has ever vocalized specifically why. I have dozens of memories of sitting down with him and having him
RYAN GOOD
opinion@kansan.com
tell me how talented and gifted I was, and of him encouraging me to use my abilities to reach my goals, no matter how lofty those goals might have been.
This may sound like a routine grandparent-grandchild relationship, but to me it is not. My grandfather is a relatively humble man, as is most of my family. To have him to this day tell me that I am smart, that I can do anything I want, has been a direct influence on me, and is a primary reason that I am ambitious.
Another person who I could describe as a hero is a professor here on campus.
Many people meet faculty members with whom they develop strong relationships — relationships that help many people to navigate the countless challenges of university life and to obtain a degree.
I met Mary Klayder through the Honors Program at the university, and she quickly became my de facto resource for help when it came to advising. She also accompanied a group of students and me to London on a study abroad trip, helping us to become friends as well.
Mary is a hero to me not because she has all the answers (even though she usually does) but because she legitimately cares. When a student goes to her and says they can't finish a
paper because they have family issues, she'll make time to sit down with them and talk about what's going on. She'll happily slip into any role that you want her to, be it adviser, teacher, or simply a friendly face.
For example, a good friend of mine recently returned from an internship in San Francisco. From the time she got back, she's been more than willing to listen and talk about any issue, and sympathizes with me even when it doesn't make sense for her to. Since she's been back in town I've been able to get a lot off of my chest, and I don't ever feel she's judged a single word that has come out of my mouth. This week, Kate's been a hero to me.
Finally, I've recently realized that someone can be a hero to me for a brief amount of time. I wouldn't describe most of my friends as my own personal heroes, but there are instances when they can all be heroic.
The fact is we can all be heroes. During that training exercise, almost everyone in the room mentioned someone they know as a hero. All of the people who have been heroes to me have been individuals with whom I've had personal relationships. By making a difference in my life, they've been heroic in my eyes.
In the cynical world we live in, I think it's important to remind those close to us what they mean to us. I encourage you to do the same. To Mom, Dad, Grandpa Sheehan, Mary and Kate: You'll always be heroes to me.
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Good is an Olathe senior in English.
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