THE UNIVERSITY DAILY GANSAN
PAGE 4A
TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013
opinion
Text your FFA submissions to 785-289-8351
FREE FOR ALL
Why can I only whistle when no one else is around?
To everyone in Watson listening to my stomach growl; sorry 'bout it.
Depression food, Yep, it's that time of the semester.
Reading the Kansan in the wind? Practice practice practice.
Hello virgin, I'm available
Hello, humidity. I have not missed you!
We should decide the winner for student president with a lightsaber battle between the candidates on Wescoe Beach. I can't think of anything more democratic than that.
First of all, we're frat men. Second, salmon shorts go with anything.
I've never kissed.
I finally saw a basketball player on campus! Now I just need to hook up in the stacks, and I can graduate in peace.
If the TARDIS materialized in my science class, I would snap my fingers to open the doors, walk inside, and leave because I'm a Time Lord and I can do that.
Oh no, law-abiding citizens carrying guns! Panic!
The lobotomized jayhawk in front of the Union is slowly but surely gaining back some of his skull.
Well, my friend thought I was wearing white tights. My legs are in need of some serious sun!
I'm gonna run for Student Senate,
and my platform will be to eliminate
the steam whistle. And people will love me.
Editor's note: Yeah, I don't think so.
I don't miss Dan. There, I said it.
You want to solve real issues, Student Senate? Make the freaking enrollment process easier. So many damn holds.
Just watched this girl walk into a pole. #Monday
Want to read the FFA in windy weather? Fold it in half twice. first along the vertical fold mark then the horizontal one
I'm going to start asking girls who are campaigning for their numbers if they want my vote.
Because leggings are comfortable. Stop hating.
I'm a virgin tool! Be proud of it, virgity is a gift not held by many these days.
EDITORIAL
I'm voting for the whale in Potter Lake.
Kansan endorses Ad Astra for Senate
After hearing two different visions for the future of campus and the student body, the University Daily Kansan has decided to endorse Ad Astra in its bid for student body presidency.
The reasons are simple enough, and Ad Astra's Marcus Tetwiler and Emma Halling seem like the right choice for the campus, community and students.
Ad Astra's vision of the future is not one of multimillion dollar projects or sweeping reforms. Rather, Tetwiler and Halling, along with the diverse cabinet of rivals behind them in the Ad Astra organization, see that the devil is in the details.
Ad Astra's platform pieces, which include the elimination of transcript fees, the freezing of tuition for transfer students, the elimination of a sales tax on textbook purchases and the transformation of student government culture (among others) are all small-ticket items. And yet, when weighed against the proposed $20 to $60 million aquatic center from KUnited, which seems inappropriate in a time of increasing austerity, these issues seem plausible, achievable and effective.
Each platform item presented by Ad Astra applies to a large segment of the student body, and each is within the grasp of the Student Senate to obtain and enforce. On top of that, each platform item is relevant in some way to students' lives. These are not simply campus beautification projects or cursory bones thrown to the students. Rather, they are well-conceived, targeted programs with specific goals and stated means.
KUnited's platform ideas lack the connection to the wider student population present in Ad Astra's campaign. In addition to the proposed aquatic center for the Ambler Student Recreational Fitness Center, KUnited intends to adopt an honor code, provide more money for printing during the semester and establish campus as a smoke-free environment.
There are several glaring problems with these proposed measures. For one, the University already has an aquatic center. It's in Robinson. And if you happen to enjoy a good lap or two, you already know that and use this resource.
Second, a University-wide honor code seems like a bunch of
hot air. It would not create a more just student body. It would not create a more unified campus. It would simply serve as another set of rules or procedures for incoming freshmen and established upperclassmen to ignore.
Third, while making campus a smoke-free environment is an admirable undertaking (at least for non-smokers), it is simply unfeasible. It would be a tremendous waste of the University's resources to combat smoking all over campus all the time. And besides, enforcement would be problematic, if not entirely impossible.
KUnited's printing policy is the only platform item that tangibly benefits students in a meaningful way. However, in a side-by-side comparison with Ad Astra's student outreach platform items, KUnited's attempt to pander to the populace falls flat on its face. The numbers don't lie. Improving textbook prices is far more beneficial to students than more printing.
Aside from the problems with its platform, KUinited's presidential candidate, Brandon Woodard, has served as vice president before. His election would mark
the first time in University history that a vice president in student government has ascended to the presidency, and such a move would speak volumes to KUnited's political monopoly.
This is where Ad Astra's commitment to changing the culture of student government shines. KUinited, in its 20-year dynasty, has become a political machine that fights for its own survival, maintenance and control.
KUnited has lost its sense of service to the students in the same way a monopoly loses its sense of service to its customers. In a way, KUnited demonstrates the weakness of a one-party system: Once that party is in power, and once competition falls by the wayside, the incentive to fulfill the responsibilities of office falls as well.
Thus, a change in this culture would return power to the represented constituents. Ad Astra is running on a platform of, "Please, if you can beat us in an election, do so." It understands that the key to effective governance, even at the often-overlooked university level, is competition. Tradition is great and all, but dynasties are not always the best choice for
the people they represent. The crucible of competition forges not only change, but progress.
Speaking of which, the student body has some changes to make on its own. Voter turnout was an abysmal 8 percent last year. That means only 1,575 of the 19,695 students in the undergraduate population made their voices heard. And with this paltry offering of ballots, student government makes decisions that affect tuition, services and resources available to students.
So, regardless of the Kansan's endorsement of one candidate over another, consider that these student elections mean something. They are not arbitrary or pointless. Voting, one way or another, makes those in power hear the voices of those they represent. And you never know — if you don't vote, you might end up paying for a multimillion dollar swimming pool, even if you don't know how to swim.
Brian Sisk for The Kansan Editorial Board
STATE
Kansas government gets it right by supporting families
As employees across the U.S. scrambled to file taxes before April 15, the Kansas House of Representatives last week decided to support the state's low-income residents. The House rejected a proposal to reduce the state Earned Income Tax Credit, right recognizing that state aid to low-income workers is worth upholding.
The Earned Income Tax Credit is a federal tax refund, established in 1975 with the goal of reducing the tax burden on low- to moderate-income workers. Those individuals send in their tax returns April 15, but the EITC offsets their income and payroll taxes. This means those individuals either pay very little in taxes or receive a refund. According to John Wanchek, Coordinator of the EITC Outreach Campaign at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 25 million families or individuals received the credit in 2007; of those, the average refund for families with children amounted to $2,659.
It's impossible to examine government support for low- and moderate-income individuals without discussing the EITC. To qualify, individuals with children must make less than between $36,920 and $45,060 per year, depending on the number of children. The limit for married workers raises $5,000. A tax refund once a year allows those individuals to make decisions to fix cars, buy clothes for their children, pay off credit cards and ensure their families can make it through another year. In a January 2012 interview with the Topeka Capital-Journal, Alice Lieberman of the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare explained that typically individuals receiving the credit must spend it immediately to pay for necessities, guaranteeing state economic stimulus.
By Amanda Gress agress@kansan.com
For my fiscaly conservative readers, the program's reward for individuals to find work has historically gained it support as an alternative to other forms of financial assistance. Ronald Reagan made the EITC
permanent in 1986, famously declaring it "the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure to come out of Congress." A measure committed to encouraging individuals to work would seem to have a good chance of withstanding onslaughts from increasingly conservative Kansan lawmakers.
While the EITC is a federal program, Kansas is one of 25 states to also provide a state EITC to offset the cost of state taxes. The Kansas Center for
"...Kansas is one of the 25 states to also provide a state [Earned Income Tax Credit] to offset the cost of state taxes."
Economic Growth reported that 17.4 percent of Kansan families (211,262 families total) received the EITC in 2010. A wide range of national studies have already demonstrated the program's effectiveness in lifting individuals out of poverty, promoting educational success of children whose families benefit from the credit and encouraging individuals to work.
Despite that track record of success, Kansas Senate Vice President Jeff King proposed cutting the state EITC by half. The rationale? Kansas tax revenue following massive income tax cuts has proven insufficient to fund the state government. Another program providing property tax rebates to seniors, low-income families and individuals with disabilities is on the chopping block, and the savings from the EITC could fund it.
keep their homes is a worthy enterprise, but that doesn't mean the solution is to set groups of individuals receiving financial assistance against each other. Senator King's measure passed the Senate on a voice vote, even though strong conservatives joined with moderate Republicans and Democrats to block the measure. Opponents argued that the cut in benefits would have an enormous impact on the families affected, and that lawmakers should not choose between deserving and necessary programs.
Fortunately, Representative Richard Carlson, head of the House Taxation Committee, rejected the proposal, meaning that the EITC will remain through this April 15. Whether it will be considered at a later date is yet to be determined — and it is worth noting that in 2012 Governor Brownback also tried to eliminate the program.
Obviously, allowing financially challenged individuals to
It's easy to forget about the budget processes in Topeka, or better yet, to just fault all levels of government for failing to fix problems — leaving roads unfixed, children uneducated, individuals unemployed or the sick untreated. When something goes right, it ought to be celebrated. Last week, Kansan legislators decided that support for one out of every five Kansas families through the EITC was upward holdings. That's something we should all be proud of, and something that deserves our continued attention as lawmakers continue to sort out the state budget going forward.
Gress is a sophomore majoring in political science and economics from Overland Park
FASHION
Victoria's Secret line won't corrupt preteens
W what happened to sexy and smart? If you have hurt
If you have kept up with the latest drama relating to advertising exploitation, then you have heard of the parental outrage with Victoria's Secret Pink Spring Break line, "Bright Young Things." The controversy began when Amy Gerwing, a conservative mother of seven, wrote how appalled she was that Victoria's Secret was launching a new line aimed at preteens and young teenage girls in an article for The Black Sphere.
Gerwing's attack targeted the idea that companies such as Victoria's Secret sexually exploit young girls through advertisements and use of products. However, I disagree, and I am calling out to the women of the University to think about this. If you participated in the KU Victoria's Secret Pink Spring Break Party at TCBY/Mrs. Fields on Massachusetts Street, you should have received a, "Bright Young Things," brochure introducing the clothing line complete with coupons.
The brochure had pictures of what many parents considered racy underwear with sayings such as, "Wild Thing?" "Call Me," and "Feeling Lucky?" To me, these phrases were appropriate because Victoria's Secret markets its Pink line toward older teenagers and college-aged women. In fact, I did not own a piece of Victoria's Secret clothing until I was in high school. So, what is the bie deal?
According to the outraged parents, Victoria's Secret now seeks to target younger girls. A restricted R-rating warning parents and guardians they must keep children under 17 away from Victoria's Secret accompanied Gerwing's article. Multiple news sources and publications jumped on the story including Huffington Post, Telegraph and jeebel.
Gerwing's article prompted Rev. Evan Dolve to write an open letter to Victoria's Secret dictating his stance on how he wants to raise his 3-year-old daughter away from the commercialized and sexualized world of clothing. He says he wants his daughter's toughest decisions to be which college she attends and which social issue she advocates
for, not which underwear will make her more attractive to her partner.
I applaud his inclusion of all types of relationships, but why should women only be concerned with sexy or smart? Why can't we be both?
Roy Raymund opened Victoria's Secret in 1977 in order for men to feel comfortable purchasing linereg for their women. Today, Victoria's Secret sells a wide range of products including swimsuits and the famous yoga pants. Each product focuses on the idea that women can feel sexy in every aspect of life.
Perhaps commercialization has overstepped its boundaries in marketing beddazled underwear, emblazed with cheeky phrases. Maybe it is a sign of our capitalistic society that women feel sexy when they adorn their matching undergarments. Nevertheless, who says we can't wear them under an oxford and slacks while running our own company? Why does sexy automatically imply stupid?
The truth is, it doesn't. Parents are joining in fear that their daughters are going to end up corrupted by pandies when they should be wondering if they are doing a good job raising their children. If they don't want their daughters to wear Victoria's Secret Pink's clothing, they don't have to buy it. They can control the amount of exposure their daughters have to Victoria's Secret advertisements.
As for us, college women,
remember we have a choice to
wear what we want. Personally,
I know I will be making a stop at
one of the three locations for the
KU Victoria's Secret Pink Spring
Cleaning Clothing Drive this
week because who doesn't love
freebies. (Especially Victoria's
Secret freebies.)
Warren is a junior majoring in journalism from Overland Park
HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LETTER GUIDELINES
Send letters to kansanopdesk@gmail.com.
Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the e-mail subject line.
**Length:** 300 words
The submission should include the author's name, grade and hometown Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansas.com/letters.
Hannah Wide, editor-in-chief
editor@kasab.com
Sarah McCabe, managing editor
smccabe.com
Nikki Wentling, managing editor
wentling@kasab.com
Dylan Lysen, opinion editor
dlysen@kansan.com
Osmant, opinion editor
dysenKansas.com
Elise Farrington, business manager
efarrington@kansan.com
Jacob Snider, sales manager
jsider@kansan.com
CONTACT US
Malcim Gibson, general manager and news adviser mglibson@kansan.com
Jon Schiltt, sales and marketing adviser jschiltt@kansan.com
THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kansai Editorial Board on Hannah Wise,
Sara McBach. Nikke Welling. Daryan Lyon, Elise Farrington
and Jacob Sinder.