Motion for a Recess

‘We Object’ – The Furman University Uproar

Furman University of Greenville, South Carolina invited President Bush to deliver this year’s commencement speech to the graduating class of 2008. Almost immediately, an opposition of over 200 students and faculty signed a statement aptly named ‘We Object‘ which listed their reasons for objecting to his visit, among them are the Iraq war and the administration’s environmental policies (or lackthereof). Conservative students charged back with their own “Support our Seniors” statement claiming the objection is “an empty message” and that the faculty is turning a day of celebration “into a forum to air their political differences.” In most circumstances, I’d agree with Furman’s Conservative Students for a Better Tomorrow but in this case I do not.

President Bush has created his own mess and thus has become such a polarizing figure that you either hate him or love him. So much of what is going on in this country is attributable to his administration’s flawed policies and his insistence that they are above the law and the constitution. It’s understandable that some would see it as a gross misrepresentation of their values and beliefs. And to say that the faculty lacks discipline to practice what they preach (tolerance, open-mindedness) is somewhat distorted considering that the President has had a blatant disregard for the growing opposition and weariness to the war while impinging on our civil liberties.

It must be disheartening to those students who will not get to see some of their professor’s in attendance but they must not confuse what they see as a lack of open-mindedness or intolerance with what is essentially a remonstration.

A Disgruntled American

I, like many other Americans, am offended by Bush’s comments yesterday in Israel. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you already know what he’s said so there’s really no need for me to copy them again. I was reading responses all over the web and watching political commentary on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox. Opinion was mostly split down party affiliations. But honestly this shouldn’t be an issue of partisan politics like taxes or gun control. It’s about being diplomatic and non-confrontational. Just because we disagree with someone doesn’t mean you go and bomb the hell out of their home or threaten them with your gang. It’s these type of mendacious and presumptuous statements that cause enemies to further their malicious agendas, cause our allies to back away from us and some friends to question their support, and even cause war.

The best commentary I have read thus far comes from Will Bunch of Philadelphia Daily News. Some lines that stood out: Continue reading…

No Fishy Business

In an attempt to prevent the extinction of the king salmon, the Commerce Department has implemented a fishing ban on the West Coast. Salmon prices are going to jump soon, if they already haven’t – you better hoard it while you can. Thank god I gave up meat and seafood recently. Poor fishermen.

The Rich Feel the Pinch

We all know our current economic situation is a major concern as the housing market still looks very bleak and will probably continue to stay that way for a little longer. But while the average American feels that way, how do the wealthy feel about their wealth? According to “The Fidelity Millionaire Outlook” survey sent out to those with at least $1 million in assets, they too have begun to feel the squeeze. It’s an interesting effect to see that the ones with a lot of money feel they aren’t as rich (or shielded) in this type of market, especially the wealthier ones.

People with more than $10 million to invest other than their home and retirement savings have a more pessimistic view than those with less than $2.5 million.

It also shows how these so-called wealthy individuals have managed to spend more money than they are able to actually pay for, a problem most prevalent with the average American. And with the rising costs of food, health insurance, mortgages, education, and other necessities, there will undoubtedly be a greater burden on every American rich or not. The annual savings rate is already at historic lows meaning we have no other place to bail ourselves out from this hole.

$8 a Gallon Gas

Eight dollars. That’s about the average price of a gallon of gas in Europe. More than double our current prices. I’ve heard this before and now it feels pertinent to talk about when comparing to our current situation. But it seems like Europeans, for the most part, are fine with what they pay (unlike most Americans). It doesn’t cost more to produce gas in Europe than in the US. The reason for the markup is a result of government levied taxes, funding various initiatives such as health care and public transportation. Studies show that taxation has been the primary cause for reduced oil consumption. While US consumption has grown about 21% in the last decade, our European counterparts have seen stagnant or reduced consumption.

As much as I don’t like government intervention with certain policies, I feel this is a pressing matter that needs to be addressed. There are two options to choose from: we can either start passing legislation that increases fuel economy or we can increase the taxes that we pay on gas. Either way, some action is needed to curb our growing hunger for oil so we can fund public transportation projects or invest in alternative energies.

Graphical Representation of Worldwide Fuel Economy