Present an argument!

This was the editorial for the State News today:

Less freedom, more fear

Sept. 11, 2001, changed everything.

Five years later, don't stay the course. Vote for change Nov. 7.

Yes, that was all. I am completely outraged. That is not an editorial. It's a bumper sticker. If students are going to be putting together a paper, they have to put in more substance than that. Do your jobs.

Comments

Brian Farrey said…
A little vague, to be sure. I really hate the "Vote EVERYBODY out of office" stance because I think it shows they're not really paying attention. SOMEBODY must be doing a good job or there would be more recall attempts and such. And doesn't that even suggest voting out people of your own party? I understand that maybe you can be upset with people in your party but still, it seems shortsighted to say NO ONE is doing their job.

People are dumb.
Mon Sep 11, 08:05:00 PM EDT
David said…
I don't mind the opinion. However, when I read an editorial, I wan't something that couldn't be covered by a 30 second commercial. The State News has an entire opinion page and they come up with three sentences? It's pathetic.

But you're right. Let's disect the "editorial."

"Sept. 11, 2001, changed everything." Fine. I could get involved with semantics on this one but it wouldn't lead anywhere.

"Five years later, don't stay the course." It's an obvious reference to the Bush administration's insistance that we have to "stay the course." Of course the interpretation of the meaning of "stay the course" is different for those in the Bush camp than it is for the opponents. What they are really saying is don't stay with the current administration.

"Vote for change on Nov. 7." I want to shout out, "Bush is not up for reelection!" Who is going to be on the ballot for Michigan State students? Do they really want to vote out the incumbent Governor who is a democrat? Or what about the current Congressman? Sure, Rep. Mike Rogers may be a Republican, but that is kind of a startling reversal for the State News who enthusiastically endorsed him two years ago.

So I'm kind of confused as to why the State News would come up with this short piece of crap. In the end, it says absolutely nothing while at the same time it convey's a "screw Bush" type of sentiment. The thing is, Bush is here 'till his term is up.
Mon Sep 11, 11:43:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said…
As a relatively loyal Republican, I have to say that much of the antipathy the country has for the GOP right now is of its own doing.

And the actions of this administration in Iraq (and its ineffective communication to the populace about those actions) will continue to inspire the kind of attitudes that motivated this "editorial" and will drag down Republicans in local and state elections.

in 1999 the general public suffered from "Clinton fatigue" that probably unfairly dragged down Gore. In 2008, "Iraq fatigue" associated with the GOP will probably (fairly or not) drag down Bush's would-be GOP successor.

That is, if the Democratic nominee can articulate any viable alternative; not something we've seen much of from that side of the aisle these past few years.

In the meantime, people will "vote against Bush" by campaigning against and voting against Republicans locally. And frankly, based on our collective decisions in the 2000 primary, that's exactly what we (Republicans) deserve.
Tue Sep 12, 09:35:00 AM EDT
David said…
^Oh, I agree with you that a lot of the mess Republicans are in is largely their own fault. I still have that urge to vote them out of office. Not for the Iraq War or even the War on Terror in general, but more to the fact that the administration and the Republican controlled House and Senate have, in my mind, done little to advance the Republican ideas that I stand for. Instead, we are wasting time with gay marriage, stem cell research, creating whole new government departments and the bloated the budgets to go with them, and so on.

It is sad that I feel like I have to choose between two evils when decent enough legislators like Joe Schwartz are being abandoned. Maybe the Republicans need to be slapped around in order to get their act together. But while they dress their wounds, do I really want someone like Rep. Pelosi becoming Speaker? *shudder*

Again with this "editorial," I don't mind that they want us to vote against Bush. But I expect them to outline the reasons why.
Tue Sep 12, 10:45:00 AM EDT
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