The Vancougar: October 27, 2008

The Eyes, Ears and Voice of the Students at WSU-V

L A I C T Gov. Gregoire cuts

Washington State University -Va

N E E P SUPPLEM S

In this issue:

PICKS and PREDICTIONS If you care these are OUR picks and predictions for the issues and candidates. BELOW

JAKE the RAKE

Is the election one sided? A done deal? Our own “Jake the Rake” thinks so. See why on the back.

TAKE OUR ONLINE ELECTIONS SURVEY on our webpage at www.vancougar.com. See the results in the next issue.

October 27, 2008

higher ed funding

Gov. alienates voting age college students by cutting higher education funding. By Gregory E. Zschomler EDITOR-IN-CHEIF

Gov. Chris Gregoire recently called for cuts to the State budget as the deficit soared above $3 billion. The action took place as elections grew nigh. A saving measure—for the State or for her campaign? As important as it is, let’s not think this election is only about voting for our next President. There are two important initiative measures on the ballot and several other positions on the roster including Governor. Two candidates vie for that office: Incumbent Christine Gregoire (D) and former Senator Dino Rossi (R). Don’t think your vote doesn’t matter in this election. With our economy in disarray and a state budget deficit of $3.2 billion, the Governor’s race couldn’t be more important. While some of the past Washington State Governors have been little more than “ribbon-cutters,” there are those, like Gregoire, who are active movers and shakers. Not since Dixie Lee Ray (1976-1980) has Washington State had such a vocal and active

“The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” ~Thomas Jefferson (1787)

Pres. Floyd raise WSU Pres. calls for expense cuts and a hiring freeze then gets a raise on his $600 ,000 salary By Kati Hughes MANAGING EDITOR

As you may have read in the above article, Governor Christine Gregoire recently cut higher education funding so that K-12 public school can be better funded. Knowing this, it may come as a surprise to hear that President Elson Floyd received a substantial raise in salary this year. While this decision was made in August - before Gregoire made her decision – the current economic climate raises an important question: where does all of this money come from? Floyd’s salary has increased from $600,000 to $750,000. Where will this come from? With the rising costs of tuition—and everything else under the sun—my guess is out of our pockets. I also wonder what The Board of Regents could

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have been thinking, given the fact that Floyd had recently called for extensive spending cuts and a University-wide hiring freeze when the pay increase was voted in. I would love to get a 20% raise right now, but with the economy falling down on our heads I wouldn’t want to take it from anyone else. Especially the students I’m supposed to represent.

Governor. However, an active Governor does not necessarily add up to a good Governor. We would do well to ask ourselves what Gregoire has actually done for us before considering a replacement. We must also ask what Rossi might do for us were he in the Governor’s shoes. Gregoire’s stint in office has made a difference. Let’s look at some of the things she’s accomplished and you can decide if retention is in order. She boasts creating more than 200,000 new jobs and doubling our exports, and yet our unemployment rate is higher than ever and industries are laying workers off at alarming rates. Gregoire is also responsible for the current state-wide hiring freeze that has affected WSU’s ability to hire needed faculty—and depending on your course of study, possibly affect your education. She says she believes in healthcare, but her emphasis has been only upon children. “Like you, I believe healthcare is a right, not a perk. So we got results that provided healthcare coverage to 84,000 more of our kids and,” she said, “I took the next step and established a goal of covering all kids by 2010.” Healthcare for kids is a good

thing, but, as college students, what does it do for you? Not only is her healthcare focus on children, so is her educational focus. Gregoire recently cut the State budget—a necessity due to its $3.2 billion deficit under her reign. And what did she cut? Higher education funding—that is funding for Washington State University as well as student aid—to fund K-12. She should have frozen K-12 building, and channeled the money saved into salaries and the arts.

Presidential Picks

As tradition would have it, we could, as a newspaper, endorse a candidate. We have chosen not to, but...

By Kati Hughes & Greg Zschomler THE VANCOUGAR

Our greater editorial staff expressed reluctance at a personal staff member by staff member endorsement. Nor did we feel that a newspaper is proper in endorseing a candidate, though they traditionally do. We feel this way for two reasons: One, it is unfair to the staff as they likely do not all personally endorse a single candidate. How can the paper speak for them all? Two, it presents the media as having a bias. Thus, how can the reporting be seen as impartial? In the case of The VanCougar we also feel that we represent the voice of the students and those voices are varied. Therefore we wish to extend an opportunity to you to express your opinion and be heard. You can participate in our elections survey by clicking the link at our website: www.vancougar.com. Just for the record “I (Greg) will be turning on my long history as a Republican and voting Obama for change. McCain would give us more Bushism and I am soooo tired of Bush, and the Iraq war, and...Bush has been beating the same dead horse for long enough; we don’t need McCain to continue. “I also will be voting for Rossi in the gubernatorial race, I’ll endeavor to retain Sam Reed as Sec. of State and I’m voting NO on both initatives (see my commentary on the back).” “I (Kati) am doing what is kind of the same-old-thing for me and voting Democrat. I have actively attempted to conceal my political

stance not only as an editor, but as a student for several reasons. “I certianly did not want people who know me, as a person or editor, to think that I am biased in my reporting. I have never let political differences get in the way of acurate news. [Greg: “Nor I.”] “As all can clearly see, this is not something I usually do, but here I will share my political decisions and the reasoning behind them. “First and foremost, I am voting for Barack Obama because I feel that the war started by George W. Bush —which will also be continued in a McCain Presidency—is not only immoral, but one of the reasons for our current economic troubles. “As far as the gubernatorial race goes, I am voting for Chris Gregoire in spite of her decision to cut higher education funding. While I am a college student who will be moving on to graduate school in the next year, I can’t vote for my own interests alone. The money that would have gone to higher ed will now go to K-12 ed. “I happen to work for the Vancouver School District, and I have seen firsthand the need that K-12 schools have for funding. Not only are students in need of materials, but the teachers and paraeducators (like myself) don’t get paid nearly enough. In addition, there isn’t enough funding for special ed and life skills students in the public school system. I am voting for Chris Gregoire because, like her, I feel I must put the education of children before my own interests.” OUR PREDICTION: Obama will definately win the Presidental race in Washington State. We believe he has a very good chance of winning the election nationally.

The VanCougar

2 The VanCougar The VanCougar is a student-run newspaper serving the students, faculty and staff of WSU Vancouver. Copies of The VanCougar are available free of charge every other Monday during the school year .

Editor-in-Chief Gregory E. Zschomler Managing Editor Kati Hughes Ad Manager Dan Rauchenstein Advisor Dean Baker Copy Editor HELP WANTED ACE Editor Beau Baxter Rosser Sports & Rec Editor Katie Wells Staff Writers & Photographers Beau Baxter Rosser, Rosann Bartel, Robert Chu, Matt Hunter, Collin Rickman, Willy Chi Shue Tsang, Louise Wynn, Jason Garcia, Hannah Walker, Shane Monroe, Kevin Raymond, Danielle Mosier, Ruth Zschomler, Kyle Ralston, Jake Kleinschmidt, Isaac Madsen, Matthew Wright Illustrators Danielle Mosier and Anita Fleming Layout and Design Greg Zschomler and Kati Hughes Web Editor Michael Hatch © 2008 The VanCougar

CLS 212 14024 NE Salmon Creek Ave. Vancouver, WA 98686 Phone: (360) 546-9524 Fax: (360) 546-9072 General e-mail , comments, and employment inquiries [email protected] Letters to the editor, guest columns, and corrections [email protected] Advertising queries [email protected] We are hiring! We are always hiring. No experience is necessary; we will provide all the training you need in journalistic style, photography, and digital printmaking. E-mail us at vancoug@ vancouver.wsu.edu or visit our office in CLS 212 for more information. Letters to the Editor We encourage letters to the editor. Please include your full name as part of the letter, and a phone number or e-mail address for confirmation follow-up. Letters must be by a student, faculty, or staff member. Guest Columns & Comics The VanCougar accepts guest columns and comics from current students of WSU Vancouver. Interested students should e-mail us at [email protected]. Advertising queries Advertising information and rates can be found on our website at www.vancougar. com. Advertising rate sheets are available via e-mail and postal mail. E-mail vancoug@ vancouver.wsu.edu for quotes. Corrections policy It is our policy to correct errors. Please contact the editors by e-mail at vancouged@ vancouver.wsu.edu.

EDITORIAL

No need for drastic measures Initiative 1000: Assisted suicide.

Initiative 985: Transportation issues.

THE WASHINGTON DEATH WITH DIGNITY ACT: Initiative Measure No. 1000, AN ACT Relating to death with dignity; amending RCW 70.122.100; reenacting and amending RCW 42.56.360 and 42.56.360; adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW. My mother suffered from a disabling disease known as Supernacular Palsy. Basically, her muscles, over time, became ridged like stone. The whole process seemed to take about three years. First her arms and legs slowly became non-functional, then her speech, then her ability to swallow. At that point she could have been fed trough a tube, but chose not to. She lived out her remaining days wasting away, though not in physical pain. Funny, she could still smile. And even though she could do little to participate in our times together, you could tell how valuable they were to her. She died peacefully one day. Hospice was good. The care facility was good. Mom was a trooper, she faced death with true dignity. Long illnesses and severe debilitating conditions are not pleasant to think about and much less so to live through. But, to end one’s life? You’re not finished ‘til you’re finished. (Who knows what you might add to the lives of others in your remaining days?) Pain can be managed, death is final. I’ve always felt that Someone greater then I was better at deciding when “my number was up.” I urge you to seek life; vote NO on 1000. BTW: The measure calls for an “’Informed decision’” mean[ing] a decision by a qualified* patient, to request and obtain a prescription for medication that the qualified patient may self-administer…” Fully informed means that they would be advised of “the potential risks associated with taking the medication to be prescribed.” Thus, “Possible side effects include death.” *read measure.

WASHINGTON REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION INITIATIVE Initiative Measure No. 985 would open carpool lanes to all during non-rush hours, require cities to synchronized traffic signals on main streets, and provide more money for emergency roadside assistance in order to clear accidents more quickly. I-985 would also create a special account to be spent for traffic congestion relief, to be funded by revenues already being collected: 15 percent of the sales tax on vehicle sales, the former “half-percentfor-art money” if it comes from a transportation-related public works program, and revenue from red-light ticket cameras in cities. Let’s go through this line by line. Carpool lanes, good; synchronized traffic lights, good; roadside emergency funding… Whoa Nelly! Did you read that? Funding—the word was funding. By using 15% of the sales tax. If it can be spared, why not just reduce our tax by that much? Revenue from red light ticket cameras?! Oh, boy! There’s where the funding will come from. Maybe we ought to rethink that one. This would primarily benefit the Puget Sound area anyway. Let’s vote NO and let them pay for it with a city tax. Oh, and let’s reinstate the ½% for art money. Art will be retiring soon, he needs the bucks to buy his RV.

My take on I-1000 Usually when I don’t agree with someone, I can’t see the logic of their side. The situation I’m in right now with I-1000 is unusual, because I can totally see the logic of voting no, but I myself will be voting yes. My personal experience with death has been extensive and varied. My mother has said to me on many occasions, “you’ve dealt with a lot of death in your short life, kid.” It’s true. I’ve watched an aunt, an uncle, two grandmothers and a grandfather suffer through illness and die. All but my aunt were stricken with cancer, and they all chose to be “troopers” like Greg’s mother, may she rest in peace. I admire that, and personally think it is the right choice to make. However, I see it as a choice. Who are we to say that ending one’s suffering isn’t even an option? After watching so many that I love suffer for months and eventually spend their last weeks incoherant and in severe pain, I can see why a person would want it to end. I am voting yes on I-1000 because although I admire the strength it took my relatives to hold on until the end came naturally, if any one of them had chosen to end their own suffering I would not have tried to stop them. While I think that life is the right choice, voting yes actually makes it a choice. I’m not going to tell anyone how they should vote on this very important issue. I will only say this: vote your conscience. That’s the American Way. ~Managing Editor

NOTICE:

The articles herein are opinion pieces, and, as always, the opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The VanCougar staff, nor the students, staff or faculty of WSU-V.

For more info and the full text of these initatves see the Washington State Voter’s Guide online at: http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/Pages/OnlineVoterGuideGeneral2008.aspx

~Editor-in-Chief

Jake the Rake One Sided Election in 2008 By Jake Kleinschmidt

The election was over in September. Senator Obama has had the lead in the polls since then despite what the media tries to push a “close race”. If you follow the Gallup polls it’s fairly obvious that for the Republican Party it’s more of an embarrassment than a race. Joe six packs and Joe the plumber (who isn’t registered to vote) are not enough to save the McCain campaign. During the primary elections the Clinton campaign criticized Obama for not wearing an American flag lapel pin at a rally. Interestingly enough, at least two of the debates Senator McCain has been lacking his own pin and lacking approval. It could be said that Governor Palin was not the prime choice for a running mate. It could also be admitted that such an opinion would be subjective. Let’s turn to CNN’s election tracking and Gallup polls. If you add the numbers from all the polls up it generates 353 electoral votes for Obama and 185 for McCain. A conservative estimate would give Obama 326 votes and 212 for the Arizona Senator. If John McCain won every remaining battle ground state in the nation, Obama will still have 277 votes and win the election. The chances of John McCain winning the battle ground states are next to nil since the endorsement of Obama from the republican’s former secretary of state Colin Powel. For the McCain campaign, it isn’t a matter of winning the election; it’s a matter of how badly are they going to lose. Despite this evidence, some of you will vote for the Arizona Senator. Washington is a blue state; it is leaning towards Obama and will be won by him. Voting for McCain is in essence voting for a 3rd party candidate. Some of you may yet still vote for the Republicans out of principle; statistically 40% of you do this for the Republican or Democrat up for election just because they have a D or R next to their name. This leaves 20% of the population to decide who wins the election. By now most of you have probably already voted, and it’s too late to change your decision. In four years you will have a chance again to cast your vote for the proper candidate. Next time the right choice might be a Republican. Then again, given that incumbents almost always win there may not be a chance for you to vote R. It would be nice to finally have a viable 3rd party candidate so we could vote neither D nor R and actually have a real choice besides two complete opposites trying to look neutral.