In 2004, the Republican Party appeared on the verge of controlling Washington for years to come. President George W. Bush had just won reelection and the GOP had picked up a, few key seats in Congress.
After enduring endless months of campaigning, this nation has finally arrived at Election Day. Our minds and news sources are consumed with election politics, but at this time of year, one cannot help but consider another great American November tradition: Thanksgiving Day, an opportunity to enjoy family and food and relax on the couch with something other than election coverage on TV.
After months of mud-slinging, name-calling and petty negative attacks, the day is finally here: Top Ten's take on the the Presidential election. With Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama squaring off today, we at Daily Sports wanted to throw our two cents in on the greater electoral chaos. So in honor of today's presidential dust up between the great senators from Illinois and Arizona, Top Ten dives headfirst into the best that each state has to offer to the greater world of sports. 10. Doug Mirabelli (Ariz.). The former famed catcher of Tim Wakefield's knuckleballs was born in Kingman, Arizona. Currently a free agent, Mirabelli has given his services to four different MLB teams and is most known for his years playing in Boston, where he was a part of both the 2004 and 2007 championship squads. 9. Sal Fasano (Ill.). Another mediocre catcher, this time from the Prairie State. Career batting average: .221. Career home runs: 47. Career moustaches: one. And it was awesome. 8. Ted Danson (Ariz.). Danson played the famous character Sam "Mayday" Malone on the TV sitcom "Cheers" from 1982 to 1993. Malone was a washed-up, but supposedly once-decent, relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox whose potentially great future was ruined by alcoholism. In real life, though, Danson grew up outside Flagstaff, Arizona and hasn't battled alcoholism, though his love affair with Whoopi Goldberg probably had the same effects. 7. Dick Butkus (Ill.). The once 6'3", 245-pound Chicago native did just about everything right in his career, garnering numerous Pro Bowl selections, NFL Player of the Century considerations and a Pro Football Hall of Fame nod. His only mistake was becoming the XFL's director of competition. 6. Henry Cejudo (Ariz.). At the age of 21, this wrestler from Phoenix, Arizona, became this summer the youngest-ever American to win an Olympic Wrestling Gold Medal. Cejudo, the son of undocumented immigrants, was able to turn a passion for wrestling into a life-changing opportunity — one on which he capitalized. 5. Rickey Henderson (Ill.). Simply put, he's the greatest of all time. Just ask him. 4. Ian Kinsler (Ariz.). The young second baseman for the Texas Rangers, born and raised near Tucson, might as well have been the "Lone Star" on his team in the second half of the season, as Home-Run Derby standout Josh Hamilton saw his star status dwindle after the break. 3. Jim Thome (Ill.). One of the most feared hitters of the past decade, the Illinois native has knocked out 541 pitches to the bleachers, ranking 14th on the all-time home runs list. Among MLB's elders, Thome is 38 years old, making him eligible as a write-in candidate in today's election if you're hankering for someone from the Prairie State not named "Barack." 2. Phil Mickelson (Ariz.). The undisputed second-best, or second-most renowned or second-highest paid golfer in the world, Phil Mickelson has had quite a career. Raised in Arizona, he attended Arizona State University on a golf scholarship and was America's top golf prospect for at least — well, actually, Tiger's always had him beat, despite being five years younger than Phil. 1. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Ill.). Hailing from scenic East St. Louis (yes, it's still in Illinois), Joyner-Kersee is one of the all-time best in the women's heptathlon and long jump. With three gold medals to her name, she was arguably one of the best things to come out of Illinois since Honest Abe.
Arguably the most controversial issue on the Massachusetts ballot this fall is Question 2, which, if passed, will decriminalize the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana. While at first glance, this ballot issue raises an alarm, especially for those who are strongly opposed to marijuana legalization/decriminalization, upon further examination it is a logical approach to what many consider a common problem.
Americans are fueled by a sense of entitlement. Many of us, having never struggled for the rights and opportunities afforded to us, are content to indifferently reap the benefits. As this election season comes to a close, it's time to look at one of the most basic rights granted by our country: voting.
Election Day is tomorrow. Polls seem to indicate a comfortable victory for Barack Obama. I know this article will not prevent Tufts students from voting in droves for the Democratic candidate, but I would be remiss if I did not make one last appeal for you not to.
What is an A? Or a B, C, D or F? These five designations have dominated the lives of students since they entered schooling. However, according to a recent Boston Globe article by Experimental College professor Phil Primack, Tufts, along with most other universities, has all but eliminated those last three letters. It seems that professors, facing complaints from students and their parents, have become as hesitant to give out C's and D's as they used to be about giving A's and B's. Of course, we're talking about grade inflation, the big elephant in the room. Grade inflation is running rampant on college campuses and has been for quite some time. A study encompassing 29 colleges and universities (not including Tufts) revealed an average GPA jump from 3.11 in 1992 to 3.26 in 2002. Tufts has an even higher average GPA: 3.39 for the 2007-2008 academic year. Why are universities inflating grades? The simple answer is to please their students. However, the inflation does not just happen because of one person or on one level. Instead, the problem of grade inflation can be traced to professors, administrators, and yes, even us, the students. Grade inflation is a self-perpetuating problem, a vicious cycle. Universities want their students to be accepted to the most prestigious medical and law schools so they do not restrict the amount of high grades professors can give out. The last thing professors want is to gain a reputation for giving out a heavy workload and lots of low grades. Additionally, professors do not want to incur the wrath of spurned students and their increasingly omnipresent parents, who are shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to attend University X. Grade inflation would be a fixable problem if it were localized. But it is not. In addition to all grade inflation created by the tenuous relationship between students and professors, competition between universities creates even more inflation. If University X thinks it sees University Y inflating grades, the natural reaction is for University X to inflate grades as well. With everyone looking over each other's shoulders, grade inflation is hard to stop. If the trend that is in place continues, grades will become meaningless. It is already beginning. Whereas A's used to be a mark of perfection or excellence, they are becoming standard. A's should be reserved for those students that go above and beyond what is asked of them. Those that simply meet the minimum requirements should be given B's or C's. Students need to realize that grades are not everything and that by forcing grades to become inflated as such, the grades become worthless. The key here is that everyone (students, professors, administrators) is too concerned with how others perceive them, while underplaying what college is all about: learning. Although we cannot advocate Tufts setting out on a crusade alone to eliminate grade inflation, as this would undoubtedly hurt students in the short term, we believe it is the responsibility of universities across America to come together to set standards to eliminate grade inflation. One college or university eliminating grade inflation does not solve the problem, but if enough join together, then real reform can be effective.
The 18-25 year old demographic is often bemoaned for its apathetic nature when it comes to politics. Efforts like MTV's Rock the Vote or Sean Combs' Vote or Die campaign are specifically targeted at getting out the youth vote, thereby increasing their level of political engagement. It is fair to say that it appears that the American youth have been motivated by the 2008 election between Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain. Therefore, it is only appropriate that a student group provide coverage of such an historic event. On election night, JumboCast will produce a newscast, live from the campus center, the site of the Experimental College's Election Night Extravaganza (an event in which students can gather, watch various news feeds and discuss the election as a community). Our student-run production will feature a news desk, field reporters, interviews with students, student groups and faculty, a panel of experts discussing the election as the evening progresses, a continuously updated electoral map and a video package documenting the timeline of the election. Primarily an organization devoted to webcasting Tufts athletics, JumboCast decided that, due to the importance of the 2008 election, specifically as it relates to the collegiate population, we would venture into new territory. When presented with this opportunity, the members of JumboCast were instantly enthusiastic and began devoting their time to making our election night coverage a success by doing research, sending out press releases and generating ideas to make our production better and better. The fact that these individuals would devote so much of their time to one project alone demonstrates that students on this campus care about this election. I've been asked: "Why would you choose to watch JumboCast's election night coverage as opposed to one on national television?" The answer is that nowhere on your television can you find live coverage of a national event influencing individuals on such a local level. On election night, none of the national television stations covering the election — CNN, FOX, MSNBC — will be discussing what is going on at Tufts University, the place where we all spend the vast majority of our time. The economy affects Tufts students. Energy policy affects Tufts students. Foreign policy affects Tufts students. No major network will be addressing these issues; JumboCast will. There is no one better to discuss major topics relating to college students than college students themselves. Furthermore, we aim to document history. The Experimental College has held this event several times in the past, but never has it been covered in this manner. JumboCast will be capturing student reactions to the most important election of our time. For many current Tufts students, this is the first time they will get to vote, the first time they have been active in a political campaign, or the first time they've taken an issue such as abortion, the environment or voter apathy to heart and have done something about it. It may even be the first time someone has cared about an election. We want to talk to these students about their actions, opinions and feelings regarding the election. And moreover, we want the community and anyone who tunes into JumboCast that night to see what Tufts students have to say about this election. There is no national media outlet, or even a locally based Boston outlet, that will be providing such coverage. JumboCast is aiming to accomplish many things on Nov. 4. We aim to illustrate that student activism is alive and well on the Tufts campus, not just in the political realm, but the media realm as well. We are determined to provide informative coverage of the election throughout the evening until a winner is declared. We intend to show those who cannot be at the campus center on election night just what they are missing. We intend to record an important part of Tufts history for future generations. Perhaps most importantly, we want to give a voice to the Tufts community that anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can access. JumboCast is perfect for such a task. JumboCast invites you to join us by visiting www.JumboCast.com at 7:15 pm on Nov. 4. Or come down to the campus center and get your voice heard —we want to hear it and will listen. We further encourage you to tell your family, friends, neighbors, employers — whoever cares about this election — that they will have the opportunity to see the Tufts student body in action as a community witnessing, discussing and taking part in one of the most important events in our lives. The decisions made by the American public on Election Day will have a profound effect on the students of Tufts University. This is your election, and who better to report on this important event than your classmates?
There are less than five days left until the election. A series of events that started back in December of 2006 is finally about to come to a conclusion. By next Tuesday, we will know which candidate is headed to the White House. While Tufts is in a solidly blue state, students' efforts in New Hampshire are undoubtedly important. Consider this: In 2000, former presidential candidate Al Gore lost New Hampshire by 7,211 votes. Had Gore's campaign been able to get more voters out to the polls, this country would have never faced eight agonizing years of a Bush presidency. Fast-forward seven and a half years. Sen. Barack Obama is slated to win January's New Hampshire primary given the momentum from his unexpected Iowa victory. All of the polls have him leading. Former Sen. John Edwards has even gone so far as to say that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is no longer a contender in the race. Against all odds, Hillary defeats him handily, shocking voters and the media alike. This unlikely outcome changed the face of the entire primary season, and nearly prevented Obama from achieving the democratic nomination. The point is that no matter what the poll numbers are, and no matter how large the electorate is, the actions of individual volunteers are essential to an electoral victory. Take a look at this example, when grit and determination translated into success. During the primaries, I volunteered to knock on doors for Obama's campaign in my home state of Pennsylvania. I partnered up with a man named John Toth, who had helped run our newly elected congressman Patrick Murphy's (D-Penn.) successful 2006 campaign. The win had come as a shock to the local media: Suburban Bucks County had been absolutely dominated by Republican candidates for decades without a hint of a Democratic comeback. So, naturally I was curious as to how Murphy — an Iraq War veteran — and his relatively greenhorn campaign team had managed to unseat a popular, charismatic congressman with backing from the county's political establishment. Most would say it was dissatisfaction with the war and the President that year, but Toth disagreed. "We just plain worked harder," he explained. According to Toth, every day Murphy's team would canvass from morning till sundown and then do office work late into the night, often not leaving until around 10 p.m. "I used to drive by Fitzpatrick's [Murphy's opponent] place and see people leaving at five," John said, "You can't run a campaign like that." Indeed, the local papers had made a point of covering the campaign's steadfastness throughout the season, with the Bucks County Courier Times running a story on the veteran's determined canvassing routine, including a photo of Murphy taking a break from the brutal regime in his office, feet up on the desk, holes in shoes á la Adlai Stevenson. When Murphy did win in November, he did it by the slimmest of margins, just 1,518 votes. To give some perspective, that's out of 249,817 votes in total. Gore lost by about five times that margin in a state with about double the population. The point is, as Toth told me, "People lose when they get lazy." As of early October this year, predictions had placed the Electoral College at a 269-269 tie, with New Hampshire in Sen. John McCain's column. This only goes to show that we as students at Tufts have both an opportunity and a responsibility to take action in influencing this election. This could be the state on which the entire election hinges, and our efforts could be just as pivotal. Take into consideration the 7,211 votes by which Gore lost, or the 1,518 by which Murphy won, and at the same time picture the roughly 1,000 houses that Tufts and Brandeis students canvassed on Saturday alone. And, while I speak to all Tufts students, regardless of political orientation, I would particularly like to appeal to fellow Obama supporters. It utterly surprises me how many students I talk to are adamant in their support for Obama, yet how few of those students have taken action in this election. Opportunities abound for participation. In this coming week, there will be even more, with both the Tufts Democrats and Students for Barack Obama asking students to act, be it spending a few hours making phone calls or a day knocking on doors in New Hampshire. Tufts, with less than a week left until this election, keep in mind the historical importance of this process. Seldom have we seen so much enthusiasm or so much at stake in a single campaign. The election of '08 will be etched in history along with '80, '68 and '60. Obama and McCain will be names tantamount to Kennedy, Roosevelt and Reagan. Contributing does not require an agonizing commitment. No matter what level of participation you have, the feeling of participating is amazing, and every volunteer you meet will be overwhelmingly grateful and welcoming of your support. Even if you are not a member of either the Tufts Democrats or the Students for Obama groups; even if you have never done any political volunteer work before, you are more than welcome to take part in campaign activities. This is one of those rare opportunities to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is both free and without prerequisites. Visit the Tufts Democrats website if you are interested in volunteering for Obama. Whether you come to New Hampshire for a day or for the weekend, whether you make three calls or three hundred, you will be able to say you had an impact on an event that will have an immortal presence in American history.
Earlier this month, the university received a letter from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA). The council admonished the university for not having a Reserve Officers' Training Corps facility on campus and for not allowing students participating in an MIT training program to receive credit here. While University President Lawrence Bacow correctly pointed out that the decision about the facility belongs to the military, not Tufts, his declaration that we fully support our ROTC students is somewhat debatable. Despite its professed support, Tufts still refuses to give credit to those ROTC members who train at MIT. In addition to their regular course load, ROTC students are required to take an extra class every semester as part of their training on the MIT campus. The classes often focus on areas such as leadership, engineering and business, all very common themes for Tufts classes. Not only does this extra course take out chunks of time from already-busy schedules, but the commute coupled with the work is bound to take its toll. Although Tufts cites the absence of a cross-registration system with MIT as the cause of this problem, it still means that we are one of the only schools in the country that does not offer credit for ROTC classes (although the policies for credit-granting vary between schools). While Tufts does offer credit for the ROTC training at Boston University, the commute is longer and more inconvenient, meaning that many students resign themselves to the closer but creditless MIT option. ROTC students should not be forced to inconvenience themselves to earn the credit for classes that would have counted had they taken them at Tufts. ROTC training could be equated with the internships and classes that prepare students of all majors throughout the university for their future careers, the only difference being that ROTC students are bound for the military. The university would never presume to tell a student who had just finished a year-long internship in a biology lab or a semester in a research seminar that all his work would be absent from his transcript. How then, is it fair that students who demonstrate the same, if not more, effort and dedication than their peers do not receive recognition for their efforts on their transcripts? To discount the level of commitment ROTC students put into both their career training and their academics is an insult and confirms ACTA's allegations of discouraging ROTC participation on campus. By making it difficult for ROTC students to transfer credits, Tufts could possibly be encouraging students who are otherwise interested in attending the university to look elsewhere or, conversely, discouraging students set on Tufts from considering the military as a possible career path. The university's policy should not prevent the dedication, commitment and extra work required to participate in the program from appearing on a student's transcript.
The income tax has been a staple of American life since the beginning of the 20th century. While no one really enjoys paying taxes, most tend to think of it as a civic duty. But here in Massachusetts, Question 1 on the ballot would eliminate the Massachusetts state income tax, which at present is a flat 5.3 percent.
In the Oct. 24 issue, a picture of Freida Lee Mock was attributed to Tien Tien. It was actually taken by Danai Macridi.
On Wednesday, I witnessed a situation I had never seen in my four years here at Tufts. One of my professors had difficulty projecting her slides from a computer. The professor tried to conduct class while the TA worked on and was finally able to fix the technology. Although the slides were working, our professor was frustrated with the way they were being displayed and the speed at which the TA was clicking through them. With exasperated sighs and hands thrown into the air, she expressed her dissatisfaction with the TA. Members of the class looked around at each other to make sure that everyone else had noticed what seemed like odd behavior for a professor. Still, her frustration continued to mount, and her tone turned edgy and cold as she admonished the TA. Eventually the professor turned to personal attacks, including phrases like, "If you can't do it, then just forget about it," and finally, "Just let me do it myself!"
To echo the words of Bobby Kennedy in 1968, "This is no ordinary time, and this is no ordinary election." The list of crises that the new president will have to face on inauguration day is more daunting than at any other time in recent memory. Economic uncertainty is at its peak as the stock market plunges and lawmakers and the American public alike view possible remedies suspiciously. An energy crisis threatens America's families and industries, depleting our oil reserves and our savings even as the global climate crisis makes our need for alternative fuels abundantly clear. Millions of Americans are without health insurance, and many more are struggling to get by with what they have. Children are being left behind in inner cities and underserved communities, and even for the lucky ones, college is often out of reach. Hostile nations like Iran and North Korea continue their pursuit of nuclear weapons, and radical terrorists threaten our security at home. Meanwhile, American men and women — teenagers and young adults — are at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting and dying in strange lands far away from home.
Halloween has to be one of my favorite holidays. How often do you get to dress up in some wild costume, wander the streets at dusk and get rewarded with candy for your efforts? Like most people, I plan on partaking in the lively festivities that accompany this season. But this year it won't be just sugar-craving children knocking on doors.
Veteran activist and politician Ralph Nader broke the Guinness World Record for the most speeches given in a day on Saturday, making a total of 21 stops all across Massachusetts and topping the previous mark of 15. Currently running as an Independent candidate for president, Nader pressed the importance of having a strong third party to rival the two mainstream ones. Additionally, he tried to make the presidential campaign experience more personal by speaking directly to small communities instead of at mass rallies or via television or radio. Although formerly respected for his activism, including advocacy for automobile safety, Nader now acts as a mere distraction in the crucial election that we face. Although mildly amusing, this stunt of Nader's is devoid of any larger meaning. As part of his motives, Nader explained that he wanted to win at least 5 percent of the vote nationally so he could participate in future presidential debates. Nader, still under fire for potentially handing the election to President George W. Bush in 2000, now seems utterly unconcerned about doing the same thing this cycle. Third-party candidates can have an important function in elections, but Nader's ranting is a distraction from the repressed economy, America's weakening reputation abroad and a host of other issues that should define the election. One could argue that Nader is doing a positive service to the country by promoting a third party and giving voters more options to choose from. As a democracy it's nice to think that we have more than two parties to consider. Additionally, third parties can often bring attention to issues that the Democrats and Republicans brush over or ignore. Nevertheless, Nader is hardly the ideal candidate for this job. In order for a third party to successfully break onto the scene, it would need an interesting candidate who brings new ideas to the table. Even Ron Paul would have made a better third-party candidate, as his libertarian ideals seem to have attracted a surprising number of new voters. Although Nader did touch on important issues that may have not been emphasized as much by other candidates, it is difficult to believe that this played a major role in his decision to go record hunting. Historically, third parties have never played a major role in American politics, and that's not likely to change anytime soon. If Nader had wanted to do something productive, he should have dropped out of the race and either endorsed one of the candidates or stayed quiet until after Election Day. Unfortunately, Nader didn't get the message after voters' anger in 2000. And while another upset spurred by a third-party candidate seems unlikely, with so much at stake, that's a hard message to ignore.
All across America, Democrats and liberals constantly announce that Barack Obama is the John F. Kennedy of the 21st century. Certain individuals feel that both Kennedy and Obama are the types of politicians that can transcend politics to improve society for the better.
When rumors were circulating about former Secretary of State Colin Powell's intention to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president about a week before he actually did on the Oct. 19 edition of "Meet the Press," I confided to a friend my belief that such an endorsement would be devastating to the McCain campaign. In light of Powell's decision to officially throw his weight into this election, I cannot pretend that his endorsement does not indeed undermine Sen. John McCain's message and hurt his presidential campaign.
The Daily doesn't typically use this space to trumpet the causes of its sports teams, but we could no longer ignore how the National Field Hockey Coaches Association has shortchanged the Tufts field hockey team of its rightful place atop the national rankings.
As the November election approaches, we are hearing an ever-louder chorus of voices from the left calling on the United States to normalize relations with the oppressive Cuban regime. Advocates of a rapprochement between the United States and the regime claim that our policies have been a failure. They insist that closer economic ties between the two countries would better serve U.S. interests than our current approach toward the regime. Contrary to the assertions of some academics, pundits and talking heads, the embargo has not been a failure. It has been a proven and effective means of keeping the United States safe. Curiously, those who support closer ties with the Cuban regime never discuss the Castro brothers' long record of anti-Americanism. In view of that oversight on their part, a brief discussion of the historical record might serve to shed some light on why we should maintain the current U.S. policies against the regime.
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