Opinions - The Eastern Echo

Death of Hostess treats, Twinkie sad day for America

By Jennifer Kirby · Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012

American Culture has been devastated. As of now, the ever-popular Hostess Twinkie is on its deathbed. A generation of Americans will grow up without having so much as a bite of a Twinkie. The Hostess business is closing, and taking an iconic piece of American culture with it.

Conservative lobbyist shares idiocy like plague

By Patrick Seick · Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012

Who is John Galt? The opening line of the Grand Old Party’s quasi-manifesto from Ayn Rand can be bastardized to apply to modern politics. Who is Grover Norquist? The answer is needed now more than ever as his agenda directly conflicts with what the American public has openly voiced.

Tax breaks for fetuses GOP anti-choice scheme

By Jodi F. Bullock · Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012

While it may sound like something ripped straight from The Onion, Michigan Republican lawmakers really have proposed an amendment to the state tax code that would allow pregnant women to claim a fetus over 12 weeks old as a dependent and receive an estimated $160 tax break.

Athletic funds could be used for academics

By Sammy DeMarco · Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012

It’s time we re-examine Eastern Michigan University’s football program. Again. In a Dec. 3 front-page column, The Eastern Echo sports editor called for the firing of head coach Ron English. With an overall record of 10-38, I agree. However, I suggest the Board of Regents refrain from its usual knee-jerk reaction of addressing the football program’s failure by tossing more dollars at it.

Allow people to die with dignity

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012

Assisted suicide is a controversial issue, so naturally it requires a sarcastic, caustic and mentally questionable touch when being discussed.

Snyder improves MI economy

By James Tatum · Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012

I was disappointed early into Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration, which started in January 2011. He said he wanted to “reinvent” the state.

Texans use chips to track students

By Robert Uldricks · Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012

The BBC posted a story Nov. 23 about a girl, Andrea Hernandez, being expelled from a Texan school for refusing to wear a tracking device.

Concept by Sammy DeMarco and John Fike and drawn by David Woodward (The Eastern Echo/2012).

Keep market values out of nonprofit sector

By John G. Fike · Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012

Caution: We’re being invaded by aliens from inner space. Yes, it’s something we’re doing to ourselves. But don’t panic; let me explain.

Why do young people care about social media, but not the news?

By Jennifer Kirby · Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012

There are many horrific events going on in the world right now. Israel and Hamas were recently firing at each other, an earthquake tore apart Guatemala and citizens in 23 European countries went on strike over a financial crisis; all important events that many people have not heard about. College students should be more mindful of the world around them.

Affirmative Action serves as a step backwards for equality

By David Konarske · Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit struck down Michigan’s ban on Affirmative Action Nov. 15. The ban, known as the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, was added to our State Constitution in 2006 after being approved by 58 percent of the electorate.

Politics needs more women

By Patrick Seick · Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012

Now that the presidential election has finally ended, we can begin our next conversation: the 2016 presidential election. Our creativity of topics aside, the search for presidential candidates has already begun. Most interesting to me is the reemergence of an old name: Hillary Clinton.

Churches should be held accountable

By Jodi F. Bullock · Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012

A University of Tampa sociology professor recently published a report in which he estimated that the United States is losing $71 billion per year because of its automatic tax exemptions for religious institutions.

Herds of people give up family time to shop

By Sammy DeMarco · Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012

I have a confession to make. I experience a moment of schadenfreud reading about people getting trampled and violent frenzies that break out.

Good employee resigns for wrong reasons

By Robert Uldricks · Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012

On Nov. 9, BBC reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had made the absolutely shocking discovery that then-Director of the Central Intelligence Agency David Petraeus did in fact possess a penis.

Black Friday is not a good day to die

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012

Death is inevitable. This knowledge wears greatly on the souls of man. Though our death is inevitable, how we die is not. There are those among us who dream of a glorious death, a death where they fight the last stand against the alien horde to ensure humanity’s dominance of the galaxy.

Black Americans and politics

By James Tatum · Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012

Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., resigned from Congress Wednesday. His letter of resignation to Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, cited his poor health and treatment for bipolar disorder at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

The battle for the 51st state: Let Puerto Ricans Decide on Statehood

By Robert Uldricks · Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012

During the last election, Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States you may have heard of, voted to become a state.

Republicans try to expand voter base post-election

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012

America: The land of opportunity. That’s the theory, at least. The 2012 presidential election showed quite clearly that minority voters tend to vote Democratic — for some reason I’m sure no one could possibly answer.

The battle for the 51st state: Against Puerto Rican Statehood

By David Konarske · Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012

This election year saw lots of partisan bickering, lots of yard signs and lots of stump speeches. For the most part, it wasn’t much different from past elections. However, there was a unique development that seems to have gone unnoticed by many Americans: The people of Puerto Rico have voted that they want to add their star to the U.S. flag and become the nation’s 51st state.

Corrections

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012

In the Nov. 11 Eastern Echo article “Get money out of politics: Cost to elect president was around $6 billion,” the figure spent in opposition to Hoekstra was incorrectly stated as about $1.4 million and should have read about $1,455.