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(04/10/18 4:13am)
In recent years, the student loan crisis in our nation has continued to escalate, as the threat of a mass default among debtors looms. Currently, Americans owe nearly $1.5 trillion dollars in student loan debt, dispersed across approximately 44 million borrowers. It is also worth noting that of those 44 million borrowers, 42.3 million have taken out federal loans, as opposed to loans from private entities. Beyond the obvious pecuniary risk, there are other threats that this burden poses to our society, such as the increase in mental health issues related to this heavy debt amongst our youth. The federal loan system must be improved and streamlined for the long-term wellbeing of both the students and the taxpayers who will be footing a $170 billion bill for the program this decade.
(03/13/18 5:17am)
This Wednesday, March 14, students across the nation and here at the University will participate in the National Walkout Day in protest of gun violence. The specific demands of the protesters are numerous and variable depending on location, but for the most part they all include some measure of gun control, in an attempt to reduce the number of mass shootings in this country. Historically speaking, however, gun control has proven to be largely ineffective in the United States, and it is unlikely that similar legislation will be effective or feasible in curbing our country’s homicide rate.
(02/21/18 6:34am)
Since its inception in the 1970s up until the turn of the century, hip-hop’s hallmark was its lyricism. Whether examining the profound social commentary of legendary rappers like Nas or the complex rhyme schemes and well-executed punch lines of Harlem’s finest, Big L, every hip-hop artist had a unique story to tell or simply a unique way of telling it. Though the beats and production quality of their songs were a bit lackluster compared to what we see today, they didn’t need to be great since the lyrics themselves were enough to captivate audiences. This is completely different from modern day hip-hop, where it seems like beats and catchy choruses are more important than lyricism and wordplay. This shift has — in my view — has caused a large drop off in quality.
(12/01/17 5:23am)
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, approximately 150 to 200 species go extinct every day. While some degree of extinction is part of natural selection and evolution, studies show that this rate is over 1,000 times the natural rate, primarily because of humans. The World Wildlife Fund and other conservation organizations spend billions of dollars every year to protect endangered species, but such efforts have been ineffective for the most part, as extinction rates are climbing exponentially. With the human population increasing annually at the level it currently is, it appears that the eventual extinction of most species of animals and wildlife is inevitable — but there is a way we can reverse these trends.
(11/17/17 5:10am)
After spending dozens of hours knocking on doors and making calls this summer with the John Adams campaign, I was a bit disheartened to see every single one of the Republican candidates lose in the election last week. However, it wasn’t the loss itself that saddened me the most — I had expected narrow losses for the entire ticket — but rather the fact that the Republican candidates lost in such spectacular fashion, with former Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie faring worse than even President Donald Trump last year. By pretty much all measures, Gillespie was a superior candidate in my mind — whether examining his subjectively great debate performances, or his detailed set of fiscal plans for our state. He couldn’t have possibly run a better campaign and seemed to have the unequivocal support of the Republican base — unlike Trump — so why did he and the rest of the ticket get absolutely annihilated?
(10/30/17 2:38am)
It’s no secret that sexual assault has been a tremendous problem on college campuses across the nation, and is still on the rise. Numerous college administrations have enacted awareness efforts — including here at the University — but these have proven to be ineffective for the most part. I believe this inefficacy stems from the fact that efforts have been focused too much on awareness as opposed to prevention. While education and understanding are certainly crucial in enacting change, these factors alone are not enough to achieve a significant reduction in sexual assault.
(10/23/17 4:00am)
In recent years, protests — peaceful and violent alike — have increased in both number and magnitude in our country. Whether it be Black Lives Matter, the Women’s March or infamous anthem protests, people are increasingly feeling like systemic change must occur in our society — and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As a constitutional conservative, I completely support any peaceful protests or other demonstrations of our freedoms of speech and assembly, for that is what makes America the beacon of liberty that it has been since its inception. That being said, the main problem when dealing with systemic issues — such as the debatable gender pay gap or the irrefutable racial disparity in incarceration rates — is the fact that a lot of these problems simply cannot be solved through legislation alone.
(10/13/17 2:56am)
In the wake of the recent slew of hurricanes which have barraged the American Southeast, numerous scientists and reporters have wasted no time in attributing these disasters to climate change. In fact, it seems like nowadays just about every meteorological phenomenon is a result of global warming. Whether it be increased temperatures, decreased temperatures, tornadoes, earthquakes or even volcanic eruptions, climate change is always the answer, and the majority of these conclusions are drawn with sparing evidence, if any.
(10/06/17 4:00am)
Since assuming office, President Donald Trump has spent 36 days at his National Golf Club in New Jersey, 25 days at Mar-a-lago, 15 days at his National Golf Club in Virginia and taken a slew of other vacations. As can be expected, the political left is furious about these outings, for which Republicans wrongfully lambasted President Barack Obama during his terms, and even Trump’s right-wing supporters are heavily critical of him. However, Trump’s frequent recesses may be exactly what’s needed for our country and our economy to return to its small-government roots.
(09/22/17 3:33am)
As racial tensions continue to rise in the United States, many issues of debate have risen to the forefront. In recent weeks, self-proclaimed social activists across the nation have begun advocating for the desecration or destruction of monuments which honor men of the past. Many of these men were the architects and forefathers of our nation, but made some very questionable decisions, to say the least.
(10/26/16 10:10am)
Donald Trump is the better of the two electable candidates. He is not a perfect individual by any means, nor is he an ideal candidate even by my own standards, but he is the best option we have this election season, which is why I’m casting my vote for him. It is easy to be dismissive of Trump by labelling him with any number of virtually meaningless buzzwords: “racist,” “sexist,” “Islamophobic,” “xenophobic” — take your pick. The mainstream media has done a great job of demonizing the Republican candidate (as they do every election), but frankly this doesn’t concern me in the slightest, and it shouldn’t concern you either. If you set aside your preconceived notions and put in the effort to look at Trump and his policies with an open mind, I’m sure you’ll find that he’s not as bad as people say.