The Campus & Federal Politics beat reporter carries an interesting bit of baggage, namely that stories should include federal politics, and not just those about ASUO. Because reporting on campus opinions about federal issues is the primary option for getting that federal coverage in the paper (and when that was attempted, it didn’t turn out well), it’s about time the Emerald tried something with it online.
Below is a summary of some interesting stories to come out of federal politics in the last couple days.
Today’s news
On “deeply mixed feelings”: U.S. President Barack Obama released an executive order Monday morning that resumed military tribunals for detainees at Guantánamo, but he said he is still open to closing the prison camp … some day.
On Republican talking points: Mitt Romney is presenting options for a Republican attack in 2012. He basically says, “It’s the economy, stupid.” Though a likely candidate to run for the GOP nomination, Romney has not committed. Romney also clarifies that his work on healthcare and Obamacare are completely different.
On empty threats: Sarah Palin wants Kathy Griffin to pick on her (video) and calls Griffin “an adult bully.”
On a contract with America: It appears as though Republican Newt Gengrich is likely to make a run for the presidency. At this point, no one’s running for anything, but they might soon.
On quorum deficiency: The Democrats on the lam from the Wisconsin legislature want Republican Gov. Scott Walker to talk to them. They hope public opinion will sway the current Republican majority that would approve a bill banning things public employees can collectively bargain about.
Today’s opinion
On curtailing youth voting: Rock the Vote’s Sayak Mukherjee and Richard Sunderland are upset about a bill being heard by the in the New Hampshire House’s Election Law Committee. Proponents of the bill say things like: “Voting as a liberal. That’s what kids do. Students lack life experience; they just vote their feelings.”
On federal power: HuffPo’s Andrew Reinbach wants Justice Clarence Thomas to be impeached for lying. Surely there’s more to this story, because typically there’s some sort of punishment for federal-level perjury.
On political personalities: Earl Ofari Hutchinson ponders why white guys don’t back Obama or the Democrats so much and says that if women didn’t come to the polls as much in 1996, President Bob Dole might have been a thing.
On education politics: Writers at the Daily Kos cite evidence for a Republican war on teachers. Arguments include calling Florida Gov. Rick Scott too much of a Southerner, saying that Wisconsin Republicans hate women and questioning whether this is just based on long-standing resentment against teachers.
