Dear UB Students,
What up? Hope you had a good time at home wondering why none of your friends want to go out anymore or why the bars in your town have such strict ID policies.
Winter break is always a good time to rest up, recover from finals, and prepare yourself for the rigors of moving back into wherever you moved out of the month before. I hope you also had time to get over your hangovers.
I’m not talking about the hangover from the last Thursday night Molly’s trip of the semester, but your political hangover. Since President Bush was re-elected in November, the idealistic politically-aware and politically-charged atmosphere of this campus has evaporated like so much 151 at the top of a flaming shot.
Sure, some of this could be attributed to cold weather, schoolwork, and (for liberals) the profound absence of a sense that your vote/opinion really matters, but we’ve been licking our wounds long enough. It’s time to get off the mat.
The president was inaugurated last Thursday, in fulfillment of a mandate by the U.S. Constitution and the American people. And they did it all for a mere $40 million. It’s a steal at twice the price!
Also, Governor George Pataki submitted his Executive Budget to the state legislature. It includes proposals to cut tuition assistance for low-income students (finally!), and raise SUNY tuition by $500 per year and CUNY tuition by $250 per year. Because really, it has been two whole years since the last increase, and we state college students spend far too little on our education as it is. And if we don’t pay more, how will the state pay for Pataki’s suggested $190 million tax break for wealthy New Yorkers?
The deadline for the state’s budget is April 1, so I suppose the good news is that we have at least six to eight months before any of this becomes official.
The point I’m trying to make here is that there are still issues out there worth fighting for. There are still greedy old men out there doing whatever they want with YOUR money because they think you’re too stupid and docile to stand up and start some shit.
Squash that noise.
Show these clowns you’re still reading the newspapers, still watching their every move, and still ready to jump them on the steps of the Capitol if they screw around too much with the power you’ve given them.
When you ain’t got nothin’ you’ve got nothin’ to lose,
Jake Drum
Associate Editor
