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OPINION DECEMBER 6, 2013 Despite backlash, government shntdown looks likely BY ADITYA GARG Staff Wwttr Barely a month ago, the U.S. government shut down. Why? Because of the insistence of a minority faction within the Republican Party, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, unhappy with Obamacare. When asked afterwards by ABC News correspondent Jon Karl about the possibility of a second government shutdown, Cruz responded, "1 would do anything, and I will continue to do anything I can, to stop the train wreck that is Obamacare." The prospect of another government shutdown is all the more likely and frightening in light of recent events. Senate Democrats recently enacted a measure, popularly known as the "nuclear option," to limit filibusters over judicial and executive nominees. The move has angered many Republican leaders, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who likened the move to a Democratic "power grab." The recent exercise of the nuclear option expounded by upcoming midterm elections has certainly put pressure on congressional “ Republicans to oppose most any Democratic legislation and further divided the two parties. While many Republican leaders such as Sen. John McCain and McConnell assured us that we will not have another shutdown, I have yet to be convinced. With Cruz pushing for another stand against Obamacare and Republicans further divided over recent events, as the Jan. 15 deadline approaches it seems all the more likely that a second shutdown is inevitable. However, if history is any indication, a second government shutdown will not bode well for the economy, the American people or the Republican Party. Remember 1995? The second government shutdown led to midterm Republican losses in the House and the re- election of former President Bill Clinton over Republican contender Bob Dole. When a balanced budget was finally reached afterwards, it was almost completely on President Clinton's terms and was hailed as his signature achievement — not that of Republicans. Should history dare repeat itself, I fear the consequences will likely be the same. "It would be political suicide to have a second government shutdown after the disaster of this last one," said Voehringer Professor of Economics Robert G. Williams. "Even worse than the government shutdown is questioning the debt limit of the U.S. government; it showed sheer idiocy on the part of those wanting to hold up the increase in the debt limit over the political debate over Obamacare," he said. In addition. Republicans may soon lose key donors. "Businesses are starting to lose confidence in congressional Republicans," said junior and business major Edward Praley. "Should a second government shutdown be realized, we may indeed see former Republican donors start to reconsider their funding." Surely the Republicans know better. We were once a model nation. An exemplar of progress, democratic debate and stirring compromise. A nation of Henry Clay and the Missouri Compromise, JFK and the space shuttle. Since the Civil War, we have not been a country which succumbed to the pressures of factionalism and risked the fate of its people over ideological values and irrational stubbornness. We had a government that functioned, a government that did not inflict self- imposed punishments. What happened? Our country cannot keep going from crisis to crisis. We cannot shut down our government every time we have a political disagreement. Another government shutdown means another economic depression. Another wave of furloughed workers and unemployed citizens. Another Republican who will not be elected or will not be funded. While I am no forecaster, all the conditions point to another shutdown. If my prediction is true, assuredly nobody will escape unscathed. Logan botches Benghazi scoop On Oct. 27, The only screw-up bigger than the U.S. response to the terrorist attack in Benghazi has been the media's reporting on Benghazi, 60 Minutes" correspondent Lara Logan interviewed Dylan Davies, a former security contractor who was assigned to Libya during the terrorist attack. Davies told a captivating story of how he attempted to fight off terrorists who attacked the consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, 2012. His interview reinforced a narrative that conservative media have salivated over since the attack. Conservative politicians —. quickly cited the *. . ,|||. ii Davies interview (100011) WllltUlly TOO 0 StOrV as fodder for their talking points on ' .,r / I II* ' Benghazi. Finally, they had someone WltnOUt OCKnOWlBuQinQ nUITIBrOUS outside of the Fox News echo chamber nf mtnrarl who validated their theories. COnTIIGTS Ui IllTCrCST. "This '60 Minutes' #benghazi piece • corroborates pretty much everything #foxnews has reported so far," BY ROBERT PACHECO Jgfc malicious oversight? The once-stellar credibility of "60 Minutes" has taken an irreparable hit, compounded by their soft retraction the following week. Buried at the end of the Nov. 9 telecast, Logan's mea culpa lasted exactly 90 seconds. "It was a mistake to include Davies in our report," Logan said. "For that we are very sorry. The most important thing to evetyone at '60 Minutes' is the truth, and the truth is, we made a mistake." Duh! I, having been a reporter this semester, can only conclude that Logan is not a scapegoat. She is a liar as well. She willfully ran a story without acknowledging numerous conflicts of interest. — After an internal review, CBS concluded the story was mishandled from the start. The report cited conflicts of interest between Logan, CBS News and Dylan Davies. For example, Logan gave a critical speech on the U.S. response to Benghazi before her report. Also, Logan is married to Josh Burkett, who was an employee of a tweeted the National Review's Jonah Goldberg. now-shuttered strategic communications firm hired^ during Goldberg is correct; the story was a gripping and fascinating the Bush administration to plant positive stories in Baghdad narrative of the Obama administration's incompetence in newspapers during the Iraq War. Benghazi. Finally, CBS is the parent company of Simon and Schuster It was also complete B.S. who was publishing a book by Davies. Lara Logan's interview became a scandal and rightfully so. On Nov. 26, the guillotine fell on Logan. CBS News made Dylan Davies is a liar. Logan take a leave of absence. He told his employer and the FBI that he was nowhere near Logan is still scheduled to be a speaker at the Bryan Series on the compound at the time of the attack. This information was April 8, 2014.1 urge those who plan the Bryan Series speakers found within 24 hours of the broadcast by The New York Times to follow CBS's example and cut her from the schedule, and Washington Post. The impeccable reputation of the Bryan Series should not However, is Logan a liar or just incompetent? Undoubtedly, suffer a needless loss of credibility by incorporating a person she and "60 Minutes" bungled this story, but was it really a whose work violates Guilford College's core value of integrity. sMs D Be prepared, book selling season is here It's the end of the semester, and you take your $200 book to the College bookstore for buy-back. A transaction later, all you get is $20 and a crisp, "Enjoy your break!" Astonished? Frustrated? Feeling dangerous? Understandably so. But wait until you hear this: Guilford doesn't control the prices for book buy-back. And neither does eFollett, the billion-dollar corporation that provides Guilford with textbooks. The culprit is the "Wholesale Book Buying Guide" that even eFollett must adhere to in setting prices for textbooks, buy-back rates and, eFollett's latest option, book rental prices. Understand this: as soon as you purchase your books, their value depreciates, just like that of a car. So after the clerk offers you the amazon $20, take it and run. Or, do your homework, and you'll thank yourself for a much smoother start to winter break. Homework? Yes, we understand. And we're here to help. Consider the following: Buy your textbooks from the bookstore, and eFollett will buy them back at the end of the semester. The returned books go back up on the shelf, and believe it or not, you're doing a service to fellow Guilfordians and the College. The next student to buy gets a discount from eFollett, and the College profits from the transaction. If you're not satisfied with the buy-back plan: buy your textbooks from the bookstore but sell them on Amazon, Chegg or what- have-you. Better yet (for your wallet and for eFollett): rent your textbooks from the bookstore for half the price and just forget about the hassle of reselling them at the end of the semester. The options are here. Feel free to pick and choose, and wherever your money-saving adventures may take you, good luck. Refleqing Guilford College's core Quaker values, THE TOPICS AND CONTENT OF STAFF EDITORIALS ARE CHOSEN THROUGH CONSENSUS OF ALL 16 EDITORS AND ONE FACULTY ADVISER OF The Guilfordian’s Editorial Board.
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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Dec. 6, 2013, edition 1
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