The Buffet Rule

Kristi Gallup
Guest Blogger

The Buffett Rule, proposed by President Obama has created an immense amount of tension leading to the upcoming Presidential election of 2012. The White House specifically stated the definition of the Buffett Rule: “No household making more than $1 million each year should pay a smaller share of their income taxes than a middle class family”. This seems like a reasonable statement, however that is not what President Obama has been encouraging throughout his speeches.

Negative advertising’s impact is strong; the remedy’s in research

Elizabeth Kilbride
Opinions Editor

Jeremy W. Peters recently wrote an article for the New York Times headlined “92% of Ads in Florida Were Negative.” Exhibit A was an ad by the pro-Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future, although I’m not sure this is a corner of YouTube you want to visit. Jane Mayer also wrote about negative advertising in an article about Larry McCarthy, who helps direct Restore Our Future, in The New Yorker; the article was called “Mitt Romney’s Attack Dog.”

Who should really control the birth control debate?

Steffi Badanes
Blogs Editor

Ever since the Obama administration announced that under the Affordable Care Act, the no-cost birth control policy would go into effect, intense debates and controversy have been stirring up. GOP members are up in arms, saying contraception coverage goes against the right to religious freedom. But what about the rights of women to affordable health care? Although these religious organizations say they are against contraception, the fact is, surveys show that 98% of catholic women have used birth control at some point during their lives. So by not covering birth control, religious organizations are denying a poor woman’s right to choose to use it or not. Some may be fortunate enough to still be able to make that decision. But for others, paying $100 a month for birth control may not be an option.

Newt Gingrich: It’s time for you to go.

Steffi Badanes
Blogs Editor

I am surprised that Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has stayed in the race for this long. Since our May 25 2011 post, Looking ahead at 2012: Newt Gingrich, Gingrich has certainly proven me wrong and has actually managed to launch his campaign. Gingrich has managed to avoid the bottom of the polls, coming in 4th place in the Iowa Caucus with 13% of the vote, and 4th place again in the New Hampshire primary with 9% of the vote. But there is still a lot that will keep Newt Gingrich from getting the Republican nomination. Like I said in our previous post, coming out against Congressman Paul Ryan’s plan to slash Medicare spending lost Gingrich the support of extreme conservatives. His patriotic affair and three marriages haven’t helped his image either.

RIP Herman Cain’s campaign

Steffi Badanes & Kristi Gallup
Blogs Editor & Guest Blogger

On Saturday December 3, Herman Cain announced that he was suspending his 2012 presidential campaign. So what’s going to happen to Herman Cain and the rest of the presidential candidates? We give our thoughts on what’s to come.