Vol 111 Issue03 by Santa Monica College Corsair Newspaper

CORSAIR

MARCH 16, 2016 | VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 | SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

FIRST COPY OF THE CORSAIR IS FREE, EACH COPY AFTER IS 25

COUNTRY REMEMBERS NANCY REAGAN MOVIES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2016 Five films to keep on your radar(p.8)

PEARL STREET SMOKERS PUT THE COMMUNITY BACK IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

GETTING TO KNOW THE NEW SMC PRESIDENT

An interview with Dr. Kathryn Jeffery (p.4)

MAPPING OUT THE MADNESS NCAA Tournament analysis (p.5)

Smoking culture on campus (p.9)

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CONTENT

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

EDITORIAL STAFF nik lucaj ........................................... Editor-in-Chief

corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com

bailey peraita............................... Managing Editor

corsair.managing@gmail.com

adam robert thomas ....................... News Editor

corsair.news@gmail.com

alissa nardo .............................. Health & Lifestyle

corsair.lifestylepage@gmail.com

grace gardner .............................. Opinion Editor

corsair.opinionpage@gmail.com

josh shure ...........................................Sports Editor

corsair.sportspage@gmail.com

jacob hirsohn ..........Arts & Entertainment Editor

corsair.calendarpage@gmail.com

alexander melendez ............. Multimedia Editor

corsair.multimediadept@gmail.com

jose lopez .............................................Photo Editor

corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com

josue martinez .................. Assistant Photo Editor

corsairphotoeditor@gmail.com

ramses lemus ......................... Social Media Editor

socialmedia.corsair@gmail.com

william miguel..................................Design Editor

corsair.designteam@gmail.com

CORSAIR STAFF Josue Martinez, Daniela Barhanna, Ryanne Mena, Daniel J. Bowyer, Yanessa Alamillo, Michelle Ayala, Troy Barnes, Luis Baza, Vendela Bergamoni, Julia Bergstrom, September Bottoms, Elva Castillo, Cliff Chang, Siena Deck, Adriana Delgado, Jessica Dupree, Jerome Harris, Apostol Kanev, Ashleen Knutsen, Leyla Leiva, Ka Leong, Brian Lewis, Elizabeth Mattingly, Sebastian Mayorga, Chris Monterrosa, Cyril Palma, Manuel Portugal, Monica Ramirez, Joseph Silva, Kyle Toelken, Julia Westman FACULTY ADVISORS saul rubin ................................. Journalism Advisor gerard burkhart............................ Photo Advisor

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FRONT COVER Diane Sawyer speaks at Nancy Reagan's funeral. Photo by Daniel Bowyer Firefighters start their hoses and begin the downpour against a burning warehouse. Fire began for a yet unkown reason in the RAC World Trading lot on Thursday around 8:00 p.m. in Los Angeles. (Luis Baza/The Corsair)

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR NIK LUCAJ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

It’s March. To many people this means many different things. To booze hounds, it means St. Patrick’s Day. To schools with normally scheduled semesters it means Spring break. To every state besides Arizona and Hawaii (is Arizona really one of the smart ones on an issue?), it’s daylight savings (jet lag for everyone). But for College Basketball fans, it’s the sacred two week celebration of March Madness. Similar to fantasy football, March Madness transcends fandom and turns the casual observer into a raging maniac. College Basketball owns the spotlight for three straight weekends and college fans get to paint their bodies and lose their minds before the five month hiatus between

the end of the tournament and beginning of College Football . My Michigan State Spartans once again come into the tournament as one of the top seeds and look to make a strong run at another Final Four, hopefully cutting down the nets when it’s all over. Our Sports Editor Josh Shure shows my Spartans some love as he goes round by round through his tournament predictions, getting as in-depth with his analysis as he can when going over 63 games in 1,500 words. It’s our March Madness special and he takes you step by step through his bracket dropping enough knowledge to help you keep your bracket from getting busted. In our opinion section, we continue our weekly Op-Ed Duel. As the election progresses and more candidates fall by the wayside (goodnight Marco Rubio), we move on to the Republican side. This week’s candidate: Ted Cruz. Challenging our Opinion Editor Grace Gardner this week is Josh Shure. They both throw their share

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of hooks and uppercuts as they make their cases for and against the polarizing candidate. Health and Lifestyle Editor Alissa Nardo teams up with Staff Writer Ryanne Mena to spotlight the small world of the Pearl Street smoking area. While it may seem like an innocuous group of smokers when you pass by them everyday, it’s a tightly knit group who became friends through their shared addiction. The characters that they encounter prove to be more unique and entertaining than they imagined. News Editor Adam Thomas gets a chance to sit down and get to know new SMC President Kathryn Jeffery. His profile gives a more in-depth look at who she is and what her plans are for the immediate future. Jacob Hirsohn, our A&E Editor with enigmatic taste in movies, counts down his top five most anticipated movies for the rest of 2016. Always a big source of debate within the newsroom, we were especially curious about #4. @THE_CORSAIR •

We also cover the talk given by Rosa Moreno at SMC for Women’s Empowerment month. Staff Writer Ashleen Knutsen was given an opportunity to attend and hear Moreno share her incredible story marked by a tragic work accident that left her with no hands. Ashleen takes us through Moreno's journey from this horrifying accident to today where she travels to share her story and fight against unfair treatment of workers in factories outside the United States. Our cover photo comes from Nancy Reagan’s funeral where our Staff Photographer Daniel Bowyer was given access to photograph the crowd of stars and politicians who came to pay their respects to the late former First Lady. Our photo story shares some of the sights from the somber occasion. We’re hitting our stride here at The Corsair as we enter week three. We aim to inform and entertain every week and hope that we were able to accomplish that in this issue. Enjoy.

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NEWS

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

NO SHOTS FIRED SMC DEFEATS JAPAN IN DEBATE

OVER GUN CONTROL

Captain of the SMC Debate Team, Alfredo Gama (left), raises his hand to question his opponent Masaya Sasaki (left) from the Japanese National Debate Team on Thursday. (Chris Monterrosa/The Corsair)

DANIELA BARHANNA COPY EDITOR

“YOU CAN’T TURN THE U.S. INTO JAPAN”

in brief Rascal Arrested Over Recyclables On March 9 at 9:22 p.m., a man was arrested by the SMCPD after a call came in that he was stealing recyclables on campus. It was discovered that he had several outstanding warrants. He was taken to the Santa Monica Police Department for processing and released with a warning to not return to campus for seven days.

SMC Ready to Replace E-Companion with Canvas At the March 15 Flex Day, faculty discussed the new operating software for distance and online education for SMC meant to replace E-Companion. The course management software, known as Canvas, was selected as a

The SMC Debate Team faces off with the Japanese National Debate Team on the issue of gun control. The SMC Debate team took on the visiting Japanese National Debate team in a debate held on Thursday, March 10 on the main campus of SMC. The topic of the night was whether the United States should or should not implement significant new gun control. The SMC team, consisting of co-captains Stephanie Mendez and Alfredo Gama and arguing the affirmative, opened with three main points: that society should mandate extensive training for gun owners, safe and secure storage upon purchase of a firearm, and liability insurance for gun owners. According to CNN.com, firearm related deaths are among the leading causes of death in the U.S. with 33,636 deaths in 2013, particularly due to suicide. The SMC team put early heavy emphasis on this statistic, as well as the fact that guns are readily accessible in many American homes. The Japanese team’s co-captain Masaya Sasaki countered this argument saying,“If suicide is a result of [accessibility to] guns, why not ban guns in homes?” The SMC team responded by emphasizing that their side did not want to ban guns. Mendez said, “They are used for multiple purposes such as hunting. We want to make sure people are properly trained and know how to use [guns].”

part of the Online Education Initiative for California community colleges and will be used statewide. The earliest classes to adopt Canvas are expected to switch off of E-companion after the current semester’s Spring Break.

Administration Considers New “Early Summer” Intersession Semester At the District Planning and Advisory Council (DPAC) meeting on Wednesday, March 9, SMC faculty, classified staff and administration debated the merits of a new “early summer” semester proposed at an earlier Board of Trustees meeting. If agreement between the different DPAC constituencies can be reached, there could be a pilot program where students could enroll in select classes for a 4-6 week course at the end of the current Spring semester that would end before the current standard Summer semester.

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Mendez then pushed forward on the team's third point, liability insurance, explaining that when people buy cars they also buy insurance which makes them legally liable should an accident happen. The SMC team insisted that change was possible for the U.S. and focused on using Japan, their opposing team’s home country, and its famously low crime rate as an example of effective gun control measures. Sasaki countered, saying Japan's safety record was impossible to replicate in a country like the U.S. He emphasized that more guns are owned by civilians in the U.S. than any other country, while in Japan gun possession is virtually impossible. Sasaki closed his argument saying, “You can’t turn the U.S. into Japan.” The Japanese team, consisting of Sasaki and his partner Naruhiko Nakano, had a clear strategy from the start: either ban guns altogether or honor the Second Amendment and empower American citizens. Citing the Newtown shooting as an example, Gama posed the question if the right to bear arms is more important than the lives of the innocent children. Sasaki stood firm on his point, answering with a solid “yes," before following with an argument that implementing stricter gun laws would mean punishing law-abiding citizens and empowering criminals, as well as creating a black market in the U.S. that would eventually worsen the state.

SMC Superintendent President Kathryn Jeffery confirmed that discussions were ongoing but that many issues still had to be decided and approved before any pilot program could commence. Jeffery was excited about the potential of the idea to add to student enrollment flexibility saying, “It’s intended to kind of be one of those lightbulb ideas where we can try something different. That’s one of the things I like about Santa Monica College — the willingness to try something new that other people don’t do that might work.”

New ICC Heads Elected At the end of the last Inter-Club Council (ICC) meeting on March 10, new department heads were elected to replace the three positions recently vacated at the start of the Spring semester. Daniel Kaitel was elected as the new ICC Chair, Orlando Gonzalez Gudin-Guizar was

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Although the SMC team came out of the debate the clear winners, acquiring 59 votes by the attending audience to Japan’s 33, the Japanese debaters were strong contenders. "Japan was better and had more valid points,” said Kalee Childs, an attendee at the debate. “When you buy a car, the insurance comes with. You can’t make thousands or millions of American gun owners go register. It’s just not going to happen, and [by forcing them] it also takes away their rights as Americans.” Sasaki agreed with this general assessment. When asked about his team’s performance he said, “I could have been more competitive in the last speech, but I would say that overall we did best.” Taking a similar position, Gama said, “My organization could have been better, and could have been more effective. The audience thinks we won, but personally I think we won because of my partner. Her last speech brought it home.” At the end of the debate, faculty head of the Debate Team Nate Brown stated that there may have been unfairness in the voting as several people walked in late and therefore may not have had the chance to hear all arguments from both sides. The debate was sponsored by the National Communication Association (NCA), the Committee for International Debate and Discussion (CIDD), the Japanese Debate Association (JDA), the SMC Associates, SMC Global Citizenship, and SMC Debate Team.

elected Vice Chair, and Kate Liang was elected as Communications Officer. The ICC and AS boards will be to officially approve several new clubs for the Spring semester and to help manage the upcoming AS Board elections that begin April 4.

A$AP Ferg Coming to Campus for Album Release At the AS meeting on Monday, March 14 it was announced that rising New York rapper A$AP Ferg from the A$AP Mob may be holding an album release party on the SMC main campus on March 20. Some discussion was had at the meeting as to where the event could be hosted, with a preliminary location at the Cayton Center from 1-3 p.m. CORRECTIONS: In last week's issue the name's of Director of Student & Alumni Relations Deirdre Weaver and SMC President Dr. Kathryn Jeffery were misspelled in the "In Brief" section.

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NEWS

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

KATHRYN JEFFERY AN IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW

Kathryn Jeffery has been the Santa Monica College President since the 2016 spring semester began. She is just starting to get into the flow of her new position here at SMC. (Daniel Bowyer/The Corsair)

ADAM THOMAS NEWS EDITOR For Dr. Kathryn Jeffery, the hardest part about getting used to Southern California is how we measure distance. “One of the other things I'm learning about is that you [Southern Californians] judge distances in terms of time, not miles,” said Jeffery about the types of adjustments she’s experiencing during her transition from Sacramento, where she had been President of Sacramento City College, to Santa Monica for her new role as Superintendent President of SMC. Officially taking office a mere five weeks ago — with a brief sojourn in January to attend a Board of Trustees meeting — Jeffery has been quietly busy all over the SMC campus and its satellites. She has been traveling from place to place, attending meetings, meeting new people and performing a handful of ceremonial duties but not yet making concrete decisions about what she wants to do with her new leadership role. “It’s hard for me to know what to do with the college yet,” said Jeffery. The touring is all to help her get a better idea about her currently developing plan for SMC. Meeting faculty, students, administration, union “Classified” staff members as well as the heads of local colleges and VIPs from the surrounding community recommended to her by a transition team that she described as “very supportive,”

Jeffery has been learning the lay of the land. Sometimes, quite literally. “I have a hard time just knowing when I'm still in Santa Monica or if I've crossed into Venice,” said Jeffery, laughing softly about the common confusions of traveling around the west side for the first time. Coming from the state capitol, Jeffery expressed admiration for the unique nature of Santa Monica and how different it is from her prior perceptions of the Los Angeles County area, especially in terms of size. “Santa Monicans don't see themselves as an extension of LA and they're not. It's a unique place in and of itself. Santa Monica is Santa Monica.” “It's a small community in a way. At eight square miles [Santa Monica is] literally small,” said Jeffery about the close-knit community of both Santa Monica and SMC. “But in that type of setting, that means you have very close connections. Close ties. People know each other well. So they can be very instrumental in helping to connect me as the president of the college to others within the community I should know." Talking to Jeffery reveals a woman aligned with this low-key philosophy of observing carefully and intently rather than acting rashly. One on one, she’s a quiet, dignified woman with an obviously strong reserve of experience and wisdom. A person who carefully chooses her words, and pa-

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tiently makes her choices. Someone who wouldn’t offer a flip remark without reason, and is all the more respected for her praise. And it’s this praise that she has recently been offering to both students and guests. At the March 7 AS Meeting, Jeffery was on hand to observe how the student government conducts their affairs. She gave a short speech toward the end of the meeting saying, “Your way of going through your reports is impressive. I've seen a number of different student body groups do business and I think the way you're doing things here sounds like you take your role very seriously. So thank you for that." She went on throughout the week to preside over a luncheon offering Anita Sarkeesian the Alumni of the Year award and then give a welcome to the faculty on the recent Professional Development “Flex Day” on Tuesday, March 15. But while she is hesitant to act on major directional changes for SMC, she has been getting to know the various issues that are pertinent to the student body. In response to AS President Jesse Randel’s current push to lower the unit minimum requirements for AS members which he said drew some resistance from the Administration, Jeffery said, “I know that Jesse has his opinion on it. Other members of the AS do too. And our Board of Trustees obviously have their way of looking at it, obviously from an ad@THE_CORSAIR •

ministration perspective. I can see both points of view." She sees the potential of SMC’s new offer of a Bachelor’s degree in Interaction Design too. “It puts us in the arena where we will be the only one, or one of a very few, higher education institutions offering that kind of training. Certainly on the west coast," said Jeffery. But for Jeffery, the best part about her transition has been the warm welcome delivered to her by the students of SMC. She beamed with pride at a recent encounter with a student who recognized her as she relaxed at her current favorite part of the quad — in front of the Main Stage near the Coffee Spot. Said Jeffery with a wide smile, “I sat there a couple weeks ago and one of the students who had seen me at the [public] interview saw me and wanted to take a picture with me. We took this, as he called it, 'cool' selfie." She still hasn't tweeted it yet. She’s waiting to get the express permission from the student. It’s the kind of careful approach that Jeffery’s presidency seems like it will be defined by. That, and her appreciation for students and their success. "Honestly,” said Jeffery, “I feel like everybody at the school is connected to me in some way. You know, I love what I do."

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SPORTS

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

METHOD TO THE MADNESS

NCAA Tournament Predictions

JOSH SHURE SPORTS EDITOR I've done my homework, but who honestly knows what's going to happen? It's called March Madness for a reason. After one of the craziest NCAA basketball seasons in recent memory, no one team can come into March as a favorite. Every week it seemed like upset after upset, and we can expect March Madness to be no different. The storylines are endless. Number one seeds, North Carolina (26-8) and Virginia (26-7) lead the pack of ACC teams that will consider anything but a Final Four run as a failure. Reigning champions, Duke (23-10) got a four seed and will look to repeat their success from last year and not get upset early like they did in 2014. John Calipari and his young Kentucky Wildcats (26-8), who won the SEC tournament, are not even the highest seeded SEC team this year. In one of the many surprises handed down from the selection committee, Texas A&M (26-8) earned a three seed while UK only got a four seed. Oregon (27-6) earned a one seed after dominating the Pac-12. Last year’s conference champion Arizona (25-8) was given a questionable six seed which might make it hard for them to reach their third consecutive Elite 8 appearance but at least Wisconsin is not in their way this year after beating them the last two years. The Big 12, with 10 teams, has several teams that are favorites to cut down the nets this year. The tournament favorite Kansas Jayhawks (29-4) are the number one team in the country however, they will be trying to avoid their third consecutive round of 32 loss. Two-seeded Oklahoma (25-7) led by the nation’s best player, the Bahamian Buddy Hield, could eventually face off against Shaka Smart’s sixth-seeded Texas (20-12) in the third Red River Shootout of the season. Last but not least, the Big 10, with 12 teams, had a bit of a down season compared to previous years, but will still look to ride the success of conference champions, Michigan State. Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans (29-5) are right in the mix yet again. It literally seems like they are always in the consideration to win it all because they are somehow always that good. MSU’s Denzel Valentine has managed to inspire debates of whether he or Hield is truly the country's best player.

Opening Round Upsets: Look for Kevin Ollie’s #9 Huskies to beat #8 Colorado. If Colorado can knock down the three-ball consistently they will be able to stay in the game however, the dynamic guard play of UCONN’s Daniel Hamilton should lead the Huskies to victory. Seven seed Iowa's late stumble, losing six of their last eight games, doesn't inspire confidence going into the tournament, especially against a #10 Temple team that doesn’t turn the ball over much. Even with new coach Shaka Smart, #6 Texas will have a tough time with Missouri Valley Conference champions Northern Iowa, a team that sports wins over both North Carolina and Iowa State. Northern Iowa shouldn’t be thought of lightly this year if they can upset Texas in the first round. Andy Endfield’s #8 USC outperformed expectations this season with a young lineup, but their great season will find an abrupt end against #9 Providence. Providence might just have the best duo in the country with Kris Dunn and Ben Bentil. Choosing #12 Chattanooga to upset #5 Indiana might turn out to be a big mistake, but as this season has shown, upsets are meant to happen. Indiana, led by point guard Yogi Ferrell, has some great wins this season, but they have played down to the level of lesser competition with losses to Wake Forest, UNLV and Penn State. Round Two Upsets: Four seed Cal arguably received too high of a seed, especially with 10 losses on the season. #5 Maryland simply plays cleaner basketball, has less turnovers, and is better from the free throw line. This game should be tight, but Maryland will edge out Cal. Sean Miller’s #6 Arizona lost many players from their Elite 8 run last year, but this game will come down to the wire and I’d have to favor the Wildcats to beat overperforming #3 Miami. Northern Iowa should be taken seriously especially after they knock off yet another team from Texas, #3 Texas A&M. When the Aggies have lost this season, it was due to their failure to shoot well from the charity stripe. Northern Iowa could be this year’s Cinderella team. Any team that has a win against North Carolina and two wins against Duke should be favored so #6 Notre Dame

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should be able to take care of #3 West Virginia. West Virginia has had a great season, but Notre Dame has been here before and wants their chance at redemption against Kentucky after their heartbreaking Elite 8 loss last year. Sweet 16: Kansas should get by #5 Maryland comfortably to face off against #6 Arizona, who should squeeze past Villanova. Arizona will dominate the glass against ‘Nova and squeak out a victory to go to their third straight Elite 8. Oregon shouldn’t face many problems getting to the second weekend however, they will come up against a #4 Duke team that will be the first to knock off a #1 seed in the tourney. Buddy Hield and the #2 Sooners will stop #11 Northern Iowa’s improbable run. I don’t believe in coincidences, but I'm predicting #4 Kentucky, led by guard Tyler Ulis, will knock off #1 North Carolina and get to face off against #6 Notre Dame in a rematch of last year’s Elite 8. #2 Xavier will fall short of expectations yet again, just like their conference counterparts Villanova. The top seeds should prove victorious in the Midwest region in the battle of top guards versus some of college’s top big men. The great guard play of ACC player of the year Malcolm Brogdon will push #1 Virginia past Georges Niang and #4 Iowa State. Future NBA center, Austrian Jacob Poetl and #3 Utah will hit a wall against Denzel Valentine’s #2 Michigan State. Elite 8: Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk. #1 Kansas will have a tough matchup against #6 Arizona. Kansas is shooting extremely well from deep, but ‘Zona is great at defending the perimeter. Kansas will be able to show they are a well-rounded team that can win in many different ways. Coach K of #4 Duke will be knocking on the doorstep of history by pushing himself ahead of John Wooden for most Final Four appearances by a coach however, his record-setting appearance will have to wait. Duke will run into a #2 Oklahoma Sooners squad that can put any team away with their three point shooting. A battle of great guard play, #4 Kentucky and their backcourt of Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray will spar with the backcourt of #6

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Notre Dame which includes Demetrius Jackson and Steve Vasturia. Another heartbreaking loss should be in order for the Fighting Irish as Coach Calipari goes to his third straight Final Four. In the only battle between a #1 seed and #2 seed, #1 Virginia will have to face off against #2 Michigan State. Coach Izzo has taken less talented teams to the Final Four and betting against the proven Spartans is nearly impossible. Izzo goes back to his second straight Final Four and his eighth Final Four in total while at Michigan State. Final Four: A Big 12 rematch between Kansas and Oklahoma would be one of the most anticipated Final Four showdowns in the last decade. The Jayhawks won both of the previous meetings between the two teams, but stopping Buddy Hield has been one tough task. In those two games, Hield scored 46 points in the triple overtime thriller in Lawrence, KS, and then dropped 24 points in the second matchup. Beating the same team three times in one season would be extremely impressive, but will it happen? No. Oklahoma will win a nail-biter and push their way into the championship game. In the other Final Four matchup, it’ll be a showdown of two of the most consistent teams on a yearly basis. Coach Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats versus coach Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans. The duel between Denzel Valentine and Tyler Ulis will headline the game, but when it comes down to finding a way to win, the Spartans’ Matt Costello will win the battle on the boards and help push the Spartans back to the championship game. Championship Game: Could you ask for a better championship game? The two best players in the country facing off to cut down the nets and crown their college 2016 national champions. Buddy Hield, the nation’s leading scorer with 25.0 points/game against Denzel Valentine, who on any night can put up a tripledouble. The two will be tasked with guarding one another for the entirety of the game. Can Tom Izzo win his long-awaited second national title? Not on this night. Oklahoma coach, Lon Kruger, gets to cut down the net to win the first national title for the Sooners.

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VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

PHOTOSTORY

NATION SAYS FAREWELL TO FORMER FIRST LADY

On Friday, Reverend Stuart A. Kenworthy (right) looks over the casket of Nancy Reagan as military personel bring it in to be placed on stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. (Daniel Bowyer/The Corsair)

The Santa Susana High School Choir and Abbe Road A Cappella sing to the attendees. (Daniel Bowyer/The Corsair)

daniel bowyer photographer Former first lady Nancy Reagan passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 6, 2016 at the age of 94. On Friday, March 7, President Barack Obama ordered an official proclamation that the Flag of the United States of America be flown at halfmast until sunset on March 11-- the day of Reagan's internment. Nearly 1,000 guests attended including celebrities, former White House families and current and retired United States representatives. They all stood as the current First Lady Michelle Obama took her seat before Reagan was given a very poignant send off in Simi Valley, California overlooking the Topatopa Mountains at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The former First Lady and actress was a big influence to her late husband Ronald Reagan who spent eight years in the White House. James A. Backer III, who had been close to the Reagans while in office, paid tribute by speaking about how Nancy and Ronald Regan had a love that was unmatched by any other, and how Nancy's love for her husband was devout. “Without my mother's determination, my father Ronald Reagan likely wouldn’t have been a President,” said Ronald Reagan Jr. while he paid tribute to his late mother.

The service was 90 minutes long and focused on Nancy's love for her husband and her steely resolve. The former prime minister of Canada Brian Mulroney read a love letter to the crowd that Ronald Reagan wrote to his wife,“For there could be no life for me without you.” At the end of the service, a lone bagpiper played “Amazing Grace” while walking in front of Nancy Reagan’s casket where she would be laid to rest next to her husband.

Larry King (left) and his wife Shawn King (right) overlook the crowd before they take their seats for the funeral of the former First Lady. (Daniel Bowyer/The Corsair)

Ronald Preston Reagan speaks about his late mother Nancy Reagan. (Daniel Bowyer/The Corsair)

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

5 MOST

ANTICIPATED

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (Jun. 3) The long-teased collaboration between former SNL-trio The Lonely Island and Judd Apatow sounded like one of many proposed Apatow projects that would never come to light. Luckily for everyone, the trailer dropped a few days ago and it is glorious. Andy Samberg plays Conner4real, the world’s biggest pop star who, in the trailer, performs his hit song “Humble” with Adam Levine’s hologram. The film has an unreal cast, featuring Sarah Silverman, Bill Hader, Joan Cusack, Martin Sheen, Will Forte, and a variety of pop music figures playing themselves, most notably in the trailer: DJ Khaled. “Popstar” is directed by Samberg’s Lonely Island

teammates Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer. This will be their first feature-length collaboration, but they each have one underrated cult classic under their belt: Taccone’s “Macgruber” and Schaffer’s legitimate classic “Hot Rod.” Schaffer also directed 2012 Ben Stiller flick “The Watch” but we will just choose to ignore that part of his IMDB for this exercise. The trailer suggests that this is the featurelength culmination of all of The Lonely Island’s best sensibilities from their pop-rap-parodying SNL days. Given the talent involved and the guidance of Judd Apatow, there is every reason to expect this to be the best comedy of the year.

MOVIES OF 2016

JACOB HIRSOHN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The turning of the calendar to March indicates that we have survived another year of Hollywood’s flop season. Every year of cinema inevitably gets off to a slow start as studios reserve January and February to dump off the projects they wish had never happened. You can tell 2016 was no different by watching people do backflips to pretend “Deadpool” was a thing worth buzzing about. This most recent weekend was a clear indication that real movies are starting to be released, with critically-acclaimed horror sequel “10 Cloverfield Lane” as well as fun indie releases like “Hello, My Name is Doris” and “Creative Control.” It seems like a better time than any to look ahead to what movies 2016 has waiting for us.

The Conjuring 2 (Jun. 10) Horror sequels never work. Horror sequels never work. Horror sequels never work. You can repeat that to yourself as many times as you want, but after you watch the trailer for “The Conjuring 2,” you’re going to flip over to Fandango and see if advance tickets have gone on sale yet. It’s inevitable, and no one is judging you for it. Love him or hate him, James Wan has been the essential horror director of the 21st century thus far. He brought us “Saw” and “Insidious”

— both more influential than good — but then he brought us his crown jewel in “The Conjuring.” It’s a haunting and masterfully made horror flick that left me wanting more. And sure, I was lulled into a false sense of security by the fun trailer for “Conjuring” spinoff “Annabelle,” but Wan wasn’t at the helm for that one. I’m confident “The Conjuring 2” will be worth the price of admission. I mean, my man pulled off “Furious 7.” What can’t he do?

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 25) Haha. Just kidding. That would be crazy though, right? Everybody Wants Some (Apr. 1) Richard Linklater’s resume is so strong it’s genuinely jarring to look at. It spans 25 years of almost inhuman consistency and an incredible variety of masterful work. His films span across many different genres but each have a similar core of humanity and gorgeous dialogue that place them all together in a genre of their own: “Linklater.” Coming off of his biggest critical success and first "Best Picture" nomination for “Boyhood,” Lin-

klater has decided to turn his lens towards the past: both the world’s and his own. “Everybody Wants Some” is a spiritual sequel to his breakthrough film “Dazed and Confused.” It’s a story set in the 1980s about a college men’s baseball team. While it is unlikely to be as astoundingly distinct as “A Scanner Darkly” or as devastatingly beautiful as the “Before Sunrise” series, it does look like it is going to be Linklater. So it will probably be the best film of the year.

Now You See Me 2 (Jun. 10) Yes. You can keep blinking as much as you want but this is not an illusion. It’s really happening. Forgive me if you can for saving the best for fourth, but the long-awaited sequel to international sensation, “Now You See Me” is finally due to arrive. While the mysterious absence of Isla Fisher means only three of the Four Horsemen are set to ride again, the cast has been bolstered by the additions of Daniel Radcliffe and Lizzy Caplan. The trailer gives away little about Caplan’s role, but it does appear you can pencil in Radcliffe for a godforsaken Oscar for this flick. He’s unleashed

like the Tasmanian Devil at the end of the trailer and simply devours the competition. The sequel unfortunately sports a new director whose biggest film previous was “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” but there is simply too much promise here to be screwed up. Realistically, how hard is it to say, “Hey, Jesse Eisenberg. Go be a magician for two hours.” Eisenberg is likely my favorite actor on planet Earth right now and I love watching him do anything, but I would be more than content if he played only magicians for the rest of his career. Sorry, I really like “Now You See Me.”

Ouija 2 (Oct. 21) Have you guys seen “Ouija?” For anyone who just answered no, you need to dial up Netflix or run to your nearest Blockbuster and remedy this immediately. "Ouija" is a 2014 low-budget horror film and easily one of the biggest human rights travesties of the 21st century. It’s an hour and 29 minutes

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and watches like it’s 129 hours long. It makes no sense and lacks even one decent scare. As we’ve already established, horror sequels never work. So that means “Ouija 2” is going to be WORSE than the original? I’ll see you on opening night.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

STUDENT SOLIDARITY IN THE SMOKING SECTION

Santa Monica College students Christopher Giwa (left) and Ivan S. (right) hang out in the smoking section at Santa Monica College on Monday. (Josue Martinez/The Corsair)

RYANNE MENA | STAFF WRITER ALISSA NARDO | HEALTH & LIFESTYLE EDITOR

ntering from the Pearl St. side of campus, one is familiar with this routine: weaving around concrete rectangles and flower pots full of cigarette butts, cutting through a mob of students and pushing through clouds of vape smoke akin to a nightclub. Standing amongst the crowd with a football in one hand and a cigarette in the other is Christopher Giwa. “Hi. My name is Christopher Giwa, a.k.a Black Sexy, a.k.a. Mr. Make Ya Girl Holla.” Giwa is all that and more. Tall, dark and handsome with a side of sociability and vulgarity. Giwa is always all over the place, whether it be introducing himself to someone new or chucking a football dangerously close over some girls' heads. Averaging between 10 and 20 cigarettes a day, you can find him in the smoking section any time, Monday through Thursday. Black Sexy is just one of the many personalities frequenting the smoking section on Pearl & 17th St., the largest and most populated smoking zone around the SMC campuses. On any day of the week, you can find members of the erratic, extroverted cast of regulars the section has attracted. From musicians and writers to lab assistants and veterans, the variety of person is endless. International princes roll up to the parking meters in custom sports cars surrounded by their posses, while perched atop the concrete sign reading ‘SAN A MONIC COLLEGE,’ a group of young slackers sunbathe between classes. The one thing linking these people together are the cigarettes dangling between their lips. Pearl & 17th is more than just a place to light up quickly before class. Constantly bustling, noisy and packed, the smoking section is claimed by many to be the top place to make friends on campus.

"There are hot girls and a lot of people,” Giwa says. “A lot of bad bitches. I mean, there are just a lot of people you can meet, a lot of people from SMC here. People going to the Math department, people just chillin’, smokin'. You get to know them, get to know where they’re from.” aniel Rubenstein is the perfect example of one of these gold card carrying members of the smoking club. He began attending SMC in the Winter 2016 semester, and his social life is flourishing now in the busier Spring semester. The filling of campus in the spring coincided with the emergence of the ‘Damn, Daniel’ meme and every time Daniel approaches the smoking section, at least one person is bound to shout those words his way. “I’ve been here since day one, baby,” Rubenstein says. “The first two weeks of school I used to always smoke cigarettes here. I would see this squad and everyone looked like they were so friendly and happy and I always wanted to be part of it. One day I was like, ‘Fuck it, I’m gonna go introduce myself.’ I went to the squad and I started saying, ‘Hi, I’m Daniel Rubenstein, nice to meet you. Hi, I’m Daniel Rubenstein, nice to meet you,’ and they just inducted me in and now I’m a squad member.” Now, Rubenstein appears to be a king in the smoking section: always sharply dressed, fabulously perched atop his concrete throne and surrounded by a court of cigarette-carrying cronies. But he wasn’t always the big social butterfly here. “Life before the squad was lonely,” Rubenstein says. “Well, it wasn’t lonely, because I had friends from class. But I guess I didn’t have as much fun. The second my class was over, I would just go home. Now, sometimes I sit here and chill for hours even though I have no classes.” Rubenstein says the growth of friends

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is a gradual, constant process. “One day you meet one person, the next day you meet three people, the next day you meet four,” Rubenstein says. “[Everyone’s] here at different hours so there’s a lot of people that cycle through here and meeting all of them doesn’t take just one day. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they say, and neither is making friends in the smoking section. Every day I try to go over to one person I haven’t met yet and introduce myself.” n this day in particular, the SMC Police Department is out in full force. Or maybe they have nothing more urgent to tend to. One of the baby-faced officers is making his rounds, saying the words no smoker wants to hear. “No smoking on campus,” the cop booms, herding the students off the cement benches and onto the sidewalk. Several groups break off and reform anew on the street to complain. A few brave students yell at the cop in protest, but it's no use. Some don’t understand where the smoking section actually starts and ends. Santa Monica College is officially a smokefree campus, and under Santa Monica Municipal Code 4.44.020 Section A Number 8, smoking is prohibited within 20 feet of any entrances or windows of public buildings. Smoking is technically only allowed on the sidewalk and not a step closer to campus, even if there are other kids pushing the limit by going beyond where smoking is permitted. When asked about the consequences of smoking on campus, officer Summer Samano says, “They’d be sent to the Dean of Discipline and she talks to them and basically states the rules because technically, it’s in the policy manual.” Soon after the cop leaves, students filter back into their original positions.

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This endless cycle of moving and being moved continues ritualistically throughout the day. MC’s smoking culture is a unique pocket within Santa Monica’s norm. With all of the city codes preventing students from getting their nicotine fix, it’s a surprise that the smoking section is still as populated as it is. “I’ve sort of evolved into a social smoker,” Rubenstein says. “I smoke a lot more when I’m in the smoking section because everyone’s smoking. I’m not going to deny that. But it’s my choice. It’s not like I’m being peer pressured into anything. I think we’re beyond that. It’s not high school anymore, guys.” Though this sort of social smoking may lead to an increase in consumption, some of the regulars — like student Willow Sando-Mccall — don’t smoke at all. "I don’t smoke, but all my friends are here,” Sando-Mccall says. “I’ve definitely thought about picking up smoking. I feel like it’s such an easy way to meet someone too. It’s like, ‘Hey, can I get a cigarette?’ and they’re like, ‘Yeah,’ and then you can start talking to them. But I don’t." Smoker or not, everyone agrees that giving out cigarettes is the way to make friends here. “When I'm trying to talk to a girl, even if I have a pack I’ll be like, ‘Hey sorry can I get a cigarette from you?’ And that’s how you start the conversation,” Giwa says. “It’s a great icebreaker." This process is visible from a mile away. A student scans the crowd, then stumbles over to the most approachable looking smoker. They exchange words. The smoker hands the newcomer a cigarette, and the two begin to converse.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

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“That’s how I made most of my friends: giving out a lot of cigarettes,” Rubenstein says. “And once you do that, [everyone] is very friendly.” Talking to anyone in the section for more than five minutes, it’s easy to understand that this practice of give and take is a shared principle within the group. “I give out sometimes a full pack a day, yes,” Rubenstein says. “Sometimes I’ll have two packs a day, if I give out a lot. Usually I only have one, and I’ll give out 12 and smoke eight and then get some from other people. Everyone just shares and gives and it’s good karma. What goes around comes around. Cigarette karma.“ ‘Cigarette karma’ is the idea that whether or not you decide to give out cigarettes will determine your luck to "bum a smoke" in the future. “I understand what it’s like to need a cigarette,” Rubenstein says. “I understand what it’s like to smoke even if you’re not an addicted smoker, because everyone’s smoking. I understand that desire. I know what it’s like so I always give. The golden rule is 'Do unto others as you want done to yourself,’ and I would love it when people gave me a cigarette when I needed one, so I give to everyone.” “I bum off a lot of cigarettes and nobody’s ever said no except for one person which is pretty surprising,” student Sam Olguin says. “People are pretty generous. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a girl and I only ask guys, but I feel like people here are very generous with cigarettes usually.”

Santa Monica College students Stewart Santi (left), Arya Adli (center) and Naveed Jadmani (right) socialize while sharing a cigarette in the smoking section at Santa Monica College on Monday. (Josue Martinez/The Corsair)

o, is there anywhere else to make friends on campus? “No. Not really, no. Like honestly, no,” Sando-McCall says. “Not even in classes,” she continues. “People in classes aren’t friendly. Everyone’s sitting and trying to do their own thing, and in the smoking section everyone has the same type of personality

almost. You can at least find one thing in common with everyone in the smoking section — cigarettes.” “I have tried sitting in front of the Starbucks but nah,” Giwa says. “It’s not as fun. There’s no one smoking and you can’t talk to people. There’s no ice breaker. You can’t be like, ‘Hey girl! Lemme get a cigarette.’"

In a campus so seemingly disconnected, the smoking section has unexpectedly put the community in community college. “Two smokers have a connection,” Rubenstein says. “The addiction that they share is a connection of itself. I feel like people feel comfortable here. Here, I feel in my element. This is my space to thrive.”

A WORKER BEHIND EVERY PRODUCT ASHLEEN KNUTSEN STAFF WRITER On Feb. 11, 2011, Rose Moreno was nearing the end of her shift when she heard the large stamping press she was operating making unusual noises. She reported the sounds to her supervisor who told her that they just finished fixing it and to get back to work. Knowing she had to meet her quota, Moreno complied. At 2:30 a.m., while she was assembling the last piece for the night, the press fell onto her hands and crushed them. She was stuck there for about 15 minutes until they were able to lift it just enough to release her. She had to force herself to stay conscious to make sure they took her to a hospital, as it is common for factory bosses to avoid government hospitals where they report workplace accidents. Once there, Moreno was informed that her hands could not be saved. The surgeons had no choice but to amputate them at the wrists. On Thursday, March 9, Moreno sat in front of a packed lecture hall and recounted her inspiring story of life on the “front line” of a Mexican manufacturing factory. It was only Moreno’s second month working at HD Electronics, a factory where she made the metal backing for televisions for LG Electronics. She worked the night shift six days a week to support her six children. In 2011, the Mexican Social Security Institute reported that 17,302 workplace accidents were filed by government hospitals. Rosa Moreno's was just one of them. Moreno lived and worked in the Mexican

border city of Reynosa, where hundreds of manufacturing plants, known as maquiladoras, operate. This region attracts multinational companies due to the low cost of labor, close proximity to the United States and lax enforcement of environmental and safety laws. In the 2000s, when companies began moving their manufacturing to China for the lower wages, Mexican Maria Martinez wipes her eyes during the translation of Rosa Moreno's tragic tale of how mistreated she was after losing her hands in the Maquiladoras factory in Mexico. The panel wanted to shed light on the mistreatment of the factory workers. Students gathered factories responded by and listened in silence on Thursday at the SMC campus. (September Bottoms/The Corsair) giving workers more tasks to complete in shorter amounts of time. to provide a settlement of less than $4,000 Responsible Trade Inc. to create awareness As part of the Women, Society and Power and, after her first lawyer was paid off by of unfair practices in manufacturing and Series, Moreno's talk, titled “Illuminating the factory manager to drop the case and assembly industries. “Something could be Inequity: Rosa Moreno’s Quest for Justice,” the next one suggested she become a street done and someone needed to step up and was sponsored by the SMC Associates, peddler, she turned to the media for help. start doing it,” said Ruddy. SMC Global Citizenship and SMC Health Luckily, word of her story spread quickly. Last year, co-founder Christine Ruddy Services Center. In 2013, Moreno met Edgar Krueger, Ex- was able to bring Moreno to the United Maria Martinez, faculty leader for the ecutive Director of a nonprofit organization States and get her a prosthetic hand. Moreno Latino Center and the Adelante Program, called Comite de Apoyo (Committee of is now able to do common daily activities translated as Moreno detailed the events Help) that works to improve conditions in like cooking, cleaning and writing. of her last, horrific day at the factory. factories along the U.S.-Mexico border. On Thursday, Moreno sat beside supWhen she woke up from surgery she Shortly after, Victoria Ruddy was working porters Victoria Ruddy, Maria Martinez found herself surrounded by her children at a bank in Ohio when she saw Moreno’s and Sociology and Women’s Studies profesand knew she was going to have to be strong story in a Texas newspaper. sor Gail Livings. Moreno spoke of how for them in the days to come. She was re“When I read Rosa’s story I was in shock,” grateful she was for the people she has met lieved when the factory’s attorney told her Ruddy said. “We’re here buying these prod- and that she hoped to inspire others with that they would help with everything from ucts in the United States and workers are her story. housing to keeping her kids in school. being abused and exploited in other countries Through Martinez, she said, “When However, in just a few days it became and nobody is saying anything about it.” something happens to you, do not stay quiet, clear that her employers were not going to After meeting with Moreno and other we have to lift our voice otherwise things take responsibility. They were only willing factory workers, she started Partners for will keep occurring and occurring.”

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OPINION

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 03 • MARCH 16, 2016 • SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

A CASE FOR TED CRUZ GRACE GARDNER OPINION EDITOR Ted Cruz gets no slack. Our sports editor actually called him “evil.” His looks have been compared to the Zodiac Killer and Joseph McCarthy. The Onion called his face “f***ing infuriating.” From where I’m standing in the world, it seems impossible that he would have any supporters, much less 100,000. But it’s not like half of the country is just nuts. There has to be a reason that people like Ted Cruz. What I found is, not only does it make sense that people support him, I’m surprised that more people don’t. Here’s the deal, in Los Angeles, we are surrounded by huge multinational companies. Fox, Buzzfeed, Disney, and Twitter are all located here. In the midst of the glory and success of these big companies, we often forget that most businesses, small businesses in particular, are actually owned by people who live in houses similar to those on Santa Monica's 20th street and employ similar kinds of folks. Small businesses are not given the credit they should, especially when you consider the portion of the economy they occupy. 99.7% of companies (roughly 28 million) in America are considered small businesses. These businesses employ around 120 million people, more than half of the working population. To top it off, they're responsible for 65% of new jobs created since 1995.

WHY I HATE RAFAEL EDWARD CRUZ JOSH SHURE SPORTS EDITOR While Donald Trump is running away with the Republican Party nomination, Ted Cruz sits in the shadows — and rightfully so. The face of "repeal Obamacare" can't elude the fact that he's simply unlikeable. It's his elitist arrogance, his McCarthyesque finger wagging and that his name isn't even Ted. Ted is typically short for Theodore. Mr. Cruz's real name is Rafael Edward Cruz, but I doubt that name would go over too well with the predominantly white Republican voters he tries to appeal to. The constructed character known as "Ted," built on lies and playground tactics, is dedicated to sticking to his beliefs even when disputed by simple facts and logic. This is particularly evident in his dis-

more employees, they’re either not going to hire them, or worse, they’ll go out of business, putting everyone out of work. Obamacare is flawed in the same regard. It’s a huge expense for small businesses. So much so that in order to actually afford a workforce, business owners have to take shortcuts like hiring people for less hours to avoid having full-time employees or replacing the full-time employees with part-time workers all together. The extra cost of providing healthcare for emIllustration by Andrew Khanian ployees disrupts the natural They're essentially the backbone of our flow of labor that would normally keep economy. When they do well, we all do well. people employed in steady jobs. Although it doesn't attract as much atProblems for small businesses mean tention from the media, voters consistently problems for half of the workforce. I’m going say the economy and jobs are the most im- to take a wild guess and say that American portant issues this election. When you con- workers would rather be working full-time sider this, it becomes clear why Cruz is surging without benefits than part-time without in popularity and may possibly beat Donald benefits. A low wage is no doubt better than Trump in the Republican nomination. Small no wage. businesses, which amount to most busiRather than trying to raise wages artifinesses, are Ted Cruz's thing. cially and offering benefits we can’t necesThe Americans owning these 99.7 percent sarily afford, stifling small businesses and of businesses have identified taxes, govern- our economy, we should increase wages ment regulations and low sales as major and stabilize employment by lowering taxes issues that keep them from success. Cruz's on businesses and individuals. objective is to prevent the government from This is basically Cruz's plan. He has said limiting the potential of the Americans repeatedly that he wants to shrink tax forms behind these businesses, even if it means to the size of a postcard, essentially reducdenying the romantic notion of increasing ing them to a pleasant note from the citizen minimum wage and the implementation to the government saying, “Here’s where I of Obamacare. am. Here’s my 10 percent. Good luck doing Raising the minimum wage is a nice whatever you do in Washington.” It’s a idea. Theoretically, it would make the lowest simple, flat tax of 10 percent, except for wage a “living wage.” However, that would families of four making $36,000 or less who prove to be a huge expense for small busi- would not be taxed at all. The reduction in nesses that are already struggling to stay taxes would naturally increase income for afloat under the pressure of current taxes, workers without putting in artificial stanregulations and lack of business. Higher dards like a minimum wage. Rather than wages would only discourage employers forcing employers to pay more for employfrom hiring more people. If they can’t afford ees, workers can keep more of the money

they earn. More money in people’s pockets means more people are spending, which is good for businesses and the 120 million working for them. However, taxes on businesses still remain a problem. The current tax codes are complex and changing, a huge problem for people trying to run businesses. Small businesses don’t normally have adequate resources (i.e. lawyers and accountants) to keep up, which is ludicrous. Tax codes shouldn't be holding people back from running their businesses. Cruz wants to simplify them and remove the major burden of navigating these codes. He also is rallying for the reduction of the taxes themselves to a flat 16 percent income tax, holding bigger companies accountable and placing less burden on smaller ones. Business owners can use this money for expansion or raises, both of which help the modern day worker. None of his ideas reach quite the level of provocativeness as his earnest call to abolish the IRS, which he claims is a “political weapon” used to intimidate citizens. The IRS is a hugely notorious institution — it’s hard to imagine America without it. However, if we simplified our tax plan, the need for such an institution would cease to exist. A tax plan beneficial to businesses seems like one minor stance compared to more pathos driven issues, like racial equality or women's rights, but the fact is this plan would affect a huge number of Americans in a positive way. We are a capitalist nation that values a steady, growing livelihood driven by innovation and hard work. Lowering taxes and increasing income, allowing businesses to thrive and grow can change lives just as much, if not more, than being granted the right to marry or being protected from discrimination. Regardless of whether we like Ted Cruz’s face or not, it’s a solid plan and something we need to consider. While you would never call Cruz an advocate for minorities, he absolutely watches out for the greater majority of American people.

reading children's books or fabricating lies about Obamacare, he shows an inability to have a sophisticated grasp on how to handle ISIS and other threats from abroad. If Cruz becomes president, he said, "We will carpet bomb [ISIS] into oblivion. I don't know if sand can glow in the dark, but we're going to find out." It became apparent that he was unaware of what carpet bombing was, when he could not explain it and was under the impression that it was just a term for coordinated airstrike. Illustration by Andrew Khanian Cruz has repeatedly tried to taste for Obamacare, which he called "the blur the line between being Muslim and biggest job-killer in this country." Upon a being an extreme radical. According to simple fact-check, what Ted would call Cruz, we have our very own "jihadists" in "yellow journalism," one will see that since Indiana and Arkansas. When talking to a Obamacare was passed by the Senate in forum in Iowa last year, Cruz referred to 2010 (took effect in 2014), the number of the involvement of the LGBT community jobs has risen and the unemployment rate in those states as a "jihad" that is being has actually been halved. I'm not implying waged against Christians. Classifying those that Obamacare is what caused the unem- in the LGBT community as being on the ployment rate to drop however, the fact of same level as Muslim terrorists should the matter is that Obamacare hasn't re- have been a low enough point for Cruz, sulted in a loss of jobs. but somehow he felt that his message was Despite these facts, Ted Cruz put himself still unclear. Cruz then went to Texas to in the spotlight in 2013 by assisting congress offer his view of how the expansion of ISIS in the federal government shutdown. He is bad for gay rights, which made things spoke for 21 straight hours on the Senate even less clear. floor in an effort to repeal Obamacare. If you manage to look past his inCruz found Dr. Seuss' children's book ability to decipher between the LGBT "Green Eggs and Ham" to be such a great community and ISIS, you have a man example of why Obamacare should be trying to ride the support of small busirepealed that he felt the need to read it on nesses. In his opinion, besides carpet the Senate floor, oblivious to the irony that bombing Obamacare, the best way to the book is all about trying something help small businesses is by implementbefore saying you hate it. ing a flat tax rate and not raising the When he's not being a grown man minimum wage.

It's true that implementing Cruz's flat tax might actually help keep money in the hands of small business owners. However, the flat tax will give tremendous tax cuts to the wealthiest one percent of the country. With this tax plan, over the course of a decade, the federal government would lose out on $8.6 trillion in revenue. Part of government income goes to federal loans that help start small businesses. If the government doesn't have the money to give to new businesses, then how will the small business sector be rewarded with this tax plan? It won't. Not raising the minimum wage sounds like a good idea however, since the minimum wage hasn't changed with inflation over the years, people aren't able to feed their families working 40 hours a week. Without a higher minimum wage, more people will have to turn to government run agencies to seek assistance. If the employer isn't willing to pay a higher minimum wage, the government has to pick up the tab. If you support a smaller government that offers less federallyfunded programs, then raising the minimum wage and making the employers themselves pay would be a more feasible idea. In spite of his major policy flaws, Cruz has drawn many comparisons to the President beloved by democrats, Barack Obama. They both come from American mothers and immigrant fathers. They both ran for president after only one term as a Senator and graduated from Harvard Law School. However, Barack Hussein Obama ran for president with the name on his American birth certificate. Ted Cruz isn't even running for president with the name on his Canadian birth certificate.

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