Weekend, March 3-6, 2016 - The Daily Cardinal

University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Weekend, March 3-6, 2016

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Narrowing down the nominees

‘Moonshine’ illuminates black history

+OPINION, page 4

+ARTS, page 3

Blind Side student organization pushes candidates for ASM

By Peter Coutu THE DAILY CARDINAL

Blind Side, a politically minded student group, is running a slate of 23 students in the upcoming Associated Students of Madison elections, which include 29 open Student Council seats and three open Student Services Finance Committee seats.

The group, created in late

January, says it hopes its slate of students will bring social and economic justice for underrepresented students on the UW-Madison campus through ASM legislation and resource allocation.

Tyriek Mack, Kristi Parsons and Jerad Maxberry are running on the Blind Side slate for the three open SSFC seats—the branch of ASM that controls

student fees, which are the main source of funding for student organizations.

UW-Madison senior Donale Richards, who is helping run communications and promotion for Blind Side, said the group wants to collectively “control and have more student

candidates page 2

ASM finalizes Wunk Sheek powwow grant despite concerns of administrative influence

By Nina Bertelsen THE DAILY CARDINAL

CONG GAO/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Gov. Scott Walker is among the proponents of a series of bills designed to fight the rising cost of a college education.

Fate of college affordability bills unclear

By Jason Snyder THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Wisconsin Assembly passed a package of bills to address college affordability last month, but the fate of the legislation remains uncertain with an end to the two-year session looming.

The bills, introduced by Gov. Scott Walker in his January State of the State address, intend to reduce the debt burden on college students and implement career placement services. Other proposals in the bills include plans to lift the cap on tax-deductible student loan interest and boost grants for technical college students.

The plans are not entirely supported by state Republicans, as the cost exceeds the amount many lawmakers are anticipating for the current budget cycle. The programs are currently projected to cost $10 million.

“It’s just when you’re talking about initiatives and certain things that you wanted to accomplish in this legislative session, I think some of those are going to have to be pared back,” Senate Majority Leader

Scott Fitzgerald told “UpFront with Mike Gousha” last month regarding the college affordability proposals.

Fitzgerald added that legislators are looking to provide closer to $2 million in funding for the initiatives.

In addition to fiscal criticism, the legislative package faces opposition from state Democrats with worries that the measures are inadequate to address the problems with financing a college education.

“We should be doing something big, something bold,” said state Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison.

“Not these peanuts … that don’t do what our students need you to do.”

Any budgetary changes to the bills would require the Assembly to re-pass the legislation, something they may not do.

“We have completed our work for the legislative sessions,” said Kit Beyer, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester.

If the Assembly does not take up the college affordability package, it faces the possibility of not being passed.

The Associated Students of Madison Student Council gave final approval on the grant for Wunk Sheek’s annual Spring Powwow during a meeting Wednesday.

The ASM Finance Committee voted Tuesday evening to approve a $14,000 grant for the powwow, but ASM and Wunk Sheek representatives expressed frustration with the process.

Members of the student organization, representing Wisconsin’s 11 native tribes, spoke during the open forum about the group’s efforts to make this event a success. All representatives spoke of the “exhausting” amount of work put in by students to plan the powwow, as well as their frustrations regarding resistance they met from campus groups, faculty and other organizations when seeking support.

Finance Committee Chair Ariela Rivkin spoke to the committee’s greatest reservations about the grant. She cited student inaccessibility to the proposed Alliant Center venue, a $600 deposit being funded retroactively and a “Save the Date” posting on the Alliant Center website without ASM approval.

However, Rivkin said the com-

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BETSY OSTERBERGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

The Common Application will be an option for students applying to UW-Madison in Fall 2017.

UW-Madison to use Common Application starting Fall 2017 High school seniors graduating in 2017 can apply to UW-Madison using the Common Application, a process used by more than 600 colleges and universities across the country.

The Common Application will not replace the UW System’s current application but will offer students a second option for applying, according to Vice Provost for the Division of Enrollment Management Steve Hahn.

Hahn said many of the uni-

versity’s Big Ten peers, like Northwestern and Michigan, already use the application, and adding it as an option will expose UW-Madison to another set of people who may not have previously been aware of the school.

The application will give students the opportunity to better interact with the university, Hahn said, and it will provide a convenience for both Wisconsin residents and out-of-state students.

Hahn stressed that inter-

ested students need only apply using either the UW System application or the Common Application, and that the enrollment office does not have a preference between the two.

Each application will have the same fee and most essay questions will be the same, Hahn explained, and it will be up to students to choose which application is the most convenient for them.

—Madeline Heim

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

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Weekend, March 3-6, 2016

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State report: Jobs, wages increase in past year

candidates from page 1

By Yifan Yu THE DAILY CARDINAL

Employment data released Wednesday showed an increase in private-sector jobs in Wisconsin since September 2014.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s yearly release on the state’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Wisconsin has seen 30,235 new private-sector jobs from September 2014 to September 2015.

In addition, private-sector wages increased by 4.9 percent compared with the previous year. Growth was also observed across many industries in the state, with construction leading the way with a 4.1 percent growth rate.

The report also noted that unemployment claims for 2015 fell to the lowest level since 1989, and more people worked in December 2015 than any other month in Wisconsin history.

DWD Secretary Ray Allen touted the numbers in a release and said, “the Department of Workforce Development will continue to help Wisconsin workers gain the skills needed to fill openings that employers have available.”

The QCEW data is compiled quarterly based on unemployment insurance records from almost all Wisconsin business establishments.

powwow from page 1 mittee felt confident in finding ways to work around these issues and Wunk Sheek’s ability to satisfy the requirements.

Rivkin and ASM Chair Madison Laning agreed their largest concern was the amount of perceived administrative involvement surrounding Wunk Sheek’s request for funding.

Because student segregated fees are not frozen, committee members said there is growing concern that administration will push more program funding responsibilities onto ASM in an attempt to close budget gaps.

Laning, who recused herself as chair for this debate, said that in a meeting with the vice provost’s office, it became clear to her that ASM’s role on campus is confusing to the administration.

She said it “came down to misleading an organization,” and urged council members that department missteps shouldn’t dissuade them in supporting the Finance Committee’s decision.

“If this is an issue of ignorance where the admin had no idea of the bounds of ASM... and they pushed this on the student org, that’s the fault of everyone,” said ASM Representative Matt Wulf. “We need to ensure they know where we draw the line and make sure this doesn’t happen next week or in the future.”

WIL GIBB/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

Several speakers held a press conference to oppose Voter ID laws Tuesday at the Capitol.

March declared Voter ID Month in response to new law

By Katie Scheidt THE DAILY CARDINAL

Community leaders held a press conference Wednesday morning to announce March as Voter ID Month in Madison, an effort coordinated by VoteRiders and the Dane County Voter ID Coalition that aims to spread awareness of the new voter ID law passed in February.

The original Voter ID bill passed in 2011 and faced legal challenges in the following years.

Senate Bill 295, which passed in early February, allows for online voter registration. That bill was met with criticism from university leaders like Associate Students of Madison due to the difficulty it can present to voters who do not have access to computers.

Speakers at the conference included Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, president of the Dane

County NAACP Greg Jones and Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell, who all expressed disapproval of the new law.

“Three years ago the Supreme Court struck down significant requirements of the Voting Rights Act that had stood for 50 years and provided protection from disenfranchisement and racial discrimination in the election process,” Jones said. “Since then, [state legislatures] have wasted no time enacting discriminatory laws and policies that place an unfair burden on minorities, the elderly and students.”

According to VoteRiders representatives, the main concern with the law is its inconvenience to students, the elderly and minority groups. He said they are unlikely to go through the extra steps or financial burden involved with obtaining an ID.

According to McDonell, another main issue with the bill is the confusion about what constitutes a valid ID. He cited a study conducted in Texas, a state with similar voting laws, which showed that 13 percent of potential voters did not vote because they thought they lacked proper identification.

“There is a lot of confusion out there,” McDonell said. “I’m really glad that this coalition has been formed to educate the voters of Dane County.”

Throughout March, according to the conference speakers, volunteers and coalition leaders will reach out to Dane County residents to ensure they know how and where to obtain a proper ID. “We’re going to make sure that the laws that were set up to close the ballot box fail in their effort to jeopardize democracy,” Soglin said.

power in the investment and divestment of certain funding opportunities.”

UW-Madison senior and Blind Side candidate Kenneth Cole said the students running on the Blind Side slate have specific goals for university funding. He said Blind Side is looking to push the university to invest more money in clean energy, mental health services and diversity efforts while also eventually divesting from Badger State Industries.

The leaders of the Blind Side movement reached out to several other students with similar motivations in February to fill their slate.

Blind Side organizers said they hope to achieve institutional power in order to provide a level of accountability for change students want.

“A lot of students were really frustrated with how things kept going. We kept having these diversity discussions that were supposed to solve all of our issues, we were seeing that those weren’t really being effective at all,” Richards said. “We really needed to take a lot more leadership roles on campus to achieve the change we wanted to see.”

Blind Side is currently working with several student organizations to finalize endorsements of its candidates. Richards said Blind Side is attempting to bring students together, and hopes to have endorsements finalized before the elections begin.

Cole encouraged all students to vote after there was an extremely low rate of participation in the 2014-’15 academic year. He said this election is very important because student “voting decides the future of this campus.”

Students can vote online for the ASM elections, which will run March 7-9.

Newly appointed corrections secretary addresses prison controversy in hearing

By Ningyuan Ma THE DAILY CARDINAL

Recently appointed Corrections Secretary Jon Litscher testified before a Senate committee Wednesday, following recent scandals at the state’s largest juvenile facilities.

Gov. Scott Walker appointed Litscher last month following the resignation of former secretary Ed Wall. He was previously the corrections secretary under Govs. Tommy Thompson and Scott McCallum and has since worked in the Beaver Dam School District.

He addressed the controversy that led to Wall’s resignation, pointing out his personal concern for the Lincoln Hills problem and addressing the need to resolve trust issues the department is facing.

“I believe sincerely and seriously that the care and treatment of our young juvenile offenders is a goal we should take with great seriousness, and with compassion,” Litscher said in his testimony.

He also expressed the expectation for various professional provision officers to place inmates in academic programs, work-study

programs or work activities for the ultimate purpose of making them successful once they return to society.

“It is part of my responsibility to try and develop programs, make changes and also to develop the kind of relationships with our offenders both youthful and also adults that give them the opportunities for succeeding,” Litscher said.

State Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, questioned how Litscher plans to assess the qualifications of current staff.

Litscher described the evaluation process, saying an employee’s daily behavior is evaluated by supervisors to hold them accountable.

“Our goal is not to discharge people,” Litscher said. “But our goal is to deal with the seriousness of the offense whatever that may be, provide the proper training if that is part of the problem that exists and place that person back to his or her responsible position.”

Litscher’s hearing comes prior to his appointment being approved by the full Senate later this month.

KEEGAN GOVIN/CARDINAL FILE PHOTO

The state Department of Corrections has come under fire for alleged abuse and assault by its staff at the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake juvenile facilities in Irma.

arts Moonshine enlightens for another year Weekend, March 3-6, 2016

Anna Hughes/The daily Cardinal

Moonshine speaks historical black and brown culture to UW-Madison.

By Francisco Velasquez the daily cardinal

The 10th Annual Moonshine can be described as something necessary for those who do not often experience brown and black culture. In celebration of Black History Month, Moonshine uses its platform to tell stories of sadness, redemption and overall appreciation of our ancestors.

As I look through my program to find close friends, I notice how many white people are in the audience. I try to piece together why more than half of the audience is not brown or black people, but I quickly find the significance in the space that they bring. Moonshine is a way to foster black and brown culture while giving a glimpse into the daily struggles that we faced before we could all sit in a room together. A part of me wishes more people of color would

be in the audience, but we do not need to reiterate culture to a community that built it.

As the crowd begins to fill the rest of the room, I hear a white girl whisper to her friend, “I’m only here so Chris thinks I’m interested and invested, and he’ll like me.” I sit on this statement, feeling upset and defeated, until the commencement of the show. To not bother to understand the significance of this show is why racial progress has diminished at UW-Madison.

The lights dim and the opening performance is by various students in an African dance class here at UW-Madison. It is important to note that most of the students in this class are not of color and the same applies to the next performance by the hiphop dance class. Both of the opening dance performances are to an

upbeat tempo that invites the audience into the space.

Host and professor Chris Walker welcomes the audience to the 10th Annual Moonshine. He explains in vague detail what the performances will encompass, and then lets the performances speak for themselves.

First Wave’s 9th Cohort member Jamie Dawson opens the show with a rendition of a spoken word piece, “Key that Freedom Rings.” The piece focuses on the topic of freedom in America, or the lack thereof.

The structure of the show is timed precisely to make the transitions smooth and steady. A solo dance performance by Tiffany Merritt-Brown expertly takes us on a journey through time. The performance speaks about finding home and adding new pieces of armor to yourself in the process. There is emptiness in a home that does not welcome you.

Mariam Coker’s “Comets,” invokes black strength and is a personal favorite of the night. Coker tells us just why the black body is out of this world and why America chooses to make it a shooting target, and the courage that it takes to be alive and of color. She says “black boy has skin like the night sky,” and that today police only wish upon us.

A string of inclusive performances by First Wave’s 9th Cohort handles the topics of slavery and police brutality. Kynala Phillips performs George Gershwin’s “Summertime” in the presentation of what it means to be of color and living. Phillips’ performance is followed by a moving monologue, “They Like To

Have Me Indoors,” written and performed by Maryam Muhammad.

The monologue is breathtaking and sharp. Every line makes you wonder the segregation that existed between a household slave and a field working slave. As Muhammad looks into the distance to prepare dinner for her master, “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday echoes in the background.

The song is performed by Jamie Dawson and the rendition makes the audience wonder how people of color have grown to become the strange fruit. “Whip Her” is a piece performed by Lucien Parker and Mar’Quaan Logan, addressing the difficulty of having to whip another slave or of being killed by your master. The piece is followed by “Police Brutality,” performed by Jamie Dawson and Eneale Pickett. As one of the most relevant topics, the poem poses the question of whether to stay and help a friend that is being mistreated by the police, or to run away and keep yourself safe and most likely alive.

As the lights grow darker, the room is static. Silence is quickly interrupted by a piece that handles the loss of someone and the difficulty of bringing them back. “Faith” is written and performed expertly

by Tiffany Ike. To bring a more calming spirit to the room, a dance choreographed

by Chris Walker and performed by Janelle Bentley takes on an expedition of self and the shifts that may cause us to find or lose ourselves. As the performance comes to an end, Dantrell Cotton’s rendition of “A Song for You” by Ray Charles moves

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the audience to a complete halt.

The energy in the room is heavy with questions, with hearts and with minds that speak of experiences that shaped our culture today. “Troubled Water” is a dance performance that follows; the performance addresses the representation of diversity in culture, gender and sexuality.

After traveling through various stages of culture exploration, Moonshine brings us full-circle with a closing performance by Kynala Phillips of “Home” from popular film “The Wiz.” Moonshine is a necessary means of cultural awareness.

Without a show like Moonshine, these topics would otherwise not be addressed in these types of spaces. During the performances, I noticed the heart in these topics, the compassion that lies in-between the daily hardships that our ancestors had to face.

I noticed the uncomfortability of some of the white audience members in the crowd. Some did not know how to feel or how to process what was occurring on stage, but the reality of this was that people of color had to live these stories daily. There is no escape from these topics because they are still relevant today.

Moonshine does an excellent job of addressing these issues and celebrating the culture and people that made it possible to stand here today and speak freely about them. It’s safe to say that Black History Month would not have been the same without a show like Moonshine.

Triple S shows greek pride at the Union

By Denzel Taylor the daily cardinal

For the past few years, sorority Lambda Theta Alpha has organized and hosted Triple S, in which different Greek organizations come together to step, salute and stroll in proud competition. This year, 11 organizations competed and more than twice as many were present in the Memorial Union Theater.

Some of these organizations have active chapters here on the UW-Madison campus, including Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc., alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority, Inc., Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. and the aforementioned hosts Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. Other organizations came to repre-

sent from the UW-Whitewater campus, such as Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. and Lambda Alpha Upsilon Latin Fraternity Inc. Organizations competed in one or two of the individual categories and the two Masters of Ceremonies of the night, students Cassandra Coulson and Asly Warren, appropriately provided the audience with brief explanations of the historical significance of stepping, saluting and strolling. They preface that stepping comes from traditional African and Caribbean cultures, in which the emotions of pride and strength are evoked through using the body as an instrument to perform complex rhythms through stomping, clapping and spoken word. The stage shook and the audience cheered

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Greek organizations presented practiced step, salute and stroll routines in Memorial Union Theater. in support of each organization that presented.

Afterwards, some of us learned that to salute is to verbally declare in strong unison the founding morals and history to which members have pledged their brotherhood and sisterhood. The members literally bind their bodies together to move and speak as one. Again, the audience supported those who presented and shouted applause.

For the final category, stroll, our Masters of Ceremonies inform us that strolling involves organizations dancing around in a circle usually to music, in celebration of who they are. Of all the presentations, this category was obviously the most exciting for the audience, as it was the only section to involve a mix of hip-hop and latin music.

The energy in the space was on a steady climb, and finally peaked when the judges announced the winners. The brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. MAD Kappa Rho Chapter were announced the winners of this year’s Triple S step competition. The brothers of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. - Gamma Theta Chapter “The Arctic Asylum” were announced the winners of the salute and the sisters of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. - KommandinG Kappa Gamma Chapter were announced the winners of the stroll, notably for the second year in a row.

Triple S was definitely an exciting time and I’m sure many look forward to next year.

Check out more Triple S photos online at dailycardinal.com.

leah Voskuil/The Daily Cardinal

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Weekend, March 3-6, 2016

An independent student newspaper, serving the University of Wisconsin-Madison community since 1892 Volume 125, Issue 64

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Why do we gripe about GMOs? Olivia hughes opinion columnist

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f you have shopped in a grocery store within the last six months, you have undoubtedly come across products displaying the label “non-GMO” or “GMO-free,” meaning they are not genetically modified organisms. For years past, genetically engineered food has been thought of as a sort of “Frankenfood” by the public. However, contrary to this seemingly popular belief, the technology’s monumental promise is clearer than ever before.

The biggest issue regarding genetically modified crops is that people do not understand what GMOs are, and this misinformation is leading them to ignorant and uneducated beliefs. However, this is not totally the fault of consumers, as the suppliers of such crops have failed to adequately inform their clients, harboring rumors and distrust in GMOs. Let us recall and consider an incident that has affected many of us on campus: Chipotle and norovirus. Chipotle recently released a public statement about their decision to not use GMO ingredients.

Subsequently, a lawsuit was filed against Chipotle for false advertising and deception, as their meat, cheese and soft drinks all include GMO ingredients. Soon after, Chipotle took another hit when consumers became ill with food-related sickness. Ultimately, more than 300 people have been sickened by Chipotle’s food, and none of the illnesses have been related to the GMOs. Chipotle is quickly learning that their business model is not effective, and they must rethink their values and their ingredients.

According to the Institute of Food Technologists, in the U.S., GM crops are reviewed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for safety

Betsy Osterberger/The daily cArdinal

GMOs are becoming more and more common in our everyday diet. prior to being put on the market.

There is a hefty period of review and consultation, and once satisfied, the FDA tells developers that they have no more safety questions about new GM crops. From there, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approves the crop for marketing, as long as their own review and consultation reaches the same conclusion about environmental safety. Finally, for some items, such as insect repellent, even the Environmental Protection Agency is involved. Furthermore, GM crops have successfully increased harvests by decreasing losses to pests, decreasing input and labor costs, reducing the impact from agrochemical use, helping conserve soil and water resources and conferring a number of environmental and sustainability improvements.

Based on this, one might ask what the controversy is all about.

Unfortunately, there is an overabundance of websites and readings that discuss the disproven studies about the harmful effects of GM crops.

More importantly, media and science consumers, and essentially anyone

who eats, need to be cognizant of the fallacies that come from anecdotes like, “As soon as I stopped eating GM foods, every allergy I ever had went away.” If you need a true anecdote to think about, look no further than the Chipotle story above.

GMO means progress. The Canadian company, Okanagan Specialty Fruits, recently developed a gene variety that prevents food spoilage and waste, including bruising and browning. Researchers at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University are breeding pigs that combat a respiratory disease which not only kills piglets, but costs the pork industry over $600 million every year.

The Institute of Food Technology states: “A recent NPD food market research study on GMO awareness and concern among consumers finds that 67 percent of all primary grocery shoppers are not willing to pay a higher price for non-GMO foods.”

This is an important finding that highlights the need for the world to be more informed on the consequences of non-GMO.

The issue of global food security is undeniably an issue of grave importance. There is even a class here on campus designated entirely to it.

Recently, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have released the winners of the 2015 Patents for Humanity Award, which is an award that recognizes patent owners working to improve health on a global level. Among these winners was the Golden Rice Project. The Golden Rice Project produces a GM crop that accumulates provitamin A in grain, and is destined to feed countless numbers of starving individuals.

It is available for humanitarian use in developing countries, free of charge.

According to its website, the Golden Rice Project “is based on a widely recognized need for a sustainable biofortification approach to contribute to alleviating the scourge of micronutrient deficiencies worldwide.” In an age of pure technological innovation, denying the efforts of GM crops like golden rice would mean denying a humanitarian project that would save and improve millions of lives.

Finally, I leave you with this: Many people don’t want GMO food, but they will certainly take the medicine they need to cure an illness. This medicine was systematically formulated, engineered and manufactured in a lab, a process fundamentally identical to producing GMOs. We are irreversibly shackled to Pseudoephedrine, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen, but three simple letters cause pandemonium? Running for the hills when seeing “GMO” will not make your food any healthier or the world any safer. In fact, continuing to condemn these letters will probably result in the exact opposite.

Olivia is a freshman majoring in psychology and computer science.

How do you feel about genetically modified organisms? Let us know at opinion@dailycardinal.com.

The way we choose our presidents is flawed Thomas Rademacher opinion columnist

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he way we elect our presidents in the U.S. is a convoluted system filled with primaries, caucuses, delegates, party conventions, campaigns and rhetoric filled with fear and anger.

The debates are not filled with real issues, only trivial arguing. Our elections have become more of a reality TV show than a democratic process.

These are just some of the reasons why I believe the way we elect our presidents is improper and unacceptable. As a country we need to rethink the way we are voting for our leaders and decide if it is the most effective way of getting the most qualified people into office.

In presidential primaries, each state has a different way of electing its candidate and a different number of delegates each candidate can win. It makes sense that states have a different number of delegates because populations differ widely, from 38 million in California to only 500 thousand in Wyoming. What doesn’t make sense though is that some states have primaries while others have caucuses, and nearly all of them have unique dates and rules.

For instance, all Democratic primaries award delegates based on the proportion of votes each candidate

received, but some Republican primaries, like in South Carolina, are winner-take-all.

Additionally, early voting states have a disproportionate effect on the election by providing some candidates with momentum. This wouldn’t be such a problem if early states were representative of the country, but they are not. Iowa, which votes first, has a population of about 3.1 million that is 92 percent white and composed of a large number of Evangelical Christians. It makes zero sense to me that this predominantly white, Evangelical state should be such an important part of the presidential election.

Moreover, campaigns have reached a whole new level of ridiculousness. Being a good campaigner and fundraiser has nothing to do with being a good president, but this is how the process works.

Oftentimes, the candidates with the best resumes do get elected, but there are numerous cases when inexperienced and unqualified people win. We pick people based on qualities that don’t actually reflect if someone can be a good president.

For example, being able to attract large sums of money from wealthy donors is extremely helpful in getting your name out as a candidate, but this has nothing to do with being

a qualified president.

Another reason campaigns are ridiculous is how early they start.

The general election is not until Nov. 8, 2016, and the Iowa caucus was held Feb. 1, 2016. Yet all of the people still in the race declared their candidacy well over a year in advance of the general election. Ted Cruz, the earliest to declare, announced his campaign March 23, 2015, almost two years before the general election.

Furthermore, the amount of money spent for campaigns is nauseating. Instead of being invested into something worthwhile, money gets spent by candidates on advertisements bashing their opponents or portraying themselves as a savior. For example, former Republican candidate Jeb Bush spent $2,800 per vote in Iowa, and received less than 3 percent of the total vote. Bush was airing commercials in Wisconsin in February, when our election isn’t until April 5, and he dropped out Feb. 20. The amount of money Jeb Bush wasted on his campaign is preposterous. But at least he’s not a million dollars in debt like Gov. Scott Walker’s mess of a campaign still is.

It is clear to me that the system we have in place is outrageous.

Therefore, working within the current framework of our democracy, I think an easy solution to simplify

the presidential election would be to have every state conduct a primary on the same day and have each candidate get a number of delegates proportional to how many votes they receive. These delegates should then be required to vote for the candidate they are assigned to, eliminating bewildering caucuses and standardizing the election. It would also prevent certain unrepresentative states from disproportionately affecting the outcome. Candidates should also not be allowed to declare their candidacy more than a year before the general election, or more than seven months before the primary.

The current way we elect our presidents in the U.S. is a convoluted system filled with primaries, caucuses, delegates, party conventions, campaigns that start over a year in advance and negative rhetoric. We should ask ourselves: Are we really voting in the best person for the job?

Does the process we have in place weed out the weakest links? Or does it just get people elected who are the best campaigners?

Thomas is a junior majoring in history and psychology. Do you agree with him that the system we use to elect our presidents is flawed and needs revamping? Please send all comments and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

almanac dailycardinal.com

Weekend, March 3-6, 2016

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5

Wall Street banker deems soul useless, loans it out for huge profit

By Noah Mack the daily cardinal

Chad Trent, recent grad of Harvard University and current Wall Street banker, loaned out his soul at an adjustable subprime rate around 11 a.m. Sunday, right after mass.

The banker recently broke the $100 million mark and his ambition and greed have grown exponentially with his profit.

Responsible for more than 12,000 small business bankruptcies and loan defaults, Trent really has no need for his soul, and claims it simply weighs him down.

“I acquired my soul when I was a little bugger, around the time I opened my first lemonade stand.

It was given to me by my mom if I remember correctly; she was such a sucker, who gives away anything for free? Anyway, I’ve never used

it so it’s time it let it go,” Trent said while vigorously emailing potential clients.

“I thought my soul was helpful once when my ex-girlfriend Greta dumped me in the 5th grade. I felt sadness and regret for a few minutes, but then my lemonade business was bought out by Mike’s Hard and I discovered two things: My soul is pointless and alcohol is tight.”

Cardinal reporters pressed the banker for details of the transaction, much to the annoyance of the very busy Trent. “I’m transferring full equity of my soul for shares in both Google and Uber. Souls these days are leased for about $50 million a year, which converts to about 1 percent of Uber and 0.7 percent of Google. Pretty damn good use of immaterial, translucent wealth.”

When questioned whether the financial guru would regret or miss his soul, Trent responded, “Souls around here are really more of an inside joke than anything.

Some of the guys keep them to be funny and whip ‘em out every once in a while, ya know, to experience emotion during cocktail parties and such. It’s always fun to see but of no real material use.”

Trent’s soul, which he stored in a glass ball because he “couldn’t stand having it anymore,” was set to be picked up by the buyer later in the week. In the meantime, Trent will spend the week tossing it up and down, “toying with my full transtition to complete lack of emotion.”

At press time, Trent was evicting orphans and single mothers with a renewed vigor only the soulless would understand.

image by noah mack

Chad Trent, Wall Street investment banker, removed his soul from his body Sunday and plans to loan it out for a tidy profit.

The gosh-darn cutest honeybee ever tragically killed by careless toddler

By John Joutras the daily cardinal

image by noah mack

The remains of the brutally murdered little honeybee have yet to be removed from the sidewalk by Madison Public Works.

Tragedy struck during the anomalous spring weather last weekend when a local honeybee, venturing from its hive to explore a Monroe Street sidewalk, was unceremoniously stepped on by a passing toddler.

Mona Johnson, known as “Banana” to family and friends,

reportedly crushed the unwitting honeybee with her size-three Minnie Mouse sneakers as she carelessly hopped along the sidewalk to avoid stepping on the cracks.

Eyewitness reports say the honeybee, bumbling along the concrete and projecting a gentle aura of curious joy to passers-by through its mere presence, was covered with “fuzzy-wuzzy wittle hairs” and periodically buzzing its “cutesytootsy teeny wingsies” before being mercilessly wiped from existence by a force 10,000 times its weight.

To date, the bee’s hive has made no motions to press charges. Daily Cardinal legal expert Jess Trilby offered an analysis of the situation.

“There isn’t much legal precedent here,” she said. “It’s common knowledge bees tend to avoid legal action, being a highly economical species—busy bees—they’ve just got too much going on to deal with the bureaucracy inherent in modern justice systems.”

When asked for comments, colony members allegedly exhibited “quite aggressive” behavior toward reporters visiting the hive.

Accounts from the field speculate three-year-old Banana’s Saturday kill count could be as great as five, with the tiny crushed bodies of “a bitty-witty bumblebee” and “woolly wormy caterpillar” also found in the area.

Local student exists on higher level than peers

By Hossein Rostam the daily cardinal

Sophomore and amateur sports statistician Chad Zooti spends his days inhabiting a higher stratum of consciousness, sources say.

Towering over his peers in all aspects of knowledge and intellect, Zooti has gained a following both on campus and in the Reddit channel “/r/baseball,” offering guidance on topics ranging from the illusory nature of reality, to how to beat the system, to how to get hot chicks.

“His dad owns a dealership,” claims longtime friend, Ty Smiff.

“And he’s read half the Bhagavad Gita. Twice.”

According to his Reddit profile, Zooti first attained higher consciousness in high school, when he learned words like “therefore,” and “wherein,” using them in sentences to say things. Since then, he has yet to find a single topic in which he does not have supreme knowledge in all aspects.

“He quotes Aristotle and gives everyone he meets nicknames based on pro athletes, then ranks their intelligence based on his own personal wins-above-replacement calculations,” explains a longtime

follower. “He promoted me to Jeff Baisley, but I used to be Jeff Bailey.

My WAR is -0.3.”

In a time when many students have become disillusioned with traditional religious and political institutions, a number have found themselves rallying around Zooti to help sort out issues in an everchanging and uncertain world.

“He’s read half the Bhagavad Gita. Twice.”

Ty Smiff disciple of The Great Zooti

In a recent Reddit post, he explains in detail how all the outcomes in sports and politics are set in advance by elite interests and how stupid we all are for believing in it.

“I didn’t know I was stupid until he told me,” explains another follower. “I thought I was at least average. Kinda sucks but he has to be right.”

Though he believes voting is a sham, Zooti will be supporting Donald Trump this November.

comics

6 • Weekend, March 3-6, 2016

dailycardinal.com

I feed birds that nest in other birds’ ribcages.

Today’s Sudoku

Kat’s Corner

By Kat Turner graphics@dailycardinal.com

© Puzzles by Pappocom

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Today’s Crossword Puzzle

Subversion

ACROSS 1 Worship from ___ 5 Style of apparel 9 Sea anemone, e.g.

14 ___ lily (Utah state flower) 15 It’s good for the skin 16 Senora’s sayonara 17 Petty criminals 20 Microphone inventor Berliner 21 Home office cord 22 Become nervous 25 Young boy 26 More willing 28 Poi base 32 Backer of Columbus 37 Indiana cager 38 “A Christmas Carol” role 41 Dust collector 42 Becomes more severe, as weather 43 Sharpen 4 4 Pick-me-up 46 Orchestra’s area 47 Add water 53 1988 Connery film (with “The”) 58 Clear away condensed moisture 59 Just a bit, if that

62 Forearm bones 63 Spoke the words 6 4 Bearer of the Golden Fleece 65 Smelting leftovers 66 European river 67 Coffee source DOWN 1 Thing in the plus column 2 ___ fatale 3 Piano teacher’s demand 4 Moves on wheels 5 Hood’s handgun 6 Champ who could “sting like a bee” 7 Apple variety 8 Bug on the road?

9 Trimmed a pippin 10 Olfactory property 11 Griffin half 12 Oxen harness 13 “Hey, Mac!” 18 “House of the Long Shadows” actor Christopher 19 Overcook on purpose 23 Unattractive citrus fruit 24 Hand part 27 Like a Stallone character 28 Where to read RPMs

29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 39 4 0 4 4 45 46 4 8 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 6 0 61

Liniment target Strap for horse control Doggie bag morsels Irritation for one in a cast Cylindrical storehouse Bartlett’s abbr.

Mega-follower Ordinal number ender TDs are worth six Allergy indication Bohemian ___ one’s time Serving no purpose Sorted laundry accumulations Banned insecticide Betty Ford Clinic specialty Blazing Kingdom east of Fiji Encourage Calculator key Small brook Highest active volcano of Europe “Guys only” party Verbally Fountain pen part Poetry 101 reading

By Tom Taagen graphics@dailycardinal.com

dailycardinal.com

Weekend, March 3-6, 2016

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sports

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Feature

Kunin’s quick ascension not without its hurdles Despite being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in sixth grade, Kunin’s hockey career hasn’t slowed Story by Bobby Ehrlich

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efore forward Luke Kunin led the Badgers in goals in his freshman season, he received news from a doctor that changed his life.

In sixth grade around Christmas time, Kunin was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Even back then, he had hockey on his mind.

“It was a big shock to me, to be honest. The first question I asked the doctor was, ‘Can I still play hockey?’ because I didn’t really know much about it and he said, ‘Absolutely,’ so then I kind of cooled down a little bit,” Kunin said.

Seven years later, Kunin became the focal point of the Wisconsin offense, netting 15 goals in 29 games. He has been on a tear as of late, scoring five times in his last five games, including a two-goal night against No. 6 Michigan.

Kunin’s diabetes diagnosis changed his daily life, as he has to count carbs, take insulin shots and check his blood sugar regularly,

tennis from page 8 only the most qualified could accurately speak to, it is easy to recognize his unbelievable passion and focus.

As players like Remy and Kokorev enjoy the intensity and structure varsity tennis gives them, club tennis players like Ralph Allen look to escape those exact things.

“We’re a very social club,” Allen said. “Fun is the main focus.”

Allen has played tennis since his childhood, and believed he had the ability to play at the Division I level. But after playing (and losing) his last high school tournament in Cleveland, Ohio, he became disheartened with the extreme commitment of varsity college tennis and decided he would be content playing at the club level.

Sitting in College Library, Allen seemed extremely relaxed and at ease with his decision to play club tennis.

He claims practices, also at Nielsen Tennis Stadium, are pretty laid back, as they simply play sets, and the club is as much about socializing as it is about tennis. Allen and his teammates (there’s around 50 on the team) giddily anticipate tournaments in Miami, Fla., and South Carolina for months, and weekends are spent hanging out with his friends, both on and off the club tennis team.

But as he reminisced about his high school tennis days, the tone of the conversation changed.

Tennis wasn’t always as enjoyable for him.

“I didn’t like the stress,” Allen said. “It was a pretty stressful experience. A lot of those kids will do anything to win. They’ll cheat, they’ll pull some crazy antics.”

While a lack of stress and pressure allows Allen to focus more on his social life and school-

sometimes even on the bench during games. Outside of this, though, Kunin said it has never really affected hockey and he has refused to let the disease affect him negatively.

“It’s just a little hiccup that I have to deal with and I just think to myself: It could be a lot worse, so it’s nothing too hard,” Kunin said. “I think it’s helped me mature a little bit faster than most kids my age; like I said it’s nothing that’s going to keep me down or away from what I want to do.”

This attitude could certainly be a factor behind Kunin’s success this year. His numbers have been impressive enough that he’s garnered several looks from NHL scouts. In fact, NHL.com analysts Mike G. Morreale and Adam Kimelman both have Kunin as a first-round draft pick in their 2016 mock drafts, as pick No. 21 and No. 24, respectively.

“He’s a great player. He can pretty much do everything out there. He can shoot, pass, skate,” junior forward and linemate Grant Besse said. “He’s got all the skills and that’s why he’s a projected first rounder this year. It’s been really work, the same pressure is precisely what drives Remy and Kokorev to succeed.

Both players are hoping to end the season with All-Big Ten honors, and help their squad reach the NCAA Tournament as well.

Kokorev admits he has his off days, but believes overcoming that adversity is key to making himself a better player.

“Unlike in other team sports, in tennis you’re alone on the court and you have to figure out your problems by yourself,” Kokorev admitted. “And it’s really really tough mentally, especially when you’re struggling and you can’t find a shot.

You’ve hit the same shot billions and billions of times, and for some reason if you’re not feeling it that particular day it can really upset you and drive you crazy. But it’s handling those tough situations that makes you a good player.”

While Kokorev admits his college experience would be less stressful without tennis, he makes sure to concede that it would also be far less fun, and that he’s immensely enjoyed his decision to play tennis at Wisconsin.

Remy and Allen, with their differing commitment levels, both share no regrets about their respective experiences.

In the end, the stories of Kokorev, Remy and Allen are all a product of something familiar to them on the tennis court: being an individual.

Kokorev had to boldly decide to continue his academics and athletics in America.

Remy had to keep faith in himself and delay his professional career. And Allen had to decide that club tennis, rather than Division I, was what would make him happiest.

Ultimately, their days playing singles matches are finite. But there’s no reason they can’t be individuals in their lives thereafter.

easy playing with him because he does everything really well.”

This top line of Kunin, Besse and sophomore forward Cameron Hughes has been electric over the past few weeks for the Badgers.

Over the last five games, they have combined for a total of 23 points and have kept Wisconsin alive in several contests, the best example coming in its tie against Michigan.

With just 27 seconds to go, Kunin lit the lamp to even the score, and both Besse and Hughes were credited with an assist. Besse also assisted on Kunin’s earlier goal and added a goal of his own, which was assisted by none other than Hughes.

The following weekend, this line combined for two of the three goals in a 4-3 loss to Michigan State. Then, in a 6-5 loss to Ohio State the following weekend, the three teamed up for three of the five Badger goals.

Without the play of these three, Wisconsin’s losses would most likely be a lot uglier than they are now. This can be attributed to the chemistry that Besse and Kunin have built over the year. Besse said this didn’t take too long, despite not playing on the same line until the Ferris State series three weeks into the season.

Although he’s having a relatively down year in the goal-scoring department, Besse continues to lead the team in points, an obvious consequence of the emergence of Kunin.

“Anytime I have an opportunity, I want to score to help this team and I probably haven’t done that as much as I would have hoped,” Besse said. “But I’d say with him having such a good year putting the puck in the net has maybe, in a way, kind of made up for me, not necessarily struggling, but I just haven’t put up what I expected at the beginning of the year.”

Senior captain Kevin Schulze, a defenseman, also noted how Kunin’s prolific goal-scoring ability has helped Besse in what has been a tough year for him.

“When they play together they’re very dynamic, they’re both really great goal scorers,” Schulze said. “Ya know sometimes in hockey you don’t score and Grant is

jessi schoville/cardinal file photo

Freshman forward Luke Kunin has adjusted to UW quickly and leads Wisconsin with 15 goals through 30 games this season. almost snake-bitten this year, but Kunin and him work well together.”

Both Besse and Schulze also praised Kunin’s work ethic and attitude.

“He’s a really quiet guy. Real humble and goes about his work and puts his hard hat on every day and works hard, whether it’s on the ice or in the weight room,” Besse said. “He wants to get better and that’s a pretty big trait if you want to make it to the next level and for him to develop that at such a young age, that’s pretty special for him.”

“He’s competitive and that’s the best thing you can have in a teammate,” Schulze said.

Despite his quiet nature, Kunin is making some noise on the ice for Wisconsin this year and has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise abysmal season.

Schulze also added that even though Kunin’s a quiet guy, once he got to know him, Kunin opened up and showed his comedic side.

As if on cue, Kunin walked by and gave Schulze a shoulder bump mid-answer in an effort to throw off his concentration, drawing an ear-to-ear smile and a chuckle

from Schulze.

Now, as they head into a series with No. 15 Penn State, this top line will be of vital importance if Wisconsin wants to salvage any dignity within the Big Ten. The last time they met, the Nittany Lions swept the Badgers out of Happy Valley, winning two close games that epitomized Wisconsin’s season of frustrating losses.

To earn their second Big Ten win, the Badgers will rely on this top line to find twine, and Kunin will need to continue his strong play that has attracted the attention of professional teams.

Regardless of the potential of being a first-round pick, Kunin has tried to remain focused on doing what he can do, a testament to the attitude that his teammates described.

“I just worry about what I can control. Playing on the ice I try not to think about it too much,” Kunin said.

That mature approach should serve him well as he continues his career. Soon enough, he may be skating for an NHL team.

jon yoon/cardinal file photo

Although the Badgers have struggled all season long, their young core provides hope for the future.

Sports Sports

Weekend, March 3-6, 2016 Dailycardinal.com DailyCardinal.com

Feature

Playing tennis for the love of the game Varsity and club tennis players find common ground despite different motivations for competing Story by Jake Nisse

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he intensity in Nielsen Tennis Stadium was palpable.

There was no joking around, no chatting and certainly no tolerance for mistakes. Rather, there was merely the sound of swinging rackets, with the bellowing voice of head coach Danny Westerman filling the arena. Within minutes of observation, it was evident these players were living a life many others wouldn’t dare to: the life of a Division I tennis player.

It soon became clear not all Division I tennis players are playing for the same reason. Some, like Belgian Alexander Kokorev, enjoy the chance to play at a high level and get a first-class education— something that is not always possible in Europe.

Others, like sophomore Lamar Remy of Roslyn, N.Y., play to hone

their skills with the goal of reaching the professional level.

What players like Kokorev, Remy and their teammates do share, however, is an unwavering commitment to their sport.

Kokorev and Remy practice six days per week, perfecting their skills on the tennis court while also spending time in the weight room and improving their conditioning.

Off the court, their commitment to tennis remains steadfast.

Kokorev says he spends 80 percent of his time off the court with his teammates and coaches, and also described the team’s diet plan, designed to help players recover and maintain their physical conditioning.

“Playing tennis requires you to have a stricter diet than a normal student,” Kokorev said.

“We need more hydration, and more calorie intake, because we spend three hours per day on the courts and in the weight room. So it’s a bit different. You have to eat more carbohydrates

and more protein so your body recovers faster.”

While becoming a Division I tennis player obviously requires a supreme amount of athletic ability, the mentality required—as shown

by Kokorev’s comments—is also extremely significant.

It’s probably not easy for a sophomore like Remy to reject the temptations of partying, junk food and complacency—many of his classmates don’t, after all.

But as the New York native spoke, it was obvious all of those things were genuinely meaningless to him.

All he wants is one thing: to go pro.

“As I was growing up, I’ve always thought about trying to be a professional tennis player,” Remy said. “I left New York after middle school to go to a high school in Florida called IMG Academy.

They wanted me to reach that professional level, but thought that I couldn’t go straight from high school to professional. So they thought college would be the next

katie scheidt/the daily cardinal

While parallels exist between the varsity and club tennis teams, the varsity players embrace a more stringent, competitive spirit. best way to go, as a stepping stone.”

While Remy’s goal is a lofty one, he feels that it is attainable if he keeps training hard and listen-

ing to his coaches. And though his playing ability is a subject

tennis page 7

katie scheidt/the daily cardinal

Wisconsin is off to an impressive 7-1 record, most recently highlighted by a dominant sweep over Marquette Feb. 27 at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison.

There’s no question: It’s the most wonderful time of the year Matt Ferris walk-on, wisconsin

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leven months of waiting.

Torture. Distress. Agony.

But we did it, folks. We made it.

March is here.

Think of how you feel when your favorite time of the year comes around. Now multiply that feeling by 1,000, and that’s how I feel about March.

The month itself yields limited excitement. Spring is on the way, which brings some enjoyment. There’s also St. Patrick’s Day, which, in my mind, is just another excuse for sorority girls to dress in green, day drink and post Instagram pictures with the caption, ‘Lucky to have you in my life,’ along with a four-leaf clover emoji. Come on ladies, you can be more creative.

Instead, for me, March means taking a break from reality to revel in the magic that is upon us. That magic, as I’m sure you

all know, takes the form of the NCAA Basketball Tournament: the 68-team, single-elimination tournament which redefines what we thought we knew about college basketball.

For some odd and unforeseen reason, lectures become more and more sparse during the middle of March. Brackets frantically shoot out of the library printers, and the only mathematics that any stats major cares to calculate is the probability of that 12-seed pulling off the upset against the five. Americans watch truTV for the first (and probably only) time all year. Money mysteriously changes hands, but I can be sure that it’s solely coincidental and has absolutely nothing to do with illegal gambling.

Additionally, if it wasn’t flawless enough already, March Madness occurs at the perfect time of the sports calendar.

Football is hibernating until the fall, professional basketball and hockey are in their usual regular seasons and baseball is in the early stages of spring training (but honestly, if you care about that in

March, please re-prioritize your life). All attention can be put on the supreme sports spectacle of the year.

Emotions run deep in the NCAA Tournament. Just watch any rendition of the “One Shining Moment” videos on YouTube, and I can guarantee each one contains either a coach, player, fan or all three moved to tears.

The stakes could not possibly be higher. The NBA playoffs, for example, consist of a sevengame series. Normally, the “better” and most talented team will win, according to the law of averages. The same cannot be said of the NCAA Tournament. One bad game could leave the undisputed best team packing their bags.

Upsets are as common as mosquitoes in summer (read: very common), and every year, a team no one has ever heard of will make a splash.

Unlikely heroes sprout like flowers in spring, leading to cultlike followings. Who could forget Jimmer Fredette and Steph Curry torching nets, the VCU team making a Final Four run in 2011 or how

the 2013 Florida Gulf Coast team appeared to score solely off alleyoops, winning the hearts of millions with its up-tempo play?

Finally, the motivation. College basketball players don’t play for money. They play for something more. They play for their teammates. They play for their families.

They play for where they came from. But most importantly, they

play for their school and the opportunity to do something remarkable with those they consider family.

All of these reasons add up to the magic feeling of March.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the Madness.

It’s the best time of the year.

How does March Madness impact your every day life? Let Matt know at sports@dailycardinal.com.

Men’s Basketball Check out dailycardinal.com for a full recap of Wisconsin’s 62-49 win over Minnesota Wednesday and continued coverage of Badger sports throughout the weekend.