Get Involved
-
Get Connected
Tag Archives: Mark
Mark Chou's Take: What 4/15 Means to DC Residents
Today is April 15. Not only is it my dog Buddy Chou’s birthday, but it is also Tax Day. It’s the day we forfeit our hard earned salaries for the better of our country. In return, we all get representation in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Well, most of us do. Residents of the District of Columbia do not get this right. That’s correct; DCers pay thousands of dollars in taxes each year but still get no representation in Congress. That is literally taxation without representation. TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. Hold up. Isn’t that what people in the 1700s had a huge problem with? They were paying their government yet did not get a vote in anything or anywhere. So, they fixed it. Yay! However, this concern still lingers in Washington D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat from Washington, D.C., has taken it up as her job to get D.C. residents their right to a representative. “Defenders of the Constitution” believe residents of D.C. do not deserve this right because seats in Congress are reserved to representatives of states. Technically, Washington, D.C. is not a state. Is that a fair argument? I’m not buying it. They are paying taxes. They live in America. They deserve the right to have representation in Congress. Are residents of D.C. any less Americans than, say, Californians? Definitely not. (more…)
Posted in Blog, College Democrats, Mark Chou's Take
Tagged Chou, Congress, constitution, dc, defenders of constitution, delegate, district of columbia, hatch, holmes norton, house of representatives, Joe, joe sandman, lieberman, Mark, Mark Chou, mark chou blog, Mark Chou's Take, markchou, markchoublog, markchoublog.blogspot.com, representation, representative, Republicans, residents, Senate, tax day, taxation, Taxation Without Representation, utah, Washington
4 Comments
Mark Chou's Take: Obama Opens up Cuba
Today, the White House announced that the Obama administration has lifted travel, remittance, mail and business restrictions relating to the Communist nation of Cuba. This also means that Cuban-Americans will now be able to visit relatives and loved ones in their homeland.
According to ABC News (Jake Tapper reporting), the Obama administration will also “take steps to enhance the flow of information by allowing U.S. telecommunications networks to link the U.S. and Cuba; and will allow an expansion of humanitarian items that can be sent to the island.” This is overall good news. Bush put restrictions on flow of Americans and products between Cuba in 2004 in hopes that the country’s leader, Fidel Castro (pictured above) would cave into our requests. However, this never happened. Meanwhile, living conditions in Cuba got worse.
My good friend’s mother is from Cuba. She was scared to visit family in Cuba because she was concerned that her passport would be taken away in Cuba and would not be able to return to America. I talked to her recently, and she feels better about going to Cuba. She stressed the fact that now that humanitarian items are allowed to be shipped to the Cubans, conditions there will improve. She said she may even take a trip there in the near future despite her lingering concerns.
In a related story, Chuck Todd, NBC News’ Political Director, had a little bit of a back and forth with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs because of the fact that Gibbs delivered the news instead of President Obama. Todd felt that this kind of message should’ve come from the President who was in his White House office. Watch the video clip here.
Posted in Blog, Mark Chou's Take
Tagged 2004, administration, America, bush, Chou, chuck todd, Cuba, cuban-american, gibbs, humanitarian items, jake tapper, Mark, Mark Chou, Mark Chou's Take, obama, Robert Gibbs, tapper, todd
5 Comments
Mark Chou's Take: Introducing Bo Obama!
Have you seen the picture of Bo Obama, the new First Dog? Can you get any more adorable?!? Also, The Washington Post posted the photo (see above) on their website of Barack and Bo running through the White House. That’s one lucky dog. To read more about Presidential Pets, check out The Daily Beast’s photo gallery here.
Posted in Barack Obama, Blog, Mark Chou's Take
Tagged Barack Obama, bo, bo obama, Chou, daily beast, dog, dogs, Mark, Mark Chou, mark chou blog, Mark Chou's Take, obama, pets, presidential, take, white house
3 Comments
Kaitlin Henry: Environmentally Destructive Habits Are NOT Something to Celebrate
- As you can see, Kaitlin loves the environment. Well, mainly leaves.
Our very own Kaitlin Henry wrote a great letter to the editor that appeared in today’s Michigan Daily. Here’s the full letter:
Victoria Miller’s letter to the editor regarding Earth Hour (Earth Hour exemplifies anti-progressive principles, 03/27/2009) was a disturbing example of a prideful attitude toward overconsumption. While the author should receive credit for putting her blatant selfishness up for the entire University to read, it is terrifying to imagine that her voice represents the opinions of many.
The suggestion that making personal energy sacrifices is somehow backtracking, “sacrificing humanity†or disrespecting the ingenuity of past inventors is absolutely absurd. Nobody denies the importance of their discoveries, but that does not make them appropriate for a sustainable future. In fact, it’s precisely that type of innovation that should inspire us to find every possible way to reduce our carbon footprints. Such a viewpoint does not demonstrate appreciation for modern technology but instead demonstrates the danger of ignorant and foolish pride. Environmentally destructive habits are not something to celebrate.
Kaitlin Henry
LSA freshman
Nice letter, Kaitlin. You’ve made us proud! For the article link, click here.
Posted in Blog, Environment
Tagged Chou, Daily, earth hour, Environment, Henry, kaitlin, kaitlin henry, Mark, Mark Chou, michigan, Michigan Daily
6 Comments
Mark Chou's Take: BREAKING NEWS: SANJAY WITHRDRAWS
Sorry about the nasty headline, but it’s true: Sanjay Gupta has removed himself for consideration for the position of Surgeon General. According to the Huffington Post (article here), the CNN Chief Medical Correspondent was concerned abou the paycuts he would be taking as well as the fact that he would have to report to two bosses. Seriously, Sanjay? Less money? It’s for the good of the country. And two bosses? Whoa…..scary. I hate to say it, Sanjay, but GET OVER YOURSELF. You are one of the Leaders and Best. Represent properly. And hail.
Posted in Blog, Cabinet Appointments, Mark Chou's Take
Tagged Chou, CNN, gupta, hail, health, leaders and best, Mark, Mark Chou, Mark Chou's Take, medical correspondent, michigan, sanjay, sanjay gupta, surgeon general
2 Comments
Mark Chou's Take: Attack and Retreat
Everybody ready for some Republican bashing? Then what are we waiting for…DIG IN! So, these days people have been (finally!) realizing that Rush Limbaugh is the voice of the Republican party. Lame? I think so. But it’s true. Democrats got Obama. And the Republicans have Rush. Disparity? I think so too. Anyway, Rush is of the “Republican God” these days (does that hold any value?). If anyone says anything against him, they immediately have to retract their statements. Just today RNC Chair Steele had to apologize to Limbaugh after calling Rush’s radio program “ugly.” What harsh words, Chairman: ugly. But he HAD to take it back. If he didn’t, he would not get the support he needs from his party’s base. Those guys WORSHIP Rush. They don’t like it when anyone attacks him. I beg to ask, however, is he really so weak that he can’t even take a little jab? Whatever it is, I find it ridiculous that Rush can dish out criticism all the time, but once it goes the other way, foul is cried. Whatever happened to some civil disagreements? I guess those just don’t exist within the Republican party. Nor do intelligent representatives.
Posted in Blog, Mark Chou's Take, Republican Party, Things Republicans Like
Tagged Chou, limbaugh, Mark, Mark Chou, michael steele, obama, republican, republican god, Republicans, rnc, Rush, rush limbaugh, steele
3 Comments
Mark Chou's Take: Before All Ya'All….
I was a page in the Illinois State Senate in 8th grade (don’t I look more like a 3rd grader?!?). Anyway, you can now worship me.
**Note: Although it looks like it, this was not “Photo Shopped” in anyway. Original copy will be shown upon verbal/written request.**
Posted in Barack Obama, Blog, Mark Chou's Take
Tagged Barack, Barack Obama, Chou, Illinois, illinois state senate, Mark, Mark Chou, Mark Chou's Take, obama, Senate, State
2 Comments
Begich = TOTAL DOMINATION!!!
The Alaska Board of Elections is now reporting that Democrat Mark Begich is leading Republican Ted Stevens for the Alaskan Senate seat by 814 votes!! As of Nov. 5, Begich was down by more that 3,000 votes, but has since caught up and surpassed Stevens due to the large number of absentee ballots cast, a majority of which in favor of Begich. AND! it only gets better from here! FiveThirtyEight‘s Sean Quinn writes:
As we’ve pointed out and has been pointed out elsewhere, the remaining votes come from Begich-friendly districts. Mark Begich is now an overwhelming favorite to win the Alaska Senate seat.
All I can say is, “YAY!! Thank God!!” Now it looks like Sarah Palin can’t sneak her way into the Senate!