Over the last 18 months, two earthquakes have struck island nations, wrecking Haiti last year and Japan just over a month ago. As a community, Lehigh is tied to both through students and alumni. However, there has been a distinct difference in the reaction of Lehigh’s administration to the two tragedies.
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Mischaracterizations of the opposition are at the heart of the toxic political environment in this country. Instead of being an electoral season tradition as it has been in the past, today’s attacks on the character of the left or right come daily. The dialogue may go something like this:

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The idea that education is, itself, a business is obvious to most. Particularly with higher education, you have students, who are the consumers of a good provided by University for the price of tuition. While many institutions like Lehigh are not-for-profit organizations, they still have to play the fundamental game of making sure that revenue covers expenses (and even look to expand the excess reserves within the endowment). (more…)

With the current situation in Wisconsin, it is a good time to look at exactly what unions have become.

A couple of months ago, I covered a piece done on The Daily Show regarding an attempt by the UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers Union). Even if you did see the clip or read the article, I recommend going back and taking another look:

http://www.lehighpatriot.com/bmumma/union-mosity/

But moving to the situation at hand in Wisconsin. If you are not familiar with the source of conflict, take a look at the coverage provided by The Wall Street Journal here. As you may have gathered, the role of public sector unions is an extremely heated political issue. According to several sources, the main issue for the public-sector unions, in addition to a cut in benefits, is the right to bargain collectively over benefits (the bill would still allow collective bargaining over salaries).

Public-sector unions are perhaps the best example we have in this country of special interest groups run amok. In general, special interest groups actively promote the agenda of a few to the detriment of the common good. How is this the case for any public-sector union? Well let’s take a look at the actions they can currently take in order to increase their collective wealth:

1. Public-sector workers already have the ability to vote for elected officials, the same ones who bargain with them.

2. They also have the ability to donate significant campaign funds (as they often do) to these elected officials who bargain with them (Note, in the private sector, this is called bribery).

3. They have the right to hold out and strike if the elected officials do not cater to their whims.

Think about that. Imagine if you could vote for the people who set your salary. Imagine if you could “donate” money to them in return. It creates a feedback loop: you elect representatives who negotiate good benefits for you. You return the favor by donating to the campaign and keeping them in office. They increase your benefits again in return. It is a classic case of the inmates running the asylum, and this is all the case before collective bargaining even enters the picture!

Realistically, it’s impossible to dispute the cozy position that public-sector unions have in negotiations. But that only satisfies half of the claim that public-sector unions are a special interest group run amok. The second half is proven by looking at the damage that these unions do to the common good. To do so, let’s look at two facts that are often lost in the political maelstrom surrounding public-sector unions.

1. The government is not a business, it does not create wealth it merely moves wealth around and manages it.

2. The money spent by the government is not original property of the government. It is money granted by the taxpayers of a state in return for essential services being provided.

What does that mean? In short, it means that the government is an intermediary between taxpayers and the people (public-sector workers) that they, the taxpayers, employ. The money to fund public-sector workers comes directly from the state’s taxpayers. Benefits for them come at the detriment of the rest of the state population. While the distinction is lost on mondern liberals, none other than Franklin Roosevelt understood this point. For many of the reasons mentioned above, he stated quite simply: ”The process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service.” Former AFL-CIO chair George Meany said in 1955 that: “It is impossible to bargain collectively with the government.” Both these men were champions for the existence of unions in the private sector. The reason they differ so drastically from the protesters in Wisconsin on the feasibility of public sector unions is simple: they understood the feedback loop and perverse incentives that public sector unions would create. Today’s Democrats and union members have benefited greatly from the feedback loop and they like it the way it is.

Public sector workers should be afforded the same rights and be treated the same as everyone else in the state. Despite the rabid claims from protesters, collective bargaining is not one of those fundamental rights. As we’ve seen from the points above, it is inarguable that public-sector workers already have much more recourse than most in determining their compensation. It has also been shown in many studies that state workers already enjoy benefits well above a comparable worker in the private sector. Pundits are right when they say that the changes proposed in Wisconsin will not solve all of the states fiscal woes. But it is a start, and it is fixing something that never should have existed in the first place.

Which was worse: the career fair, or the coverage of the career fair? Career Services and the Brown and White face off.

Career Fair Fail:

Last month, Lehigh held its traditional University-wide career fair. The event serves as a way for underclassmen to get a taste of the job-search scene, and a way for seniors to, hopefully, find a company to start their careers. As an event that is held only once a year, it is tough for most students to compare this year’s event with past editions. However, it must be pointed out that Lehigh’s 2010 Career Fair was a failure by any measure. Here’s why: (more…)

With the midterm elections coming up tomorrow, everyone is expecting Republicans to gain seats in the House and the Senate, but no one is sure to what degree. Let’s take a look and see what we can expect.

In the Senate, Republicans seem to be a lock to pick up at least two seats: Indiana, Wisconsin. Additionally, none of the seats they currently hold are in any danger according to recent polling. That would bring the margin in the Senate to 57-43. However, seven of those democratic seats are up for re-election and are very close. Republicans look to be in good shape in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Illinois and Colorado with recent polling showing margins of 2-4% in favor of Republicans. Assuming that they take those, the margin will move to 53-47.

Three other close seats look as though they will be taken by the Democrats: West Virginia, Washington, and California. If current polling is accurate, these seats will stay Democratic. However, if the polling methods used have a hidden bias toward Democrats (polls face obvious difficulties determining who will actually vote. Do you count registered voters, “likely” voters or “really likely” voters?) such as underestimating Republican turnout, then one or more of these races could shift. On nothing more than a hunch, I’m going to say the Republicans do grab an upset in one of these states due to momentum, and predict a final Senate margin of 52 Democrats and 48 Republicans.

In the House, things are obviously tougher to look at, with 435 races going on across the country. Here, we will resort to data provided by www.RealClearPolitics.com. RealClearPolitics accumulates polling data and classifies races into five categories: Likely Dem, Leans Dem, Toss Up, Leans GOP, and Likely GOP. Currently, RealClearPolitics shows Republicans grabbing 224 seats, Democrats grabbing 168 seats, with 43 toss ups. It is interesting to note that of the 43 toss ups, 41 are currently held by Democrats. While Democrats are facing difficult circumstances nationally, House races are localized, and thus national tendencies can be overcome by individual candidates. Indeed, by most counts this has been a clear strategy for Democratic House candidates: focus on local issues and distance yourself from the Pelosi-Reid-Obama agenda. For that reason, we’ll assume the toss ups break to the democrats by a fairly large margin: about 2 to 1. This would give us a final House tally of 238 Republicans and 197 Democrats.

Obviously, the conclusion we can draw from this is that we are heading toward a divided government once more. To accomplish anything, Democrats and Republicans must get along. Will it happen? That’s a topic for another time.

The Daily Show had a classic correspondent piece on Monday. Assif Mandvi takes a look at the hypocritical practices of the UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers Union) in Nevada. In a way that only the Daily Show can, the clip highlights a UFCW attempt to rally against Walmart for their “oppressive” labor policies. However, the focus soon shifts when Assif finds out that the picketers are temporary employees hired by the union and receiving minimum wage and no benefits to picket in 107 degree heat.

See the clip here:

While the Daily Show makes light of the situation, there are important issues at play. The hypocrisy of the union’s leadership shows how unions have evolved to become identical to the organizations they claim to fight, and brings up the question: “how do you protect the individual against more powerful entities in society?”

Liberals claim the answer to be two-fold: government regulations and unions. However, both fail for the same reason. In each case, there is a monopoly that gives either the government or the union power over the people due to the extreme cost imposed of searching for an alternate good. A public school teacher must be in a union. Should the union start to adopt policies that he or she doesn’t appreciate, the teacher must switch not just his or her job, but switch their field of expertise. Quite simply, it is infeasible.

Similarly, our government holds us so that we are reliant on its services. The only option otherwise is to leave the country, quite obviously an expensive maneuver. To leave requires liquidation of assets, access to another country, and a similar switch in jobs. As such, a government can create policies that are not popular. While voter recourse still exists, the expansion of the government bureaucracy here has left little that elected officials can do, while more and more of the laws on our books are enforced by lifetime bureaucrats who ultimately answer to no one.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the role of Corporations in this argument. Liberals love to blame the “Big Business” for all of societies woes. But corporations do not suffer from the aforementioned flaws that unions and government face. With few exceptions, corporations face competition both for sales and for employees. While competition doesn’t provide a complete protection for the individual, it is much easier to buy a different car, shop at a different store or work for a different company than it is to shed the burden of a union or a government which becomes oppressive.

Unfortunately the Supreme Court long ago threw away the one protection afforded to citizens against government when it discarded the 10th amendment, which would have created a competitive “free market” environment amongst the states. Ultimately, we need to look for new solutions to ensure that an individual can flourish in society. Concealed monopolies such as our government and unions certainly are not the answer.

As you embed yourself into Lehigh’s social scene, you will encounter many beverages along the way. Here’s a look at ten of the more popular beverages you’ll see around Lehigh. While we cannot condone going against the current drinking age statute, we can educate you should you choose to ignore such an archaic and ignorant law. Without further ado, here are your top ten Lehigh beverages:

10. Root Beer – Beverages don’t have to be alcoholic! For the teetotalers in the crowd, slamming back a few Barq’s is a great way to relax. The supple taste of a good can of Root Beer is often tough to beat after a tough day of classes. Added benefit – it is the only item on this list you can find at the dining halls!

9. Wine in a bag - While your parents may not agree, there is only one way to drink wine, and that is from a bag. Though the wine bag suffers from an aversion to sharp objects, “slapping the bag” is an iconic college moment that shouldn’t be missed.

8. Natural (Natty) Ice - While the oft-rejected cousin of Natty Light can’t top the charts due to a lack of consumption, but that in no way devalues it. Natty Ice boast a much higher ABV (alcohol by volume) than Natty Light, resulting in you having to drink less of this admittedly unsavory beverage.

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Four unique trips to take through campus, without the admission office spin.

Fountain Tour

The Lehigh fountain tour is great way to end a Friday night after finishing your homework. Touring the fountains themselves are self-explanatory, so we will cover some of the fascinating details about the buildings associated with Lehigh’s five fountains.

1. Alumni Memorial – Alumni Memorial is probably the most beautiful building on Lehigh’s campus. The upper levels are reserved for administrators, and the ground level is used to woo prospective students. Current students can enjoy the Alumni Memorial by making regular trips to the basement to visit to the registrar and the bursar, two of my favorite pastimes.

2. Packard Laboratories – In typical Lehigh fashion, Packard has ground-level entrances on the first, second, and third floors. Staircases in Packard seem to end arbitrarily, so if you are trying to climb to the roof or the sixth floor, it may take some time.

3. Chandler Ulman – Architecture students will live in this building, which is ironic given the building’s design. Add-ons to the original design have made this building a veritable maze structurally, and room numbers don’t help matters.

4. Wilbur Powerhouse – The home of IBE, IPD, and Design Arts workshops is an interesting building, filled with Macs and plenty of open space. Amongst other attractions is a secret doorway into the Design Arts area.

5. Campus Square – Yes, juniors and seniors have: single bedrooms, air-conditioning, good dining establishments nearby, AND a fountain. End your fountain tour by taking a hike up the hill to your cramped, sweltering room with your passed out roommate.

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HEROES OR VILLAINS? IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK, BUT HERE’S OUR SIDE OF THE STORY.

To be sure, the Patriot has been subject to a great many distinctions throughout its existence. Lehigh professors have said that we produce the best news and commentary at Lehigh. Just last year, a Lehigh administrator accused the Patriot of trying to “tear the [Lehigh] community apart.” Many of the articles published by the Patriot have received both ridicule and praise. Just in the past few years we’ve tried to tackle almost every controversial subject that relates to Lehigh and its students. We can, and will, be a source of controversy both this year and beyond. To be honest, we would not have it any other way.

The Patriot began as an operation run from the dorms (sorry, Residence Halls) of a few Lehigh students back in 2003. Initially, the project was titled “The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy,” in homage to and in mockery of idea that such a conspiracy actually existed. The goal of the VRWC was to serve as a forum for students who felt that the dialogue within Lehigh was limited too severely, specifically due to a left-leaning administration and faculty.

Over time, the group of students who felt a need for such a forum continued to grow, and so did the VRWC. In 2004, The VRWC gained national publicity through a piece on some artwork in Maginnes that displayed President Bush several cabinet members in highly unflattering positions. Fox News, and various other news organizations picked up the story, which provided the VRWC with support a great deal of exposure to alumni and outside organizations. In 2005, the VRWC was rebranded as The Lehigh Patriot, in an effort to become a more inclusive organization on campus.

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