Monday, Nov. 9, 2015 | Volume 211 | Number 53 | 40 cents | iowastatedaily.com | An independent student newspaper serving Iowa State since 1890.
Latinos call for action
Outreach leader encourages caucusing, voting
By Adam.Sodders @iowastatedaily.com
Political pandemonium ISU students feel too uninformed to participate in caucuses for the 2016 election By Thomas.Nelson and Makayla.Tendall @iowastatedaily.com
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his year, the Iowa Caucus will take place during the spring semester and opens up the opportunity for more ISU students to participate, but many said they don’t feel informed enough to get involved in the process. “All of students feel like their voice doesn’t make a difference,” said Alex Doser, senior in mathematics and president of Iowa State’s College Dems. “People are not willing to get involved if they can’t make a
difference.” James McCormick, professor of political science, said the last caucus occurred during a time when school wasn’t in session, which McCormick said deterred students from becoming involved. Nigel Hanson, junior in political science and president of Iowa State’s College Republicans, said students can be influential; they haven’t been in the past, but they should be. “A lot of students don’t get the information they need,” Hanson said. “The very basic information: this is how to caucus, this is where to go, this is how to do it. It’s
simple.” Hanson said university students are getting bombarded from every angle with political messages attempting to convince them to sway a certain way, through YouTube, radio, TV and print advertisements, along with various political interest groups asking for their involvement. Jacob Stout, senior in materials engineering, attended the Cy-Hawk tailgates where Republican presidential candidates mingled with tailgaters. Stout, who said he identifies as a conservative, said he came to the rally to
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Getting Latinos to caucus and vote in local, state and national elections was the focus of a discussion that took place in 101 Carver Hall on Saturday afternoon. Cesar Vargas, who leads Latino outreach for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign in Iowa, was the main speaker at the discussion, which drew an attendance of 32 people. “I want to be able to allow our community to speak on the changes we need in this country,” he said. Vargas has undocumented status in the United States and was brought to New York from Mexico by his mother when he was 5 years old. He is the co-founder of immigration reform group Dream Action Coalition. “[My mother] made a decision to give me and my family a better life,” Vargas said about his journey to the United States. He talked about crossing the border, and said his mother decided to move after his father died in Mexico. “I remember the dark, rough terrain and the probing searchlights in the distance,” he said. “My mom holding my hand tightly reminded me she was there to protect me.” Vargas said storytelling is one effective way of getting the Latino community to vote, and to get politicians and non-Latinos to
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O’Malley: ‘America needs a proven leader’ By Alex.Hanson @iowastatedaily.com Martin O’Malley, the former mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, said his track record of progressive leadership and accomplishments makes him best qualified to be the next president. O’Malley’s comments came Saturday afternoon in an interview with the Iowa State Daily. He said voters can expect a lot more comparing and contrasting on where Democrats stand on issues, calling out fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton on a wide range of issues, including her ties to Wall Street, record on guns and her position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. At a forum in South Carolina on Friday night that aired on MSNBC, O’Malley also called out Bernie Sanders — a longtime independent — for just now defining himself as a Democrat to get on the ballot in multiple states. “You’re going to see a lot more comparison and contrast-
Katy Klopfenstein/Iowa State Daily
Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley speaks at the Iowa Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Des Moines on Oct. 24.
ing on different approaches to leadership,” O’Malley said. “Don’t confuse reading polls and being principled and getting things done. I believe there is a big difference between being crafty and actually being a leader.”
O’Malley said Clinton represented Wall Street while she was a U.S. senator and does not want to reinstate tough regulations. He said Clinton “pumps out a smokescreen” to dodge her position on the issue, which O’Malley calls a “pretty fundamental difference” in the 2016 race. Sanders has been the target of criticism on his past record on gun laws, but O’Malley said Clinton was “pandering” on the gun issue during her first run for president in 2008 when she went after President Obama on the issue. O’Malley’s campaign called Clinton’s answer on the death penalty — which she said should be left up to states — a “cop-out,” and said Saturday that he supports abolishing the death penalty, as it does not deter crime. He also said he is not paying attention to polls — which show him stuck around 5 percent in Iowa and nationwide — and that past figures in politics that were polling low have gone on to be successful. “There were many people that were where I am in the polls and end up being the surprise that
comes out of Iowa,” O’Malley said. “That’s the exciting thing about Iowa.” O’Malley answered a wide range of questions — from student loans and debt to his positions on criminal justice reform and marijuana to why he is the best choice for voters. On education O’Malley said Clinton and Sanders can talk about making college affordable, but he actually did it as governor in Maryland. “We were the only state in the United States that went four years in a row without a penny increase in college tuition,” O’Malley said. “So I know something about this issue.” O’Malley released a policy paper earlier this fall on specifics for education, including refinancing loans, tying minimum payments to incomes, calling on states to freeze public tuition and increase funding and pell grants. “We’re the only nation on the planet that now saddles our kids with this sort of crippling college debt,” O’Malley said. Clinton has released a plan she says will create “debt-free col-
lege,” while Sanders has said tuition at public universities should be totally free. O’Malley said free tuition is not the way to go because only about one-third of the costs are actually tuition. Two-thirds are other things such as housing. “This is from experience with having worked with universities and a board of regents — if you just start stroking federal checks to cover the total cost of tuition, you’re going to touch off everescalating tuition costs,” O’Malley said. “It’ll just keep going up, and that will drive up private universities, as well.” On issues that can become bipartisan O’Malley said he sees a “growing consensus” on a number of issues, including income inequality, gun control legislation and on criminal justice reform. O’Malley said America is “waking up” on income inequality and many dispute that “trickledown economics” is good for the economy. He said that too many are
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ROTC units celebrate birthdays 240th Navy and Marine Corps ball commemorates service By Alex.Connor @iowastatedaily.com The Great Hall of the Memorial Union was decorated with current Navy ROTC and Marine Midshipmen along with NROTC and Marine alumni as the 240th Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball commenced Saturday. Tables set for eight and decorated with formal plating, coffee mugs and place cards lined the hall for the annual celebration of the Marine and Navy Birthday Ball. The event, which was coordinated by Midshipman Jack Randall, senior in civil engineering, kicked off at 5 p.m. for a social
hour as men and women in their best suits and dresses made their way to the ball. History Since Iowa State houses both the Navy and Marine ROTC units, they annually combine the Navy’s Oct. 13 birthday and the Marine Corps Nov. 10 birthday as they celebrate one big birthday ball. This annual celebration commemorates years of services globally, as every naval services member polishes their shoes in preparation for their unit’s “birthday party.” In 1921, Gen. John A. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 38, Series 1921, which outlined the history, mission and traditions of the Marine Corps. This
order was to be read every year on their “birthday” to celebrate the founding of the Marine Corps. The Navy, which celebrates its birthday a month before the Marines, aims to enhance an appreciation of naval heritage along with working toward a more positive influence that encourages pride and professionalism within their services, according to military.com. Planning Since event planning begins in September, many different aspects play into the evening to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. “First and most important is the guest speaker,” Randall said. “So usually a high-ranking
Alex Connor/Iowa State Daily
Col. Jeffrey Hagan outlines the importance of remembering and learning from history during speech at the Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball on Saturday night. This year’s 240th ball commemorated service from naval members.
military official, Marine Corp or Navy, that we can get to come in and say some inspiring words and get us all motivated.” This year’s guest speaker was Col. Jeffrey Hagan, of the Marine
Corps, who had received his commission from Iowa State’s own NROTC program in December 1988.
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