February 26, 2016|page 7
THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|DESK
Why this idealistic liberal is worried EDITOR’S about the Bern. Also, goodbye Roar. DESK from the
Nathaniel Bolter
would never forgive herself for handing over the keys to the kingdom to a madman, even indirectly. When I put a Bernie bumper sticker I am not much swayed by this arguon my car last summer (read: early to the ment, truth be told. I find it hard to believe bandwagon), I was afraid it would fall off. that the American people would have any My primary concern was the dirt. Cassie more trouble voting for a socialist than a (my car) hadn’t been washed in months, Clinton. Each would face intense opproand I just wasn’t sure how much the flecks brium from Republicans as well as some of mud and gravel would interfere with the degree of backlash from independents and stickiness. My second concern was that, Democrats — Bernie for being, well, a proin my excitement, I had done a notably fessed democratic socialist (yes, outside of poor job of smoothing the sticker onto Newton you can actually be too liberal) and the bumper. There were ridges. Would my Hillary for being untrustworthy, beholden, liberal credentials come flying off with the scandal-prone. It is impossible to vote for slightest bit of weather? either without some guilt, some fear that More than half a year later, in the you have been beguiled into contributing dead of winter (albeit a rather tame one), to the country’s demise. Bernie 2016 remains safely plastered to my I also think the “electability” ratioback bumper. My support for the candidate nale is fairly timid. The political revolution whose name I display, on the other hand, this country so desperately needs (read that has eroded ever slightly. Less than a week phrase in a heavy Bernie accent, of course) out from Super Tuesday, I am ashamed to does not and should not stop for nailsay I am still undecided. biting and “what-iffing” and petty political The same has happened to my mom, considerations. a seed of doubt sprouting into indeciI have no qualms with Bernie on sion as March 1 approaches. Her biggest the issues, either. I think it’s fantastic how concern is electability. Is Bernie a spoiler? much he has brought European socialism Destined, were he to win the primary, to — single-payer, free tertiary education, the go down in history with the likes of George works — into mainstream American politiMcGovern and Ralph Nader? As the men- cal discourse (at least on the Left). I agree ace of Trump continues to materialize, to that climate change is the greatest threat to metamorphosize into the GOP nominee, both humanity and national security, that her fear has grown more pronounced. She it would be folly not to treat it as such. His Editor-in-Chief
Contribute to The Roar !
determination to take on campaign finance reform is courageous; his own grassroots campaign is nothing short of inspiring. Yes, it has been clear from the beginning of this campaign that Bernie Sanders is a Wet Dream Candidate. And yes, Berners like me have essentially thrown the political realities out the window. I think that’s okay. While it is enormously unlikely that Bernie will see the bulk of his policy proposals implemented, it seems foolish to think that Hillary Clinton would have any more success breaking the gridlock in Congress than he would. But while I’m not concerned with idealism in the face of political impossibilities, I am concerned with idealism that places ideology above truth. For example, a recent New York Times article pointed out that Bernie’s “Medicare for All” proposal makes several highly improbable assumptions, and could cost twice as much as he claims. Ezra Klein called it a “puppies-andrainbows” approach to single-payer. Paul Krugman wrote that it relies on “magic asterisks.” What disturbs me is both the apparent sloppiness and the willingness to stretch the truth so that it does not conflict with ideology. That willingness is usually more characteristic of Republican candidates, who fudge numbers and bend over backwards to claim that massive tax cuts will finally get the economy out of the
Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper 140 Brandeis Road Newton, MA 02459 srstaff@thelionsroar.com
Editors-in-Chief
Writing
Graphics Draw or paint illustrations to supplement your work and display it to a vast readership.
Photography Learn new techniques by shooting at sports games, school activities and local events.
***
With that out of the way, I want to use the rest of this space to talk a little bit about The Roar. This is my last Editor’s Desk, and for that matter, this is the last issue before my coeditors and I hand over the reins to a wonderful group of students that will be in charge of Volume 33. I didn’t want to write 800 words of pure sap (that will likely be Veronica’s job next issue), but I did want to say that writing for and editing The Roar has been (brace yourself for the cliché!) the most important and most gratifying part of my high school life. Since the end of freshman year, I have spent more hours than I can count and lost more sleep than is healthy working on The Roar, and here I am, senior year, wishing only for a little more time. I will miss it enormously. The late nights, the missed deadlines. Brainstorming hammers, prosecuting whales. Pissing off sanctimonious political organizations. But most of all, I will miss my family here in room 1201. Love y’all to death.
Volume XXXII The Lion’s Roar
Monday J Block, Room 1201 Hone your writing skills by joining one of our five sections and working with our editors.
doldrums. In other words, I want an idealist, not a snake-oil salesman, and I still need to do some more research before deciding which Bernie is. But perhaps it’s a sign of things to come that I haven’t been able to bring myself to remove that bumper sticker from my car. Not yet.
Nathaniel Bolter
Veronica Podolny
Managing Editors Sophia Fisher
Shelley Friedland
Section Editors Features
Maia Fefer Andrea Lirio Karin Alsop
Centerfold
News David Li Carina Ramos Jake Rong Sophie Lu
Mona Baloch Emily Belt
Business Manager Andrew Fu
Graphics Managers Sophie Galowitz Celine Yung
Opinions
Aidan Bassett Clare Martin Ben Rabin
Sports
Noah Shelton
Distribution Manager Daniel Morris
Faculty Advisers Ashley Elpern Ryan Normandin
Webmaster Sasha Badov
Photo Managers Alexa Rhynd Bailey Kroner