U.S. House chooses safety over trade
The House of Representatives voted 395-18 Tuesday to close a pilot program that gave Mexican trucks to American highways. The Bush administration, helpless to veto the decision because it surpassed the two-thirds majority necessary for an override, immediately attacked the House for putting “”U.S. interests”” – that is, the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement – at risk. We’re in favor of keeping trade as free as possible, but this program endangered the safety of American drivers and gave would-be smugglers a free pass to use our highways. For standing up for road safety, the House gets a Pass.
President’s plan comes under scrutiny
As promised, President Robert Shelton held the first of his two annual town hall forums yesterday morning. This one was directed at faculty and staff, and they didn’t disappoint, turning out in droves to pellet the speakers with queries about Shelton’s promised restructuring of the UA. Shelton and Provost Meredith Hay, along with other representatives, did a commendable job answering what proved to be a tough round of questions. The UA faculty and staff gets a Pass for showing that the university community isn’t taking the president’s request for campuswide involvement lightly.
No redemption for Bush
President Bush’s Tuesday announcement that he will be pulling 8,000 troops out of Iraq between now and February was cold comfort to those of us hoping for an end to the prolonged and increasingly pointless conflict. As the Associated Press noted yesterday, the troop reductions will barely put a dent in the 138,000 who remain there fighting a war that has sapped American energy and lives for longer than any other war except Vietnam. Here’s hoping the next president has more sense. For throwing away his last shot at making up for dragging us into an unnecessary war, President Bush gets a resounding Fail.
No quiero Taco Shop
It is pretty tough for a cheap, greasy, Mexican fast-food joint to fail on a college campus, but Nico’s Taco Shop managed it. First, it opened inside Jett’s Wildcat, but didn’t appear to have any affiliation with it; if you wanted a drink, you had to buy it separately. Then it opted for ridiculous hours, closing at 6 p.m. despite the fact that Jett’s is open all night, and the even more pertinent fact that UA students never stop wanting burritos. Now it’s gone, replaced by a sign promising something called Chester’s Chicken. For frustrating our 6:30 p.m. quesadilla cravings, the late Nico’s gets a Fail.
– Editorials are determined by the Daily Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Andi Berlin, Justyn Dillingham, Lauren LePage, Lance Madden and Nickolas Seibel.
