Opinion

Letters from Meredith Michaels, Richard Lynch and Christian M. Peralta

Pie charts, graphs and the impending doom of what is yet another wave of cuts and despair aren’t exactly sexy. We at the New University bring you this Special Budget Issue, not because of its propensity to attract the masses, but because we believe that it is important to inform. We want the community to be aware of the ramifications and different ways that everyone in the UCI community is affected by the current financial state of affairs in California.

After taking the oath of office on Jan. 3, Governor Jerry Brown wasted no time introducing a bold proposal to solve California’s budget crisis. His plan involves a combination of tax and fee increases and drastic spending cuts coupled with transfers of funding from the state to local governments, all of which are intended to help address a staggering state budget deficit that currently stands at $25.4 billion. The plan is far from perfect, but it is the right move to save California before it’s too late.

“Most people have to work for a living; others get to play video games.” That is what United States Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) said about research at UC Irvine’s Center for Computer Games and Virtual Worlds in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science.

Mark Yudof has been called one of the Top Ten Best College Presidents of All Time by Time magazine. When he became president of the UC System in 2008, he stepped into a financial bear trap: Arnold had just cut the UC budget by 20 percent when the UC was already facing a billion-dollar deficit. Not to mention the fact that there wasn’t going to be much help from the rest of the state itself as California was feeling the brunt of the recession.

The proposed budget cuts on California’s Medi-Cal program show serious political failure. The beneficiaries of the Medi-Cal program are low-income families, foster care children, low-income seniors over 65 and disabled individuals. The program provides health insurance to some 6.5 million Californians. In the year 2010-2011, the approved budget for Medi-Cal was $60,163,121; Governor Brown’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year is $42,539,740. At the same time, Brown wants to increase taxes over $9 billion in the form of higher sales, income and vehicle taxes. If the state is cutting social security for low income families and increasing taxes, who will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the state savings?

In December 2010, the UC Irvine Bookstore erected signs announcing, “Foodies, Rejoice!” advertising the President’s Blend olive oil selected by UC President Mark Yudof. At $12 a bottle, the gourmet olive oil reflects high-quality and extensive agricultural research done by the UC Davis Olive Center, producers of a number of olive oil blends including The President’s Blend, which is being sold at all UC bookstores.

Now that Congress has officially repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” another military minority is looking for its cause to be recognized. It hasn’t even been a century since American women gained the right to vote, but they have accomplished much in that little time, securing increased political standing and opportunities in the job market. Now, many women also want the right to take up combat positions in the military.

Tablets and smart phones. Ah, the fresh wave of innovative products we just have to have. With the introduction of the iPad last year, Apple kicked off a new decade of technology, already lush with smart phones, 3-D televisions and controller-less game consoles.

No, seriously: Who the hell is Reince Priebus? Aside from someone with a really cool name, Reince Priebus is the new chairman of...

My sister knows the jingle or slogan to every single commercial I have ever seen growing up. Whether it be slogans like McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It,” Subway’s “Eat Fresh,” Geico’s “15 minutes” or her personal favorite, the Perfection Game Song, which she can probably sing forward and backward, she knows them all.

Compiled by Charles Hicks, Staff Writer.