Letters to the Editor

To the editor:

 

Labeling Chris Christie's victory in New Jersey a rejection of Barack Obama's policies has been the laziest claim made about the recent elections, so I can forgive Christian Wedekind for making this broad assertion in his recent editorial. While I cannot speculate as to the reasons why Republican Bob McDonnell was able to take Virginia, I can say—as a Jersey resident who spent too much of summer stuck in traffic listening to New Jersey 101.5 and NPR during my morning commute—that Christie won because of Corzine's failures, not Obama's. To argue otherwise, one must ignore the facts.


Let's look at poll numbers. While its true—as Wedekind points out—that Christie won by a significant margin, this would have happened regardless of who was in the White House. Before Christie's campaign began and before Obama even won the election, a Republican win was predictable. Corzine was just a bad candidate who has been disapproved of by Jersey voters since January 2008.

Many Christie voters approved of Obama in polls, citing local (not national) issues as the reason for their vote. According to Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight, "Obama approval was… at 57 percent, but 27 percent of those who approved of Obama nevertheless voted for someone other than Corzine." Silver brings up two additional points: first, that the Democrats lost a single seat in the state legislature; and second, that  "[v]oters who cited a national issue were more likely to vote for Corzine than voters who cited a local one."


Furthermore, gubernatorial races—especially in Jersey—have little correlation with the popularity of Presidents. In gubernatorial elections since 1989, voters have elected governors from the party not in control of the White House: Democrat Florio won in 1989 after Bush Sr. won the White House; Republican Whitman won in 1993 after Clinton won the White House; and Democrat McGreevy won in 2001—mere months after 9/11—around when Bush, Jr.'s popularity was a records level.


Thus, Wedekind falls into the same trap as the national news media: by trying to create the narrative that Obama has problems because voters have rejected him in gubernatorial elections—commenters and so-called reporters fail to consider data that clearly challenges their claims. They do so because it is both simple to do (not requiring much analysis) and because it supports a more interesting narrative than the truth. Unfortunately, this further degenerates our political discourse.


 

Sincerely,

Zachary Furnald '10

zachary.furnald@fandm.edu

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To the editor:
In these tough economic times students should be aware Franklin and Marshall is one of approximately 2,900 US colleges that is authorized and approved to allows students to save as much as 25% of their four year tuition and be able to be graduated in fewer than four years.
For your first surprise, look up the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the College Board on the internet and learn about the 34 examinations for elementary and introductory college subjects they offer for about $72 each (CLEP is a division of the College Board—the SAT and AP people).

Student, for your second surprise, learn that F&M students can take CLEP exams and (1) not have to pay tuition for the course(s) whose CLEP tests they passed with a score of 50 percent, and (2) get credit for the equivalent Franklin & Marshall course(s).  
Surprised?  Look at page 224 of your 2009-2010 F&M catalog and read the second sentence in the section headed College Level Examination Program (CLEP).

When you compare the cost of tuition (plus room & board and other college expenses) for one of the three to twelve credit course CLEP tests to about $100., the cost of a CLEP exam – part payable to CLEP and a fee to F&M for recording the exam results, you will understand why approximately 800,000 CLEP tests are taken each year.  Get on the bandwagon. 
 Since CLEP tests elementary and introductory subjects there is no reason I can think of, for the appropriate department chairperson not to give a student prior approval to study for and then take a CLEP test.  
Actually I don't believe a student should have to receive prior permission to take a CLEP exam.

 A student that has the ambition and determination to learn a course off campus will learn as much—or more—than he or she might learn in a large class with students of all levels of ability.
If they pass, they will get more out of college by being able to move more quickly to advanced subjects that are usually taught by senior professors.
Sincerely,
Maynard Merel
MaynardMerel@gmail.com