Ideological barriers and agendas stymie our country's ability to reach goals that share wide consensus. Burning political capital on dead-end issues does not help America move forward. In considering the wide array of viewpoints in this country, seeking and acting upon the issues that are universal creates the opportunity to encourage compromise on the sharper issues.

I am sick to no end of international bankers getting more money. I am convinced that they have absolutely zero interest in preserving the American dream, "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness (Property)."

As our vocabulary increases during college, let's be sure to use it to better communication, not our perceived intelligence. It's no easier to understand people who are trying to patch up a pointless statement with haughty wordiness than it is to understand people who are speaking with their mouth full of marshmallows.

I want to live in a place that values education and social consciousness and wants to reward me (only moderately) for working toward meaningful ends. Surely the United States of America, the greatest country in the world, is able to do this. Or is it?

Instead of maintaining a process that wastes six weeks of time, tax-payer money and the time of possible renters, the Senate should snap out of it and follow the House's lead.

The fact that a bill like this would even be considered is a little frightening. If our elected lawmakers are having difficulty deciding whether or not it is okay to make threats, abuse their power and accept bribes, we have a much larger problem than a bill is going to fix.

I think Susie should stick to her sex toy and forget about getting a husband like Samuel Passi suggests ("Susie needs a husband, not sex-toy stimulation," Feb. 11).

This is in response to Samuel Passi regarding the Durex vibrator ad ("Susie needs a husband, not sex-toy stimulation," Feb. 11). Are we really going to compare a college newspaper, whose readers included those over the age of 18 and beyond, with that of a junior high or elementary school handout?

I am writing as a concerned citizen over the Sacred Ground Initiative that the Sutherland Institute has kicked off. The people in support of it claim to keep families together, but only at the cost of tearing other families apart.

The proposed Universe Project is attractive and appealing in some ways but has a number of problems that drown out its positive aspects.