Winning the Student Ballot How are the 2008 presidential candidates listening to the concerns of college student voters? Accused of previously not turning up for elections, this generation of college students are working hard to break that stereotype and be heard. The big issues they are extremely passionate about are education, the war on Iraq and the environment.
Education
How are students showing their concerns? USA Today reports that college tuition is rising faster than the average income. Each year on the University of California’s campus, students lobby legislators to fight against the rising costs of higher education (1). A study found that the average debt for graduating college seniors is $20,000 (5).
How are the candidates addressing this issue?
OBAMA
Wants to a create a program called the American Opportunity Tax Credit. This program ensures that the first $4,000 of a college education is free for most Americans. The program will also “cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at public colleges or universities and make community college tuition completely free for most students (2).”
The War on Iraq
CLINTON MCCAIN Plans to provide $3,500 tuition tax credit. She also plans to increase Pell grants (3).
While John McCain addressses K - 12 education issues, he does not have a plan to solve higher education funding problems.
Taking to the streets Anti-War protesters in Washington, D.C. bring traffic to an absolute standstill.
How are students showing their concern?
photo by:John Shinkle Source: Politico.com
Students are finding creative ways to speak out against the war. ‘Funk the War,’ featured more than 500 student protesters dancing to funk music outside the Lockheed Martin building. School marching bands have joined protesters in the streets creating lively scenes and blocking traffic. Less life-like protests have included die-ins, sit-ins and walk-outs. This generation graduated from high school and watched as many of their friends were deployed to places that the majority of Americans cannot even identify on a map.
How are the candidates addressing this issue?
OBAMA
Plans to end the war using support from the United Nations to stabilize the Iraqi government. Has a 16 month plan for bringing home the troops. Aims to isolate al Qaeda with the help of Iraq’s neighboring countries.
CLINTON
MCCAIN
Plans to end the war with a three step plan. First, bring the troops home. Next, work to bring stability to the region and last work with other countries to secure Iraq’s future.
Plans to increase military presence in Iraq. Promises to be honest with Americans about how the situation in Iraq is going.
The Environment
Gainsville, FL. More than two hundred University of Florida students congregated to protest the U.S. involvement in the Iraq War. Source: The Gainsville Sun
How are students showing their concern? With sustainability as the goal, students are working to make schools and corporations adopt earth-friendly business practices. The University of Vermont is building LEED certified dorms and focusing on serving local foods. On the University of California Santa Cruz campus, protesters built tree-houses prohibiting the school from further building. Since students have lived in these trees for several months now, the school has posted formal signs warning passers-by of the tree dwellers.
How are the candidates addressing this issue? photo by: Silver Smith Source: Flickr.com
OBAMA
Creating a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions that will require polluters to pay for every ton of emissions they release. The money will fund job training to help workers and industries adapt to green technology. Aims to make the U.S. oil independent.
CLINTON
Plans to finance energy research “to devise ways to make the United States energy independent and reduce the threat of global warming (3).” Will give incentives to oil companies, homeowners and businesses to become more energy-efficient.
“In every heart lies at least one revolutionary cell.” - The Edukators
A message of change is one that students have always rallied behind. Naive, we may be, but we believe in the freedom of speech and power in numbers. It is my hypothesis that the student vote in the ’08 election will go to Obama.
Sources: (1) http://www.ltg.ca.gov/ Article Title: “College Students Urged by Garamendi to Protest Cuts” 1/22/08 (2) www.barackobama.com (3) www.hillaryclinton.com (4) www.johnmccain.com (5) money.cnn.com Article Title: “College Costs Going Nowhere But Up” 10/18/05
Katie Fitzgerald Political Journal 2 March 27, 2008
MCCAIN
Wants U.S. to use nuclear energy to lower carbon emissions. Hopes to make the U.S. energy independent.