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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015
Indiana’s Oldest College Newspaper
VOL. 163, ISSUE 29
Obama leads town hall in Indianapolis, discusses 'Middle Class Economics for the 21st Century' While the cheering that followed this statement from those assembled at Ivy Tech on Friday seemed to signify their agreement, not all are happy with the President’s proposal. Later that same day, Indiana Republican Party Chairman issued a statement in which he said, “The president’s recent budget proposal is a $4 trillion spending plan with no focus on the nation’s debt and no regard for the heavy burden it would place on generation of taxpayers.” Taking into account the opposition that this plan is sure to be met within the Republican-led House and Senate, professor of political science Bruce Stinebrickner sees no possibility for it to pass—at least in its current form.
BY NETTIE FINN news@thedepauw.com
When Air Force One touched down in Indianapolis last Friday President Obama spread lofty goals and hefty budget increases. The President officially pitched his message of middle class economics in the state of Indiana. Obama spoke in a town hall setting at Ivy Tech community college, with about 20 minutes of his time devoted to outlining the basics of his new budget proposal, “Middle Class Economics for the 21st Century,” and another 40 he
spent answering a variety of questions from the crowd. After being introduced to the audience by Indianapolis Mayor, Greg Ballard, who ribbed the President about his NBA team preference, Obama took to the stage and responded in kind. “It is a great pleasure to be back in Indiana—I respect the Pacers, but yes, I am a Bulls fan,” he said. “I make no apologies.” Obama then moved into a discussion of more serious matters—namely, the current state of America’s middle class. “Are we going to be a country where a few do incredibly well, or are we going
to be a country where everyone has opportunities and everyone can succeed?” Obama asked the crowd. The tenants of this budget proposal are childcare, education, healthcare, homes and retirement. Perhaps the most eye-catching part of the plan is Obama’s assertion that two years of community college should be free for all American citizens—provided they maintain a 2.5 GPA and uphold as-yet unspecified “attendance requirements.” “Everyone should be able to have that opportunity, and you shouldn’t have 100,000 dollars of debt when you leave,” Obama said.
“Congress receives the budget, and then Congress does what it wants. Does the term ‘dead on arrival’ mean anything to you?” According to Stinebrickner, the president’s budget proposal “is mostly unconnected to whatever bills get passed.” “In the case of this particular president in this particular year with Republicans in both houses, it was probably dead even before it arrived,” he added. With that in mind, Stinebrickner speculated that the real purpose of “Middle Class Economics for the 21st Century” is to “set some markers for the
Obama | cont’d on page 3
President Obama adresses his plan for the national budget at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis. Obama also touted his proposal for free community college for some students. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SARAH BURTENSHAW