On Tuesday, March 30, 2010, Barack Obama signed a bill which, unbeknownst to many, will benefit numerous students nationwide; democrats, libertarians, and republicans alike. Along with the Health Care and Education Reconcilliation Act of 2010, our government has granted us landmark student aid reform.
To quote the Delaware Democratic Party, “Over the next decade these reforms will save taxpayers $68 billion by ending wasteful subsidies given to banks and middlemen who handle student loans. The money this program saves will expand and strengthen the federal Pell Grant program and make college more affordable for millions of middle class Americans.”
The act passed by the House and Senate is a huge step forward for students and the American Economy. This isn’t just one of your ordinary bills, passed by Democrats, which fit like a puzzle piece into their agenda. This act will affect numerous students, easing the stress of their financial burdens, and even aiding in beginning to ease our nation’s financial deficit.
Years ago, the United States had the highest concentration of graduates in the world, however, in the past decade, we have begun to lose ground, and are now ranked ninth or tenth in the world. With a greater number of well-educated people, America will be more skilled as a whole, and this will allow us to better compete in the 21st century. President Obama has set a goal to regain our top spot by 2020, and with this new bill, that goal is made even more feasible.
It gets harder every year for students who rely on federal loans and aid to make ends meet, and when students can’t afford higher education, the entire nation’s economy suffers. These subsidies which are being taken from private bankers will be redirected to Pell Grants… Pell Grants that will make college more affordable, and ease the stress on students who must attempt to balance full-time jobs and college courses just to stay afloat.
According to the Governor of Virginia, Tim Kaine, this is the single largest investment in higher education in US history. For those of you who are just entering the financial aid scene, here’s a recap on what’s going to be changing.
According to CNN, for the 2009-2010 school year, the maximum Pell Grant awarded to students was $5,350. Without this reform, that would have been more than cut in half per student, and would have been $2,150 per student. With this, the grant will grow to $5,975 by 2017.
Community college students will see a lot of the benefits from this as more money will be allocated for competitive grant programs, and they also will see the benefits of the Pell Grant increase.
For those of you who have already taken out loans in the past, you’re also affected.
The monthly payments will be capped at 10% of your discretionary income, allowing you to get a more stable base beneath you, and maybe even save up more for your future. Something else that you may see appearing is the decrease of interest rates for student loans, with the switch over to completely direct lending.
I’m sure, though, that some of you are still unconvinced.
As Katie Naranjo, president of the College Democrats of America said, “We’re lucky to have a president and congress who listen to young people and our issues. Today, many students will have the opportunity to receive a better education, and the next generation of young professionals now have a manageable stystem to pay back their loans.”
What about easing the concerns of the Republicans who are understandably leery of increasing government spending at a time when our economy is faltering? The deficit and spending are being reduced through this bill! It’s going to save taxpayers $68 billion from the subsidies that were going to be paid to financial institutions, and $10 billion will be paid towards our deficit.
“I didn’t stand with the banks and the financial industries in this fight – that’s not why I came to Washington – and neither did any of the members of Congress who are here today,” President Barack Obama said to a supportive crowd at Northern Virginia Community College, the location of the signing. “We stood with you. We stood with America’s students.” I would say that it’s a great feeling to know that our future is indeed important to our government.

In the midst of the recent inauguration of President Barack Obama, we have learned a lot about the shape of the current Republican Party. Obviously, there has been much guffawing from the republican side over the past couple of months, most notably the “tea parties” that took place in numerous locations around America. Many conservatives feel that Obama is a uniting influence within the party (uniting in opposition, anyway); however, I see a party that is in complete disarray.

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This year’s NCAA Frozen Four ended the way it should have with the No. 1 seed in the tournament winning, but not without fighting through a pair of one-goal games. The Boston University Terriers needed a comeback and overtime to get past the pesky Miami University Redhawks, 4-3, Saturday night in Washington, D.C.

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As many of you may be aware, last September marked the beginning of a large crisis on Wall Street. Many financial institutions hit the skids, which (in many people’s minds) necessitated the need for a government form of assistance for these companies. This led to the introduction and battle to pass a $700 billion bailout package, aimed specifically at companies like Citi and AIG.

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In the midst of the Capitol Hill battle over President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package, a much higher profile has been given to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh lately. Naturally, a lot of the problem stems from the fact that Rush Limbaugh, in a comment two weeks ago while speaking with conservative commentator Sean Hannity, implied that he hopes Barack Obama fails in his time as President.

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The time has come again for the Black Student Association (BSA) to put on their annual weekly events, celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The celebration began with a Candlelight Vigil at the Memorial Union Building, where people gathered to listen to King’s infamous “I Have a Dream” speech. The speech was read by third-year student Nicole White, and was followed by a march to the Rozsa Lobby, a simulation of when the speech was first given on August 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. King’s speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement. After finishing the walk across campus, speeches were given by Derelle Redmond and Lisa Grayson, which reflected on the theme of this week’s events: Past Hope, Towards Change. The day ended with the viewing of CNN’s Black in America.

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The scene on Tuesday was one notable for the amount of pomp and circumstance. In Washington, people lined up as far away as the Washington Monument to be a part of the swearing in of our new Commander in Chief, President Barack H. Obama. After hearing a speech by Senator Dianne Feinstein, the opening invocation by Pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church, and the performance of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” by Motown recording artist Aretha Franklin, the oaths were administered. First, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens gave the oath to Vice President Joseph R. Biden of Delaware.
After a performance organized by composer John Williams and including musicians Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo-Ma, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, nervously presiding over his first Presidential oath of office, administered the oath to our new President.
Unfortunately, the day did not go off without a hitch. Two Democratic politicians, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass) and Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) left Barack Obama’s inaugural luncheon at the Capitol with health issues. Kennedy suffered a seizure while eating, requiring the use of a stretcher to remove him from the room. Byrd was cited having been extremely agitated at the falling of his Democratic colleague and adjourned to his office.
I’ve been commenting on politics for a few years. Fortunately, nowadays, I’m paid for my opinion. Needless to say, it’s something I have a mild interest in, seemingly ingrained within myself due to people within my family and life. It must be said that the pomp and circumstance surrounding the inauguration of Obama may not be matched in any other political event in my lifetime. Naturally, reality will eventually set in on our nation, as huge problems face our nation. But on Inauguration Day, this is a day of celebration. This has been repeated ad nauseum throughout the leading up to Tuesday, but it really is a testament to our democracy that we can come together as one people to celebrate the changing of the guard. President Obama, in his speech, certainly did nothing to suggest that things won’t change at least mildly in Washington.
“One this day,” Obama said, addressing the need for bipartisanship in Washington, “we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.” Obama wasn’t necessarily short on detail in instances either. “The state of the economy call for action, swift and bold, and we will act,” said Obama, “The nation asks for action and action now.” Naturally, he’s referring to the huge stimulus package that he’s trying to get from Congress.
Another big point raised by Obama in his speech is the way America conducts its foreign policy. He spoke very strongly about this issue and left a very stern warning for those nations who are hostile towards the cause of freedom, while at the same time, reaching out to ordinary practitioners of Islam worldwide.
“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” said Obama. “To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

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Last week was very eventful for the CEOs of Big Three automakers Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. After their fantastically dreadful performance in front of the Senate and House of Representatives prior to Thanksgiving, which included Ford CEO Alan Mullaly saying he didn’t deserve to lose any of his salary and the CEOs being chastised by U.S. Representative Gary Ackerman (D-NY), among others, for flying in corporate jets to the hearings, they came into Washington last week riding in hybrid cars.

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On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Big Three – Ford, Chrysler and General Motors – continued to their plea for a government bailout in response to their deteriorating industries. This is a very sensitive subject that has advantages along with major drawbacks. Whether or not Congress will grant the organizations their $25 billion bailout request remains to be seen in the upcoming weeks.

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A lot of talk is swirling around about the Obama administration and the people that he will surround himself with. There are so many possibilities for his most important cabinet positions that it will definitely be a chore to sort through them, but I want to identify some of the key players in this decision-making process.

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