Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

EDITORIAL: Donkey disbursement
Staff Editorial
Indiana Daily Student (Indiana U.)
11/15/2006

(U-WIRE) BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Last Wednesday, only hours after the final election results were in, Democratic leaders had already begun making promises to the public about what they intend to accomplish as the new majority in both houses. One in particular according included passing "legislation to make college more affordable for students and their families, to the Chronicle of Higher Education."

But this student-friendly agenda didn't just emerge after the ballots were in. Throughout the midterm election cycle, the issue of college affordability arose a surprising number of times. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic representative from California who will be the speaker of the House, released a statement declaring that in contrast to Republicans' having "raided federal student aid programs by $12 billion and raised interest rates on college loans for parents and students," the Democrats have pledged a "new approach" that includes increasing the maximum Pell Grant, cutting interest rates on student loans from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent ("saving the average borrower $5,600 in interest payments alone") and increasing the tax deductibility of college tuition. On this, Pelosi said: "There is no tax cut or investment that we can make that brings more money to the federal treasury and grows the economy more than investing in you, our young people."

Well, thanks for the love. But while some have "lavished praise" on Democratic leaders for this agenda, others are raising questions as to how these initiatives will be funded. In the days surrounding elections — especially elections like these that have produced such massive gains for one party — it is easy to see where big plans for future legislation might easily be forgotten long before Congress actually reconvenes. And assuming the Democrats are really committed to their plan to making college more affordable, the slicing up of that federal-budget pie can get awfully tricky.

Perhaps the most important question is not simply whether the Democrats come through with the goods, but whether the constituents who would benefit from these plans — namely college students and their families — will actually hold their newly elected representatives to these campaign promises. Students must realize that we're in competition with other groups who will claim they deserve this money more than we do and that these promises might only go as far as concerned constituents want to push them.

Becoming aware of how the congressional shift in power could affect you is extremely important if students are to expect any of these lofty goals to actually become beneficial legislation. As students, it is imperative that we hold our congressmen responsible for fulfilling these promises. So inform yourselves and stay engaged. Democracy takes more than just casting a ballot every two years.

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