As the presidential elections are looming closer, Yeshiva University College Democrats will be reaching across the aisle to enlighten the student body on crucial policy areas. The goal is to assist Yeshiva University and Stern College students in making informed decisions when it comes to exercising the democratic right of voting for one’s executive leader. Thus, the following article is meant to be perused along with the Yeshiva University College Republicans’ article, so that the reader is informed about important issues from all angles. It is imperative that college students, as recently enfranchised individuals, develop political awareness so as to prevent future America from becoming politically apathetic. That being said, the reader is advised to bear an open mind while engaging in this new series.
The issue of education in general, and higher education in particular, has been a top priority for the Democratic party going back to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s G.I. Bill, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944. This act gave cash payments to veterans for tuition and living expenses so that they could attend university. Yes, the bill that helps our military achieve higher education was created by a staunchly Democratic president. This bill set out to provide an opportunity to American veterans that usually only the most privileged of society had access to.
Democrats stand for the belief that all Americans should have equal opportunities, no matter what circumstances they grew up in and what their present realities are. The current Democratic Platform states that “Democrats believe that getting an education is the surest path to the middle class, giving all students the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and contribute to our economy and democracy. Public education is one of our critical democratic institutions…It means we must close the achievement gap in America’s schools and ensure that in every neighborhood in the country, children can benefit from high-quality educational opportunities.” In today’s day and age, one is not likely to get ahead without the leg up a college education provides. The fact that most Americans cannot afford college gives them a disadvantage, crushing the central American ideal of being able to move up the economic ladder no matter where one started it. Yet the ridiculous costs of university prevents many Americans from attaining the education that will help them “make it” to the top, and thus, unless the government steps in, most of society would be left with an unfair advantage.
One can argue that every American has the opportunity: all she or he needs to do is take out a loan and a college education will be in his/her hands. Yet the reality of living one’s life while being followed by insurmountable loans is not the perfect picture of equality. In order for all Americans to succeed in today’s world, every American needs to have access to higher education. Democrats believe it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that American citizens are aided in reaching their educational goals. After all, in today’s global economy, education is a pressing economic issue. It is one Democrats agree must be addressed by the government, though in varying degrees. Currently, President Obama has made a groundbreaking proposal to ensure that community college is free to all who want to work for it. Additionally, he has widened the scope of aid the government has the ability to give toward Americans’ education. While some may think the government has no responsibility towards its citizens’ education, it is important to note that most European countries provide free undergraduate–and sometimes even postgraduate–education free of charge, or at nominal fees amounting to just one or two hundred dollars. Non-European countries, such as Brazil, Argentina, and Trinidad do the same. America is thus very behind globally in terms of the educational opportunities it provides for its people.
Yet while all Democrats staunchly believe in the importance of higher education for America’s future, not all Democrats agree completely on the method of making college more affordable and available to the average American. The current Democratic presidential candidates have voiced their varying strategies and beliefs on this topic.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State and New York Senator Hillary Clinton both agree that college should be made available to any and every student who wants to attend, yet they disagree on who should be paying for such an endeavor. Hillary wants students to work ten hours a week in order to earn a free education, while Sanders feels Wall Street should be taxed to pay for America’s educational needs.
Hillary explained her position in the last Democratic debate:
“As a young student in Nevada said to me, the hardest thing about going to college should not be paying for it. So then we have to make it more affordable. How do we make it more affordable? My plan would enable anyone to go to a public college or university tuition free. You would not have to borrow money for tuition. But I do believe — and maybe it’s because I worked when I went through college; I worked when I went through law school — I think it’s important for everybody to have some part of getting this accomplished. That’s why I call it a compact.”
While Hillary’s goal fulfills the Democratic position of the need for affordable education, she admits that she is “a little different from those who say ‘free for everybody.’ I’m not in favor of making college free for Donald Trump’s kids.”
For his part, Sanders supports the dream unqualified free education for all:
“This is the year 2015. A college degree today…is the equivalent of what a high school degree was 50 years ago. And what we said 50 years ago and a hundred years ago is that every kid in this country should be able to get a high school education regardless of the income of their family. I think we have to say that is true for everybody going to college.”
Sanders’ plan is to call for joint funding between the state and federal governments, and wants to tax Wall Street transactions to take care of the federal government’s portion. He takes quite a creative approach in dealing with this very vital issue concerning higher education. His tactic is quite controversial, but one must bear in mind the goal: to create an educated and economically sound society, in which all constituents have the means to contribute to this country in a concrete way.
While it is to be seen whether any of these plans will have the chance to be implemented, one thing is clear: in order for America to succeed in this global world, Americans needs to pursue higher education. The Democratic Party’s commitment to this goal–whatever the costs–is sure to yield high returns in the future.