By Ethan Hollenberger, YAF Activist at Marquette University
The Obama administration is using Master Lock as yet another prop to confuse the American public about his real record. President Barack Obama toured Milwaukee’s Master Lock Wednesday to tout bringing 100 jobs back to the United States from China.
The Obama administration has time and time again wasted resources and prevented proper job growth. For us college students, we care about two things: 1) tuition prices and 2) likelihood of getting a job.
Over the last year, colleges and universities have raised tuition an average of 8.3% or more than double the 3.6% inflation rate. liberals will defend the Obama administration by saying “they do not set the tuition rates of universities”. While that is accurate, the Obama administration certainly can control the ease of paying the cost of tuition.
Student Aid Gimmicks
The Obama administration has put forth several initiatives to attempt to fix the payment problem. Ignoring the skyrocketing costs of tuition, the administration put forth a plan to scale down student loan repayment.
A closer look of the executive order shows the average student would save less than $10 per month. An extreme borrower with $100,000 in debt would save about $30. But alas, in order to even save the measly Alexander Hamilton a college graduate would have to make less than $32,000 per year. According to this publication, the average Marquette Graduate earns $46,000 after flying away from this eagle’s nest.
Many Marquette students receive Federal Pell Grants. The President signed legislation in December knocking over 100,000 students from the program and cutting $11 billion. Obama tightened the requirements. In order to receive the full $5,500 in Pell Grants, your Estimated Family Contribution must be zero. Thanks to the Obama administration the “free” money has dried up.
President Obama’s overwhelming appeal in 2008 is starting to fizzle as his administration’s promises go unfilled and deeper analysis of his programs prove he is helping only a small number of graduates. This President’s administration is putting you further into debt with little relief.
Jobs? Gas Money? Hope?
The question still remains if young people will find jobs after graduation. With 85% of students moving back with their parents and youth unemployment double the national average at 18.1%, the answer is probably no. Many of us will walk from our universities into a low paying barista gig at Starbucks.
While gas hovers at nearly $3.50, the President denied the building of the Keystone pipeline which would have brought cheap energy from Canada in the form of oil. Most interestingly, the executive branch denied about 130,000 jobs. Twenty thousand of which were union construction jobs.
President Obama was come to office with overwhelming support of America's smitten youth. In reality, his policies are providing little aid. As the Obama administration policies fail, the youth of America struggle to prosper.
Ethan Hollenberger is a Foundation activist at Marquette University
