Testify

Yes, I did quote Rage Against the Machine for this post...

I am the least knowledgeable person you will ever meet when it comes to political issues... For example, I know nothing about foreign relations, the stock market, oil prices, global warming, etc. etc.

One thing I do know about that the government controls... the price of college education.



Here is what http://www.barackobama.com/index.php has to say about Obama's plan for college education...

Quoted Text

Higher Education

* Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Obama will also ensure that the tax credit is available to families at the time of enrollment by using prior year's tax data to deliver the credit when tuition is due.
* Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid: Obama will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application.

And here is what http://www.johnmccain.com/ says about John McCain's plan for education in general...

Quoted Text

Education

Excellence, Choice, and Competition
in American Education

John McCain believes American education must be worthy of the promise we make to our children and ourselves. He understands that we are a nation committed to equal opportunity, and there is no equal opportunity without equal access to excellent education.

Public education should be defined as one in which our public support for a child's education follows that child into the school the parent chooses. The school is charged with the responsibility of educating the child, and must have the resources and management authority to deliver on that responsibility. They must also report to the parents and the public on their progress.

The deplorable status of preparation for our children, particularly in comparison with the rest of the industrialized world, does not allow us the luxury of eliminating options in our educational repertoire. John McCain will fight for the ability of all students to have access to all schools of demonstrated excellence, including their own homes.

No Child Left Behind has focused our attention on the realities of how students perform against a common standard. John McCain believes that we can no longer accept low standards for some students and high standards for others. In this age of honest reporting, we finally see what is happening to students who were previously invisible. While that is progress all its own, it compels us to seek and find solutions to the dismal facts before us.

John McCain believes our schools can and should compete to be the most innovative, flexible and student-centered - not safe havens for the uninspired and unaccountable. He believes we should let them compete for the most effective, character-building teachers, hire them, and reward them.

If a school will not change, the students should be able to change schools. John McCain believes parents should be empowered with school choice to send their children to the school that can best educate them just as many members of Congress do with their own children. He finds it beyond hypocritical that many of those who would refuse to allow public school parents to choose their child's school would never agree to force their own children into a school that did not work or was unsafe. They can make another choice. John McCain believes that is a fundamental and essential right we should honor for all parents.

As president, John McCain will pursue reforms that address the underlying cultural problems in our education system - a system that still seeks to avoid genuine accountability and responsibility for producing well-educated children.

John McCain will place parents and children at the center of the education process, empowering parents by greatly expanding the ability of parents to choose among schools for their children. He believes all federal financial support must be predicated on providing parents the ability to move their children, and the dollars associated with them, from failing schools.

The one thing that both of these ideas fail to mention is the fact that MIDDLE CLASS COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE HAVING SO MUCH TROUBLE PAYING FOR SCHOOL.

From my own personal life experience, I've seen so many middle class kids (from upper middle class to lower) who have had to drop out of school for a semester, quarter, or even a year, because they don't have the means to pay for their education.

Whether it be because their parents won't/can't help them, because they accumulated too much debt, or weren't able to receive enough financial aid, because their parents made too much to get aid, but too little to pay for all the expenses involved... I've seen it all.

I haven't decided who I'm voting for yet, but I think that this is a huge issue... because the middle class college student population is one that is really being targeted in the upcoming election I feel like... and I am really surprised that this hasn't even been touched upon by McCain, and that Obama's plan seems more like it will only help lower class (no offense to anyone who IS lower class, I think that they need the financial help too of course).

Okay, this turned into a huge rant... but here's my point.

.
We all know college is too expensive.
The demographic of middle class college students is one that is being focused on big time.
McCain wants us to vote for him.
Obama wants us to vote for him.
Neither have a plan to help us with our college expenses.
What are we going to do about it?