Jon McCain - a True Change We Can Believe In

Just today, 6/7/08, Hilary Clinton finally conceded the democratic nomination to Barack Obama. Now we can begin start to truly compare the issue differences between the two nominees. As a student from a financially strained family federal aid is by far my most concerning issue. Secondly, abortion is a top priority since the fear of fathering a child at such a young age sometimes keeps me up at night. Finally I am quite concerned about immigration as I continually run in to more and more Spanish-without a lick of English-speaking people. Since these issues are what most affect me, which consequently mean they are possible problems I see in America, it is my hope that our next President of the United States holds these interests as priorities too.

Availability for federal student aid recently increased as George W. Bush signed H.R. 5715 into law. Essentially the bill increases unsubsidized student loan amounts for $2,000 across the board; that impacts quite a few people, myself included. It has already made life a bit easier acquiring funding for higher education. Therefore, we need a President who will continue to push through more bills of this nature.

Currently there are two categories under the Stafford Loan program: dependent and independent students. However, a lot of students wish to study abroad to broaden their cultural exposure. We need to address the additional costs involved with studying overseas, which is akin to independent students requiring additional aid for their financial stress. Likewise there should be a third category solely for study abroad and foreign enrollment with higher limits than simply being a dependent student. Even if this new category does not receive an amount equal or greater to independent students we can at least give them somewhere in the middle.

Another option to help with student loans should be to use what England has already implemented. Student loans there have a set interest rate like our loans today; however, their fixed rate is not a number like 6.8%, but inflation. While they do incur interest on their loans they essentially pay back the amount borrowed. For instance a student borrowing $10,000 today may pay back a total of $13,000 at a constant inflation rate 3.0% for 10 years. All things considered, though, they are paying back the same value of their loan because their interest rate stayed the same as inflation. Instead of letting companies profit off of students American should put their faith, trust, and hope in the next generation by helping to support them instead.

Another bit our next President needs to examine is how the expected family contribution (EFC) is calculated. A lot of modern factors are not taken into consideration. I cannot find an answer, but I do not think the EFC has been reviewed in my entire lifetime. People already receive improper Stafford Loan amounts than they should because of the outdated variables. If the 44^th President goes on to update these indicators of need our future generations will be much better off for affording college. Conclusively is the final option that we have already seen recently. Simply increasing the loan maximums provided by Stafford Loan will go even further to help students.

Democrats have an idea in the works for free higher education for all Americans. Such a plan simply will not work. Our government does not run anything very efficiently. They can help students easily enough, but trusting them to provide our college education will bring the same failures we see in the K-12 sector. Classes are too crowded, teachers are spread too thin, standards are rather low, and the failure rate is outrageous. People need to earn their spot in college by showing they wish to be there. If it becomes free then kids will continue on to stay off working and have some more fun. Higher education will become abused and the quality of education received will drastically decline.

Instead, simply helping student financing (not abolishing it) will be most helpful. Those who do not really want to attend will not take on the debt to attend whereas they would fill up the classroom if it were free. More students who truthfully do wish to attend college will be allowed to do so. Being able to study outside of the United States-a dream currently held by many-will become a reality. Children who saw themselves locked into manual labor the rest of their lives will receive new hope. All the while we can achieve this without bankrupting the economy.

Where will this money come from? I can already hear the doubt flowing freely. First, the government politicians who make our policies need to change their spending. We have lost millions of dollars to Congressmen (and maybe women) buying gifts for their mistresses and prostitutes on federal credit cards. Did you ever hear about the $300 million bridge in Alaska that almost no one will use? Yeah, why can we not cut these silly projects and other frivolous spending out? Ironically enough John McCain is a strong advocate against wasteful spending by Congress.

Senator John McCain, from Arizona, is easily the better nominee for president than Senator Barack Obama. How can the next president-Commander-in-Chief-have no military background? Does the title not include a bit of a hint at a military career? Is four years in federal government enough experience to lead the entire country? McCain has both of these qualities and much, much more. The Democratic Party was fractured by the ongoing battle between their two top candidates; McCain is in a much stronger position to go on into the Whitehouse since his competition backed out long ago. His image has yet to be tarnished whereas Obama already has a few chinks in his armor.

That said Barack Obama's voting record sits more closely with me than John McCain. Obama is closer to me on student aid and abortion whereas McCain is the better choice for immigration. So why should I support McCain when he does not stand as strongly beside me? Quite simply it is because Obama's message of change is not believable. How can a man with such little experience know what it takes to actually change Congress? He has not been there long enough to find out. I can see no record or history from him that tells me I can believe he will get it done. All it sounds like is rhetoric to get elected. Americans are fed up with the government and spouting all this talk of change has proven to be an effective strategy to get elected. You can have him; I will stick with a guy who has been through it all already.