Obama Thanks Young Voters with Student Aid Cuts
“When I’m president, I will make college affordable for every American.” — President Obama, 2008
Any student who voted for President Obama–in either 2008 or 2012–in order to cut their college costs was sold a bill of goods. In Obama’s first four years, national tuition prices rose 25 percent and average graduating loan debt rose 16 percent.
Now, the Obama-signed sequester (aka “fiscal cliff”) includes an 8.2 percent cut in non-Pell student aid, an across-the-board cut of more than $140 million. Student loan origination fees will also go up $91 million.
During the campaign, Obama had the nerve to say, “Making higher education more affordable for our young people — it’s something I’ve got a personal stake in… Putting a college education within reach of working families doesn’t seem to be a priority for my opponent.”
So, was Obama ever planning on telling young Americans about the cuts in student aid, or was he just trying to win his election with more empty promises?
In the second debate of the campaign, President Obama said that he was going to make sure that young people are able to “afford a college education”. He also said he would keep the “Pell Grant program growing” while increasing access to federal student loan aid.
(What was it Pravda said about Obama voters?)