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Debate season is here, which means we can expect any lingering notion of decorum in this presidential race to disappear. We've now reached the dangerous point in the 2012 presidential campaign where candidates can dish on poor people, snub world leaders, and essentially dye themselves brown without fearing the burden of a public apology.
That means it's time to take a page from the book of Bill Clinton and start discussing the issues the candidates won’t. Somebody has to. After all, for younger Americans—and don't discount this just because it's said every four years—this election might be the most important in a century.
To help you beer-chugging, backpack-lugging academics still on the fringe, here are the 10 Ways the 2012 Presidential Election Will Affect College Students.
Student Debt
If Romney Wins: There's a reason Romney has given this issue the "47 percent" treatment, largely choosing to ignore it, because folks won't like what he has to say. Romney pledges to allow private lenders back into the federal student loan market, leaving students' futures in the hands of banks. Hmm…where have we heard that before? To quote a favorite rapper of many, I think we already know how this thing goes. The lone bright spot on Romney's record appears to be his support of the bill to keep interest rates down. That's quickly erased by the fact that his running-mate opposed the very same measure.
If Obama Wins: In this regard, the President seems to have students' backs. President Obama has pledged to increase grant funds and lower interest rates for borrowers largely reliant on federal aid. Barring any major ideological shift, don't expect that position to change. Earlier in the year, Obama successfully petitioned Congress to stop interest rates on government-funded student loans from doubling to 6.8 percent. Extra change? We’ll take it.
Rising Tuition
If Romney Wins: Romney and Ryan have both urged government officials to address "skyrocketing" tuition, which is encouraging. Mostly though, they’ve used the issue as another sticking point for ousting Obama, which isn’t so encouraging. Romney’s solution to rising tuition? Decrease federal student aid. That’s, in essence, making college more affordable by making it less affordable. Um...
If Obama Wins: Don't expect the President to be of much assistance here. Tuition is on the rise nationwide, and economic forecasters don't see federal relief bucking the trend. President Obama has stated that he wants to combat college costs by rewarding schools that keep fees down with federal money. House Republicans, expectedly, met the idea with abject contempt. And with the national debt continuing to soar, some find it hard to blame them.
Unemployment, Underemployment
If Romney Wins: Romney’s proposed economic solutions are largely top-down, which won’t prove helpful for those students who don’t have the luxury of a trust fund. While the former Massachusetts governor has scolded the Obama administration for failing to put young Americans back to work, he hasn’t offered any solutions that would directly benefit them. As we’ve seen over the past 10 years, tax breaks for the rich—which Romney will undoubtedly extend—don’t benefit anyone else. Bottom line: Don’t expect the "prosperity" of a few to trickle down. It won’t.
If Obama Wins: Youth unemployment has spiked under the Obama administration. Even worse, gridlock in Congress has kept the issue from being addressed. Since the Great Recession started, 2.7 million people between the ages of 16 and 24 have lost their jobs or can no longer find employment. A glimmer of hope in the form of the President’s American Jobs Act was quickly stymied by a non-compliant Congress earlier this year. And without the cooperation of Congress going forward, don’t expect job prospects to improve. That goes for enrolled students and recent grads.
Pell Grants
If Romney Wins: Romney’s education plan promises to "refocus Pell Grant dollars on the students that need them most." Essentially, that’s a commitment to sizing down the program, which offers loans to undergrads that don't have to be repaid. Romney’s running-mate, earlier in the year, proposed a budget resolution that lowered the qualifying income level for Pell Grants and added crippling regulations to the program as a whole. Put simply, under Romney and Ryan, there’s a chance you’ll be waving “peace out” to your ticket to higher education.
If Obama Wins: Consistently a strong supporter of Pell Grants, Obama will allow for increases in the maximum federal assistance offered. Basically, he’ll dish out more to financially-needy students, preventing soaring tuition from putting college out of reach.
DREAM Act
If Romney Wins: Romney is staunchly opposed to the idea of granting educational opportunities to undocumented immigrants. He says the idea invites people to cross into the country illegally. But, when it comes to undocumented immigrants serving in the military, he's said, “I respect and acknowledge that path." Romney presents a path to citizenship, no doubt—just the harder one, the one he sees as due repayment.
If Obama Wins: President Obama has urged Congress to pass the DREAM Act, going as far as to say, “I’ll sign it right away.” The act seeks to give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship provided they attend college or serve in the military. “It's the right thing to do, period,” the President said in June. Obama’s re-election could provide millions the opportunity to pursue higher education.
For-Profit Colleges
If Romney Wins: Government, seeking to privatize education at all costs, will encourage students to look into for-profit schools. Romney sees these schools as vital players in higher education, arguing that they create competition and improve the overall product. The popularity of schools like Full Sail will rise.
If Obama Wins: Government support for for-profit institutions like Florida’s Full Sail University will dwindle. Obama sees these schools as exploitative and essentially harmful to the educational environment. He sees the costs as too high and the benefits as too little, essentially making the schools debt-machines.
Loan Forgiveness
If Romney Wins: Nope. Romney’s plans for privatized student aid could even provide a basis for slashing existing loan forgiveness programs. Romney and Ryan argue that such programs are dangerous for a country neck-deep in fiscal crisis. College grads argue that they’re tired of being neck-deep in fiscal crises of their own. Hard to argue with them.
If Obama Wins: The President has a history of supporting loan forgiveness, which removes the burden of student aid for qualifying recipients: certain teachers, doctors, veterans, and volunteer-workers. Just last year, President Obama unveiled a plan to forgive loan balances for those who had made 20 years of steady payments amounting to 10 percent of their total income. Obama argues that the program spurs economic recovery, so he can be expected to keep it operating.
Higher Education
If Romney Wins: Romney’s views on higher education align largely with the GOP platform. That’s a school of thought that encourages technical learning, and often attacks four-year universities in their current state, calling on government officials to “ensure that our public colleges and universities be places of learning and the exchange of ideas, not zones of intellectual intolerance favoring the Left." The platform goes on to dictate that the federal government should take no part in providing student aid. There’s a simple way to put this: uh-oh.
If Obama Wins: The President is adamant in his belief that young Americans should pursue higher education. Obama’s policies reflect a desire to make the option available to everyone. That doesn’t necessarily mean a traditional four-year institution, but rather, any educational pursuit that leaves you with more than just a high school diploma. With a global market that’s competitive as ever supporting his case, Obama won’t deviate from this ideology any time soon.
Abortion and Birth Control
If Romney Wins: Despite once being pro-choice, Romney is now a strict opponent of abortion. He has said he aims to see Roe v. Wade revisited by the Supreme Court, and would advocate for its reversal if elected in favor of leaving the issue to the states. Romney and Ryan will oppose a federal provision for contraception, and federal support for Planned Parenthood as a whole. For students looking to get birth control, this will create serious problems.
If Obama Wins: The President is staunchly pro-choice, an avid supporter of abortion rights. He says women should have control over decisions that affect their own health. A provision in the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as “Obamacare,” requires that workplace health plans cover the cost of birth control. Don’t expect him to waver on his landmark achievement.
Marriage Equality
If Romney Wins: Romney’s stance on same-sex marriage borders on radical. U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has said the man’s election would be a “serious setback” for the LGBT community. Romney, a limited-government man, once signed a pledge in favor of a federal constitutional amendment to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman. The former Massachusetts governor even opposes civil unions.
If Obama Wins: President Obama, as the first president in history to back same-sex marriage, will seek to advance the cause with caution. The President ended the controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy during his first term. During a second term, he can be expected to advocate for same-sex marriage using his influence, rather than any type of legislation at the federal level.