Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry promoted his plans to help students afford college during a conference call with college reporters Tuesday.
Sen. Kerry, D-Mass., said the Bush administration has failed to make higher education affordable to thousands of American students.
“As everyone knows, the administration has made its own fundamental choice, which has been to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans,” Kerry said. “In effect, George Bush’s tax cut for the wealthy is a tuition tax increase for students, and I think it’s unconscionable.”
About 220,000 students were “priced out” of four-year college this year, Kerry said. He touted his program to combat this situation, proposing $50 billion in tax credits to help students pay for college. As part of the program, he advocated a $4,000 per-student tax credit to reduce the impact of a 28-percent tuition increase he said has occurred over the past three years.
“There’s a direct choice in this race, and it’s a choice between common sense and a failed
economic policy that’s seen us lose three million jobs, which is the greatest job loss in the history of the country since Herbert Hoover was president,” Kerry said. “I think it’s a pretty stark choice and we want students to begin to recognize their power in helping to decide the outcome of this election and have an impact on their own lives.”
Kerry criticized Bush for not helping states with their budget problems, proposing a $25 billion aid package to states as well.
Kerry also addressed concerns about a new military draft, saying he would not support it.
“(Increasing military forces) will be done by having a more sensible foreign policy where young people don’t feel as if their leadership is making irresponsible decisions based on their presence in the military,” he said. “If we have a more reasonable approach to our relationship with the rest of the world, I don’t think you’ll have any problem at all fulfilling … those positions.”
Kerry suggested a new program to provide young people who do not serve in the military with an option to commit two years to local community service in exchange for four years of college tuition.
Kerry said his other priorities include the future availability of Social Security, affordable health care, creating new jobs and developing renewable energy.
He also wants young voters to become more actively involved in the political system.
“Young people have this enormous power and they really have to understand it and embrace it and go out and use it,” Kerry said. “What we need to do is make some of the issues that matter to people voting issues again.”
The session was the latest part of Kerry’s Change Starts with U Campus Tour 2004, a series of trips to university campuses to meet with students.
Sophomore Jonathon Hogate, treasurer of the University College Republicans, said Kerry often tries to damage Bush’s reputation while advocating costly programs.
“It appears that he wants to do a lot of financial things,” Hogate said. “However, he seems to be kind of backing himself into a corner saying he doesn’t plan on raising taxes dramatically. How does he plan on creating a $25 billion dollar aid package to the states if he doesn’t plan on raising taxes significantly?”
Hogate said he also opposes Kerry’s service program.
“I think that the country will be putting more money into it than it will be benefiting the country as a whole,” Hogate said. “Therefore, I think it will be draining funds from a country that’s already running in a deficit.”
Senior Kevin Curtin, chairman of the University College Democrats, said he is generally pleased with Kerry’s campaign priorities.
“I’m glad that it seems like now he’s making higher education a big issue,” Curtin said. “I hope that higher education doesn’t get put on the back burner.”