So why should you vote? I feel this is an important
question to address before talking about any of the candidates who are running in this important election.
As young adults, we are in the awkwardly wonderful stage between childhood and the "real world." This election is going to help shape the world we enter once we leave dear Old State, and it is your privilege to help shape it by voting on Nov. 4.
There are a lot of offices up for election this year, from the Presidency all the way down to the State Legislature. The most fuss is about the Presidency, which is why I am going to talk about why Barack Obama is the best candidate for the job.
So, you are a college student here at Penn State University. How do you think President Barack Obama will affect you now and in the future?
Barack Obama will be more of a friend to students than any president in the past. Not only because as more students vote, they gain the attention from elected officials, but because the costs of attending colleges around the United States have become out of reach for many students in the last eight years and needs to be addressed.
That is why Barack Obama is going to start alleviating the pain of the 31 percent increase in college costs over the last seven years by giving each family a $4,000 tax credit every single year we are in school.
That is $16,000 for four years of school, which is a little more than the in-state tuition of one year here at Penn State. A definite improvement.
Additionally, Barack Obama will increase the amount of a Pell Grant, money that is given to students with the highest amount of financial need, to $5,400. This year, the grants range from $523 to $4,731. The average grant for the 2006-2007 school year was approximately $2,494. Obama will also will grant more direct loans by eliminating the Federal Family Education Loan Program.
John McCain has continually voted against raising the amount of Pell Grants and has not considered any other assistance for people like us.
He doesn't think our education system is broken, and only just recently added it to the "issues" section of his Web site.
John McCain feels the George Bush policies and inaction are fine, and has vowed to continue them.
One of these candidate's plan gives students hope, and one of these candidate's plans causes students to continually be hurt by the status quo.
Two other problems that Barack Obama feels need addressed are healthcare for young adults and equal pay for equal work.
When we finally do enter the "real world," chances are we aren't going to get a job that gives us healthcare. We will be searching for jobs and gaining jobs that have entry level incomes, which usually do not permit for the purchase of insurance.
Barack Obama thinks we should be able to stay on our parent's plan -- if they are lucky enough to have one -- while we are first starting out.
Additionally, young adults without health insurance can more easily attain health insurance through the Obama/Biden National Health Care Exchange, where they can get a plan quite similar to members of Congress. Additionally, when we get our jobs we should all be paid the same amount for the same work we are doing daily, right? John McCain doesn't think so.
He feels it is fine that women make only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes.
Barack Obama does not think this is right, and would introduce a law similar to one he helped pass in the Illinois State Senate that would rectify this wrong.
Once again, one candidate's plan gives us hope after graduating, while the other candidate's plan does not address the problems students will face after doing so.
Barack Obama is our best hope at having a future that is not fully marred by the mistakes of the last eight years.
It is clear from the record and ideas of John McCain that he will continue the policies of George W. Bush. Not only does our generation deserve better, America does.
I urge every single one of you to vote for a more hopeful and prosperous future. Vote for Barack Obama on Nov. 4.
Sean Meloy is the president of the Penn State College Democrats. His e-mail address is smm5100@psu.edu.
