Republican Cuts to Education

College students who voted for Republican candidates in the last election will be upset with the latest Republican budget proposals.  Some of the Republican cuts would hit college students and their parents right where it hurts.


Bloomberg:


U.S. House Republicans’ pledge to cut $100 billion from the federal budget next year would slash spending for education, cancer research and aid to local police and firefighters.....

....President Barack Obama has requested $73.4 billion for the Department of EducationPell Grants to help low-income students afford college, a 32 percent increase from this year....  next year. That request includes $23 billion for

....A 21 percent cut across the board would take about $15 billion from education. A 21 percent cut in Pell Grants would take almost $5 billion from student tuition..... 

The article also notes that other cuts to education would target special education, and federal money to schools.

The Republicans tried these type of drastic cuts before when they had their Contract on America  Contract with America.  Don't think for a minute that the Republicans have come up with any new ideas.  They just recycle the old ones hoping that something, anything, will work this time.

If you are a college student, particularly those in Ohio (Ohio State, Ohio University, Bowling Green, Kent, UC, UD, Toledo, etc.), I'd suggest you run/call/contact through Facebook, your local College Democrats on campus.  Find out how you can get involved to try to stop these cuts that will hurt your ability to finish your college education.  You might also want to make your parents aware of the Republican planned cuts to education.

(Note to Ohioans:  In the state of Ohio, it should be noted that former Gov. Ted Strickland was able to hold down tuition increases.  Experts believe that Gov. Kasich will force state universities to raise tuition because of his planned cuts to state funding for education.)

Republican Rep. Paul Ryan and his plan to cut spending has repeatedly gone after Social Security.  Ryan continues to push cutting benefits for Social Security, continue to raise the retirement age, and privatizing Social Security (see Washington Post, Common Dreams, Huffington Post).  Thank goodness the previous Republican plan to privatize Social Security was unsuccessful because everyone would have lost their retirement funds when Wall Street collapsed during the Bush administration.