President Obama on Tuesday told Virginia community college students that unless young people mobilize, special interests in Washington will balance the federal budget by slashing student aid and other education spending.
“I can’t afford to have all of you as bystanders,” Obama told a town hall meeting at Northern Virginia Community College. “There are powerful interests in Washington…they are going to want to reduce the deficit on your backs.”
He told students that Republicans want to cut Pell Grant scholarships with their budget, but that his own budget plan would increase education spending while reducing deficits by $4 trillion over 12 years.
The Hill
Not just students. They seek to balance it on the Bottom 90%, and especially on the bottom half.
If people do not fight, they will lose what little they have.
This really is a "which side are you on" election in 2012. We can tax the wealthy or we can destroy the limited reforms of the 20th century.
"We are going to have to ask everyone to sacrifice and if we are going to ask community colleges to sacrifice…then we can ask millionaires and billionaires to make a little sacrifice,” he said.
The Hill
I'm under no illusions. I have no doubt that many things important to middle class and poor folks will be cut in a Democratic deficit plan. But the Republican Plan will decimate the New Deal and Great Society reforms.
Unless we mobilize, it will be far, far worse.
Obama's plan cannot be the left pole against which that the Gang of Six seeks to find a middle way as compared to Ryan. The way to stop that is to mobilize to protect social security, medicare, and other programs.
It is better that no deal be made. Win the elections in 2012, and come back with a Democratic House.
No moral deal can be made with the Tea Party House.
I hope the President continues to tell the truth about the Republican Plan. Like Harry Truman, when President Obama tells the truth about them, Republicans think it's hell.