This latest saga over student interest rates traces its roots back to 2007, when Congress voted to lower the interest rate on federal student loans to 3.4% for the next five years. Now, in 2012, the deadline (June 30) is closer than ever, with no clear signs that Congress will take action on the issue.

The main opponents of an extension of the interest rate cut include some of the most fiscally-conservative Republicans, who oppose extending cuts without concurrently lowering spending. All in all, the cost to taxpayers will be $6 billion per year, while the downside to letting the cuts expire is that an expected 7 million college students taking out loans will soon face a doubling of the interest rate to 6.8% (adding more than $1,000 to the cost of an average loan).

President Obama’s first stop will be with the Tar Heels at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Braving the elements in hopes of securing a spot to the highly-anticipated speech, students at UNC expressed high interest in the message and timing of the President’s speech, especially given its direct relevance to hundreds of thousands of students. Obama’s appearance comes just a few months after protests were held against tuition increases by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

Obama’s second stop will be at the University of Colorado at Boulder, marking just the second time that a sitting President will have visited the university. In a college town that was just recently in the spotlight for the 4/20 “crackdown,” political tensions are set to run high, with protests from both left and right-wing groups planned.

The final stop on this whirlwind tour will take the President to the University of Iowa, in a state that helped initially propel Obama to the White House back in 2008. Long lines for tickets were again reported, as students seemed to be very receptive to the President’s message.

From a political standpoint, it is no surprise that President Obama has begun to pound the theme of extending the interest rate cuts. For many observers, it is akin to rekindling the “Yes We Can” spirit of 2008, with students again serving as the primary feeders of momentum.

Mitt Romney recognized this quite quickly, and his statement on Monday reflects his desire to not serve as an antagonist on this issue. What remains to be seen is how Congressional Republicans (especially members of the Tea Party) will respond. Will they fall in line with the presumptive GOP nominee, or continue to follow their own stringent beliefs, almost certainly harming Romney’s prospects with young voters as a result? While President Obama’s campus visits may garner the most attention, the debate that plays out in the halls of Congress may have the more lasting impact come November.

The post College Trip: Obama Set To Hammer Congress on Student Loans appeared first on NextGen Journal.

Here are three highlights of the night that may have escaped the headlines:

Young Voters:
While most of the media attention was focused on the Evangelical vote in the Southern primaries, it is always interesting to see where the candidates stand among the young. According to CNN exit polls coming out of Alabama and Mississippi , Rick Santorum dominated among young voters, polling around 40% for the “17-29 years old” age group, with Gingrich running a distant second and Paul dead last. This may seem surprising to outside observers accustomed to Paul’s dominance among young voters, but (at least based off of recent results) it also seems as if Paul’s young voter attraction does not hold up in Southern states that are not receptive to Paul’s message in general.

Women Voters:
Although much has been made over the contraceptive-mandate controversy and the reaction of women voters in general, the exit polls in Alabama and Mississippi seem to show that GOP women voters in these two states are much less hostile to Santorum’s politics and values than the nation as a whole. A little more than a third of women voters in each state supported Santorum, something that again may have surprised those handicapping the race from afar.

Romney and the South:
From a pure mathematical standpoint, last night’s primaries did little to derail Romney’s path to the nomination. He gained around 30% of the vote in both states, a strong showing especially in the South. He even may come out a winner in the aggregate delegates from last night, when the votes from American Samoa and Hawaii are tabulated in the early morning. However, it is the feeling that Romney can’t close the deal that has been haunting his campaign for the past few weeks. Granted, Santorum’s momentum may fade as soon as the primaries shift northward, but, until Romney convincingly break away from the rest of the GOP pack, he’ll have to face the inevitable questions about his ability to unify the GOP base.

The post Santorum Sweeps the South appeared first on NextGen Journal.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney undoubtedly confirmed his spot as the frontrunner following the Super Tuesday contests and hasn’t looked back. However, he continues to be dogged with questions about GOP voters’ supposed apathy to his platform and campaign in general. Romney continues to poll strongly with wealthier Republicans, but he has struggled with Evangelical voters and with those who did not attend college, a weakness that has not been helped by several Romney gaffes casting him as “out of touch” with mainstream Americans. Yet, the forecast is quite bright for Mitt, with several commentators touching upon the near “impossibility” that another candidate will catch up in the delegate count and overtake Romney by the convention.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum emerged from Super Tuesday with several strong wins, but also with a sense that he could have done more, especially following his razor-thin loss in the crucial battleground state of Ohio. Santorum has made veiled attempts to push Newt Gingrich out of the race, in order to have a clear matchup against Romney. Santorum has had his share of media issues, as his controversial comments about JFK and college education shocked many political elites but did not seem to have turned off many voters in Santorum’s key constituencies (namely religious voters like Evangelicals and those especially concerned with social issues).

Newt Gingrich’s Georgia ultimatum paid off for him on Super Tuesday, but it remains to be seen whether he can take his unofficial “back-from-the-dead” campaign theme to another level in Alabama and Mississippi. Gingrich has zeroed in on the economy in the past few weeks, with a special emphasis on rising gas prices (importantly, an issue that tends to rally voters of all stripes together).

Ron Paul has had several moderately-strong showings in the past few weeks, and his strategy of gaining as many delegates as possible (especially in caucus states where he can mobilize his dedicated supporters) has been decently successful. It remains to be seen how the GOP will treat Paul’s candidacy down the road, or whether they will make any special attempts to appease his supporters. It is important to note that Paul has routinely done very well with younger voters, who back his message of liberty and actual reform in government.

Having recapped the race so far, it is now time to specifically look at the Alabama and Mississippi primaries. Here are some factors that will come into play:

1) Romney’s Southern Problem: Throughout the nomination race, Romney has struggled to win votes in Southern states, especially from Evangelicals. Following his solid wins on Super Tuesday, Romney has doubled down on Alabama and Mississippi, bringing along with him his best Southern drawl to woo the locals. A win or close-second in either of the two primaries would be a great success for the Romney campaign, and a sign that he is beginning to coalesce support in the conservative base as a whole.

2) One Candidate Too Many?: It is no secret that Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are going after the same types of voters, especially in Southern states. The question is, will Gingrich drop out to give Santorum the one-on-one matchup with Romney that he is yearning to have, or will Gingrich stay on till the convention despite only winning a few more states, at most? It should be interesting to see how the relations between these two candidates develop, especially in the wake of the Alabama and Mississippi primaries.

3) Do the Results Even Matter?: While some believe that a strong showing by Gov. Romney will be a big step towards him clinching the nomination, will this at all faze Romney’s challengers or cause them to drop their bids? From the looks of things, the answer appears to be “No.” The liklihood of a long, drawn-out race to the convention grows larger each day, especially since candidates are able to bankroll their campaigns through the generosity of essentially one individual. Look for the pundits to  continue speculation about whether a drawn-out race will pose a great threat to Republicans in the general election against President Obama. If nothing else, Alabama and Mississippi may only confirm what we knew, and perhaps others feared, all along.

The post Alabama and Mississippi GOP Primaries: What to Watch appeared first on NextGen Journal.

As will come as no surprise, the economy played an enormous role in the lead-up to these two primaries. Electability also seems to have had a strong influence, with a large contingent of Romney voters in Michigan believing that Romney presents the best chance of knocking off President Obama this coming November.

But what about the youth vote? A recently released Gallup poll showed that favors Mitt Romney nationally, who edged out Paul at 26% and Santorum at 20%. Although this might represent a pragmatic shift in the minds of some young voters, the results of this poll are a bit skewed given that “younger Republicans” are defined as those from 18-34 years of age by Gallup. In addition, Paul once again won the 18-29 vote in the state of Michigan.

Perhaps a better indicator of the true youth enthusiasm in the race, then, was found on the campus of Michigan State University, where 4,000 eager Ron Paul supporters packed an auditorium in East Lansing and proceeded to give the “champion of liberty” an enthusiastic standing ovation . The spirit of this libertarian brand of conservatism was indeed alive and well, at least in Michigan colleges.

In the end, the same, consistent divide between young and older voters held true in Michigan. We witnessed a strong surge of support for Ron Paul, but not enough (again) to get him anywhere near the top- although the story of delegates and possible intrigue at the convention remains an enticing water-cooler topic in the halls of political science departments. Young Republican voters truly care about jobs, but also about the future. Ron Paul’s predictions and appeals echo many of the views of those disaffected with the “usual” in Washington D.C.

Last night, though, it was Mitt Romney’s time in the spotlight. Not a shining moment for the ages, but rather, a symbolic return to the driver’s seat.

What do you think about the Michigan and Arizona GOP primary results?

The post Aftermath of Michigan, Arizona: Romney Back in Control appeared first on NextGen Journal.

Debt/Deficit:

Rather than a question concerning recent revelations about Santorum’s past speeches, CNN’s John King opened the debate with a discussion of the nation’s debt. This led to a back and forth between Romney and Santorum, with Romney targeting Santorum’s votes to raise the debt ceiling while in the Senate. It was no surprise that the candidates pledged to cut federal spending, and Ron Paul’s trillion dollar plan certainly remains the most ambitious on the stage. However, no concrete details were offered on how exactly the federal government would be able to reign in its spending.

Occupy Movement:

This debate also saw Rick Santorum accuse Romney of using the “language of Occupy Wall Street” when Romney was describing that his tax plan would make the “1%” pay their fair share. The issue of income inequality remains one that many young people are concerned about today in the United States, and it was interesting to see how the GOP candidates had to tread that line carefully and avoid using the same “lingo” as the Occupy crowd.

Sticking Up for the Common Man/Woman:

While populism doesn’t often find its way into GOP debates, its biggest proponent so far has been Rick Santorum, who was labeled a “Supply-Sider for the Working Man” by The Wall Street Journal. In the debate, he criticized Romney for supporting the Troubled Asset Relief Fund (TARP) but rejecting the auto industry bailout. A clear message was sent that Romney was for Wall Street and not Detroit (i.e. Main Street).

Social Issues and Other Controversies:

Social issues continued to dominate the bulk of the debate coverage, with questions about contraception and back-and-forths about other religious questions overshadowing the “jobs, jobs, jobs” issue at times. Young voters were not seeing much discourse about issues that affected them directly, especially in the economic/education sphere.

Gas Prices?

A question about rising gas prices turned into an opportunity for Romney to talk about the U.S. relationship with Iran. Discussion over what to do in the Middle East followed, but no candidate was willing to dive into the tricky Syria question and come up with a sustainable approach to the problem.

Finally….Education:

Education finally took center stage when Santorum was grilled on No Child Left Behind, once a proud Bush accomplishment but now more like a stain on those who supported it in the past (as Santorum did in the Senate). However, there was no talk about rising college costs or ways in which to make the U.S. school system more effective as as whole.

Wrap-Up:

On the whole, this was a strong debate for Romney, with Santorum managing to get some applause but struggling through some tricky questions. Ron Paul remained resolute in his defense for liberty as usual, while Gingrich failed to hit his talking points.  The former Speaker’s one-liners have seemingly lost their touch with the debate crowds. On the whole, it must surely have been a disappointment for young voters concerned about pressing issues of the day. Social issues played a large part in this debate, along with bickering about past records on earmarks and other legislation. Lost in the shuffle were any true solutions or novel approaches to the problems confronting our generation.

The post Arizona GOP Debate: Issues that Matter to Our Generation appeared first on NextGen Journal.

The official end of the recession was in June 2009.  Amidst the doom and gloom was the hope that the United States was on a rebound and that things were looking up.  Two years later, the signs of progress are mediocre at best, and the country remains mired in an economic slump.  The numbers tell it all: an unemployment rate of 9.1%; a drop in median household incomes of 9.8% between 2007 and 2011; re-employed workers averaging a 17.5% cut in wages.  While there has been much written about the overall effects of the recession and current economic slowdown on the average American worker, a lot less attention has been paid to a related, and critically important, issue: youth unemployment.

The recession has taken a large toll on the job prospects of this young generation: only 55% of 16 to 29-year-olds are employed, a drop of 12% from the levels seen in 2000.  The levels of youth joblessness have reached such unprecedented levels in the United States that many commentators are beginning to talk of a “Lost Generation” or “Generation Limbo.”  They are referring to an entire generation of disaffected youth, unable to gain any footing in the job marketplace and discouraged overall by an economy that seems stuck where it is with no hope for improvement.  Many historical parallels come to mind: the Lost Generation of WWI or the hikikomori of Japan in the 1990s.  But these examples from the past fail to capture the potential loss that could result in the U.S. from another generation stifled by economic forces and problems that they had extremely little to zero part in bringing about.

Another side note to the “Lost Generation” discussion is the potential for social uprisings and possibly even violence if conditions do not improve appreciably for this generation in the next few years.  Granted, the United States is not Egypt, nor is Times Square likely to become a Tahrir Square 2.0, but unrest remains a distinct possibility when the economy continues to tank.  The same sense of desperation and frustration that pushed ordinary civilians to fight back against dictators in the Arab Spring could easily take root in the United States.  It is even true that many young people hold these strong emotions in the present day, tired of blaming themselves for a tough job market and angry at those who helped create the mess in the first place.

The natural questions to ask now would be “how do we combat this scourge of youth unemployment?”  “How do we make a dent against the seemingly inscrutable whims of this economy and finally achieve a level of modest growth and stability?”  “How are the needs of this next generation going to be addressed when the stimulus bills and jobs packages are put on the table?  Or will their needs be shoved aside, ignored in favor of others?”  These, and many other questions, frame the issue of youth unemployment.  They are important to consider not only since they may provide crucial answers to how our generation can overcome the economic slump, but, if we, as this next generation, fail to ask these questions of our leaders and representatives…then who will?

Here are some steps (some obvious, others not as much) that are critical to alleviating the youth unemployment in America:

1) Stability: Job growth is, of course, essential to helping lower the youth unemployment rate.  But what is most critical for younger job-seekers is stability in the markets and economy.  Stability allows for employers to better plan for the future and makes them confident that the new employees they hire this month won’t end up overburdening the company in a few weeks when their salaries become unsustainable to manage.  The fact that younger workers have less experience and often seek shorter-tenured jobs also further highlights the importance of stability in creating jobs.

2) Well-targeted policies: One dilemma in helping to resolve the youth unemployment problem is whether policymakers should focus on temporary fixes or more sustainable, long-term solutions.  A focus on creating young-worker friendly jobs in areas like tourism, hospitality, and the restaurant industry may make a dent in the current unemployment rate and help lower-skilled youth find a job.  A separate question is raised by the outlook for highly educated young people, many of whom may be hoping for careers that fit their major and can last for multiple years, not just a temporary summer job.  This is the key problem that has many economists stuck for answers and that has struck this “next generation” at its core.

3) Education, education, education: Possibly the most obvious solution, or perhaps “band-aid,” to the youth unemployment problem is education, whether high school or college.  In multiple studies throughout many years, higher degrees of education have been found to increase job opportunities and salaries, opening up many doors for graduates.  These days, as was discussed multiple times already in this article, even highly-educated college students have been afflicted with a terrible job market and tough prospects for the future.  This, however, is no excuse for those who have not completed their education to slack off.  In the long run, those who are educated will succeed at higher rates in the workplace.  Now, more than ever, an education is critical to finding a lasting job.

With the constant headlines on the news about our country’s economic woes, the effects of the recession are always close to home.  However, the specific impact of the economic downturn on the “next generation” in America has often been overlooked by those in charge of fixing our economy.  Discussing these issues is a start, but tangible action must be taken to ensure that the next generation in the United States does not become forgotten.

The post A Lost Generation? The Young and Unemployed of America appeared first on NextGen Journal.

Before digging into the meat of the debate, we will first look at a few highlights and answer a few questions about the debate as a whole:

• What in heaven’s sake was that airplane hanging right over the heads of all the audience members? That airplane, in fact, was the actual Boeing 707 which served as Air Force One during Reagan’s term as President. Used by six other presidents, and eventually serving as a backup to today’s Air Force One, it was dismantled and then reassembled at the Library in 2006.

• Audience highlight of the night: 

This clip shows the audience reaction to a question posed to Rick Perry about the death penalty in Texas. At the moment when moderator Brian Williams states that “You have executed more than 243 death row inmates, more than any governor in modern times,” the crowd erupts in applause, a moment symbolic of the large support the death penalty has among GOP circles but also open to discussion about the great enthusiasm shown in backing the execution of a human being.

• Galileo in the house? In what definitely was the most bizarre comparison of the debate, Perry attempted to justify his beliefs on global warming: “Just because you have a group of scientists who stood up and said here is the fact. Galileo got outvoted for a spell.” Was he comparing himself to Galileo? Who knows, although I personally doubt there are any references to 16th century astronomers in Karl Rove’s political playbook.

• Speaking of references, there was plenty of Reagan ones. Given the plethora of Reagan memorabilia in the building where the debate was held and the presence of former First Lady Nancy Reagan, it was understandable. Referring to Reagan while advocating for policies directly opposite of Reagans’ was not as easy to understand (look to Michele Bachmann for that one).

Having checked off the highlights from our overview of the debate, it is now time to dig into the issues that directly affect college students today, namely the economy and unemployment, while also showcasing candidates’ positions on issues that loom large on the future of this generation: America’s debt problems and the future of social security. In the various exchanges that took place last night, a clearer (or perhaps more nuanced) view of the GOP position on these vital issues emerged from the rhetoric.

Economy/Unemployment:
A recent jobs report that showed that the U.S. added no net jobs in the month of August further increased the pressure on President Obama and the White House to jumpstart the economy. The Republican challengers also sought to lay their ideas on the table in response. Rick Perry touted his job creation prowess in Texas, describing how he would allow entrepreneurs to “risk their capital,” a potentially appealing proposition to student entrepreneurs looking to make it big without government interference. Romney fired right back with his job success in Massachusetts, reiterating his experience in the private sector as critical to his overall plan to revive America’s economy. Huntsman also weighed in by touting Utah’s top job creation rate, while also highlighting the fact that he has lived abroad four times and could speak Mandarin in negotiations with the Chinese.

Social Security:
The topic of social security, one that has grown in urgency given the fact that it has been labeled “unsustainable” for future generations, provided for some interesting back and forth between Romney and Perry during the debate. In his book, Perry labeled Social Security a “Ponzi scheme,” a quote that provided Romney with ammunition to criticize Perry of alienating voters. Perry defended his use of the term by stating that such language is necessary to make the point that tangible, and most certainly difficult, changes must be made to the system or else it will go under. Perry’s comment in this exchange was directly tied to the idea that social security will have a dramatic impact upon this next, younger generation and failing to make drastic changes now will have much more serious consequences down the road.

Debt/Deficit:
As was expected, the debt/deficit was another topic that came up during the debate, and one that was recently at the forefront of the power struggle in D.C. But beyond the usual rhetoric came an interesting quotation from Ron Paul of Texas: “It was not all that great. Huge deficits in the 1980s.” This came up when Paul was defending himself after explaining why he wrote a letter to then President Reagan describing his intentions to leave the Republican Party because of the then-President’s policies. While this can be interpreted as the ultimate political faux-pas, especially at a debate hosted by a shrine to the late President, it was a rare moment of political honesty, one that will be greatly appreciated by the American people and this next generation in particular as we head toward the looming 2012 Presidential election.

Ready for more back and forth on these critical issues? Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait long. Just tune in to CNN for the first-ever Tea Party Presidential Debate in Tampa Bay, Florida on Monday, September 12th.

The post GOP Debate: New Challengers and Familiar Topics appeared first on NextGen Journal.

The politically-divisive issue of the Bush tax cuts will now officially be postponed until after the November midterm elections after House Democrats decided to adjourn without holding a last-minute vote on the issue.  The motion to adjourn passed 210-209 only by a single vote, with 39 Democrats joining Republicans in opposing the adjournment measure.  The Democrats who voted against the measure are mostly considered to be in vulnerable, Republican-leaning districts or are conservative “Blue Dog” Democrats themselves.

Republicans criticized Democrats for adjourning without having an “up-or-down vote on extending all the current tax relief.”  Democrats replied that Republicans wanted the House to stay in session in order to extend tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% of Americans, thus extending the deficit by $700 billion.  Most Democrats support a plan by President Obama to extend tax Bush-era tax breaks only for the middle class and allowing the breaks to expire for high-earning household making more than $250,000 a year.   Republicans favor continuing the Bush-era tax cuts, which effectively result in an across-the-board tax break for all households.

There are five weeks to go before the midterm elections, and the issue of the Bush-era tax breaks will certainly show up again.  Both sides insist that what happened in the House will ultimately benefit their party but the true consensus remains to be seen.

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Little is known about Kim Jong-un.  He is the youngest of Kim Jong-il’s three sons and is only in his late twenties.  He reportedly attended the International School of Bern in Switzerland and enjoys basketball and skiing.  Kim Jong-il’s former personal chef offered up this unsubstantiated quote about Kim Jong-un: “…exactly like his father…He has superb physical gifts, is a big drinker, and never admits defeat.”

The naming of a successor to Kim Jong-il represents a turning point of sorts for the impoverished and isolated nation of North Korea.  Public sentiment has turned against the ruling administration recently, with hunger and starvation increasing in the provinces.  Some North Korean exiles have reported that people are starting to doubt the legitimacy of those in power.  It is in this context, with growing opposition within and already strong opposition from abroad, that Kim Jong-un will enter into power if the reports are indeed true.  It will be interesting to see whether he continues to follow the strict state control and propaganda offered by his father or whether he chooses to take a less dictatorial path in hopes of soothing public sentiment.  Only time will tell whether North Korea will be changed by this recent turn of events.

The post Kim Jong-il’s Successor Comes Into View appeared first on NextGen Journal.

Polls of political races have become commonplace, appearing nightly on the news and emphasized by both Democrats and Republicans whenever their side is favored.  But what constitutes a good poll, and how easily is the truth slanted?  These are questions that statisticians and political consultants have been grappling with for years.

The first opinion poll ever conducted was in 1824, when The Harrisburg Pennsylvanian released a poll showing Andrew Jackson up on John Quincy Adams by a margin of 335 to 169 votes in the presidential race.  By the 1950s, polling had become a widespread phenomenon in many democratic countries.  However, many inaccuracies still remain in the way polls are administered and reported to the general public through the media.  Some statisticians state that people are afraid to reveal biases based on race or sex when responding to a pollster.  Polls run by certain magazines or organizations may target only a select category of voters rather than the general voting populace.  And even slight differences in the wording of polling questions can dramatically affect the result of the poll.  All of these must be taken into consideration before the real significance of the poll is revealed.

Polling an entire nation or state on a political race is certainly a daunting task and an imprecise science.  Exactitude is not a goal for those involved in keeping track of the public’s mood.  However, as is shown in the previous instances, polling can be improved and refined.  And the way that we, the public, interpret these polls when we examine them can be refined by keeping in mind all the biases and pitfalls that may prevent the truth from coming to light.

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