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Party leaders discuss Obama’s plans
Wisconsin Democratic politicos debate new president’s administration after its first 100 days in power
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Also by Alex Suprise:
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Six leaders representing an array of Wisconsin labor and student unions came together Thursday to highlight the impact of President Barack Obama’s policies and discuss what must still be done to get the economy back on track.
Representatives from the Wisconsin Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Organizing for America, the United Council of University of Wisconsin Students, the Wisconsin Laborers District and the International Union of Operating Engineers met at the Highway 30 construction site adjacent to three I-94 bridges that are to be funded by the economic recovery package.
State Director of Organizing for America Dan Grandone said Obama has made strides in the change America needs, highlighting nine triumphs of the federal government during Obama’s first 100 days.
The accomplishments listed by Grandone included Obama’s recovery plan and budget to help the struggling economy, and the proposed tax relief for 95 percent of working Americans.
Tom Fischer, president of the Wisconsin Laborers District Council, said unemployment among the WLDC membership is between 20 and 50 percent statewide.
“I extend our thanks to President Barack Obama and congressional leaders for moving an economic stimulus package that will result in real jobs to get our economy working again,” Fischer said. “These projects create over $114 million in project work that will result in 4,000 jobs throughout the country.”
Michael Moscicke, university affairs director for the United Council of University of Wisconsin Students, said the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act also increases the number of Pell Grant recipients by 800,000 students.
In addition to the increase in Pell Grant recipients, Moscicke said the American Opportunity Tax Credit will be increased from $18,000 to $25,000, will be renewable for four years instead of two, and will be available to more students.
Although all political parties agree college affordability is an issue in society, UW College Republicans Chair Crystal Lee said the president’s new programs will prove detrimental to the problem of national debt.
“What you’re doing is creating more taxation on families who do not have students in college,” Lee said. “It’s giving someone a credit and taking away from the state universities while giving more power to the federal government.”
Lee also disagreed with the extended eligibility of scholarships.
“[Obama is] basically telling people that if you fall into that income bracket, you are getting money for college,” Lee said.
She added people who do well should be judged on their merit regardless of race, gender and ethnicity. Lee said she believes it is unfair to punish the wealthy for being well-educated and successful while rewarding those who have not shown adequate merit.
Kirsten Kukowski, spokesperson for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said students are the ones who will be left to pay for the massive government spending done by the Obama administration.
“[Obama’s] economic policies tax borrow and spend way too much, and we shouldn’t be doing it on the backs of future generations,” Kukowski said in an e-mail to The Badger Herald.
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It is extremely helpful to see decisions made by the Obama administration receiving news coverage. What many people do not realize is the number of “changes” that are actually occurring under his presidency. Most decisions regarding the economy or other realms of American society are ignored or unheard of due to other, more “newsworthy” stories receiving the majority of coverage. Hopefully we see more articles like this one and that the Obama presidency keeps true to their promise of transparency.
Nice cheerleader piece, dressed up as “news”, but let’s provide an honest citique of Our Dear Leader, Barrack Hussein Obama.
1) Our Dear Leader has taken over the banking system.
2) Our Wealth Redistributor in Chief bailed out Chrysler and GM automakers with Billions of taxpayer dollars and then threw that money away when he decided they should go bankrupt. 3) Our Dear Leader is trying to take over energy, through the Carbon Tax schemes. This energy tax will hit everyone, with low income folks being hit the hardest. 4) Our Benevolent Dicator has promised to nationalize health care, just as soon as he can get to it.
Each time, the bills authorizing these actions are rushed through congress so fast that our Senators and Representatives haven’t time to even read the bills they have voted on. We are told that each must be enacted immediately to avert “a crisis”. As Our Dear Leader Obama likes to say “Never waste a good crisis, even if you have to invent one!” Our rubber stamp politburo, Senators and Representatives alike, approve what ever The Teleprompter Tyro dictates.
By no standard can this be called “transparency”, when no time is provided to read, understand, and debate the contents of these “crises bills”. If our Senators and Representatives refuse to do this most basic due diligence of democracy before voting, they are truly no better than a rubber stamp audience.
By no standard can this be called “tax relief for 95% of Americans”. The Carbon Tax scheme will tax everyone, making his claim of “tax relief for 95% of working Americans” a bald faced deceit. The huge deficits being run up now guarantee that all must pay higher taxes later, to try to avert national insolvency. There is no free lunch, not even in Obamanation.
Our Dear Leader has clearly stated “I believe in wealth redistribution.” Any student of political history will recognize that as the fundamental precept of Marxism. Nationalizing or controlling the financial, transportation, energy production, and health care sectors are fundamental goals of Marxism.
Our Dear Leader, Marxism You Can Believe In!
Invictus Maneo
While I do agree with many of your points and certainly do agree with the need for increased transparency and stronger oversight, your comments on the nature of the piece, calling it a “cheerleader piece” and calling for an “honest critique” are out of place. This is a news report, not an editorial. And yes, these types of articles do in fact provide transparency, what you are thinking of is oversight. While the Pell Grant isn’t exactly the most pressing issue at the moment, it does represent the many decisions passed down by this government that are going unnoticed/unreported upon(such as the movement of the Census Bureau from Utah to the White House).