With elections less than a month away, every student has been bombarded with political rhetoric, trying to convince them millennials are the most important generation in this election and urging students to vote for the candidates that will make life easier for students, like former Sen. Russ Feingold. But easier is not always better.
It is true that millennials will play a major role in this election. According to the Pew Research Center, for the first time in years, millennials and Generation X adults make up 56 percent of the voting electorate, indicating that millennials could potentially dominate this election. Therefore, we have a responsibility to educate ourselves, and elect the best candidate.
When voting in the upcoming Senate election it’s important to remember political rhetoric is empty, and actions truly do speak louder than words.
Feingold claims to be a Wisconsin man representing the values of Wisconsin people and students. But for the past few years, Feingold has spent more time in California as a professor at Stanford University than he’s spent in his own home state.
Feingold’s campaign runs on big claims that college should be affordable and virtually debt free. Feingold’s solution to the mounting student loan debt is more government involvement. Feingold’s flawed thinking would allow the federal government to refinance student loans, while also increasing taxes on students’ families.
Contrary to his claims that students should have more affordable college education, Feingold’s entire career has actually been paid for by students and taxpayers alike. As a professor at Stanford, the Feingold was making $450,000 a year, sometimes getting paid an extra $8,000 per class. Feingold certainly sounds like an advocate for affordable college education, right?
Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has worked tirelessly to stop the Department of Education in its tracks. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Johnson held a hearing in efforts to expose the U.S. Department of Education’s detrimental effects on higher education and students.
Johnson believes college should be more affordable, but he knows the best solution doesn’t involve more federal government overreach. According to the education research that Johnson helped conduct, each new dollar of federal aid that goes to students, causes college tuition to increase 65 cents.
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But right now many people are more concerned with threats to our national security than student loans.
When it comes to national security, Johnson is confident that we can destroy ISIL if the U.S. displays some leadership. Johnson believes that with the right leadership, and with troops on the ground in Syria and Iraq, we could destroy Radical Islamic Terrorism.
Meanwhile, Feingold has openly supported President Barack Obama’s idea of diplomacy through financial pay-offs. Feingold has expressed support for Obama’s corrupt Iran Nuclear Deal, that has poured billions of dollars into an unstable country — a deal that even the Obama administration admits has probably helped fund some terrorist groups.
As students at the University of Wisconsin, many people probably tell you that diplomacy is always better, and free education for everyone is a dream that’s just one vote away. Sure, those options sound easier, and nicer, but they come with great costs.
Johnson has proven his compassion for Wisconsin people and students through his efforts in the Senate. Meanwhile, Feingold is full of empty rhetoric and has nothing to show for it.
As a student, who do you trust more with our future education system, with our national security? A former senator who has supported funding that has helped finance terrorist groups and has made a career off of the expenses of higher education? Or Johnson, who has worked tirelessly to not only protect this nation, but to protect your future against rising student debt?
Easier is not always better. Vote for Senator Ron Johnson on Nov. 8.
Emilia Rohl ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and communication arts.
