“We have to make college affordable for every American.” – President Barack Obama in his final State of the Union address
Obama maintains that his community college plan was an answer to college debt. “Providing two years of community college at no cost for every responsible student is one of the best ways to do that, and I’m going to keep fighting to get that started this year. It’s the right thing to do.”
With a shift in policy that makes community college the norm, those who go straight to college or university may feel alienated. Also, With a mostly republican Congress the odds of such a bill passing probably won’t happen at all let alone in 2016.
Obama expressed the opinion that “No hardworking student should be stuck in the red.” What defines a hardworking student remains a mystery, but it did not stop the president from getting more applause.
Obama also figuratively patted himself on the back when bringing up the Affordable Care Act. Obama pointed out that the act provides health-care insurance for full-time college students.
It seems like the president is showing college students a slideshow of successes while giving a hard shrug to any future efforts during his presidency. The president even acknowledged the unpopularity of the Affordable Care Act in Congress.
“Now, I’m guessing we won’t agree on health care anytime soon,” Obama joked. The State of the Union address was a farewell speech of sorts, remembering fond times.
