Yesterday, after attending a couple of hearings on the hill regarding genocide and mass atrocities in Africa, I happened upon a Climate Crisis Action Day rally in front of the Capitol building to support the permanent protection of areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by taking action to stop the effects of global warming.  A variety of representatives from both the House and Senate gave compelling speeches to support initiatives that would end the climate crisis we currently find ourselves in.  As I was leaving the area of the rally there was an older gentleman selling shirts, bumper stickers, and buttons with slogans like “America Needs Al Gore 2008”.  I, after pulling out the entire contents of my briefcase in my search for a dollar, bought one of his buttons, hoping that my dollar would be the one that would push Mr. Gore over the edge, forcing him to throw his hat into the next presidential race. 

David Horowitz, founder of Students for Academic Freedom, editor of conservative website FrontPageMag.com, and author of various liberal and conservative books, released his latest book, Indoctrination U, yesterday. 

Horowitz, a once influential writer and activist for the left, began speaking out for issues of the right in the late 1980’s.  His main focus today has been advocating for the ABOR, an 8 point plan to keep political bias out of the classroom.  This plan in theory is reasonable, professors shouldn’t be able to push their political views onto students, but in practice can be quite dangerous.  With the implementation of the AOBR any student who is ever offended by what their professor says in class can then call for disciplinary action against, including the dismissal of, that professor.  Furthermore, state legislatures have found that colleges and universities in over 20 states already have sufficient policies in place to protect students from infringements on their rights as students. 

But that has not stopped Horowitz from promoting his cause by calling out those he feels “indoctrinate” rather than educate.  First in his 2006 book, The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America, which named and mischaracterized courses and liberal professors on campuses across the United States.  Horowitz used poor internet research to make unsupported claims that these professors were indoctrinating students into their leftist activities.  He is now at it again with the release of Indoctrination U yesterday, blaming indoctrination for his inability to have his voice heard.  This time Horowitz skips the lists and uses this book as a public forum to publish stale speeches given at various colleges and universities, and to recycle old attacks on professors and departments.

Today I had the pleasure of attending my first Senate hearing regarding college affordability.  Imagine my progressive giddiness as I watched Senator Kennedy enter the hearing room.  Camera’s flashing, the G.W. College Democrats behind me talking of tossing G.W. Dem’s underwear at him, and that school girl flustered feeling inside me from just seeing Kennedy in person, someone I hold at a high level of rock star status.  Unfortunately, that first impression faded quickly as I realized that Senators Kennedy, Enzi (ranking member from WY), and Isakson (republican from GA) were the only ones in attendance, eighteen others were missing.  Is college affordability that unimportant to our senators that they could not show up for a 90 minute hearing?  I was especially let down by my own senator, Sherrod Brown (OH), as his 2006 campaign platform was packed with promises regarding the issue at hand.

Witnesses at the hearing were Suze Orman, host of The Suze Orman Show, Tamara Draut, author of Strapped: Why America’s 20-and30-Somethings Can’t Get Ahead, Dr. Jon Oberg, former Department of Education researcher, and Dr. Sandy Baum, Senior Policy Analyst for The College Board and Professor of Economics at Skidmore College.

Senator Kennedy opened the hearing saying that “any individual, any student, young and old alike” should be provided with “help and assistance” from the federal government to obtain a college education.  Each of the panelists agreed, but had differing ideas on how to reach the ultimate goal of college affordability. 

Orman stated the only way to combat what she referred to as a “perfect storm” is to educate both students and their parents in financial aid issues specifically those regarding borrowing and repaying loans.  Draut proposed moving from our current “debt for diploma system” to a system where grants will cover three-quarters of the cost of college for those who qualify as low-income.  Oberg strongly urged the committee to read his report and pay particular attention to the footnotes and advocated federal loan auctions.  Baum felt transparency was best, that providing predictable aid quotes to students and their families at a young age would help them plan for the financial burden of college.

On my way out of the hearing room I thanked the man who not only invited, but snuck in myself and about 20 other college students.  This, he told me, was only the first of many hearings on this issue of college affordability.  I urge you to contact your senator, especially if they are on this committee, and tell them that as a voter you expect him/her to support this issue.  I agree with Orman, this is the perfect storm.  The average debt of a four year college graduate has almost reached $20,000.  It’s too late for me, as I will graduate in May, but with college tuition rising at an exponential rate, I fear for the future students of this country. 

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Department of Peace Conference where I learned about the goal of the Peace Alliance to create a federal Department of Peace.  Of the many tactics lobbyists can use to draw the attention of their elected representatives, I think theirs is the most creative and possibly most effective, by a private non uber-rich private citizen, that I've see for a while.  

 The campaign is called the Mother's Day campaign as it takes place the weeks leading up to and after Mothers Day, but you do not have to be a mother to get involved.  Constituents across the country storm offices on The Hill distributing pies to the office staff of their congress people in exchange for time to give their pitch for the Department of Peace.  No signs, no chants, no yelling... just warm apple pie.  What better way to get someone to listen? I know I would remember these women and their cause if they brought me pie.

 FYI- Fathers, don't feel left out, there's also a photo postcard campaign for you!