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On the 5th anniversary of the war, Bush gave an upbeat speech. See a point-by-point take-down here. Neither of the cloture motions that we mentioned in last month’s activist newsletter successfully passed. Antiwar activists demanded more from their representatives by taking to the street during the 5th anniversary protests and attending our Iraq Action Camp. This war is increasingly unpopular, and not just among activists. A recent poll indicated that seven out of ten Iraqis want foreign forces to leave, another CNN poll revealed that 71 percent of Americans think Iraq spending hurts our economy, and yet another poll showed that 64 percent of Americans do not think this war was worth the lives of more than 4,000 American service members and tens of thousands of Iraqis. The public dialogue about the war has shifted towards its economic consequences. You can see the impact of the Bush budget and spending for the Iraq war through this state-by-state map. The situation on the ground remains gloomy, and little political progress is being made: Amnesty International reports that Iraq continues to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world, a law that would set a date for provincial elections was vetoed by Iraqi government leaders, and a mass grave containing at least 100 bodies was discovered north of Baghdad. CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATES 
The climate debate is getting HOT! As more and more climate skeptic propaganda is exposed as junk, an epic showdown is taking shape between the toxic duo (coal and nuclear power) and local communities. Plans to build more coal power plants are being challenged throughout the nation, with an epic battle in Kansas leading the way, and the true costs of nuclear energy are starting to become more apparent. The debate on coal and nuclear is even prominent in primary elections. With a helping hand from Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC), a coal front group, primary candidates have been lauding ‘clean coal,’ including a comment about putting tops back on mountains after mountaintop removal. Fortunately youth are speaking out through alternative media such as blogs and films. In this weird time when the Republican National Convention goes green and corporate greenwashing is exposed, it is imperative that youth take a stance against false solutions and for a just renewable future. This April, look out for people dressed in blue, talk to people about the false solutions of nuclear and coal, encourage all your buddies to become responsible energy consumers, and support your local farmers. Remember - Al Gore's $300 million campaign says we can solve it!
It’s crunch time! Unless another extension is passed before April 30, a bill reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA) will likely be sent to the president’s desk some time next month. The HEA includes nearly every federal policy relating to higher education, and it’s expected that it will not be reauthorized again for another five to 10 years. That means, of course, that lobbyists of all stripes are swarming Congress. Luckily, somewhere in the throng there are some strong advocates for students working hard to lower textbook prices, repeal or reform the Aid Elimination Penalty, and make sure that student voices are heard on Capitol Hill. With the economy “slowing” and the availability of credit shrinking, student loan companies have begun to spin their way into reinstating the unnecessary subsidies that Congress cut last year to increase need-based student aid and cut student loan interest rates. Actually, the subsidy cuts have nothing to do with the current trouble of some lenders, and everything to do with risky business practices, so don’t believe the hype. If you are worried about how the credit crunch will affect your student loans, click here to get the facts. While you are at it, you should check out IBRinfo.org, a new website devoted to letting students know how they can qualify for new public service loan forgiveness programs, as well as new programs that can make your student loans more affordable through income-based repayment. Finally, students in California working on a ballot initiative to hold tuition to the rate of inflation have opened a new front in their efforts to make college affordable. The policy they are trying to enact through the ballot box has been introduced as a bill in the California Legislature. Now California students can both sign the petition to get this policy on the ballot as a referendum in November, and write their state Assemblymembers and encourage them to pass the bill.
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