Robbing the Youth

 

"A quarter of teenagers were jobless in March, representing a surprising increase from February, even as the unemployment rate for the rest of the population decreased.....The unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year olds jumped back up to 24.5 percent in March, up from 23.9 percent the prior month, according to the latest jobs data from the Labor Department." CNBC's

Sadly during this time of economic recover, one group seems always left out..... the youth. The reality of life is that college degrees are counting for less and less. We are the most "education generation" in history and are still the most unemployed. Even minimum wages jobs are hard to come by. Students who worked through high school to save for college or just to pay for the gas in your car are not even finding the basic jobs they had when they were 16. With all the talk of economic growth and reform, its seems that the next generation is always left out. Don't cut medicare don't revise social security don't even think of cutting wasteful spending just undercut the next generation so that the current one is happy.....  As these recent statics show the future is looking bleak for the people of my generation.

With college tuition on the rise and the unemployment rate increasing for the leaders of tomorrow we are starting to create a very explosive situation among the youth. When your college degree can't even get you a job at Starbucks it makes you wonder what will become of our future? For most of the recent graduates the biggest hurtle is the lack of experience. Most post college level jobs want 3-4 year plus of experience in a field.  Robbing our generation of basic jobs and work opportunities just increase the gravity if the issue. So if we can't get experience and a fourth of us cant get a job what will become of the "entitlement generation".


One would hope that this will act as a catalyst for real change in America.  As one of my favorite political writers said. "The pages of history are not written by the old but by the youth, for they are the ones fighting in the trenches and protesting in the streets, for they fight for the future while the old just fight to preserve the present" Eric Hoffer

Reality of High Ed : You can't afford it

"Student loan debt topped credit card debt for the first time last year, and it's no wonder. College costs have skyrocketed over the last decade - rising an average of 6 percent each and every year. Today's college student can expect to still be paying down loans when THEIR kids go to college."  Fox Business

The shocking reality of high education is that we can literally not pay our way throughout college. Unless our parents saved for your education you will have to get loans to pay for high education. If you worked 40hours  every week at a minimum wage job (est $9 a hour) you would only make ruffly $14,000. The cost to go to most state schools is around 17,000-20,000 a year (tuition housing and food). With the reality of high education its no shocker that students loans are plaguing our generation.

With every graduating class there are less jobs and more unemployed college graduates. Sadly its quite common to see students that graduate with four years degrees working at Safeway or Starbucks, while they wait for there "dream job". With the economy in a slump and our government in denial of the size and scope of our debit, the future doesn't look to good for those seeking higher education. Will college still act as a gate keeper for "success" in life? Or will our culture start reshaping the views of the post high school life? One thing is for certain the future of high education will directly impact the future of our nation. The bigger the debt grows so will the cost of higher education.

"At the end of the day, students have to weigh their wishes and wants - all of them - against the cost of education. Because if you pay too much - you'll end up shortchanging your future in other ways, such as delaying marriage, buying a house and having kids." Fox Business

UW Students visualize the debt.

Last week the Young Americans for liberty chapter at the University of Washington engaged their fellow students on the important of debt reduction. The Student were generally meet with curiosity more then hostility, which is unusual for a libertarian club on any campus. Most onlookers stooped for a brief moment to look and the display. Others took photos and walked up to there booth to learn more about our national debit.

During the event a local school group of 4th grader visiting the campus stopped to learn more about our national debit. The president of the student group explained the danger of over spending and what their future might look like if we don't fix the national debt. A few of the 4th grades tried to pronounce the debit. After multiple failed attempts, the student frustrated proclaimed, "This number is way to high!".

The Visualize the debt event was part of a nation day of protest to try and engage people on the issues surrounding our national debt. The student group was interviewed my MSNBC and the local papers as well.

Its good to see this tough issue discussed so plainly with the community. One would hope that this discussion would not just stop on campuses but would start to be a major focuses for most of the conversation focusing on our future. If a 4th grader could get the message i hope the maybe our legislature would also come to the realization that "this number is way to high!"

The Changing of the Guard

There comes in the course of history a time were a small minority could forever change the very fate of our nation. Often people claim that those times are great areas of conflict or times of civil unrest, where the dedication of a few revolutionaries, can surpass the collective apathy of the masses. Very rarely are elections contributed with being true turning points in America history. As I have heard even political professors say, that in the end of the day elections don't really matter, movements matter.

So what, if you become a new yes or no vote in the electorate, unless your part of the majority or the deciding factor in a vote what real impact can you have, except making the lives of the other legislature more difficult? What can really changes the fate and direction of our nation is the social and cultural shifts. Often those shifts can be assisted by those we elect to higher office or the leader we prop up, but the momentum and the heart of any movement resides within the emotions of the people.

From my work in the political community for the past year, I have ridden shotgun to many of the political revolutions and issues of our time. I have seen the impact the media and our culture has on direction on the people of my generation.  More importantly I have seen the end result of all the madness and "reforms" that so many groups have been fighting for. The only results from their labor are a disenfranchised youth whose very future is being taxed by the growth of our nation.

This fact is being driven home by the rise in the cost of education and the continued reduction in entry level jobs for those soon to be out of school and/or out of work. For those raised on the promise of a good life after college are met with the cold reality of the stagnate waters that seem to be the future of our generation. With students being drunkenly awaken by Obama's last election found themselves quickly sobered by the increase attacks the their futures. What will become of the entitled youth when their comforts and future hopes are wagered against the preservation of a system they believe to have no stake in?

For those of you involved in the political realm, put your ears to the ground and listen to the rumble that's a coming. There is nothing more volatile to then a large number of high trained unemployed young people. As we have seen in the Middle East, the revolutions do not come from the old and the experienced, but from the youth whose dreams seem plausible with their perceived coming victory over the very culture that raised them. The larger the deficit grows, the more the entitlement generation will lose the dream that they where promise. To that end a great cultural revolution will come to America. A great cultural revolution that will forever change America and redefine the dream my generation fights for.
 
To what end do we strive? To whom do we find fellowship? To What send will the leader of tomorrow fight for today? One thing is for sure the changing of the guard is coming and the ranks will be filled with those that wish to fight to reclaim that which many of us feel was taken from us. The American Dream.

Higher Education: G.E.T Reform

State G.E.Ts program will be up on the chopping block this election session. I personal used this program to help pay for my college so I'm a little bias. But i feel that its one of the few programs that helped the middle class go to higher education. The G.E.Ts program from those that don't know is the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) Program. How it works is .....if you buy a unit of G.E.T (like a stock) at the current price of education. (example one unit of GET might be 1/25 of a over all semesters cost at the UW) Then whenever the price of education goes up so does the value of the GET. You have to buy the GET quite a distance out in advance, but the idea is this program helps people plan for college.

 Like most things with the government, the devil is in the details. The GET program like most government "investing" programs have a habit of magically losing their stored money. And the GET program has run into some trouble. With the increase in tuition costs the value of the units of GETs are increase more so then the government can afford. ( maybe the government should get into investing). So the State is looking at cuts and adjusting  the program. 

"Lawmakers are concerned that GET, already underfunded, could become a liability if college-tuition costs outpace the state's ability to make money on its GET investments. The state takes GET purchases and invests the money, much as it does with a pension fund."(Seattle Times)

 

This program was great for me, but should it be a core function of our state government? Don't think so.... I just hope they don't shaft those already on the program( like me). 

The Plight of Education

Most days I read two to three newspapers to stay up to date on whats going on in the world. One of my favorite things to do is read some of the comment chains on popular articles and stories of controversial issues. Of late the more I read and research controversial issues, the more I come what is the biggest problem in American education, the inability to think critically.  

I love to talk politics with people, especially if they don't agree with me. ( You learn more about the world by looking out a window then by looking in a mirror)  Lately I have run into a large number on both sides of the political spectrum that don't think critically, they think emotionally. They are more likely to yell at you then talk with you. 

My parents are both teacher and conversation like this come up all the time. How do we teach critical thinking?  Mainstream education teaches you what to think, not how to think.  What we need is to focus more on the latter. With "Education reform" making education look more like an assembly line then a school. The question beckons...What are we teaching our kids? 

Being a higher education student myself, I have learned and refined the ability to regurgitate the equivalent of an education hairball in class, but true understanding is another situation entirely. So i would pose the question, should we be focusing on measurable criteria? Or on something more in depth when i comes to education reform? 

Job Openings!

The Student Freedom Project is now hiring outgoing energetic people for our Campus Liaison program. The general description is below;

The Campus Liaison will act as the day-to-day representative for the Student Freedom Project on your campus. He or she will support the efforts of the statewide program by acting as the go-to resource for leadership and information on campus. The Campus Liaison will support the holistic growth of student groups and freedom-loving individuals within their campus and region. 

Hours per week: 10 

Length: One Academic Year  

Paid position 

For Job description and duties email Alexander Smith at asmith@effwa.org

Higher Education: Practical information

Student Legislation Guide

Washington State 

This guide is a list of bills for you to look at and learn about before you meet with your representative(s) and/or senator. Having something specific to talk about will give you some traction when talking to elected officials.  It’s helpful to be specific about what you want to change or what specific bill or part of a bill you want to change or push forward. 

Below are some individual bill numbers, titles and summaries. With the possible exception of the first bill on the list (although college students do drink a lot of coffee), all of the bills here deal with issues related to higher education.

House Bill 1715 “An Act Relating to designating coffee as the state beverage”

Representatives to contact: Bailey, Wilcox, buys, Zeigar, Haler, Fagan, Johnson and Warnick 

Bill summary: This bill would establish coffee as the official state beverage.

House Bill 1795 ”An Act Relating tuition increase relative to state funding”

Representatives to contact: Carlyle, Seaquist, Haler, Reykal, Rolfes, Probst, Morris, Sells, Pedersen, Jacks, Hudgins, Maxwell and Frockt. 

Bill summary: This bill aims to create transparency in regard to state funding of higher education. As the bill states:  “It is the intent of the legislature to: ensure that tuition dollars are spent to improve student access, affordability, and the quality of education; and create a modern and robust higher education financial state that funds outcomes and results rather than input and process.”

House Bill 5334 ”An act relating to requiring lawful presence in the United states for financial aid programs” 

Representatives to contact: Steven, Benton, Morton, Swecker and Roach  

Bill summary: This bill would require people to be legal residents of America to qualify for instate tuition and  financial aid.

Senate Bill 5442 “An act relating to an accelerated baccalaureate degree program” 

Senators to contact: Senator Shin, Tom, Kilmer, White, and Chase 

Bill summary: This bill would authorize the development of accelerated bachelor’s degree programs allowing academically qualified students to obtain said degree in three years instead of four.

Controversy in Washington

House Bill 1715 could change Washington State forever. As the bill states;  "The official designation is a desirable promotional tool that Washington businesses can use when sharing their product with customers through the world."  (HB1715) What is the bill about, you ask? Only the most important cultural characteristic of Washington State.  The amazing taste of coffee.

This bill designates coffee as our state drink, but the tough question is what kind? Is Washington State a black coffee state or a mocha latte or perhaps we are a chi tea type of state. The kind of coffee is very telling about a person and more so a state. What image do we as a state want to portray to the rest of the country?

Without your input key issues like this will be decided. Write or call your legislature today to get in the fight and stand up for your favorite morning pick me up. We can't fix health care or higher education reform this session but we can forever decide the fate of our state drink and the flavor of our future.

Making your voice heard

With the legislature back in session, it is time to make your voice heard. The past 6 months we have been talking about improving government. Finally you have the chance. This session the Student Freedom Project will be posting and informing the college community about up coming bills and chances for you to go talk to your legislator about the specific bill and make a real impact on the issue you care about. The topic we will be forcing on is higher education and issues that pertain to young adults.

Check up from time to time to see whats going on in your government, also if you would like to be put on our email list contact me at Asmith@effwa.org and i will make sure your kept up to date on the bills your care about.

State of the Union

 For those that have seen it here are the links: State of the Union

The future was the focus, of Obama's State of the Union address. Can we better our schools? Can we fight to preserver the future of our nation? Obama compared our national issues and national mood to that of the cold war when the Russian sent Sputnik into space. Obama called us to action, to reform and to press forward on innovation and creation, what he said are the American ideals, and building block of our great nation. But can we accomplish these goals? With the method currently in place i say no.

GOP's response: Rep. Paul Ryan 

The president asked us to champion innovation, but yet he can't hand failure. If we are in a race to create the jobs of tomorrow, we are going to have more failures then successes. As we have already seen the federal government will not let up on the regulation and taxation that stifles innovation and growth. So will the Bill Gates's of tomorrow be able to risk it all in pursuit of their dream? The odds are no.

The federal government and state governments has demonstrated a fear towards things in which they do not control. They believe that they have to create jobs and stimulate the economy but the truth is they can not. The government can not create jobs any better then a teacher can do their students homework. If the Obama administration really wants to spark the grown and innovation of American entrepreneurship all they have to do is step aside and let those with the dream be free to risk and created the jobs of tomorrow.

The national deficit can only be address if spending and entitlements are addressed. I only hope that with the federal government divided as it, that the grow of entitlements and wasteful spending are addressed. but then again I'm a realist and the only "innovation and job creation" i see coming our way from the federal government is more regulatory organizations, and staffers to running them.

For additional commentary on the address follow the link to the right: Rep. Eric Cantor  

The Northwest Alternative Goes to print.

The Northwest Alternative student paper is now live! looking for it in Pullman, Washington and Mosco, Idaho.
The northwest Alternative is a Conservative Libertarian, independent forced paper. Written for students by student. Check them out on Face book or on Blogger.com  Below is a link to their blog

www.NW-alternative.blogspot.com

The Decline in Education

In a USA Today report a study found some shocking data about the level of education in higher education.

"Nearly half of the nation's undergraduates show almost no gains in learning in their first two years of college, in large part because colleges don't make academics a priority....After two years in college, 45% of students showed no significant gains in learning; after four years, 36% showed little change. Students also spent 50% less time studying compared with students a few decades ago, the research shows."- USA Today

If you been to a college campus these days you sadly can see how this is very true. Education in general is being push to produced more higher education graduates. Like most government related products lowing standards are a lot easier then increase the difficulty. For when you lower the bar everyone a winner right?

Facts like this are not all that uncommon, studies have shown that students entering the workforce after college are increasingly unprofessional and unprepared for the tasks at hand.  People are not raised with the idea that they are responsible for their work, and that the quality and timeliness of there work does effect the outcome. People expect their teachers to hold their hands through college, then have their bosses hold their hands through the work world. Whatever happened to individual independence, and motivation to succeed? I guess holding people accountable and forcing people to think instead of just repeating information is now un-America.

Like most things in life time has a habit of fixing our own mistakes. With more students at college graduating to find that jobs are fewer and far an between people will start waking to reality. If not there is always government jobs available

Student Freedom Project Research Study

This week I'm on the Washington State campus in Pullman researching the students views on America and American politics. The goal of my study is to learn more about the students views on the future of American and there perceptions on current issues. People on both sides of the political spectrum claim to be fighting to make American a "better" place. But oddly they never really talk to the next generation about what they want to see changed or implemented. It's often hard to get reliable data, but the goal of the study is to create a real picture of the fears and the motivation that the next generation of leaders will deal with.  The student will be a combination of student interviews and general survey questions. If you would like to get involved in the study contact me at Asmith@effwa.org.

New Event

Join us for a day of training and education about the Washington State Legislature. Our elected officials have admitted that they “have no plan” for fixing our state budget, so it’s up to us as citizens to provide them with the leadership and solutions our state needs to get back on track.

* Hear viable budget solutions from the Freedom Foundation’s top experts.
* Discover the secrets of the legislative process.
* Customize your learning experience! Pick from 3 learning tracks.

SeaTac DoubleTree Hotel - January 15, 2011

Get Your Tickets Now!

Vancouver Hilton - January 29, 2011

Get Your Tickets Now!

9:00 am - 4:00pm

Early Bird Special - $30.00

(Register before January 1, 2011)