Obama: “I Said I’d Make College More Affordable For Our Young People, And We Delivered On That Promise.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks, Delray Beach, FL, 10/23/12)

Under Obama, The Cost Of College Is At “An All Time High”

The Cost Of College Is Currently At “An All Time High.” “Nationally, the cost of a full credit load has passed $8,000, an all-time high. Throw in room and board, and the average list price for a state school now runs more than $17,000 a year, according to the twin annual reports on college costs and student aid published Wednesday by the College Board.” (Justin Pope, “College Prices Up Again As States Slash Budgets,” The Associated Press, 10/26/11)

Over The Past Two Years, “The Average Cost Of Attending A Four-Year Public University Increased By 15 Percent” According To The U.S. Department Of Education. “The average cost of attending a four-year public university increased by 15 percent over a two-year period, fueled by state budget cuts and tuition increases of 40 percent or more at universities in Georgia, Arizona and California. The U.S. Education Department released the figures Tuesday in its annual look at college affordability.” (Christine Armario, “Average Price Of 4-Year University Up 15 Percent,” The Associated Press , 6/12/12)

In The Past Year, Tuition For Instate Public College Rose 8.3 Percent. “Published in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions average $8,244 in 2011-12, $631 (8.3%) higher than in 2010-11. Average total charges, including tuition and fees and room and board, are $17,131, up 6.0% from 2010-11.” (“Trends In College Pricing 2011,” College Board, 2011-12)

• In The Past Year, Tuition For Public Two-Year Colleges Rose 8.7 Percent. “Published tuition and fees at public two-year colleges average $2,963, $236 (8.7%) higher than in 2010-11.” (“Trends In College Pricing 2011,” College Board, 2011-12)

The Cost Of College Has Increased “Faster Than The Rate Of Inflation” And If The Current Trend Continues, The Cost Of College “Will Have More Than Doubled In Just 15 Years.” “Nationally, state and local spending per college student, adjusted for inflation, reached a 25-year low this year, jeopardizing the long-held conviction that state-subsidized higher education is an affordable steppingstone for the lower and middle classes. All the while, the cost of tuition and fees has continued to increase faster than the rate of inflation, faster even than medical spending. If the trends continue through 2016, the average cost of a public college will have more than doubled in just 15 years, according to the Department of Education.” (Andrew Martin and Andrew W. Lehren, “A Generation Hobbled By The Soaring Cost Of College,” The New York Times , 5/12/12)

• The Price Of College Increased “More Than Double” The Rate Of Inflation Between July 2010 And July 2011. “That increase is more than double the inflation rate of 3.6% between July 2010 and July 2011. Family earnings dropped across all income levels. And state funding per student declined by 4% in 2010, the latest year available, and 23% over the past decade, the report says.” (Mary Beth Marklein, “Tuition And Fees Rise More Than 8% At U.S. Public Colleges,” USA Today, 10/25/11)

Under Obama, Student Debt Has “Stretched To A Record Number Of U.S. Households”

The Share Of Households With Student Loan Debt Has “Increased Sharply.” “Even as the nation’s households have reduced their total debt in recent years, the share that owes student loans has increased sharply, an analysis of the latest available Federal Reserve data shows.” (Mary Beth Marklein, “Report Shows Increase In Those With Student Debt, Loans,” USA Today, 9/27/12)

• “Student Debt Has Stretched To A Record Number Of U.S. Households - Nearly 1 In 5.” “With college enrollment growing, student debt has stretched to a record number of U.S. households - nearly 1 in 5 - with the biggest burdens falling on the young and poor.” (Hope Yen, “Student Debt Stretches To Record 1 In 5 Households,” The Associated Press, 9/27/12)
• “Among Households Headed By Someone Younger Than 35, A Record 40% Owe Student Debt, The Highest Share Among Any Age Group.” “The Pew center’s deeper dive into the data found, that among households headed by someone younger than 35, a record 40% owe student debt, the highest share among any age group. Among households earning less than $21,000, outstanding debt represented 24% of household income.” (Mary Beth Marklein, “Report Shows Increase In Those With Student Debt, Loans,” USA Today , 9/27/12)

Two-Thirds Of Graduates From The Class Of 2011 Have Student Loan Debt, With An Average Of $26,600, An Increase Of Five Percent From Last Year. “We estimate that two-thirds (66%) of college seniors who graduated in 2011 had student loan debt, with an average of $26,600 for those with loans. The five percent increase in average debt at the national level is similar to the average annual increase over the past few years. (“Student Debt And The Class Of 2011,” The Institute For College & Success, 10/12)

• “It’s The Latest Snapshot Of The Growing Burden Of Student Debt And It’s Another Discouraging One.” It’s the latest snapshot of the growing burden of student debt and it’s another discouraging one: Two-thirds of the national college class of 2011 finished school with loan debt, and those who borrowed walked off the graduation stage owing on average $26,600 - up about 5 percent from the class before.” (Justin Pope, “Average Debt Up Again For New College Grads,” The Associated Press , 10/18/12)

At Last Night’s Debate, Obama Reiterated His Pledge To “ Hire Another Hundred Thousand Math And Science Teachers.” OBAMA: “But what I’ve also said is let’s hire another hundred thousand math and science teachers to make sure we maintain our technological lead and our people are skilled and able to succeed.” (President Barack Obama, Presidential Debate, Denver, CO, 10/4/12)

Over The Years Obama Has Recycled His Goal To Hire STEM Teachers, But All He Offers Are Failed Plans That Won’t Accomplish Anything

2010 : Obama Announced A “Goal Of Recruiting 10,000 Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math (STEM) Teachers Over The Next Two Years.” “Today, President Barack Obama announced a new goal of recruiting 10,000 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teachers over the next two years. This announcement will move the country forward on the Obama Administration’s ambitious goal of preparing 100,000 STEM teachers over the next decade.” (Press Release, “President Obama Announces Goal Of Recruiting 10,000 STEM Teachers Over The Next Two Years,” The White House , 9/27/10)

• Obama: “We Need To Recruit And Train Math And Science Teachers To Support Our Nation’s Students.” OBAMA: “When I came into office, I set a goal of moving our nation from the middle to the top of the pack in math and science education. Strengthening STEM education is vital to preparing our students to compete in the 21st century economy and we need to recruit and train math and science teachers to support our nation’s students.” (Press Release, “President Obama Announces Goal Of Recruiting 10,000 STEM Teachers Over The Next Two Years,” The White House , 9/27/10)

2010: The President’s Council Of Advisors On Science And Technology: “The Federal Government Should Help Recruit, Prepare, And Support At Least 100,000 New STEM Teachers.” “The Federal Government should help recruit, prepare, and support at least 100,000 new STEM teachers with these attributes at the middle school and high school levels over the next decade. It also should support the professional development of all teachers to help them achieve deep STEM content knowledge and mastery of STEM pedagogy. And the Federal Government should recognize and reward the best STEM teachers nationwide through the creation of a STEM Master Teachers Corps.” (“Prepare And Inspire: K-12 Education In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math (STEM) For America’s Future,” The White House, 9/10)

July 2012: The White House Announced A Master Teacher Corps To Increase The Number Of STEM Teachers. “The Obama administration is launching a new teacher initiative designed to retain and train the next generation of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers. The administration is launching a Master Teacher Corps, composed of top educators in those fields - who will be given an annual stipend on top of their salary. According to the White House, 50 teachers will be chosen across 50 different locations. The plan is to explain the corps over the next four years to add more than 10,000 teachers.” (Byron Tau, “White House Launches Teacher Corps,” Politico’s 44, 7/18/12)

• The Administration Says It Will Be Funded Through Obama’s 2013 Education Budget Request. “According to the administration, funds for the new corps will come from the president’s 2013 education budget request that Congress is currently considering.”(Byron Tau, “White House Launches Teacher Corps,” Politico’s 44, 7/18/12)
  

Due To The High Price Tag, The Plan Is “Likely To Fall Flat Relatively Quickly.” “The idea embodies some of the Obama administration’s most cherished concepts-pay for performance, competitions among local jurisdictions, and asking Congress for money. The last concept probably won’t work. A Republican-led Congress is unlikely to sign off on $1 billion for such a project. That means the competitive and merit pay elements also are likely to fall flat relatively quickly. Even so, the administration is devoting $100 million to the project now, with 35 school districts already lined up to help select 50 winning teachers. President Obama is requesting $1 billion to increase this initial micro-corps to 10,000 teachers.” (Fawn Johnson, “Obama’s Plan For Teaching Corps Could Fall Flat,” National Journal, 7/18/12)

“The House And Senate Both Voted Down Obama’s Budget Earlier In The Year, Making It Far From Certain That Obama Will Be Able To Get Congressional Approval To Spend $1 Billion On Master Teachers.” “The administration will make $100 million available immediately out of an existing fund to incentivize top-performing teachers. Over the longer term, the White House said it plans to launch the program with $1 billion included in Obama’s budget request for fiscal year 2013. But the House and Senate both voted down Obama’s budget earlier in the year, making it far from certain that Obama will be able to get congressional approval to spend $1 billion on master teachers.” (Josh Lederman, “Master Teacher Corps: Barack Obama Proposes $1 Billion Effort To Boost Students’ Achievement In Math Science,” The Associated Press, 7/18/12)

“Democrats Tried To Secure Funding For A Similar Program Last Year, But The Proposal Didn’t Reach Either The House Or Senate Floors.” (“Obama Proposes $1 Billion Math And Science Teaching Corps,” NBC News, 7/18/12)

Without A Record To Run On, Obama Has Resorted To Negative Ads Attacking Mitt Romney

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl Fact Checks Obama On Negative Ads: “Over The Past Month, Obama’s Own Campaign Has Run Its Ads More Than 68,000 Times, Nearly 80% Of Them Attacking Mitt Romney.” “KARL: ‘Turn on the T.V. in one of these states, and you’d think the election was next week. A bombardment of political ads, the vast majority brutally negative.’ OBAMA: ‘Most of the ads are negative and at a certain point, people get discouraged and start feeling like nobody in Washington is listening.’ KARL: “That’s right. Over the past month, Obama’s own campaign has run its ads more than 68,000 times, nearly 80% of them attacking Mitt Romney. Negative and loose with the facts. Take this Obama ad. OBAMA AD: ‘Romney’s never stood up to China. All he’s ever done is send them our jobs.’KARL: ‘But that’s not true. Romney’s former company Bain Capital may have invested in companies with operations in China, but there is no evidence that they shipped any U.S. jobs there under Romney’s leadership.’”(ABC’s “ABC World News,” 7/9/12)

76 Percent Of The 68,443 Obama Ads That Have Aired Over The Last 30 Days Have Been Negative. “Off the 68,443 ads that Obama has run on TV (local broadcast, national network & national cable) in the 30-day period ended July 2, 52,016 had an ‘anti-Romney message’ - 76 percent of the total, according to New York-based Kantar Media’s CMAG, which monitors campaign advertising.” (Mark Silva, “$10 M Checks, Obama Complains - Yet Look Who’s Gone Negative,” Bloomberg, 7/6/12)

Recent Polls Reveal The Ineffectiveness Of Obama’s Negative Ads

“Obama’s Relentless Assault On Mitt Romney’s Business Record Are Also Showing No Real Signs Of Significantly Shaping The Race.” “Obama’s relentless assault on Mitt Romney’s business record are also showing no real signs of significantly shaping the race. Sixty percent of voters say that Bain makes no difference, while 23 percent say it makes them less likely to vote for him. Seventy-three percent of voters say that Romney’s wealth makes no difference.” (Byron Tau, “Poll: Voters Blame Obama For The Economy,” Politico’s ” 44,” 7/18/12)

Six In Ten Voters Say Romney’s Bain Experience Will Not Affect Their Vote. “Six in 10 voters surveyed said Mr. Romney’s experience at Bain would not affect their vote, though other polls in swing states have indicated that the ads are influencing perceptions about his business experience.” (Jim Rutenberg and Marjorie Connelly, “Economic Fears Hurting Obama, Poll Indicates,” The New York Times , 7/18/12)

“The Economic News Is Overwhelming Everything Else, Including The Attacks On Mitt Romney’s Tenure At Bain Capital.” “The takeaway from this poll is similar to the one drawn from the CBS/New York Times data: the economic news is overwhelming everything else, including the attacks on Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital and his refusal to release his tax returns.” (Sam Stein, “Mitt Romney Ties It Up In Virginia: Poll,” The Huffington Post, 7/19/12)

“Most Voters Say Romney’s Personal Wealth - Estimated By The Candidate To Be At Least $190 Million - And His Experience As The Head Of The Private Equity Firm Bain Capital Will Not Impact Their Vote.” “Most voters say Romney’s personal wealth - estimated by the candidate to be at least $190 million - and his experience as the head of the private equity firm Bain Capital will not impact their vote. Seventy-three percent say Romney’s wealth will make no difference to their vote, while 60 percent say his Bain experience will not impact their vote.” (Brian Montopoli, “Most Say Romney Policies Favor The Rich,” CBS News, 7/18/12)

While Romney Is “Under Fire For His Record At Bain… Polling For Obama Has Only Worsened.” “In the face of unending Democratic attacks, Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign’s message is this: this is as bad as it gets. Under fire for his record at Bain and his failure to release more than two years of tax returns, and as his own message has skipped ineffectually from one attack on Obama to the next, polling for Obama has only worsened.” (Zeke Miller, “Romney Campaign: It Gets Better,” BuzzFeed, 7/19/12)