Addressing a crowd of more than 3,000 people ““ including university students ““ President Barack Obama was on the campaign trail at Capital University in the battleground state of Ohio today to advocate his higher education plans and highlight contrasts between him and likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
During his speech, Obama criticized Romney for his proposed policies of decreased education spending and changes to student loan programs.
Obama spoke about his administration’s record in regards to education, including a $10,000 tuition tax credit for families, a doubling of the Pell Grant program and incentives for colleges to keep tuition increases down.
The president also cited a push to prevent rates on student loans from rising this summer, which Republicans ““ including Mitt Romney ““ also supported.
Romney first detailed his plans for higher education in May, which include an overhaul of the federal student loan program and tighter regulations on for-profit colleges. Although no more concrete details have been released since May, Romney’s overarching theme in regards to higher education is to “replace burdensome regulation with innovation and competition,” according to Romney’s platform, which is listed on his website.
“We’ve always encouraged young people: Take a shot, go for it, take a risk, get the education, borrow money if you have to from your parents, start a business,” Romney said in April before a crowd of university students at Otterbein University in Ohio.
The president today focused primarily on contrasting his own policies with those proposed by Romney, such as finding individual solutions to fund higher education.
“I want to make sure everybody understands not everybody has parents who have the money to lend,” Obama said during today’s rally. “You know, that may be news to some folks, but it’s the truth.”
Officials from the Romney campaign said Obama’s policies represent a “lost generation” of students who are burdened with high tuition and debt burdens, according to the New York Times.
“Mitt Romney will provide the choices students need to enroll in good schools, the information parents need to hold districts accountable and the jobs graduates need to be successful in the global economy,” said Bob McDonnell, Virginia governor and Romney supporter, in a statement.
Obama is also stopping in Nevada, another battleground state, as part of a short campaign tour that focuses on education, according to the New York Times.
Compiled by Katherine Hafner, Bruin senior staff.