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Interested in what the College Democrats stand for? Here are some issues of
importance.
INVOLVEMENT
The College Democrats are committed to fighting student apathy on campus. We engaged in a Voter Initiative for
the primary which saw a 1000% increase in on-campus voting from the prior election cycle, and are excited to work for a similar
increase in the general election. Register to vote if you have not already done so. If you would like to volunteer to help register students, please contact president@umddemocrats.com.
You saw the positive changes we made in November 2008. Sitting on the sidelines is not an option, and it is up to us
to help shape the course of our lifetimes.
COLLEGE
AFFORDABILITY
The Democratic Party is on our side when it comes to tuition rates. If someone wants to go to college and is qualified,
money should not be an obstacle to reaching this goal. Governor Martin O'Malley has demonstrated his dedication to this
ideal by instituting a tuition freeze, holding our costs in check. The newly elected Democratic majority in Congress worked
to create the greatest increase in Pell Grants in history and passed legislation lowering the rates on student loans. Senator
Barack Obama has proposed a $4,000 dollar tax credit for college tuition, covering 2/3 of the cost of an average public university,
and has worked to streamline the complex financial aid process. Democrats have our back on this issue, and we have to watch
theirs.
THE WAR IN IRAQ
The average soldier who dies in Iraq is 21 years old. All of us have a family member, friend, or friend of a friend who
are involved in this conflict. We have spent enough money in Iraq to provide health care for the entire country and solve
world hunger. We have made the country worse and weakened our foreign policy position in the region. We must be careful and
diligent in our withdrawal, but we must withdraw. The difference between the Barack Obama and John McCain is 98 years in Iraq.
We owe it to our men and women in uniform, all those in our country who could so use the misallocated resources, and the people
of Iraq to support Barack Obama.
THE ENVIRONMENT
Democrats lead the way when it comes to protecting the environment. Global Warming is a serious issue that requires serious
solutions, not empty promises made at election time with no real results. Barack Obama and the Democratic Party have laid
out a detailed plan on how we will address the climate crisis head on, by calling for 5 million new green jobs, increasing
fuel efficiency standards, funding alternative energy sources, and taxing oil companies who continue to profit as they enable
our addiction to foreign oil. The environment is an issue that affects everything from the economy to our foreign policy,
and we need leaders who are willing to go all out to effect badly needed change.
HEALTH CARE
In this country, 47 million people currently lack health insurance, a staggering failure on the part of our government
to provide a basic human right. What's more discomforting is that over the past 2 years, 90 million people, 1/3 of the
population, have gone without health care for some period of time. Health Care is not often thought of as an issue that affects
us, but the vast majority of those overlooked are young people who are no longer covered by their parents plans but cannot
afford their own. Any serious illness or accident can lead to bills that can leave us mired in debt for decades. The Democratic
Party supports a plan that will finally bring America in line with the rest of the industrialized world and provide universal
coverage to all citizens while the Republicans fought tooth and nail to keep health care coverage out of the hands of impoverished
children.
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