The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Tuesday, November 2, 2010 - 5A
COLLEGE DEMOCRATS
ELECTION 2010
THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR
WOLVERINES FOR RICK SNYDER I
Virg can revitalize Michigan
Rick is the right choice
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virg Bernero
has consistently demonstrated his support for the
interests of Michigan's young people. With a wife
who serves as an elementary school principal and
two daughters who attend public universities, the
challenges of underfunded public schools and rising
tuition costs directly impact his everyday life. This
elevated consciousness of the condition of our state's
educational system has become the foundation of his
campaign platform.
"Education is economic development," Bernero
likes to remind his audiences as he travels around the
state. Such a seemingly simple observation embodies
a much deeper and highly crucial understanding of
the need to improve Michigan's educational oppor-
tunities. By adopting this phrase as his campaign slo-
gan, Bernero is simultaneously making a promise to
students that he will invest in education.
Bernero realizes that Michigan's educational
system has the potential not only to improve the
futures of the young people who participate in it, but
also restore Michigan's economic prosperity. The
strength of this conviction translates into his sup-
port for university students and his desire to provide
them with tools for success.
Specifically, Bernero would like to empower stu-
dents by making higher education more affordable.
Many students are concerned about falling educa-
tion appropriations coupled with drastically ris-
ing tuition. Bernero wants to fight to keep tuition
down and financial aid up because he understands
the realities of a knowledge-based economy.
Bernero has promised state universities a fair,
stable and predictable revenue stream in exchange
for a tuition freeze. This will allow the University
to maintain a quality education experience that
students are able to afford. He will keep the broken
Michigan Promise Scholarship, a $4,000 grant for
high-achieving in-state students that had its funding
taken away by lawmakers in the state Senate.
When Republican Rick Snyder speaks about edu-
cation, he approaches the topic with the stance that
our system needs to be "more efficient." Efficiency
sounds nice, but its implications are grave. Efficiency
essentially means that he wants schools to do more
with less. It means that if Snyder wins the governor-
ship, it's possible that he will support lowering the
University's appropriations with the hopes of incen-
tivizing a reduction of spending.
Faced with that scenario, what would the Uni-
versity decide to do? Would it begin cutting the
programs that make it one of the highest ranked
public schools in the nation? Or would it raise
tuition even higher in order to make up for its
insufficient state appropriations? Either way, we'll
have to sacrifice either the quality of our education
or its affordability, both of which hurt students. If
Snyder is elected, he could cripple our education
system even further. Without investment in edu-
cation, the state will have no chance to build a
21st-century economy.
Bernero will serve student interests by fur-
thering his record for job creation and bringing
new business investment to Michigan. As mayor
of Lansing, he has leveraged more than half a bil-
lion dollars in new business investment, which has
resulted in over 6,000 new jobs. Recently, Lansing
was named a top ten city for young people to live -
largely due to its expanding job market.
In addition to his proven ability to work with
businesses to bring jobs to the state, Bernero has
also proposed creating a state bank. This innovative
proposal would ensure that Michigan businesses
have access to credit and that they are able to rein-
vest their profits here in the state. Over the long
term, a state bank would
help build a better business "
environment and incen-
tivize increased economic
development. Michigan n
Finally, though both Sny-
der and Bernero have largely pull the sta
ignored party labels during disaster. Wh
their campaigns, it's impor-
tant to remember each par- today? Stud
ty's traditional values. This both can
is especially importantgiven
the lack of policy specifics
offered by the Snyder cam- -
paign. Year after year, Dem-
ocrats in Lansing have fought to prevent or minimize
cuts to public universities and student financial aid.
Sadly, Republicans - for whom it seems no amount
of cuts to public services will ever be sufficient -
have repeatedly outmaneuvered them. In light of
this reality, sending anyone who is dependent on
support from the Republican establishment - with
its strong party discipline - is a risk that students
cannot afford to take.
The election today presents a clear choice for
those concerned about education. Students and
those who value the success of our state's economic
future should think twice before sending Rick Sny-
der to Lansing. Only with Virg Bernero will the state
keep its promise of affordable, accessible and quality
education for all.
Polls are open today from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Polling locations can be found at http://michigan.
gov/vote. Make sure your voice is heard today.
Brendan Campbell is the chair of the,
University's chapter of the College Democrats.
eeds a
te out
o is th
ent st
ididate
This is not a typical election. Year after year,
Michigan has been presented with candidates
indebted to the same special interest groups. Year
after year, residents have heard the same tired
attack ads and seen gridlock, budget battles, gov-
ernment shutdowns and short-term fixes in Lan-
sing. Our economy continues to grow weaker and
many college graduates struggle to start their
careers in Michigan.
Today, we have a new choice. Rick Snyder is the
only candidate who has refused donations from
special interests. He is the only candidate with
widespread support from Democrats, Republicans
and independents. His successes in the private sec-
tor - as an accountant, the manager of a Fortune
500 company and venture capitalist - give him the
pragmatic, long-term approach to governing that
this state desperately needs. His plans to reignite
business, government and education are dramat-
ic enough to reawaken
our state and put us on
course for meaningful,
lasting success.
t governor to As governor, Snyder
. would work to make
of economic Michigan one of the most
e right choice economically competi-
tive states in the nation.
upporters for Our current business
s face off. tax is a cobweb of excep-
tions, formulas and
favors, charging 4.95
__ percent of net income,
0.8 percent of modified
gross receipts, 1.25 percent of gross insurance pre-
miums, 0.235 percent of banks' net capital, and
adding a 21.99-percent surcharge on top. The tax
discourages hiring and is infamous for charging
companies even when they lose money.
At a time when businesses are already facing a
difficult economic climate, burdensome taxes can
significantly harm income and payrolls. To make
Michigan instantly more attractive to outside firms
and potential entrepreneurs, Snyder would replace
our current business tax code with a simple, flat
6-percent corporate income tax. The campaign esti-
mates this would lower the tax burden by $1.5 bil-
lion, returning an enormous amount of money back
to companies for investing, saving and hiring.
Reinventing Michigan goes far beyond tax poli-
cy. To end the cycle of gridlock in Lansing, Snyder
will push for multi-year, "value for money" bud-
geting - a process used by private sector compa-
nies and many state governments. Value for money
budgeting will ask the citizens-we, the people
- what priorities we want in government services,
and then work to ensure that each dollar of fund-
ing returns at least a dollar of value to us. Taking
a long-term, citizen-supported approach will give
greater momentum to the issues we find impor-
tant, and help reduce partisan stalling and get
things done. This will also draw the blueprint for
a smaller, more responsive state government that
works with citizens, not against them.
Another key issue for Snyder is improving the
quality of education in Michigan because better
education translates into better opportunities and
careers. Snyder knows the benefits of public edu-
cation - he earned a bachelor's degree, MBA and
JD from the University of Michigan by the age of
24. He wants to work with educational leaders at
every level to ensure the focus stays on student
performance, and not institutional funding bat-
tles. He will encourage universities to adopt value
for money budgeting, while also providing honest
assessments about how much the state can afford
to fund higher education, so that universities aren't
caught off guard by changes in revenue from the
state. The era of broken funding promises - much
like the fiasco surrounding the Michigan Promise
Scholarship program - will come to an end.
As governor, Snyder would work to make Michi-
gan more attractive to young graduates across the
state. On the campaign trail, Snyder often laments
the loss of 70,000 University of Michigan and
Michigan State University graduates to Chicago.
His early support for urban renewal - particularly
in Detroit - set him apart from other Republican
candidates in the primary, and underscored his
desire to work across party lines to make Michigan
the ideal workplace for young citizens. Snyder's
emphasis on bringing innovative industries to the
state will also raise demand for educated workers
in Michigan, providing more graduates with better
long-term career prospects.
A return to the politics and policies of the past
isn't going to move Michigan forward. A dras-
.tically simplified tax code will create surging
business growth, not minor alterations to a funda-
mentally unsound formula. A bold, citizen-driven
approach to budgeting will solve the annual fiscal
crises, not the status quo and its debts to special
interest groups. Fresh starts with educational and
city leaders will put our students on a better path
to 21st century careers, not continued reliance on
jobs of a bygone era.
Today, only one man - a Michigan man - has
the vision, plan and actions to make this turn-
around happen. Vote Rick Snyder for governor.
Alexander Franz is the chair of
Wolverines for Rick Snyder.
COLLEGE REPUBLICANS I
Take back Washington
ROSE JAFF E
E-MAIL ROSE AT ROSEJAFF dIUMICH.EDU.
7 )
Today, voters across America
will send a message to Washing-
ton, D.C. It won't be one of approv-
al. it won't be one of thanks. And
it most certainly won't be a vote to
reward President Barack Obama
and the Democrats on Capitol Hill
for ramming their radical legisla-
tive agenda down the throats of
the American people. The Repub-
lican Party will regain control
of thousands of elected offices
across the nation. With their
new control, particularly in Con-
gress, they will put the brakes on
Obama's runaway liberal agenda.
But why is this election so impor-
tant for so many Americans?
In 2008, Americans were fed
up with two seemingly endless
wars overseas, congressional
scandals and increasing doubts
about the economy. In casting
their votes for Obama, they voted
for change from the status quo.
They didn't vote for European-
style, big-government socialism.
Obamaand congressional lead-
ers like Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
and Harry Reid (D-Nev.) began
at once to churn out the far-left
legislation that would become
their political death knell. They
started with the stimulus pack-
age, and then cap-and-trade leg-
islation in the House, followed
by an overbearing and uncon-
stitutional health care "reform"
bill. Even in the face of enor-
mous public opposition, Obama,
Reid and Pelosi pushed forward,
going to whatever ends neces-
sary and making whatever back
room deals required to pass their
dream legislation.
The American people woke
up. It's not difficult to under-
stand that this legislation, taxa-
tion and deficit spending can only
harm our country in the long
run. Every American today owes
$40,000 toward the national
debt. Every child born owes that
amount as well, and the number
rises every day. The generational
theft currently being perpetrated
by big spenders in Washington,
D.C. and by the Democratic Party
is simply immoral and won't be
tolerated. Shame on Congress for
failing to represent their constit-
uents and engaging ina spending
binge while everyday Americans
are cutting back.
The healthcare "reform" leg-
islation will lead to higher pre-
miums, more individuals losing
coverage and eventual bankrupt-
cy of remaining insurance com-
panies, leading to a single-payer
system. Frivolous regulations
imposed onvirtuallyeveryindus-
try in the United States under the
cap-and-trade bill - which has
yet to fully make its way through
Congress - will raise prices in
every sector of the economy and
force many companies to cut jobs
or go out of business.
Today, Democrats will be
punished for being too heavy
and liberal in their use of power
and for going too far. They will
be punished for spending away
their constituents' money before
it was earned, and for squander-
ing their children's future. Today,
the American people will send an
emphatic and clear message to
Washington, D.C. that we don't
want European-style socialism,
more government interference in
our lives or higher taxes and fees
at every level of government. They
will tell Congress and Obama loud
and clear that they don't want
the government to plan out their
future or the economy, that they
don't want the government to tell
them whatto buy and that they
don't want to be taken care of by
government from cradle to grave.
It's critical that voters exer-
cise their franchise today. This
is the most important election of
our lifetimes thus far. Silence is
complicity: If we fail to resound-
ingly reject the false virtues of
government largesse and liberal
extremism, we risk going fur-
ther downhill into a future full of
unemployment, disastrous fiscal
policies and little or no hope for
economic growth, with an ever-
growing and over-regulating
government. We risk losing our
national identity as the land of
opportunity, and we risk losing
the American dream.
Our country was built on
the virtues of self-reliance and
personal responsibility. These
virtues inspired the Founding
Fathers to create a government
that would protect the rights
and freedoms of every American.
These freedoms and virtues have
allowed us to become the greatest
nation on earth and have seen us
through our toughest times and
greatest triumphs. The Ameri-
can people cherish and protect
these freedoms and values, and
don't respond kindly to an out-
of-control and out-of-touch Con-
gress that tries to violate those
freedoms and values. And they
will do what is necessary to pro-
tect those freedoms and values by
voting out the Democrat majority
in Congress today.
In 2008, the American people
didn't vote for what they got, and
they didn't get what they voted
for. Today, they're taking the first
steps to correct those mistakes.
This viewpoint was written
by Brian Koziara on behalf of
the University's Chapter of
the College Republicans.
t, IJl
-the
podium
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Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/The Podium.
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Second Annual Student Global Health Day
November 5, 2010; Events from 9am-7pm
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