Written by: Philippe Buteau/Staff Writer
While Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders dominate Democratic polls, they also dominate the minds of the University’s Democratic students.
The candidates’ popularity showcases how far to the left wing of politics young Democrats are willing to go to address the country’s most critical issues. An example of an issue that is relevant to students is whether higher education should be less expensive or free.
Alejandro Flores, president of College Democrats at FIU, believes Sanders represents students better than other candidates because of his plan to make college tuition free.
From the 1993 to 2015, the debt accrued by college graduates rose from about $13,000 to more than $35,000, according to data from Edvisors.com, which is a site dedicated to helping young people and their parents figure out how to pay for college.
At FIU, 48 percent of students who received a bachelor’s degree in 2013-2014 graduated with debt, according to 2015-2016 Work Plan. The average amount of debt was approximately $18,000.
Sanders’ College for All Act would provide $47 billion per year to states to eliminate undergraduate tuition and fees at public colleges and universities.
“For me personally that’s the most pressing issue,” said Flores, a junior political science major. “I have loans and I don’t know how long it’s going to take to pay off.”
In 2015, total tuition at public higher education institutions amounts to about $70 billion per year, according to a summary of the legislation available on the Sanders’ senate webpage.
Under the College for All Act, the federal government would cover 67 percent of this cost, while the states would be responsible for the remaining 33 percent.
“Sanders doesn’t see education as a for-profit system,” Flores said during a watch party for the Democratic debates his group held in the Graham Center’s Faculty Club. “It is not a system where money is the end goal, education itself is.”
Under Clinton’s education plan, about $175 billion in grants would go to states that guarantee students would not have to take out loans to cover tuition at four-year public colleges and universities. In exchange, states would have to end budget cuts to increase spending over time on higher education, while slowing tuition increase.
However, the plan does not require states to set a limit.
Giovanni Fillichio, a senior in political science and pre-law, supports Clinton because he believes she embodies a more moderate Democratic candidate compared to Sanders.
“Being a super liberal person myself, I am able to recognize the importance of a moderate for the future,” Fillichio said. “Hillary’s views are exemplary of a moderate yet powerful Democratic candidate.”
“It is also our nation’s time to elect a female president in order to benefit women in our nation [after] the constant attacks at reproductive rights by the Republicans,” Fillichio said.
Stephany Feijoo, a senior in economics, knew who she would vote for since the last presidential election in 2012.
“I’ve rooted for Hillary since 2008,” said Feijoo, a campus leader for the Hillary for America Campaign.
Feijoo supports Clinton because of her plan to improve Obamacare and institute paid maternity leave. These are two ideas she shares with Sanders.
However, Feijoo disagrees with one of the Vermont senator’s main campaign points and his history with gun control.
“I don’t think there should be free college for everyone,” Feijoo said. “Bernie is too on the right when it comes to gun control; I disagree with his stance on being able to sue gun manufacturers.”
Since 1993, Sanders has voted 25 times on gun control legislation and voted nay 8 times. The laws he voted against include imposing waiting periods, background checks, repealing a ban on assault weapons, allowing people to carry concealed weapons across state lines and preventing the U.S. from entering the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty.
The young Democrats at the debate watch party stroked their chins while listening to Martin O’Malley, either laughing or jeering for Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb.
Florida Senator Dwight Bullard, who also attended the watch party, said to Student Media he believes the Democrats have laid out more definitive plans on how to solve the pressing problems in the country.
“Senator Sanders’ talk of free college tuition definitely appeals to a lot of folks,” said Bullard, who represents District 39, all of Hendry county, and huge chunks of Collier and Miami-Dade counties. “He alluded to using Wall Street speculation economics so we wouldn’t need to raise taxes.”
Alina Valdes, Congressional candidate for Florida’s 25th district, acknowledged the candidates would need help from members of Congress.
“I don’t think that the president that will do that,” Valdes said of free college tuition and the other ideas the presidential candidates presented. “It will have to be the Congress.”
“No matter who is elected president they cannot do anything without the Congress to back them.”
Valdes said the country needs good pieces of legislation from Congress, such as ones to get “money out of politics,” provide for universal health care and to get young people out of debt.
“Our best resource is people,” Valdes said. “Young people have hope, but no opportunity.”
Jennifer Mosquera, a senior majoring in political science and philosophy, lamented the chances her choice of party nominee has for a victory.
“I want Bernie to win,” said Mosquera, who also works for the campaign of Annette Taddeo, a U.S. Congressional candidate. “But I think it’s very difficult for him to win. Unless there’s a very unappealing option [on the other side] than I don’t think there’s a chance for him.”
Mosquera said one of the biggest issues facing the country is how political campaigns are financed, a problem she said Sanders is trying to change.
“You need a super [political action committee] to win and I think that’s wrong. It’s really good that Bernie wants to challenge that frame of mind. He wants to work for people not corporations.”
John Cervera, senior in political science and a member of the College Democrats at FIU, prefers that his party has only five candidates to choose, from compared to the 15 Republicans who are running for president.
He said he likes both front runners on the Democratic side but the one that speaks to him me is Sanders.
“He cares,” Cervera said. “He feels authentic. And I don’t like that Hillary’s husband was president before.”
Cervera said he feels that Bernie speaks to issues that young people care about.
“Like being able to graduate,” Mosquera said.
Image by DonkeyHotey, courtesy of Creative Commons
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