3 Reasons I'm reluctant about the Tea Party

Enter 2008... People are pissed off about George Bush, the economy, the wars and everything else. Out of this frustration, a political climate is set for atypical politicians that don't come off as average lawmakers and voila, Barack Obama is elected president based off his popularity and themes of change and hope. He supported large hundreds of billions of dollar in initiatives such as the bailout and the stimulus package. Upon his election, his first major domestic agenda he decided to work on was health care. Not too long after, a little something called the Tea Party Movement emerged due to the growing unpopularity and outrage against these matters Obama had passed and attempting to pass in health care reform; something that may or may not happen this weekend. While I share a few of the organization's political and fiscal statements, here's why I'm very reluctant to engage myself with the organization and its cause...

1. No room for moderates

It's no secret that Tea Party organization members despise anything that isn't completely conservative. There goes my support from the organization based on my views on immigration, education and climate change. Despite my pro-life stance, fiscal conservative views and small-government-works-best-mentality, I'm not sure they'd reconcile with me on my ideas of universal access to education and comprehensible amnesty or my belief that the Earth is warming from human carbon emissions.

2. Audience connection

I was in Washington D.C. for the September 12th Tea Party protests at the Capitol. No; really, I was there in the crowd with some of the interns I was staying in DC with. What a sight. I liked all the "don't tread on me" flags; I can connect to that message about telling the government to back off. I'll tell you this though, I stuck out like a sore thumb. I was a dark-skinned young moderate Hispanic man in an audience full of white middle-aged conservative men with their wives and infant children. There was little to no diversity found in this audience. The Tea Party movement makes frequent statements on why their views are best for the people of the country, yet the organization is hardly a snapshot of the very American people they claim to represent. I'd need to see more diversity within the organization before I can feel they are an embodiment of what is truly best for the country.

3. "Birthers"

I'm not a fan of Barack Obama and this administration, but for some people to question Barack Obama's religion, place of birth or national allegiance is pretty low; even to me. First, that's his business and if his policies are horrible, they're simply bad ideological stances; nothing more. I sense a hint of xenophobia in the Tea Party Movement as I'm sure many of us do as well. To question these things show a sense of insecurity in trusting someone based on what social groups they belong to. I'm  huge on Martin Luther King Jr's dream where he believed a man should be judged by his character; not his color. I don't have to disguise my dislike of the current administration behind claims of the president's background; I judge and criticize him by his character and his methodologies as President.

Again, I believe that small government works best. I believe government has become too big. I believe government should take far more responsibility in how it spends tax dollars. I believe that much of Obama's agenda are rooted in socialism. I also believe lobbying in government has led to forms of corporatism in our government system and economy. Do I believe the Tea Party Movement represents the American nation and its best interests? Ehh.. I'm not yet convinced.

Keeping it 100,
David Javier Solis

Why We Need College Direct Lending

News just recently came out that the Democrats are looking to cram college loan reform in with health care reform through reconciliation. I'm not sure what they intend to put in their package but here's why I think Direct Lending should be included, if anything.

1. Gets rid of the middle man

There's nothing that the banks do with student loans that the department of education can't. If we're going to have these bureaucracies and major departments, it's essential that they work for the people and people only. Banks charge "low" interest rates that the government subsidizes and with these interest payments out of the way, that's extra billions of dollars down the road to either help reduce the deficit or fund other essential programs.

2. Loan repayments are based on proportion

After we graduate college, we're required to make payments 6 months upon our graduation. The problem with this is that often, many college graduates have not yet established steady full time jobs. This was especially seen in the past few years due to the recession. As opposed to paying fixed rates, direct lending allows for proportionate rates of repayment that make it more flexible for recent graduates and helps reduce the financial burden college can have on students.

3. Fiscally responsible

If we can save money in the tens of billions that would've otherwise gone to banks, why not?


4. Increase in Pell grants

Education, like many other essential parts of our life, is not free. In fact, its very expensive and with the increase in its costs, it's only reasonable to believe that we need a system that works better for its students. Increasing pell grants is necessary, given the extent of the financial situation taking place. Pell grants have helped students across the country afford a college education and with an increase in the amounts of pell grants and its value, more wouldn't hurt!

6 economy stimulators

Enough playing politics; the stimulus didn't work to the extent it was designed to work, I think we can all agree on that, can't we? I'm thinking of a few things that might actually help put the economy back on track that involves changing a few things around in a number of places in our society. Let me know what you think.


1. Financial incentives and subsidies to bring outsourced jobs back home



Business is business and while most American corporations would love to stay in the U.S and hire American workers, it has become increasingly difficult to do so and enjoy their large profits, in result of international trade treaties and globalization. In the eyes of many, business in the U.S. has become increasingly unfriendly with more and more tax increases being foreseen for both major corporations and small businesses. Let's reverse that trend and give things like tax breaks, worker tax credits and government subsidies for certain industries that wouldn't otherwise expand their workforce in the United States.


2. Reform Criminal Justice policy



A major chunk of the billions of dollars we spend incarcerating non-violent prisoners is due to drug crimes. With drug addiction playing a major part of this staggering statistic, we need to realize many of these drug offenders are absolutely able to become rehabilitated and with sufficient resources, rampant drug use and drug crimes can become dramatically decreased. That is of course, with sufficient resources.

3. Legalize Marijuana



With reasonable regulation and laws, marijuana has the potential to become a multibillion dollar industry. You put a lot of revenue out of the hands of the major gangs and cartels and what you get in return is substantial business revenue.

4. Reward Education



Higher Education is no longer something that's just desirable; it's becoming more and more necessary in a competitive world market that demands more knowledge. If unemployment is rampant, part of that problem, although not all of it, may have to do with the levels of education employers are seeking or desire. Many of the jobs leaving the states are ones requiring college educated-workers who are willing to work cheaper than American college educated workers. Why not have deductions, credits and financial aid for parents who can't afford to put their child in daycare, homeowners who can't afford to go to school and pay mortgage, business owners who find it difficult to leave their business temporarily for school and other extenuating circumstances.


5. Health care reform



I'm no expert on health care but if you do the math, lower costs = lower premiums and lower costs would lower government payouts to physicians. That would result in a lower deficit. Get SOMETHING done, Congress.

6. Expand services of the Small Business Association



Government should be very business friendly and provide an increased amount of useful resources for future and current small business owners. This could mean anything from counseling, consulting, expertise and other services that every business owner in the country can enjoy; free of charge.