January 13, 2016 – President of the United States, President Barack Obama has vowed to fight for free tuition for the first two years for students in community colleges in the US.
Obama made the revelation in his 2016 State of the Union address to Congress on Wednesday.
He promised to work on it to ensure that the proposal takes off this year.
“We have to make college affordable for every American. Because no hardworking student should be stuck in the red. We’ve already reduced student loan payments to ten percent of a borrower’s income.
“Now, we’ve actually got to cut the cost of college. Providing two years of community college at no cost for every responsible student is one of the best ways to do that, and I’m going to keep fighting to get that started this year”, he promised.
He also spoke about his healthcare project, stressing that Social Security and Medicare are more important than ever and the need to strengthen them.
The President argued that for Americans short of retirement, basic benefits should be just as mobile as everything else is today.
“That’s what the Affordable Care Act is all about. It’s about filling the gaps in employer-based care so that when we lose a job, or go back to school, or start that new business, we’ll still have coverage”, he said, noting that nearly eighteen million have gained coverage so far.
“Health care inflation has slowed. And our businesses have created jobs every single month since it became law”, he said.
He explained that democracy grinds to a halt without a willingness to compromise; or when even basic facts are contested, with the temptation to listen only to those who agree with us.
“Our public life withers when only the most extreme voices get attention. Most of all, democracy breaks down when the average person feels their voice doesn’t matter; that the system is rigged in favor of the rich or the powerful or some narrow interest
“Too many Americans feel that way right now. It’s one of the few regrets of my presidency — that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better.
“There’s no doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide, and I guarantee I’ll keep trying to be better so long as I hold this office”, he said.
