US in fight for future with India, China, says Obama
October 6th, 2010 - 2:32 pm ICT by IANS
By Arun Kumar
Washington, Oct 6 (IANS) Saying that the United States was in a fight for the future with countries like India and China, President Barack Obama has taken strong exception to opposition Republican move to slash the education budget.
He strongly disagreed “with the economic plan that was released last week by the Republican leaders in Congress, which would actually cut education by 20 percent,” he said Tuesday addressing the White House Summit on Community Colleges, attended by educators, business leaders and officials.
It would reduce or eliminate financial aid for 8 million college students, said Obama. “Think about it. China isn’t slashing education by 20 percent right now. India is not slashing education by 20 percent.”
“We are in a fight for the future-a fight that depends on education,” said Obama. “And cutting aid for 8 million students, or scaling back our community-our commitment to community colleges, that’s like unilaterally disarming our troops right as they head to the frontlines,” he said.
Noting that the US has fallen from first to ninth in the proportion of young people with college degrees, Obama said: “As far as I’m concerned, America does not play for second place, and we certainly don’t play for ninth.”
“So I’ve set a goal: By 2020, America will once again lead the world in producing college graduates. And I believe community colleges will play a huge part in meeting this goal, by producing an additional 5 million degrees and certificates in the next 10 years.”
The Republican plan instaed would help pay for a $700 billion tax cut that only 2 percent of the wealthiest Americans would ever see-an average of $100,000 for every millionaire and billionaire in the country, said Obama. “And that just doesn’t make sense-not for students, not for our economy.”
Describing community colleges as the “unsung heroes” of the nation’s education system that “provide a gateway to millions of Americans to good jobs and a better life,” he announced that the Gates Foundation is starting a new five-year initiative to raise community college graduation rates.
“This is critically important because more than half of those who enter community colleges fail to either earn a two-year degree or transfer to a earn a four-year degree.”
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
- No compromise on education if America wants to be first: Obama - Oct 09, 2010
- There is an 'education arms race' on from India to China: Obama - Oct 14, 2010
- US helping India to establish community colleges - Apr 25, 2012
- You shouldn't have to go India for cheap healthcare: Obama - Apr 20, 2011
- Obama's State of the Union Full Text - Jan 26, 2011
- Can America fix its immigration system? (Washington Newsletter) - Dec 04, 2011
- US Senate panel cuts Pakistan aid over doctor's jailing - May 25, 2012
- Republicans cave in, hand Obama big victory - Dec 23, 2011
- We need to outbuild, outeducate and outhustle the world: Obama - Feb 19, 2011
- UK to slash foreign student visas by 100,000 annually - Mar 22, 2011
- Nikki Haley, daughter of Sikh parents, is South Carolina's first woman governor (Night Lead) - Nov 03, 2010
- Six Indian Americans named 2012 Rhodes scholars - Nov 26, 2011
- Obama presents budget plan - Feb 14, 2012
- Eyeing election, Obama calls for bringing jobs back home (Second lead) - Jan 25, 2012
- Obama begins re-election campaign, hits out at outsourcing (Lead) - Jan 25, 2012
Tags: arun kumar, barack obama, billionaire, business leaders, china president, college degrees, college graduates, community colleges, economic plan, education budget, education system, frontlines, india china, millionaire, republican leaders, republican move, republican plan, s education, unsung heroes, wealthiest americans