::Steps up to Soap Box for post 997::

On President Elect Obama's Education Plan:

The other day I heard someone say that President Elect Obama had a plan to give $4,000 in tuition for 100 hours of volunteer work. I thought to myself, "add a zero and it's AmeriCorps", the program I did for two years. AmeriCorps is a little over $4,000 in an education award for about 1200 hours worth of work. But I read today, the person I heard did indeed get the figures right (see the "Education" section) and I'm fairly conflicted about the whole thing.

I feel like the contribution I made through AmeriCorps is suddenly a lot less valuable and that really hurts. I lived basically in poverty for two years in sub-minimum wage jobs helping people work and helping women escape violence. The whole time I had no actual health insurance. Then, when I went back to school (to become a social worker) I had to turn around and pay taxes on the education awards I earned while being poor.

I feel like I got screwed with my pants on if this really happens. It feels even more personal since I actually voted for this guy, he is my president. (Like you all didn't know who I voted for.) I was used to getting screwed with President Bush (sorry, you know it's true) but I wasn't expecting it straight out of the gate with the President Elect.

I feel like this will kill AmeriCorps which is too bad. It's a really good program. No one will spend a year being poor for $4,725 education award when they can volunteer 100 hours for almost the same amount of money. AmeriCorps members contribute a lot in all the different programs. And (and I can't believe I'm saying this) even President Bush acknowledged AmeriCorps when he talked about public service in one of his State of the Union Addresses.

I feel like the money is too easy. It's like it's too good to be true. $4,000 for 100 hours? That's $40 per hour. What college graduate makes that to start out with? (And if I'm reading it the other way, it's $4,000 for 400 hours. $10/hr is above the average wage in the country, certainly more than most high school graduates make.) In some ways, it's a lot of money, in other ways, it's not enough. $4,000 is nice a really big help, but the rest of the money to pay for a college education has to come from somewhere. Which still means this program could miss really low income kids who don't have parents to chip in.

Most of all, I feel bad for feeling mad and cheated. (I told you I was conflicted.) I was in a youth program as a teenager and then I supervised teens in a teen program here in Minnesota. I cannot believe the crap kids (especially low income kids and minorities) have to put up with that's totally outside their control. I was amazed at how hard these kids worked and it still wasn't clear if they'd get in to college or be able to pay for it. I think going to college should be a given for those kids like it was for me. I believe that the government should believe in these kids, and $4,000 is a nice way to show it.

So, here's what I want from the President Elect: Sir, it sounds like this program has the potential to help people and that is a good thing. And when it gets signed into law, I want you to speak directly to the former AmeriCorps members who spent much more time for a comparatively smaller reward (that we had to pay taxes on). I need to know that this program is going to add value to our country without taking away the value of what I've already contributed. Given everything I've just said, I need you to tell me why I should be excited and feel good about this.

::Steps down from Soap Box::