What We Want to Hear from Obama

Just a little less than a year and a half ago, students from the University of Michigan were shouting drunken chants of “O-Ba-Ma!” in the Diag. These very students, perhaps the most representative of the demographic of youth who stood in line to vote for President Barack Obama on Election Day 2008, are getting a treat: The President, one that many of them are proud to call their president, is going to be delivering their commencement speech.

Here at The Michigan Review, most of us, unsurprisingly, did not vote for President Barack Obama. But, he still is our president and it’s an honor to host him for our commencement.

An important slightly blue state, a visit to Michigan seems to be a natural choice for a Democratic president. However, in the state’s current situation, with its economic woes, the automobile company bankruptcies and bailouts, a commencement speech at Michigan’s top flagship university, just an hour away from Detroit and its metropolitan area, seems both vital and symbolic.

So what should the president of the United States tell the young generation graduating from the world-class university in the heart of the economically hardest hit part of the country?

The New Economy

As an increasing number of students are moving to urban centers in the South and West, President Obama should call for the need to support the Michigan economy, as well as other areas in the ‘Rust Belt’. In order for these areas to move into the twenty-first century, educated, talented young people need to be willing to stay in these areas to help them succeed. This is when Obama’s famous rhetoric needs to come in: Detroit, considered the Arsenal of Democracy and most American city, has been deep in the current economic recession a decade longer than other American cities.

In order for America to turn around, Detroit needs to be a leader in the economic recovery. The only way to do this is if talented young people with the opportunities to work anywhere and do anything, whether it is work in education, business, politics, or medicine, choose to go to Detroit to help lead America into a new economy and new century.

Healthcare

After the recent passage of the health care bill, perhaps many students are beginning to think they can rely on government programs to bail them out. At The Michigan Review, we believe this is absolutely the kind of attitude that students need to approach with skepticism. The health care bill won’t save our country from the incredible budget deficit our country faces, but will rather most likely contribute immensely to the deficit.

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2 comments

not an Obama fan

Wed May 5 2010 13:00

Let's hear him say "I resign"

U_Mgrad

Mon May 3 2010 12:26

I'm glad that most of the Review staffers had the capacity and courage to think for themselves and NOT vote for Obama. It's this kind of intellect that the country could use right now. Common sense isn't so common these days. I also didn't vote for Obama. The "guilt factor" had no bearing on my voting decision. I pay the highest tax bracket there is and that's disgraceful enough. No more "free" Medicaid, Section 8 housing, cell phones or cable. That would be my request to our overrated President. Teach your people to work!

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