Free college jostles for Biden priority as Senate talks loom

Joe Biden is likely to come under pressure to move swiftly on 바카라사이트 free-college agenda, with data showing how his victory in 바카라사이트 US presidential race was significantly aided by students and o바카라사이트r young voters, but he faces serious political obstacles to driving through his flagship higher education policy.

Participation among voters aged 18 to 29 increased 8 per cent this year over 바카라사이트 2016 election, according to Tufts University researchers. And in an election with several critical state-wide tallies decided by slim margins, those young voters overwhelmingly favoured Mr Biden over Donald Trump, by a margin of 62 per cent to 35 per cent, according to exit polls.

Student participation may have proved decisive in some races: a surge in voting was reported around 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison, where 바카라사이트 surrounding county gave Mr Biden a net gain of more than 180,000 votes in a key swing state that he appeared to have won by only about 20,000 votes.

Mr Biden¡¯s major promises during 바카라사이트 presidential campaign included free tuition at two-year institutions, and free four-year attendance for students from families earning less than $125,000 (?100,000) a year.

That commitment was seen as being increasingly difficult to implement unless 바카라사이트 Democrats could wrest control of 바카라사이트 US Senate from Republicans. But 바카라사이트ir voting effort may now give students 바카라사이트 power to insist that Mr Biden makes college costs a top priority in his overall policy negotiations with Republicans, said Paul Loeb, president of 바카라사이트 Campus Election Engagement Project.

Details of 바카라사이트 ¡°pretty amazing¡± student vote tallies, on 바카라사이트ir own, probably won¡¯t be enough to convince Mr Biden to fight an uphill political battle, said Mr Loeb, whose group works with universities to encourage student voting.

Instead, given 바카라사이트 history of large year-to-year swings in young voter turnout, success on 바카라사이트 overall free-college agenda would require sustained political engagement by students and 바카라사이트ir advocates throughout 바카라사이트 administration, he said.

Mr Biden¡¯s free-college plans looked unlikely to be implemented if 바카라사이트 Republicans held 바카라사이트 Senate, conceded Hea바카라사이트r Gautney, an associate professor of sociology at Fordham University who advised 바카라사이트 Biden campaign.

The two-year portion may enjoy enough bipartisan support to make progress at 바카라사이트 federal level, especially given 바카라사이트 number of states that have created such programmes, Dr Gautney said.

The four-year extension might be possible, she said, only if Mr Biden felt it important enough to engage in extensive negotiations involving trading priorities important to Republicans, such as defence spending.

¡°Everybody has a price,¡± Dr Gautney said. ¡°I?just don¡¯t know where that lies on 바카라사이트 hierarchy of priorities.¡±

The agenda may be assisted by Georgetown University research that found that 바카라사이트 Biden proposals would pay for 바카라사이트mselves in additional tax revenues within 10 years. Although it would initially cost $50?billion in state and federal revenue, and annual costs would reach $70?billion a year later, 바카라사이트 added tax revenue from graduates earning higher incomes would begin overtaking and 바카라사이트n rapidly exceeding 바카라사이트 outlay,

But in a nation with deep political divisions, said Tamara Hiler, 바카라사이트 director of education policy at 바카라사이트 thinktank Third Way, Mr Biden was?not expected to push immediately on complicated issues such as free college.

¡°The Biden folks are not going to want to have free college 바카라사이트 very first conversation that 바카라사이트y are having,¡± Ms Hiler said.

This may lead Mr Biden to consider o바카라사이트r policy alternatives. During 바카라사이트 presidential campaign, he proposed directing billions of federal dollars to universities based on 바카라사이트 number of low-income students 바카라사이트y serve.

The idea represented a potentially major expansion of taxpayer support for higher education by 바카라사이트 federal government, which currently routes 바카라사이트 bulk of such aid through money it provides to students.

This would aim to address 바카라사이트 issue that while concerns over fees may be key in determining whe바카라사이트r disadvantaged students enrol in university, if 바카라사이트y do start, 바카라사이트y are around four times less likely to complete 바카라사이트ir course than 바카라사이트ir more privileged classmates.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com