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(01/21/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Currently, high school teachers are being more misused than laptops in a college classroom. Trust me, everyone knows you aren’t taking notes. Stop reading Supernatural fan fiction in class. It’s weird. Education
in this country is a pressing problem for both our generation and those
to follow.The cause of the problems depends on whom you ask.Republicans
point blame at teachers and teacher unions, saying tenured teachers and
union thugs are turning education into a battlefield to try and get
more money.Democrats point to failed education policies. In
Indiana, for example, now-infamous Superintendent of Public Instruction
Tony Bennett instituted grading policies that punished underfunded
schools by cutting their funding further. There’s one suggestion that is more realistic — teachers skills are wasted on our current education model. I’m a big fan of “flipped education,” which models what a lot of universities do now. The
traditional model involves teachers standing at the front of the room
and lecturing for 45 minutes, slowing down to help students and
generally repeating information from a slide or book. Too often,
students are lectured to about an abstract or complicated topic and
then expected to solve even more abstract or complicated problems by
themselves.In the flipped education model, teachers record lectures that students can watch at home. The teachers then spend class time the next day answering questions and helping students with homework.I’m
a big fan of flipping education from just a business standpoint, for
one. Teachers are hired, paid and trusted to teach students material.
Teachers want to actually teach, a concept that has escaped lawmakers on
both sides of the aisle.This style of education also allows students a better educational experience. Students
who are more advanced can watch the lecture once, go to class, have a
few of the finer points explained and generally have not much change. For students who need a little more help, though, it can make all the difference. They
can watch, rewind and view lectures more than once, so they no longer
have to slow an entire class down to have a topic repeated. Education
makes a lot more sense when teachers help students through the
difficult part of learning — analyzing and applying the information
they’ve learnedFlipping education is significantly better than
an A-F grading scale that punishes Gary schools by stripping their
funding and giving more money to Carmel schools.— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(01/13/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There are some words that Americans sweep under the rug, out of public view. These words are avoided both by policy makers and average families across the United States.No, they aren’t curse words, but rather medical terms such as depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The U.S. has long struggled with the issue of mental illness, but in the wrong way. Eager to push mental illness out of sight and out of mind, we’ve created a stigma around mental illness and its treatment.Currently, the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports one in four American adults experience mental illness, with one in 17 living with a serious mental disorder such as schizophrenia.American youths don’t appear to fare much better. One in five Americans ages 13 to 18 experience severe mental disorders. For those ages 8 to 15, the estimate is 13 percent. But because of the stigma surrounding mental illness, not many people with mental illnesses seek medical assistance. The Psychiatric Services journal stated that 66 percent of mental patients reported they did not seek medical assistance because of the attitudes surrounding mental illness. Another barrier is cost. Many insurance companies don’t fully cover mental illness treatments. In fact, 47 percent of mental illness patients in the same survey reported they were financially unable to pay for services. From 2005 to 2009, only 15.7 million Americans sought treatment for mental illnesses. To put that in perspective, 61.5 million American adults experience mental illness. Now, mental illness doesn’t just go away if we ignore it. It actually has real-world effects on the country. Twenty percent of suicides — the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. — are composed of veterans suffering from a mental disorder. Economically, mental illnesses cost $193.2 billion in lost earnings annually. Additionally, 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system suffer from a mental illness, while 20 percent of prisoners in state penitentiaries have a disorder. Twenty-six percent of homeless adults in shelters are also mentally ill.Treatment of mental illness and mitigating its stigma are two of the nation’s biggest health problems, but its unclear how to solve them.Logically, most people would say that the government should invest more in mental health services. The largest step we’ve seen from the federal government is the passage of the Affordable Care Act, commonly dubbed Obamacare, which requires insurance companies to cover the treatment of mental illnesses. For those too poor to afford insurance, however, the states are given control to treat those within its borders. Indiana recently began bragging about a system that treats children who don’t qualify for MediCare, but whose insurance (or lack thereof) doesn’t cover these mental illnesses. This program has treated 100 children since it rolled out and has been allocated $25 million of the budget for the Indiana Department of Health & Human Services. Unfortunately, only 1.85 percent of the almost $1.5 billion dollar budget for Health & Human Services.This program doesn’t represent an effective effort to help solve the plight of mental illness. Rather, it’s an effort to make the problem look like it’s being taken care of, when it couldn’t be further from the truth. Indiana needs to start taking mental health more seriously. If we want to keep our citizens safe, keep homelessness rates down and improve our economic status, we need to start by caring for those who need it most. — ajguenth@umail.iu.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(01/10/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>From actions like sneaking out of the Vatican to feed the poor, to his announcement that the Church has been too focused on abortion and homosexuality, Pope Francis is the Pope of the modern millennium. In fact, Pope Francis is so popular TIME magazine named him Person of the Year. This choice, I feel, was misguided. The honor of Person of the Year should go to someone who has enacted actual social or economic change. In 2008, Barack Obama was the Person of the Year for overcoming social barriers to become the first African-American president of the U.S. In 2009 the Chairman of the Federal Reserve System was chosen for stopping a potential economic depression. Mark Zuckerberg was named in 2010 for his revolutionary changes to the way people communicate and interact with one another. Protesters were the title winners in 2011 for their numerous victories, from bringing attention to social injustice to tearing down tyrannical governments. And lastly in 2012 President Obama was again chosen for his legacy of change through the passing of the Affordable Care Act.However, it seems 2013 took a sharp turn from picking a worthy Victor of Change to picking an unworthy Vicar of Christ. TIME magazine chose Pope Francis primarily for his promise to heal the church after years of scandals, promote social change within the church and bring the church into the next generation. He seems promising on the surface.After all, having a pope who doesn’t publicly condemn homosexuality and birth control on a daily basis is a far cry from what most of us are used to. People may think the pope brought sweeping reforms to the Vatican, but they are wrong.Let’s examine what Francis has done.In September, he excommunicated a priest in Australia who supported gay marriage and the ordination of women, both of which are against church law. The pope spoke out against same-sex adoption in Malta and elsewhere, but has remained silent on laws in Uganda, India and Russia that criminalize and persecute homosexuality. While Pope Francis may not be as polarizing a figure as Pope Benedict XVI, his comments have not changed church doctrine.The church still maintains homosexuality is a sin, abortion is murder and the Catholic faith is the only way to eternal salvation. Compare Francis to Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl who the Taliban shot in the head for trying to go to school. She has grown as a women’s rights activist and worked to give women across the world a voice. Yousafzai, standing on the front-lines of a war that has been fought for centuries, is far more deserving of Person of the Year.Far more deserving than a pope who gives public speeches and later scurries to contradict them just as quickly.— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(12/03/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the United States, we expect high school freshman and sophomores to already have a career plan mapped out in front of them.School counselors and advisers ask students their future career plans so they can get them in classes that are relatable to these degrees.When we get to college, undecided majors are characterized as lost.But finding a major is hard, especially since almost every major has some sort of stigma surrounding it. At IU those stigmas are as strong as ever. Some stereotypes I’ve heard about the different majors include how music majors are potheads, journalism majors are hipsters and theater students are, well, fabulous. The list goes on and on.As with any stereotype, these generalizations are widely unproven and hold no real weight.Nor should they be used as criteria for choosing your future career. However, when a stereotype involves money, people start to pay attention.And money often drives them to make choices they otherwise don’t want to make. I can’t even begin to estimate how many people I’ve met who had dreams of majoring in music, education, theatre or philosophy.These people had gone through high school loving band or play rehearsal.They loved to volunteer with children after school or write long, beautiful stories or articles. When they were told to choose a career path, however, they were berated for their choice either by their school, their friends or their parents.They were told that they should major in business or chemistry or computer science — things many of them just aren’t interested in. Fast forward to now. Many of them are in the Kelley School of Business and absolutely miserable because they don’t love what they do.If you Google “most useless majors,” thousands of results come up, giving statistics that “prove” why anything related to art, architecture, writing, philosophy or music is just not worth the time. My major is on several of these lists as well.So why am I not in Kelley studying accounting or marketing? Because I love what I am studying.It’s easier for me to get up and go to class. It’s easier for me to study. And it’s easier for me to take tests or write papers if I love what I do.Being happy with and excited about your job is worth more than any paycheck. Period.— ajguenth@iu.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(11/20/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This Thanksgiving, as you’re gathered around the dinner table with your family, make sure you give an extra thanks if you’re not dependent on Walmart as your sole source of family income.In Canton, Ohio, Walmart employees have decided to hold a canned food drive to feed those in need this Thanksgiving. But this food won’t be going to an orphanage or a homeless shelter. It’s going to fellow Walmart employees who can’t afford to buy food this holiday. Walmart, the store that pulled in $17 billion in net income last year, hasn’t contributed to this food drive at all. As the country’s largest low-income employer with 1.4 million United States employees, Walmart pays workers an average of $8.81 an hour. This gross lack of wages results in these workers having to go to the government for aid. In fact, the average Walmart store costs U.S. taxpayers between $900,000 and $1.75 million a year. Meanwhile, the company has refused to raise employee wages, with leaked internal memos showing how they cap wages to lower costs. The net sales for the company in 2012 totaled more than the entire economic output of Norway. And though Walmart offers purchasable health insurance to their employees, the insurance only covers preventative care, like check-ups. If you actually visit a doctor for tests or go to the emergency room, your deductible is at least $1,750.What is sad about the entire situation is that these employees are so poor that other employees are paying to give them food. It’s a testament to the generosity and compassion felt by Walmart employees and the greed of the corporation. Now, I’m not just bashing capitalism or corporations — I think both play a very important role in society. It’s just weird that a company that makes more money than some nations —Walmart’s annual revenue exceeds Norway’s GDP — still refuses to give its employees enough money to stay off government assistance. Men and women who work at Walmart can’t afford a health insurance plan other than the insufficient one Walmart offers. Many Walmart employees are on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the Women, Infants and Children program to feed their children and families. Now, is there a single, God-given solution to this problem? Not quite. However, I think we can all agree that Walmart can afford to help these poor families instead of watching other, slightly less poor families pay to keep their fellow employees alive. That’s not capitalism. That’s just cruel. — ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(11/06/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana University’s reputation as a traditional party school holds true. As anyone who attends IU will tell you, we’re a No. 1 party destination for local college students. People drive in from Muncie, West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Louisville, Ky., and many other college towns to experience the IU party scene. And I am not a part of it. That’s right. I am an example of the “rare,” alcohol-free IU student. I have never consumed alcohol, and I never intend to. And, sadly, it’s limited my college experience. When I chose to come to IU, I did so because of the academics, the beauty of the campus and the liberal atmosphere. We aren’t perfect here, but, for a state university, we’re damn near close in that regard. However, when I came to Bloomington from my hometown of Valparaiso, Ind., there was a definite cultural shift revolving around drugs and drinking. I come from a high school of 200 students. None of my friends drank. None of my friends smoked, cigarettes or otherwise. We were kids that had no qualms about spending our Saturdays watching a stupid comedy or playing Risk or Magic: The Gathering. We were content with just hanging out. Since I came to IU — the sole member of my high school to do so — I’ve lost that aspect of my life. I can’t do anything here without being pressured to drink or judged when I refuse. Now, I have no problems with drinking. It isn’t something I judge people for. Your life, your choices. I, however, am judged almost daily for my lifestyle choice. I don’t drink, and I don’t go to parties because, honestly, being around drunk people isn’t one of my favorite hobbies. Since I don’t drink, people feel that I’m prissy or stuck-up. In reality, it’s just something I don’t want to do. I’ve been told that I’m not a “real Hoosier” and that I “should transfer” if I don’t drink. I’ve been told that I’m “never going to make friends.” Truthfully, the reason it’s hard to meet people who don’t drink isn’t because they don’t exist. It’s because the drinking culture at IU has stigmatized those who don’t participate, and they hide because of that.In the same way you wouldn’t pressure someone to smoke cigarettes or try heroin, you shouldn’t pressure someone to drink. And you shouldn’t judge them if they don’t partake. It’s been incredibly difficult for me to make friends here because I don’t go to the Villas or to frat houses. It’s still heartbreaking to hear potential employers sniff and make jokes about the “party school” I’m attending.Drinking may be fun for some people, and that’s perfectly okay. The drinking culture, however, stigmatizes the school and those who don’t drink. And it needs to stop.— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(10/23/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If you watch the news at all during the month of June, you’ll undoubtedly have the words “gay pride” enter your precious little ears.And I wholeheartedly disagree with it.Gay pride was established to honor the 1969 Stonewall Riots in Manhattan, which served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement. The Stonewall Inn was a popular gay bar in New York, which had laws against being a homosexual in public.New York City police officers had been harassing bar-goers at the Stonewall Inn. Eventually, riots broke out in protest of this anti-gay harassment, prompting a national discussion of the gay community and its place in society.After the riots, gay pride parades or “marches” were created as a peaceful alternative to riots to once again bring the topic of homosexuality into the public realm.Now, as a gay man, my opinion is in the minority of gay men and women. Gay pride has, however, lost its purpose and original intent.In an open poll by the Huffington Post, almost 53 percent of those who responded said Pride Parades are not good for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.In that same poll, more than 25 percent of respondents said they felt gay pride parades “send the wrong message to the non-LGBT community.” Now, I want you to imagine we’re back in the 1940s and ‘50s, before the African-American community gained rights in society. Think of the stereotypes that were pushed upon them.Now imagine if the African-American marches were full of black men and women living up to those stereotypes that were placed upon them.Their push for equality would’ve undoubtedly been delayed by an even greater time span.That’s what the majority of gay pride is.Gay men and women are seen, whether we like it or not, as sex-crazed deviants who are flamboyant, alcohol-driven and shameless.And, call me crazy, but the media-driven images of men in jockstraps dancing on floats covered in glitter isn’t exactly disproving these stereotypes.Now, I agree that gay pride allows for those in the closet to understand that there are other people with the same sexuality in the world. And I feel as though it would be more productive if these people saw gay icons giving speeches, presentations on the movement, documentaries, concerts, etc.When I was younger, seeing the gay pride parades did not make me proud. They made me embarrassed and ashamed. I felt as though the parades exemplified what I feared people thought of gays — weird, abnormal freaks.Whether we like it or not, the majority of voters and politicians are heterosexual.So when we as a community accept stereotypes and display them in public in ways that are not only brazen, but oftentimes bordering on illegal, we only set ourselves back.If the gay community wants to have the same rights as everyone else, we need to understand that we should act as a part of the community, not as a sideshow.— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew
(10/09/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There’s an epidemic sweeping across the United States. No, it isn’t the swine flu, drug addiction or boy bands. It isn’t an epidemic that can be cured by medication or turning off the Grammys. It’s something much deeper, much more cultural. The United States is a society that blames victims, and it’s growing out of control entirely too quickly. Every two minutes in the United States, someone is sexually assaulted, totaling about 207,754 reported sexual assaults a year. This number is extremely low compared to the actual number, since 54 percent of sexual assaults are unreported. So many people who are sexually assaulted or raped, it seems, are too uncomfortable or feel unable to report their experience to the proper authorities. Now, this could be because there aren’t enough police to handle the reports. The reason there are so few reports is because the United States has bred a society where we blame victims before we blame perpetrators. In the U.S., we teach girls to act in certain ways in public. “Don’t dress like a slut!” “Don’t go out late at night alone!” “Don’t get too drunk!” Very rarely do we hear parents reminding their sons to behave themselves when acting sexually towards someone else. “Remember to ask for consent,” “No means No,” and “Don’t do anything to someone they don’t want you to do” are rare phrases in American culture. While Indiana University tries to use tools such as “Culture of Care” to try and create a safer campus, it’s simply not enough. The Culture of IU isn’t one of caring, but one of shaming. In one of my political science classes, we were given a scenario where a man warns his wife not to leave the house or he’ll “severely punish her.” The wife leaves the house anyway and is killed by a hitman the husband hired. We were then asked to choose who was most guilty for what happened to the wife.Out of the 10 groups in the class, 9 blamed the wife for her death, saying she was “told not to leave, but she did anyway.” Among the explanations I heard, “She got what she deserved” came up multiple times. Sadly, this type of attitude is common in the U.S. discussion of rape, murder or theft. We blame victims for being “careless” or “stupid,” instead of blaming the actual criminals for being, well, criminals. Call me crazy, but I think we can do better than a society or campus where people are afraid to walk alone after dark. Women shouldn’t be forced to hide away their favorite pair of shorts because they make her “a target.” Gay men and women shouldn’t have to hide who they are because they’re afraid of being assaulted. If we ever want to make an actual change in the violence levels at IU or the U.S. in general, we need to focus less on victims preventing crimes and more on preventing people from becoming criminals. Hopefully we can turn the U.S. from the “Home of the Blame” to the “Land of the Free.”— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(09/25/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Being a gay man is a distinct experience, like being a snowflake. It can also be a weird experience, like going to Walmart at 3 a.m. Having been blessed with the wonderful gift of gay, I feel like I have to explain #GayBoyProblems quite often to my straight friends.Seeing as there are many common experiences that bond most of us homosexual men, I’ve compiled a list of the five most common #GayBoyProblems. Falling in love with your straight friendThis one is probably the single most frustrating thing a gay man can experience. You have that one friend who’s perfect in all the right ways — he’s smart, witty, fit and, sadly, heterosexual.Having to accept your damnation to never date him is a milestone in the life of a gay man. Dressing comfortably and immediately being judgedStraight guys can go out wearing basketball shorts, dirty Nikes and an old tank top and still get phone numbers.Gay guys wear a T-shirt and basketball shorts and suddenly it’s as though the world has ended and we’re the plague that caused it. Hearing people use ‘faggot’ without getting obviously offended/hurtBefore you come out, gay guys — and gay girls, too — have to endure, at some point, people using homophobic slurs. And you aren’t allowed to get offended. Otherwise, it makes you seem a little bit too into homos to be hetero. Having your gaydar thrown off by Europeans — or hipstersSome people have this supernatural ability to sense when someone is a little too fabulous.I’m just kidding. There’s no such thing as being “too” fabulous. I know that I had to change my gaydar settings completely when I came to Bloomington.IU Hipsters threw me for a loop. Bravo. Being asked about your girlfriend by an estranged aunt/grandma/cousinRegardless of your level of confidence in yourself, it’s always awkward to tell Grandma that, no, you aren’t dating a woman and, yes, you do have a major crush on Ryan Gosling. There is one bonus #GayBoyProblem that is largely problematic and should be taken seriously. Being oppressed by the patriarchyThe patriarchy, or the dominance in society by straight old white men, is something that oppresses most people in society who aren’t straight old white men.Women, people of color and homosexuals are largely oppressed and abused by patriarchy. And it’s time more people start to pay attention to how our system is made to benefit those at the top — and no one else.— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(09/11/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Newsflash: If you text and drive, you’re a step below whale vomit on the evolutionary scale. Last week, while riding my bike to class, a man texting while driving ran a red light and sideswiped me. A sprained hip, sprained knee, sprained ankle and a three-inch cut across my leg later, I’m still a little upset about the situation.As it turns out, in July 2011, the Indiana General Assembly passed Indiana Code 9-21-8-59, which “prohibits the use of a telecommunications device to send or read text messages or email while operating a motor vehicle.” And since texting and driving has now replaced drunken driving as the leading cause of accidents and deaths for teenagers, who can blame them? However, during the course of the year, the Indiana State Police had only issued 125 citations and 114 warnings for the violation of this law. Considering that 207 people died in 2011 in Indiana from drunken driving, this number seems to be a little low. Now, I understand that, in Small Town, Ind., you might text and drive without any problem. In bigger cities like Bloomington, where people cross the street in a fashion akin to squirrels on methamphetamine, you can’t. The worst part about the Indiana Code banning texting and driving is that — brace yourselves — it’s essentially unenforceable. That’s right. The law designed to protect people’s lives and “scare” people away from texting and driving has about the same level of enforcement as a bowl of Halloween candy with a sign that says “Please only take one.” Cpl. Dan Jones of the Elkhart Police Department said he wouldn’t mind if the law was more restrictive, but that the “problem is that it’s already very, very hard to enforce.” Essentially, he said, you can pull people over for swerving or running a red light, but you can’t pull them over for speeding. Under the United States Constitution, police officers cannot go through your cell phone without your consent. If you do not consent, they have to get a warrant, which takes time. And since most of us won’t give our phones to our friends without looking over their shoulder just in case you need to snatch it back, imagine how many people readily hand their phones over to the police. That’s right. Not many at all. Indiana State Representative Eric Koch, a Republican who represents part of Monroe County, said that, since there are more citations, the law is obviously working. This is not enough, Representative Koch. Texting and driving is considered six times more dangerous than drinking and driving. And yet, you can get a maximum fine of $500 if you’re caught texting behind the wheel. What is the first-offense punishment for drinking and driving, you ask?Well, up to a $5,000 fine, up to a two-year suspension on your license, court fees of at least $300, up to two years probation and up to a year in jail. The fact remains that Indiana is treating texting and driving like it is not a major issue of society today. When texting and driving is the number one cause of death for teenagers and young adults, it needs to be treated as such. This is a problem that affects anyone behind the wheel of a car, whether you’re the one texting and driving or the poor soul driving next to one.It’s time Indiana takes situations like mine more seriously and puts an end to tolerating texting behind the wheel.— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.
(08/27/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It may just be because I’m a member of the College Democrats, but I find it ridiculous the College Republicans have such a large following.It’s becoming increasingly obvious the Republican Party doesn’t care about college students.As of 2011, Indiana was the only Midwestern state in the bottom 10 for college education. Only 22.7 percent of Hoosiers 25 years or older have a bachelor’s degree. Compare this to Massachusetts, which has a bachelor’s degree rate of 38.7 percent.So why are the bottom 10 states in this list struggling to have students attend and graduate from college? Eight of the 10 are controlled by Republicans, with nine of the 10 having a two-thirds Republican majority.On the flip side, the top 10 states for college graduation rates are the opposite. Seven out of the 10 states are controlled by Democrats by at least a two-thirds majority, with all of them being at least one-third Democrat. Not a single state renowned for its overwhelmingly positive college graduation rate is completely controlled by Republicans. One could assume most college students would vote for Democrats, especially after the Republican party blocking a vote in the Senate that would’ve kept student loan rates down. While on the Senate floor, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said Republicans were forced to choose between helping the students of the country and helping the rich.Harkin said if the bill were allowed to come up for debate, “Some of my friends on the other side of the aisle maybe will think that students are more important than a few wealthy people in this country not paying their fair share of taxes. That’s what this vote is ... Republicans don’t even want to proceed to go there.”What the Republican Party has become is a party bent on turning students away from a college education — at any cost.Former Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum, R-Pa., once said in a speech President Obama wanted to expand student loans/financial aid because colleges are “indoctrination mills” designed to destroy religious faith. Any college student who would vote for Mitt Romney, R-Mass., who said, in response to a question about student loans “...don’t expect the government to forgive the debt you take on,” is completely naïve.This week, President Obama gave a speech where he said “...too many students are facing a choice that they should never have to make. “Either they don’t go to college and they pay the price for not getting a degree — and that’s a price that lasts a lifetime — or you do what it takes to go to college, but then you run the risk of not being able to pay it off. Now, that’s a choice we shouldn’t accept.” Now, that’s the party you should vote for.— ajguenth@indiana.eduFollow columnist Andrew Guenther on Twitter @GuentherAndrew.