Well, they are right in that. The repeal of tax breaks for those companies won’t change the price of gas at the pump. But then why are they giving free money ($4 billion a year) to big oil companies? Because Republicans are for corporate welfare. Blaming the president for gas prices is pure politics, a game that the current Republican Presidential field is playing.

Under President Obama’s administration, America is producing more oil than before the last eight years and we are importing less foreign oil. Since president Obama came into office, our dependence on foreign oil has decreased from 52 percent to 45 percent (Energy Information Administration). That is something that we Americans should be celebrating, especially since for the last 40 years politicians after politicians have been saying that we should be less dependent on foreign oil.

President Obama outlined in his “Blueprint for American-Made Energy” that the focus our country needs to take on energy is one that focuses on clean renewable energy. Our energy shouldn’t have one source, it should have many. In his plan, President Obama calls for establishing a clean energy standard, which would require companies to produce a larger percentage of their energy from clean energy sources over time.

Lastly, I know education isn’t their favorite program to spend money on, but it wouldn’t hurt the Republicans to take Economics 101 to understand that the president doesn’t set gas prices, the global market does.

In his plan “Blue Print for an America Built to Last” Obama outlines his administration’s goals for a continuing recovery of the economy and middle class.

The President spoke on health care, clean energy, the economy, Iran and a host of issues.

On health care Obama spoke on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act he said, “I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage, or charge women differently than men.”

This is great because before the Affordable Care Act Insurance companies were able to drop your coverage due to pre-existing conditions. The benefits of the Affordable Care Act also extend to students; college students are now able to stay on their parent’s insurance coverage until the age of 26. In 2014 the Health Exchange will come online, this is an insurance pool that allows poor people to get coverage at a low rate. This is something I’m looking forward to, I have been uninsured for the past four years.

On Clean Energy the president said, “I’m directing my administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power 3 million homes.”

This is a way for us to start using our own energy. Obama states the goals of energy efficiency, oil and natural gas production, ending ‘big oil’ tax breaks and focus on renewable energy.

On education Obama said, “For less than 1 percent of what our nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning — the first time that’s happened in a generation.”

The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act invests more than $40 billion in Pell Grants for students. This bill did that by removing the middleman in the Pell Grant program, which allowed more money for students.

I say this because I do not think the Republican Party understood why they were sent to Washington. Look at what the new Republican majority did in their first 200 days. Instead of working to create a job-friendly environment, in their first 200 days as the majority the Republican led house passed 81 measures, not a single one focused on job creation.

They focused on repealing all the Democratic achievements in the last congress. They passed bills on divisive issues like privatizing social security, ending Medicare and redefining rape. Yes, according to freshman Republicans rape is only really rape if it involves force, hence “forcible rape.”

President Obama said, “When I promised you change you can believe in, I did not promise change you can believe in, in eighteen months.”

It is silly to think that the president can fix the mess that took 10 years, overnight. The president and congress are there to enact the conditions that help in job creation. The president’s job bill is called the American Jobs Act. In a speech to a joint session of congress, President Obama suggested proposals that are supported by a mix of Democrats and Republicans.

The American Jobs Act includes five components: enacting tax cuts for small businesses, modernizing infrastructure, incentivizing employers to hire, tax relief for every American Worker and families and  defining a long-term deficit reduction plan.

I like that this bill focuses on rebuilding our infrastructure, our country is in dire need of modernization of roads, railways, airports and schools. This bill outlines a way to “ Rebuild America” by putting workers on the job while rebuilding and modernizing America.  It offers tax credits to encourage businesses to hire unemployed veterans, prevents over 280,000 teachers from layoffs and keeps our firefighters and police officers on the job. These proposals will also renovate at least 35,000 public schools across the country.

This bill does a lot for South Dakota. Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) said,  “South Dakota will receive $75 million in funding to improve classrooms and upgrade buildings.” According to whitehouese.gov, the American Jobs Act will give 20,000 South Dakota firms a payroll tax cut and over $192.5 million to modernize South Dakota infrastructure. It will put 1,600 educators and first responders back to work in South Dakota. South Dakota households making $46,000 a year will receive $1,430 in tax relief.

It is time for Congressional Republicans to get out of the way of job creation; it is time to pass The American Jobs Act.

We see Social Security as providing a safety net for the nation’s poor and elderly. We believe in protecting and strengthening Social Security for future generations.

Let me say that I believe both parties know that there needs to be legislative modifications to the program. Our big disagreement is on what those fixes will be. On the left we believe in making Social Security work without privatizing it.

President Bush started his second term with a push to privatizing Social Security.  He said, in 2005 that privatization would cost the American taxpayer $2 trillion.

People on the right want to make fundamental changes to how Social Security works, they do not understand that Social Security is not just a retirement program. Social Security also aids poor and disabled Americans. Democrats believe that there are modest proposals to reform Social Security without greatly reducing benefits.

There are countries around the world that have privatized their Social Security systems, Great Britain and Chile for example. In both of those countries, privatiz

As a Djiboutian immigrant, I am proud of my new home. America is a land of immigrants-a land of opportunity. For generations, many people who came here legally or illegally made great sacrifices and worked harder than even the citizens. In numbers, immigrants have made this country what it is today and what it was a hundred years ago.

Immigration reform is in the best interest of our country’s economy and prosperity. For too long Americans have watched their neighbors, friends, coworkers and family members get deported or removed. There is nothing wrong with world citizens wanting what we have here-public education, economic opportunity and a chance to make a better life.

Our government needs to address issues like enforcing labor laws and holding employers accountable for labor violations. Immigrants don’t take our jobs; immigrants have created new jobs by forming new businesses, buying homes, spending their incomes on American goods and services. And yes, undocumented immigrants contribute more in taxes then they consume in public benefits. Between 1996 and 2003 they contributed an estimated $50 billion in federal taxes. They also contribute between $7 and $8 billion in social security funds annually-that’s $100 billion in the past 15 years they will never claim.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, if the 2007 immigration reform bill had passed, it would have generated $48 billion in new federal revenue through 2008-2017. Immigrants are not freeloaders who drain federal and state coffers. Study after study shows that undocumented immigrants contribute more to the economy than they take. Undocumented immigrants, despite myths, are not eligible for most public services like food stamps, Medicare and Medicaid.

We all want to stop illegal immigration, but the costly strategy of deportation and enforcement without reform has failed over and over again and costs billions of taxpayer dollars. Immigration today proves what centuries of immigrants have done before them-they have come here to work hard, succeed, raise the American flag with pride and embrace the freedoms and opportunity that make America great.

Fortunate Immigrant, Hassan Ali

Hassan Ali is an SDSU political science/pre-law major, SA Senator and president of Model United Nations.