President Obama’s 2008 campaign is remembered mostly for vague platitudes about hope and change, but in an unscripted moment in May 2008 he was put on the spot to list some sacrifices he expected Americans to make if he were elected. Oops:Obama has largely delivered on the benefits he promised to students in this clip, but funny, he doesn’t seem to be talking much about “sacrifice” on the college tour he is currently in the middle of. Since 2009 Pell grant spending has increased substantially, and while his promised tuition credit fell a little short, the stimulus bill included a $2500 tax credit which has been renewed annually ever since. And of course maintaining subsidized student loans at below market-level interest rates is the Obama campaign priority of the week. Which, take note, Obama promised to pay for in this clip by cutting private financial institutions out of the student loan business. A promise he delivered on, but alas, much of the savings realized from this maneuver went to help pay for ObamaCare instead. Really.
Although President Obama is no longer pitching the idea of mandatory national service, he is at least still “trying to lead” something: his re-election effort. Thus his team has been busy recruiting an army of unpaid volunteers from college campuses around the country to staff his campaign. Maybe this is the national service he was really talking about. Hey, nothing is free…except your time, apparently, if you want to be a soldier for more hope and change.
Update: Double-oops. Recall that the other example Obama gave of a “sacrifice” he expected Americans to make, was dealing with the impact of higher gas and electricity costs as a result of his energy policies. Count this as another promise fulfilled!
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