Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has focused on the youth vote during his campaign, and his wife, Michelle, is doing the same.
Michelle Obama talked to college journalists Monday via a conference call about issues that concern young voters, such as health care, the economy and energy.
On student debt and jobs:
The average college student is weighed down by almost $22,000 in student loans. That’s on average. Barack and I have experienced that as well because we just paid down our student loans. We were in debt to that tune even greater. Our country is facing high unemployment rates on top of it. And the bad news on the economy keeps coming. It’s getting harder for recent graduates to find jobs that pay a good enough wage to help cover the debt that they’re all coming out with.
On young voter impact:
No matter who your readers support, I said in this race we need folks to register to vote, to make their voices heard. Young people have already made a huge difference in this election and they can determine the outcome on Nov. 4, but only if they speak out, only if they get involved, only if they register to vote.
On the middle class:
As many of you know, if you’ve been following the campaign, that Barack’s stance really focused on the middle class. People need money in their pockets because of home foreclosures and health care and education costs going up. You’ve got folks who can’t put gas in their tanks. Seniors are also in that position as well so we’ve got to get the economic structure so that it’s balanced toward the folks that are hurting most.
On health care:
Even families who are getting up and going to work every day often find that they are uninsured or underinsured. In the midst of being sick and finding that they can’t get insurance because they have diabetes or diagnosed with cancer or the insurance can’t cover you because you had a pre-existing condition. We have to fix this health care system because it’s costing this nation millions of dollars for people who are fighting diseases and they let it get out of control because they don’t have access.
On the nation’s future:
The next president can lead us in a different direction. Or the next president could not. So this is a crucial moment in our nation’s history. The consequences of this election will play out for years to come.
The next president is going to have a mess to deal with on so many fronts, and I think that’s something young people have to understand. The next president is going to be dealing with crises here and abroad that’s going to impact the way they think about this job, and what they can get done.
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