Pubdate: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 Source: Carroll County Comet (IN) Section: Midwest Memo Copyright: 2006 Carrollpapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.carrollcountycomet.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4148 Author: Alan Shultz Note: SSDP's state-by-state report and data may be downloaded from http://www.ssdp.org/states Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Mark+Souder DUBIOUS DISTINCTION "Indiana leads the nation" those were the beginning words of an Associated Press story reported last week dealing with federally funded college student aid. In this particular case, however, being number one didn't turn out to be a very good thing. According to federal government data released this month, since the year 2000 Indiana has led the nation in college student applicants denied student aid due to their disclosure on financial aid applications of felony or misdemeanor drug convictions. The statistics revealed that one out of every 200 Hoosier student applicants was denied the aid. That puts Indiana at double the national average of one out of every 400 aid applicants turned down due to prior drug offenses. The law limiting the aid was passed in 1998. It was authored by Representative Mark E. Souder, Congressman from Indiana's Third Congressional District. According to USA Today, Indiana's dubious distinction makes no difference to our neighboring Congressman. "The principal remains the same," USA Today quoted Souder, "the American taxpayer should not be subsidizing the education of those students who are convicted or dealing or using illegal drugs." Mind you, no other offenses make an applicant ineligible for student financial aid. Certainly not DUIs or underage drinking. No other felonies, no other misdemeanors are considered. No infractions of the Ten Commandments, no violations of the seven deadly sins, none of these count. Perhaps that's why the law's constitutionality is currently being challenged in federal court. If you ask me, Souder's law seems pretty much aimed at kicking a very particular dog when it's down in a very particular way. The Associated Press quoted Souder last Monday stating, "The principal behind drug-free student loans is accountability, so as to help ensure that taxpayer funds are not wasted." I'm worried that he's not worried. What's wrong back home in Indiana? Indiana leads the nation in students being denied aid due to drug offenses. That's what's wrong. The question is simple why? Souder's rhetoric makes him sound quite beholden to the American taxpayer. Hmmm. In 1998 Congressman Souder had the time, interest and energy to advance and get passed his custom crafted, selectively punitive legislation. It sounds as though it was all done in the name of accountability to the taxpayer. In 1998 the U.S. public debt was $5.5 trillion dollars. That's $5,500,000,000,000. As of 4/21/06 the U.S. debt stands at $8.3 trillion dollars $8,349,970,836,065.88 to be exact. Accountability to the taxpayer. You've got to be kidding. The U.S. debt grows at $2.06 billion dollars a day. The debt is all about unfunded Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid entitlements. Accountability to the taxpayer! Congress can't look the taxpayer in the eye. Meanwhile Congress has the nation living on a giant credit card. In the period between passage of Souder's bill and today, Souder and his fellow Republicans passed the Medicare Prescription Drug Act of 2003. It is a daunting, unfunded entitlement with a guesstimated price tag of $1.2 trillion borrowed dollars. This new entitlement program will threaten and challenge generations to come. Accountability to the taxpayer! What a hoot! Meanwhile, back at the Hoosier ranch, there's some trouble brewing with our college kids. I, for one, am worried. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D