rally support for Obama's policy to fund the first two years of college for all students with National & State funds.

As a teacher at Portland Comm College, I support Obama's tuition funding for the first two years of higher education. The recent cuts in state funding such as the 43% cuts in Oregon for FY 08-13 combined with increases in tuition, cuts to faculty limit access to education for many young people of lower socio-economic class & some minorities. Enrollment is down and the predictable outcome is a further limitation of social mobility for many of our citizens that will compromise our global competitiveness and weaken our democracy. Since 1980, our nation has experienced a deliberate weakening of the social safety net, deregulation of critical protections for our democracy, and a substantial distortion of income & wealth distribution that privileges a few. Bold policy creates opportunity for all