Spring Break
10/07 Column: I Could Be McCain's Econ 101 Teacher
James Coan '09
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: Opinion
If you walk in front of Frist from 12:15-2:15PM today, Thursday, and Friday, you'll notice a curious sight. You will see one student teaching economics on a large whiteboard to another student.
On closer inspection, you'll notice their t-shirts and begin to realize you're witnessing a public performance questioning McCain's knowledge and preparedness to lead to the economy during these difficult economic times. The 'teacher' will be wearing a t-shirt with the name of this campaign, "I could be McCain's Econ 101 Teacher" on the front and McCain's infamous quote from December 2007, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should" on the back.
The student playing McCain wears a different t-shirt with that quote on the front and McCain's name and abysmal class rank at the Naval Academy- 894 out of 898 - on the back. Especially those of you supporting Obama will likely find the performance quite entertaining. However, the comedy has a very serious and frightening message - the next president of the United States likely knows less about the economy than undergraduates who have taken basic economics at a time when America is facing its worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. This is not the time to have a president who could benefit from having students teach him Econ 101!
Students are in a unique position to make this scary message, especially at Princeton. Only we can convey that McCain is less comfortable and knowledgeable about the economy than some undergraduates. Voters have no desire for undergraduates to be anywhere near the presidency unless they are White House interns, and as students, we are the only ones who can make this message in stark, tangible terms. Lastly, we as student Obama supporters are often criticized for having too much hope, but we can quite easily make the ironic claim that supporting McCain, with his lack of economic knowledge in this difficult time, requires much more hope than we would ever have.
On closer inspection, you'll notice their t-shirts and begin to realize you're witnessing a public performance questioning McCain's knowledge and preparedness to lead to the economy during these difficult economic times. The 'teacher' will be wearing a t-shirt with the name of this campaign, "I could be McCain's Econ 101 Teacher" on the front and McCain's infamous quote from December 2007, "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should" on the back.
The student playing McCain wears a different t-shirt with that quote on the front and McCain's name and abysmal class rank at the Naval Academy- 894 out of 898 - on the back. Especially those of you supporting Obama will likely find the performance quite entertaining. However, the comedy has a very serious and frightening message - the next president of the United States likely knows less about the economy than undergraduates who have taken basic economics at a time when America is facing its worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. This is not the time to have a president who could benefit from having students teach him Econ 101!
Students are in a unique position to make this scary message, especially at Princeton. Only we can convey that McCain is less comfortable and knowledgeable about the economy than some undergraduates. Voters have no desire for undergraduates to be anywhere near the presidency unless they are White House interns, and as students, we are the only ones who can make this message in stark, tangible terms. Lastly, we as student Obama supporters are often criticized for having too much hope, but we can quite easily make the ironic claim that supporting McCain, with his lack of economic knowledge in this difficult time, requires much more hope than we would ever have.
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