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Christie, Michelle Obama campaign in Wisconsin

By WTOP Staff

BRIAN BAKST
Associated Press

HUDSON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s tense race for governor got some political star power Monday, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie urging Republicans to step up their support for a potential presidential rival, Scott Walker. First lady Michelle Obama, meanwhile, campaigned for former state commerce secretary Mary Burke.

Christie and Walker sidestepped any talk of a 2016 nomination fight against each other.

“He would do good at any executive position he wanted to pursue,” Christie said of Walker. “I know this much — because I’ve spoken to him about it — he’s not interested in anything beyond November 4th and neither am I. Whatever happens beyond November 4th will be decisions that he’ll make about his future and anyone else considering it will make about theirs.”

“It’s my plan, if the voters will have me, to be governor for the next four years,” Walker said as the two stood side-by-side on a factory floor.

Walker is in a tough re-election campaign against Burke, a former Trek Bicycle executive and state commerce secretary.

First lady Michelle Obama appeared with Burke later Monday in Milwaukee, praising her for starting a program to help students get to college, before recalling the challenges President Barack Obama faced when he took office. The crowd cheered as Mrs. Obama talked about restoring the economy and overhauling the health care system.

“She is smart, she is in this for the right reasons, she cares about people, she doesn’t care about politics,” Obama said of Burke, who has no kids and worked with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. “She has been such a passionate champion for our kids and families here in Wisconsin.”

In two western Wisconsin appearances, Christie held Walker up as someone with both honesty and integrity. He contrasted that with Burke who is being criticized by Walker and Republicans as a plagiarist for having language and ideas in her jobs plan also used by four other Democratic gubernatorial candidates.

Burke blamed a consultant who worked for all of the campaigns and cut ties with him.

“If you can’t trust her honesty and her integrity when she tells you this is her plan, why would you trust her on anything else she tells you about what she’ll do for Wisconsin or Scott’s record?” Christie said at a local Republican Party headquarters.

Burke addressed the plagiarism allegations only indirectly while criticizing Walker for failing to fulfill his jobs promise from his first campaign.

“It doesn’t matter where ideas come from, whether they’re Democratic or Republican, just whether they’re going to get results,” she told hundreds of Democratic voters.

Christie told ardent Republicans they need to step up despite fatigue from three Walker races in four years, saying Democrats desperately want “to make an example of him” and cause other GOP politicians to be timid.

“There are a whole bunch of politicians probably hoping he loses so they don’t have to measure up to a new bar,” said retired salesman Tom Coulter, a Walker supporter who moved last year from Minneapolis to Wisconsin. “A whole lot of them like to coast.”

The most recent Marquette University Law School poll released two weeks ago showed Walker and Burke running about even. A new poll was to be released on Wednesday.

Voters in Milwaukee said they already planned to support Burke and the first lady’s appearance was just a bonus.

Victor Thomas, 24, of Milwaukee, wore a T-shirt bearing President Barack Obama’s image. He said he was aware of the plagiarism allegations against Burke, but wasn’t influenced by them.

“I still feel like she will be a great governor,” Thomas said. “I didn’t really care for Gov. Scott Walker.

___

Johnson reported from Milwaukee. AP Writer Scott Bauer in Madison contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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