Senator to students: Participate in politics
High school students need to have a more vested interest in political affairs than they often do, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told Lakeside High School students Friday morning.
Cotton, who spoke to the student body and participated in a question-and-answer session and interview with the school’s broadcast group, said high school-aged people have a responsibility to make a positive difference in American life.
“Our country needs you to do more than just be involved in politics,” he said.
Cotton noted tangible ways the students are affected by politics, such as the legal driving age and federally subsidized college loans. “These things have a direct impact on
the things you do,” he said.
Cotton asked the students to raise their hand if they expect to receive the same health care and Social Security benefits their grandparents do, and none of them did. He said their generation will largely be responsible for paying off the national debt — an expected deficit of $600 billion this year — and any wars fought overseas will be fought by them.
“I encourage you to pay a little more attention to what your government is doing,” he said.
Asked about President Trump’s promise to bring back the coal industry despite its impact on the earth’s climate, Cotton said an example of this being done the right way can be found in Arkansas. He cited the John W. Turk Jr. Coal Plant in Fulton as “one of the best plants in the country” in terms of transferring coal into clean energy.
Cotton said he favors expanding the coal industry, but only in such a way that protects the earth’s climate. He said the United States needs to be a global leader in helping other nations produce clean energy, as well.
Asked about Trump’s threat to shut down the government if he doesn’t receive the funding to build a border wall with Mexico, Cotton said “we need” the wall, citing San Diego and Israel as examples of walls that reduce undocumented immigrants crossing the border. But he said he hopes the government is not shut down in the process of coming to a final decision about the wall.
Cotton sided with Trump’s stance on increasing immigration requirements so as not to deny opportunities to U.S. citizens, but said he held a more moderate stance on green card issuing. He said Congress needs to work on moving forward with issues Republicans and Democrats agree on.
“If we incrementally solve the problems that we can, the American people will begin to have faith,” he said.
Cotton stressed the preservation of state government, noting it is closer to the people within its borders, and can govern its people more effectively and address specific needs.
Cotton told The Sentinel-Record the Constitution is ideally designed to act as a safeguard against state governments passing legislation that harms its residents, and states acting within its parameters makes for effective government.
“Arkansas is very different from Oregon; very different from Maine. Our students need something different than the students in those places may need; our people may need a different kind of health care system than people in other states may need,” he said. “That’s one reason why I’m generally strongly in favor of giving states more autonomy and flexibility to manage the affairs of our own citizens.”
Cotton stressed his desire for students to make a positive difference in the world, noting how New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick lead his team to success by telling each of his players, who each hold unique roles, to “do your job.”
“Every person has a critical job,” he said. “You need to do that job to the best of your ability.”
Cotton told the students to write their plan for their life “in pencil” so it is subject to change, and to focus on their own character and how it can positively impact the world around them.
“The only thing that will really matter, and the only thing that will really last, is your experiences and the character that they build,” he said. “Our country needs young people like you.”