Students Say “I Could Be McCain’s Economics 101 Teacher!”
Here’s something compelling from the Princeton Student Body.
5424 Frist Campus Center
Princeton, NJ 08544
www.teachmccainecon101.com
jcoan@princeton.edu
“I Could Be McCain’s Econ 101 Teacher” Public Performance at Princeton University to Begin Wednesday
Students at Princeton University are starting a daily public performance called “I Could Be McCain’s Econ 101 Teacher” outside of Frist Campus Center beginning this Wednesday (10/1) from 12:30 PM until 2 PM. The performance will continue for at least three days. This project questions Sen. John McCain’s knowledge and preparedness concerning the economy, especially in these difficult economic times. Students take turns teaching economics to their fellow classmates playing McCain.
This comedic performance also 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 teaching economics wear t-shirts with the name of their 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 his abysmal class rank at Annapolis - 894 out of 898 - on the back.
Besides his quote, McCain has given no indication that he has seriously questioned his own dogmatic conservative stance on the economy. He has staunchly supported low taxes and minimal regulation of the economy throughout his 26 years in Washington. His primary committee assignment in the Senate was concerned with military matters, not those involving finance.
On the other hand, Senator Obama regularly consults with academic economists and demonstrates interest in empirical economic research and behavioral economics. Through his reading and discussions, he has developed his own nuanced vision of the economy, generally pro-market and pro-trade. He recognizes, though, government’s substantial role in ensuring broad-based prosperity and that businesses are, for the nation’s benefit, necessarily regulated.
Prof. Paul Krugman made the difference stark this Monday when he wrote, “Well, Barack Obama seems well informed and sensible about matters economic and financial. John McCain, on the other hand, scares me.“
Other students on campus are eagerly buying t-shirts. Students at other campuses have expressed interest in bringing this performance to their own schools. See more about the project at www.teachmccainecon101.com.
Princeton Senior James Coan created the idea. Currently other staff of the Princeton Progressive Nation, the liberal-leaning magazine on campus, are helping organize the event. They include Aaron Abelson (’11), Kelsey Brooks (’11), Erin Sherman (’11), and Chelsea Ayres (’12).
Contact Information. For interviews please contact James Coan, Princeton University Class of 2009 jcoan@Princeton.EDU, 609-986-8144
