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Laura Delhomme: Why You Should Vote For Me

By WTOP Staff

Laura DelhommeThis week, we asked the candidates for competitive House of Delegates races in Arlington districts to write a sub-750 word essay describing why residents of their districts should vote for them on Election Day (Nov. 5).

Here is the unedited response from 47th District candidate Laura Delhomme (I):

My name is Laura Delhomme and I hope you will vote for me to be your Delegate for the 47th District.  Like other Libertarian candidates, I believe in civil liberties, free markets, and peace. I’ve spent my campaign promoting civil liberties and free market alternatives to the ever-increasing government spending and intrusion in our lives. While there are many things that I would like to work on as your delegate, the following three will be my primary focus.

It’s time for marriage equality in Virginia. In 2006, Virginians voted to pass the Marshall-Newman Amendment by 57%. This amendment to the Virginia Constitution not only says that a marriage between a man and a woman is the only valid marriage; it even outlaws things that “approximate the design” of marriage (so civil unions are out, and gays entering into contracts with each other is severely limited).  As I’m talking to people about this during my campaign, they’re shocked (appalled!) that this amendment was not only successfully passed, but voted on overwhelmingly by Virginians.  It’s been a short 7 years since then, but the tides have shifted in Virginia. Here in Northern Virginia, people are obviously supportive of everyone having the right to marry. Even as I talk to people in southern Virginia (as part of my support for Libertarian Gubernatorial candidate Robert Sarvis), people usually respond with “yeah, I’m confused why government’s even involved in defining marriage.” I am too!  In my ideal world, our government would not be limiting who we can enter into relationships or contracts with, and it definitely shouldn’t be defining marriage. But as long as the institution of marriage is so intertwined with our tax code (and frankly all other walks of life), we should treat people equally. Our government should not be the biggest discriminator of all.

I also want to end the state income tax. Ending the individual income tax would bring approximately $3,400 back to each household in Virginia.  People often ask, well what would we replace that tax with? I say nothing. There are tons of useless projects being funded, cronies playing favorites with subsidies, and oodles of inefficiencies in our government – cutting $10.2 billion from our budget would finally force a conversation about what we’re actually wasting money on.  From 2000 to 2012, state spending DOUBLED while our population only increased 15%. Let’s re-prioritize our spending, and put more money in everyone’s pockets.

And everyone’s favorite topic – legalizing marijuana.  I rarely run into anyone that disagrees with me on this: prohibition is a failure. We saw it in the 20’s with alcohol, and we’re seeing it now with marijuana. By prohibiting certain drugs, our government has taken a modest problem and turned it into a big one. Instead of it just being a bad personal decision, now there’s a black market for drugs where you never know what your product is going to be laced with. Making marijuana illegal does not keep people from using it; prohibition only drives it underground making it even more unsafe, ruins live with prosecutions, and wastes our tax dollars. Let’s legalize marijuana, then have an open conversation with our children about the true dangers of drug use.

The Libertarian philosophy is simple: Libertarians support liberty. We believe in your right to choose, and to live your life as you want, as long as you do not harm others. Sometimes Republicans sound libertarian when they talk about cutting taxes and spending. Sometimes Democrats sound libertarian when they talk about civil liberties like free speech. Libertarians support freedom on every issue, and for everyone. Feel free to email me for more information about my campaign or the Libertarian Party.

I hope you will help me change Virginia for the better. I hope you will vote for me, Laura Delhomme, for Delegate. Vote for me. Vote for liberty.

Photo via Laura Delhomme

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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