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Republicans jump to Astorino’s defense

By WTOP Staff

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Several Republican governors eyeing runs for the White House in 2016 are rallying behind the New York gubernatorial candidate spurned by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in an early sign of pre-primary jockeying.

Christie, who chairs the Republican Governors Association, raised eyebrows when he said this week he had no plans to campaign for GOP candidate Rob Astorino, who is running an uphill challenge against Democratic incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Christie said he doesn’t “invest in lost causes” during an RGA trip to Connecticut Monday.

But Astorino, who is in Aspen, Colorado for the RGA’s summer meeting, surrounded himself with other high-profile supporters. On Thursday, he proudly announced in an interview with an Albany radio station that Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal from Louisiana, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and South Carolina’s Nikki Haley have pledged to help him, even if the RGA won’t.

Perry even tweeted a photo of himself with his arm over Astorino’s shoulder. “Glad to be with my buddy @RobAstorino in Aspen,” the accompanying message said.

“The Aspen trip made it clear that governors from around the nation will be helping County Executive Astorino become Governor Astorino. It also made it clear that RGA Chairman Chris Christie will not be among them. We can live with that and we will move on,” Astorino spokeswoman Jessica Proud said.

The spat marks one of the earliest signs of infighting among several of the most high-profile GOP presidential contenders, months before the 2014 midterm elections. It also comes as Christie, who like Perry and Jindal is openly weighing a run, tries to recapture the momentum he had before the George Washington Bridge scandal and move past allegations that he is a bully, more interested in his own political future than the fate of others.

Some top Republicans remain wary of Christie after he appeared chummy with President Obama in the days after Superstorm Sandy. Some went as far as blame him for 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s loss.

On Thursday night, Christie will join Haley as well as several other governors — Rick Scott of Florida, Sam Brownback of Kansas and Scott Walker of Wisconsin — for an Aspen Institute conversation in Colorado capping off the summer meeting. The governors are they’re expected to discuss their approaches to jobs and the economy, as well as education, tax, and immigration policies in their states.

A spokeswoman for Astorino confirmed that he had been asked not to attend the annual RGA summer meeting, but decided to anyway.

The unpleasantness started during Christie’s RGA trip to Connecticut Monday. Asked whether he planned to campaign in New York, Christie replied that he doesn’t waste time in races Republicans weren’t going to win. During a press conference Tuesday, Astorino suggested that Christie step down as chairman of the RGA and added that perhaps the New Jersey governor was reluctant to help him because Cuomo “has something” on Christie related to the bridge scandal. Astorino did not say what that was.

The two men spoke “very briefly” Wednesday night at an RGA dinner, Astorino said Thursday.

“We kind of agreed to disagree on this one. And we move on,” he said of the conversation, adding that Christie’s remarks were “probably not beneficial” to either Christie or the RGA, whose mission is to elect and re-elect Republican governors.

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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