Viewpoint: Understanding state politics is a crucial part of college experience
President Barack Obama giving a speech.
When I came to the University of Michigan as a freshman in 2009, it was only my second time visiting the Great Lakes State.
I knew little about Michigan then -- aside from its struggling economy and bitter winters -- and thought my experience would largely be restricted to the ivy-covered buildings of the Ann Arbor campus.
However, during my three years in Michigan, I’ve found that not only have I developed a deep attachment to the campus, but the state and plights of its residents.
I voted in my first ever election in Michigan.
In the weeks leading up to the midterm election in November 2010, I read as much as I could about the gubernatorial race and ballot proposals, feeling like I had quite a bit of catching up to do.
In the years that followed, I became immersed in the state’s political culture through my work at the student newspaper. As I traveled the state, covering events at the capital in Lansing or conferences in Detroit, one issue seemed to prevail — the automobile industry.
Controversy surrounding revitalization of the auto industry and President Barack Obama’s bailout has been a central issue of this national election cycle, particularly in swing states like Michigan and neighboring Ohio, where one in eight people work in car-related industries, according to USA Today.
Obama has repeatedly pointed to his role in rejuvenating the auto industry as an example of the achievements of his administration, while Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has attacked Obama’s policy as a primary contributor to national debt.
Discussion about automobiles came up repeatedly at events I covered as a young writer.
I witnessed firsthand the outcry of Michigan residents in response to an op-ed written by Romney, a Michigan native, speaking out against the auto bailout.
“Three years ago, in the midst of an economic crisis, a newly elected President Barack Obama stepped in with a bailout for the auto industry,” Romney wrote. “The indisputable good news is that Chrysler and General Motors are still in business. The equally indisputable bad news is that all the defects in President Obama's management of the American economy are evident in what he did.”
I had the opportunity to talk with a number of Michigan citizens -- including former employees of the Big Three auto companies, Ford Motors, General Motors and Chrysler -- who expressed that Romney’s cries of “crony capitalism” felt like a slap in the face to the thousands of workers struggling amid growing unemployment rates and slashed salaries.
As I listened to President Obama’s Labor Day speech in Detroit last September, I looked around at the sea of union workers, eyes gleaming, leaning forward to soak in the words of the man who played a vital role in saving their careers.
“We stood by the auto industry, and we made some tough choices that were necessary to make it succeed,” Obama said that day, to the jubilant cheers of crowd members.
It was at this moment that I realized that while my time in Michigan may be short, understanding the political motivations of its residents had become a crucial part of my college experience.
With Election Day just a few weeks away, I will be heading to the polls at my designated precinct in Ann Arbor with a new perspective on both national politics and state government -- and hope to leave my mark in a way that best aids the residents of the state.
Bethany Biron is a Fall 2012 USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent. Learn more about her here.
This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.