Pres. Of Pa. Young Democrats: Affirmative Action Debate Is Pushing People Away From GOP

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Dom Giordano talked to Danny Bauder, President of the Young Democrats of Pennsylvania, Thursday on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT about the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action and the rising cost of a college education.

Click below to listen to the podcast...

Bauder said the Court's ruling, which upheld the state of Michigan's ban on using race as a factor for college admissions, will have political consequences for Republicans.

"It's another conservative issue that's getting national attention that is going to push people away from the GOP. No doubt about it, the GOP is shedding minorities, women, all the voting constituencies that are making up our national electorate," he said.

He commented that affirmative action opens more doors for students that would otherwise be shut out.

"Affirmative action gives a constituency that does not have the opportunity to get out there and get noticed…the opportunity to join that equal playing field. It's not about giving someone an advantage. It's not about pulling somebody across the finish line. It's about making the race wider and allowing more people into the race," Bauder stated.

Regarding the escalating costs of a college education, Bauder believes Governor Tom Corbett has a responsibility to make them more affordable.

"Public education is, I think, a public responsibility, and that's why we have state schools and state associated schools. Since the schools are funded, almost entirely, by the state, those costs and how they may be discounted for in-state students, etc, that's done by the state, and the buck's got to stop somewhere. The Governor has the ability to point people to the boards for each of those individual schools -- your state schools like Bloomsburg University or West Chester. So I would have to lay that responsibility with the Governor and the Governor's people," he said.