Students prove their political savvy with challenging questions.
HANCOCK -- Representative Bart Stupak took his tour of the western U.P. to Houghton County Thursday.
The Congressman's first stop was at Hancock High School where he answered students' questions for more than an hour.
When Stupak took the stage he told students an unfortunate political secret. Young people make up the largest voting bloc in the country, but their concerns are often ignored because most of them don't vote.
However these teens showed their political savvy with plenty of challenging questions. One student asked, "Do you think we can win the war in Afghanistan?" while another wondered, "What about buying and selling Great Lakes water...what headway has been made?"
"These students are well-informed,” said Stupak. “I find that no matter where I go in the Upper Peninsula, there are good students and good instructors."
The students were equally impressed that the Congressman chose to visit their school and address their concerns.
"Especially at my age, we're going to be moving out and we're going to be looking around for health insurance,” said senior Kirsti Wall. “We need to know that information--how we're going to be covered."
While much of Stupak’s schedule this week has included meetings with business owners, senior citizens, and large communities, Stupak said that talking to students has always been important to him.
"It’s important for students to see who their elected reps are and be able to ask questions,” Stupak said. “The decisions we make do affect them, and it's an opportunity to hear from constituents of a different age group."
Another issue that came up at today's meeting is the “Race to the Top” program for under-performing students.
Stupak said he's learned from talking with the schools in his district that the program doesn't really help out rural schools.
He hopes to do something about that with legislation that may come up later this month.
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