When it comes to their plans for education, Republicans and Democrats point one finger of blame at their opponents and one of credit at their own records.
Both parties say they want high-quality, low-cost higher education for as many Americans as possible. They just don't agree about how to get it.
Many Democrats say President Clinton is the strongest education president ever and warn that Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole will reverse many of Clinton's strides.
"Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich have, over the past two years, led what many consider to be the most anti-education Congress in history," said Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), chair of the Democratic National Committee.
But Republicans say Democrats' attacks on their education record are unfounded.
"It's a phony charge and a red herring for Democrats to say that Republicans are a threat to education," said Rusty Hills, director of public relations for Gov. John Engler, a Republican.
Often, Democrats tell younger voters that Dole, if elected, will attack student loans and other education programs. They say the Republican record shows a history of attacks on education.
Dodd said Republicans have proposed more than $10 billion in higher education cuts in the last two years. He said Republicans intend to cut funding for programs that, in turn, fund Pell grants, work-study programs, student loans and the AmeriCorps program.
Clinton's veto pen, Dodd said, is the only thing that kept education programs intact during the last two years, with a Republican majority in both the House and Senate.
Republicans flatly deny hoisting an attack on student loans.
"Republicans are increasing student loans but not at the rate Democrats want them to," said Nicholas Kirk, president of the campus College Republicans and an LSA junior. "Republicans are not taking away student loans."
During Campaign '96, officals from both parties have been traveling the country and targeting younger voters, promising that their party has the better plan for higher education.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a one-time Democratic candidate for president who recently stumped in Michigan, is working to increase the number of younger voters.
Jackson spoke out strongly about the need for increased student aid. He said government funding of education is very necessary. "It's a good subsidy; it bears good fruit," he said.
Democrats believe the current system is not sufficient, Jackson said. He said the Democratic party will offer more hope to students.
"Many qualifiable youth are denied opportunity for lack of aid," Jackson said. "Therefore, there must be much more investment in universities."
Hills said Dole also wants to make better educational opportunities available to more Americans. He said Dole really understands the need for federal educational support, because Dole benefitted from the GI Bill himself.
"(What Dole would) like to see is that GI Bill extended down below the college level," Hills said.
Clinton, Dole and their individual supporters have outlined their respective plans for higher education to Michigan voters during the past month.
Hills said Dole's proposed "opportunity scholarships" are a major part of Dole's concrete plan to improve education. The scholarships would provide government vouchers for education ranging from kindergarten through college.
Republicans say the opportunity scholarships will help significantly more students than the current system does.
"Opportunity scholarships actually are going to help more people in the inner cities," Hills said. "It's not for the rich, white Republicans living in the suburbs."
Dole said his proposed 15-percent across-the-board tax cut will help people save for college and boost the economy.
Dodd cited a number of "pro-active, positive things" the Clinton administration has done for higher education as reasons to vote for Democrats.
AmeriCorps is one of those things, Dodd said. The program, created by Clinton, involves students providing community service in this country like Peace Corps volunteers do abroad. In return, students receive money toward payment of their college loans.
Dodd said 25,000 college students per year in the last two-and-a-half years have joined AmeriCorps. They are receiving, on average, $4,720 for college as a result of that experience.
The Direct Lending program is another Clinton effort for higher education, Dodd said. He said Democrats pushed for the elimination of banks in the lending program, thus allowing schools to provide direct lending. There are about 1,750 colleges participating in the direct program.
Dodd said Republicans, including Dole, were vehemently opposed to the implementation of the program.
Clinton's "hope scholarships" will help even more students, Dodd said. The proposed scholarships would give a $1,500 per-year tax credit to students who maintain at least a B average during their first two years of college.
"That means two additional years beyond the 12th grade would be tuition-free at the community college level," Dodd said.
Democrats are also proposing a $10,000 per-year tax deduction to help students and families defer the cost of higher education.
Dodd said Dole will not support such programs or tax cuts.
"The Republicans are trying to destroy AmeriCorps, they are trying to cut back and destroy the Direct Lending Program, and we are not seeing much support for tax deductions and higher education needs," Dodd said.
Engler said Republicans have a strong education record of their own. "I can point to a record where we have dramatically increased higher education funding," he said.
He cited his own increase in funding to Michigan universities as one demonstration of Republican commitment to higher education.
Engler said Republicans have made it easier for students to gain university credit before actually getting to college. He said his party proposes an apprentice tax credit - a credit for trade schools.
Republicans are stronger on making sure students coming directly out of college are better positioned in the job market, Engler said.