DV Journal

There’s a lot of disagreement on higher education these days. One exception to all the discord, at least so far, is Pell Grants—a program that is especially critical for first-generation college students.

Is it bipartisan? Historically, absolutely yes. Though it bears the name of education-focused Democratic U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, it came into existence with strong support from then-President Richard Nixon, and benefited in the floor debate from the leadership of Republican senators like Jacob Javits.

That bipartisanship continues in the current administration. When he signed the executive order dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, President Donald Trump specifically underlined the importance of Pell Grants, saying they “will be fully preserved”— consistent with his first-term expansion of Pell. Similarly, during her confirmation hearing, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said, “Defunding is not the goal here. I’d actually even like to see an expansion of Pell Grants.”

And when an Office of Management and Budget circular attempted to pause billions in funding, this administration made it clear that, “Federal student aid funds (for example, Direct Loans and Pell Grants) were not impacted by the initial [OMB] guidance, and we continue to award and disburse federal student aid.” Eighty-one percent of Republicans in a recent poll support Pell Grants (and don’t want to see them “in the crosshairs”).

How does Pell help people? Financial aid for post-secondary education is open to anyone regardless of political affiliation—so far to 158 million Americans. The Pell/FAFSA application doesn’t contain any questions that would hint at political affiliation, nor do programs like Work Study and the GI Bill. The right-leaning American Enterprise Institute reaffirmed its value when it wrote that “Pell …appeals to both the left and the right. For Democrats, it offers no-strings funds to low-income students. For Republicans, it funds students rather than colleges, providing a voucher that students can use at the accredited institution of their choice.”

How does Pell help the country? It spreads opportunity across all classes and backgrounds. Grants like Pell are a big part of the reason that the United States is number one in the world in both higher education and research. On higher education, “Many Americans don’t realize just how exceptional the country’s university system actually is,” observed former Treasury Secretary and Wall Street wunderkind Robert Rubin. “Although the United States can claim less than 5 percent of the world’s population, it is home to 65 percent of the world’s 20 highest-ranked universities (and 28 percent of the world’s top-200 universities). Americans can get a quality education at thousands of academic institutions throughout the country.”

Because of programs like Pell, any American–not just the wealthy ones–can access a world-class education. Vice President JD Vance funded his college education in part with federal financial aid, including the GI Bill. I am a first-generation college graduate with not a single grandparent who had the chance at a high school diploma. All 11 of my siblings had the chance for higher education, and federal financial aid helped me to graduate from the same law school as Vance.

As to research, it is no accident that higher education is “among America’s most competitive international exporters.” The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis found that, “In dollar terms, last year, the United States sold more educational services to the rest of the world than it sold in natural gas and coal combined.”

Lost in the tangle about tariffs and trade is the fact that higher education is an answer to, not a cause of, trade deficits. That is because of the quality of research that fuels not just exports, but innovations which lead to trillions of dollars to for-profit industries that use those discoveries to make improvements in medicine, science, and national defense.

Reasonable people may disagree about how much, how, and when to disperse federal financial aid. The bottom line is that Pell works. Financial aid isn’t a handout. It is an investment–one that pays incredible dividends for all Americans, as higher education propels prosperity like nothing else in our economy.

The results of the elections show many are optimistic that President-elect Trump will bring about a new Golden Age in America. What will this new era mean for the world? Most seek peace, prosperity and the hope of a better future for all. The hardships associated with the Biden administration, including inflation, crime, and border insecurity, are ready for much-needed relief.

America, the greatest nation in history, expressed its voice through election results coast to coast, returning a trifecta of conservatism to the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives — including a significant victory in the popular vote. The American people are sending leaders into office with a mandate.

Recent history reminds us of the fatigue and loss that war brings. The bitterness of bloodshed is abhorred by all involved. With a change in leadership, we have the potential to promote harmony and save lives.

Rather than investing in allies’ wars, Trump will act as commander-in-chief and diplomat-in-chief to broker ceasefires in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Trump will invest in saving lives, not merely providing warfighting equipment, with a steady backbone of competence and conviction.

“Peace through strategy” is the long-standing mission of Defending Our Country. On the eve of this most consequential election for America, with the future of Western democracy on the ballot, we attended a United Kingdom-sponsored event in London. From academics to taxi drivers, waiters and shopkeepers, everyone we encountered wished for Trump to return to the Oval Office.

With the election results determined and campaign season over, the time for governing is here. However, the rhetoric that rallies a nominee’s base differs from the diplomacy needed to lead the Free World into a new Golden Age. It is time for Trump and the transition team to think strategically through hiring decisions that can broker “peace through strategy.”

The strategy for manifesting a Golden Age demands an executive branch filled with the most innovative scientists and researchers, accomplished business leaders, and acclaimed minds from the private sector. The inbreeding of government bureaucracy and the Ivory Tower pipeline of how Washington has always done business continues to miss the mark and the heartbeat of democracy, as evidenced by the historic vote of the American people and sentiment abroad.

The path forward for the Golden Age requires Trump to select capable leaders with a record that speaks to their dedication and calling to serve the nation faithfully and effectively. By constitutional design, the executive branch represents a bench of talented experts who can advise on and execute the entire functioning of the federal government.

The priority should be retaining an executive branch that will formulate and streamline the federal budget. Second, policy frameworks should include a grand strategy that brings in allies and partners across the globe instead of isolating and creating adversarial coalitions. Third, an emphasis on the “peace through strategy” narrative should be adopted. Leaders and the public have realized that the brute focus on “peace through strength” has not served America or its partners productively since the end of the Cold War.

The 21st century has brought unique challenges and increasing conflicts that have redefined effective strategies. It is time for adversarial world leaders, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping, the Iranian Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to redefine their legacies and join the Golden Age — not watch it occur as tyrants on the sidelines. These adversarial leaders have proven to the world that their paths to war do not win, are unsustainable, and have not advanced their national interests.

As Americans voted for Trump, the world watched and longed for his return to power. The Golden Age is the clarion call of Trump to America’s citizens, global leaders, and individuals worldwide to live securely and safely.

America is at full potential, and a Golden Age is achievable if the president hires those with a different spirit and mindset who can innovate, create and shape a better future through the manifestation and global mandate of “peace through strategy.”