Alexa Duby April 10, 2013 White House Cancels Tours

Comm 334 Wednesday Assignment #2, News Feature Story Students Suffer From Sequester Cuts Alexa Duby

Imagine America 20 years from now where the general public cannot visit historic sites within D.C. Unfortunately, for current and future students, the ultimate symbol of American democracy, the White House, is no longer offering its tours due to drastic sequester cuts. According to Dylan Matthews from the Washington Post, a sequester is a group of cuts to federal spending. The cuts are evenly split between domestic and defense programs. I think its ridiculous, says University California San Diego international studies and political-science major, Charity Garretson. It just makes the White House look like they are up to no good. John Guerriero, from the Erie Times-News, wrote an article about a political-science professor, Robert Speel, and his 28 political-science major students who were not allowed inside the White House due to the cancelation of the tours. In the article, both the students and the professor spoke of their disappointment. They believe cancellations have resulted in the loss of an important aspect of Americas vast history. This opinion is also popular among Republicans. Republican Party Chairman, Reince Priebus tweeted that it is a childish move. Statistics from a political Gallup poll titled, Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government, show societys faith in government is declining. If students are not influenced by pro-government activities, this lack of faith will carry forward into future generations. (more)

White House Cancels Tours Page 2 I had planned a trip to D.C. and was hoping to visit inside the White house doors, says Ryan Tyson, a law student at University of Colorado, Boulder. Tyson says that the White House tours help encourage students to get involved in politics. Ryan also believes that the tours are a right to students, stating, It gets them excited. Without it, the younger community suffers. I think they are taking away what belongs to the American people. Students, like Ryan Tyson, are feeling abandonment from their government. They want a government that favors development and education, a government which promote the politics and history of the U.S. Instead, big spending cuts, and unnecessary decisions continue to increase the gulf between the students and the country. According to Republicans, the sequester cuts have gone too far by including cuts to White House tours. In mid-March, one group of Iowa students was left very disappointed by the harshness of the $85 billion cuts. The group of students travelled to D.C., but was only able to gaze inside from outside the White House gates explains Arlette Saenz, ABC News. Outraged, they used social media to gain the White Houses attention and President Obama himself addressed the students saying there may be a way deserving students could visit the White House. I dont think the tours will remain closed forever. Eventually they will open them back up when people complain enough, explains California State Long Beach student, Natalie Adame. (more)

White House Cancels Tours Page 3 In the ABC News article, President Obama stated he is trying to find a way to accommodate student school groups to continue viewing the White House.

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Side Bar

Outside the White House Gates

Due to sequester cuts, the White House has canceled its tours. Students are very disapointed by this government action.

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Sources Guerriero, John. Penn State Behrend Students Shut Out of White House Tour. Erie Times-News, n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2013. <http://www.goerie.com/article/20130309/NEWS02/303089885/Penn-State-Behrendstudents-shut-out-of-White-House-tour>. Matthews, Dylan. The Sequester: Absolutely everything you could possibly need to know, in one FAQ. The Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2013. Web. 8 Apr. 2013. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/20/the-sequesterabsolutely-everything-you-could-possibly-need-to-know-in-one-faq/>. The White House Visitors Office. Tours & Events. N.p., Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events>. Saad, Lydia. Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government. Gallup Politics, 26 Sept. 2011. Web. 8 Apr. 2013. <http://www.gallup.com/poll/149678/AmericansExpress-Historic-Negativity-Toward-Government.aspx>. Saenz, Arlette. Iowa Students Make It to White House Gates, But Not Inside. ABC, 16 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. <http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/03/iowa-studentsmake-it-to-white-house-gates-but-not-inside/>. Interviewees Charity Garretson- (951) 775-0600 Natalie Adame- (949) 923-5144 Ryan Tyson- (949) 433-9902