Flashpoint: Discussing refugees with Sen. Levin, free tuition with panel

Since the terrorist attacks in Paris, France has led airstrikes in Syria and rallying support against ISIS. Devin Scillian talked to former Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) about ISIS and the refugee crisis facing Europe and the U.S., then talks to former governor of Michigan, Jim Blanchard, and Morley Winograd, president of Campaign for Free College Tuition, about making college more affordable on Flashpoint. 

"We have to make sure that ISIS doesn’t succeed and that they will pull the world together against them," Levin said. "98 percent of the world hates ISIS and it’s important that there be a coalition."

Levin continued saying that this coalition needs to be led by Arab countries because if western countries lead the fight, it will play into the wrong narrative.

Devin asked if American boots would be in Syria in the near future and Levin stressed how important it is not to have western forces at the frontlines.

The conversation continued on the issue of western forces affecting the ideology of the Middle East and if Russia’s involvement is viewed as more western influence.

Devin quoted Benjamin Netenyahu who said "The enemy of my enemy sometimes is my enemy," and Levin discussed the how complicated things are in Syria.

"You don’t want to help one butcher who is Assad by going after an even bigger butcher which is ISIS," said Levin. "They're both butchers."

The discussion shifted to the refugee situation. In Michigan, plans to build housing for Syrian refugees in Pontiac were put on hold due to concerns for safety.

"Refugees who have been vetted by the refugee process, not one out of tens of thousands of Iraqis have engages in a terrorist act," said Levin. "So there is a robust process in place now that has worked."

The vetting process of refugees was discussed and Levin said that it should not be based on stereotypes. Devin said how difficult it is too have a substantive conversation about this with the politicized atmosphere in the presidential race.

"Any kind of election is always a time where people demigod and they try to pick up votes by appealing to our fears," said Levin. "It takes strong leaders, and it takes people who are able to think through the implications of what they are saying."

The discussion about the future of conflict in the Middle East is available in the video above and part two about refugees is available in the video below.

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Devin talked to the former governor of Michigan, Jim Blanchard, and Morley Winograd, president of Campaign for Free College Tuition, about making college more affordable.

"We can talk about making in-state public universities and colleges tuition free for every student in America," Winograd said. "The money is already there. It doesn’t require raising federal income taxes. It requires redirecting the money we currently spend not so wisely."

Gov. Blanchard said that the cost of higher education has gone up so fast that many young people are rethinking college.

"You kill the American dream when higher education, and I include community colleges, is inaccessible," Blanchard said.

The panel discussed the Kalamazoo Promise which offers free in-state college tuition to students who graduate from Kalamazoo Public Schools.

"In the nineteenth century, we made primary schools free. In the twentieth century, we made high school free. In the twenty-first century, the same people who were paying for kindergarten through twelfth grade education need to make it at least one degree free for our young people or that generation will never have the skills they need to be competitive, the country’s economy will suffer globally, and we’ll never have the skilled workforce we need to compete."

The discussion about free tuition is available in the video below.

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