During their campaigns, Democratic candidates promised a number of changes to voters, including a raise in minimum wage and more financial relief for college students. Now that the Democrats have the majority in the Senate and the House, their campaign promises will be tested.

According to the Democratic House Web site, the Democrats plan to increase “the maximum Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,800” and double the HOPE Scholarship tax credit “from $1,500 per student to $3,000 per student.” They also plan to make the HOPE Scholarship tax credit refundable.

Adam Compton, student body treasurer, said it’s hard when students graduate in debt and have to begin their careers with low paying jobs.

“Our national government has got to do something to step up and help us with this burden,” Compton, a junior in construction engineering and management, said.

Zach Adams, student senate president, said the Democrats’ campaign promised to increase higher education funding was the best news he’s heard “since Cracker Jacks.”

“I just hope they follow through with it,” Adams, a senior in industrial engineering and economics, said.

Michael Cobb, assistant professor in political science, said he thinks the Democrats’ plan to invest in education is good and will have “a long-term payoff.”

“It’s a policy that pays for itself,” he said.

Democrats also plan to increase the minimum wage from the current $5.15 an hour to $7.25, according to the Democratic House Web site. The Web site claimed this will benefit “656,000 hardworking North Carolinians.”

Compton said he doesn’t think the Republicans in the House and Senate are going to support the increase in minimum wage.

“A lot of richer people don’t support increase in minimum wage because of what it does to businesses in the economy,” he said.

Adams said he also wasn’t sure whether the change would happen, but he said a change in the minimum wage would have an impact on the economy.

“Raising the minimum wage could have a harmful effect on the economy as a whole,” Adams said.

The House and the Senate will present President Bush with new legislation during the remainder of his term.

“I think he’ll choose his battle because he knows how strong the Democratic Party will be for the next two years,” Adams said.

Compton said the Senate and House may have trouble getting some things passed because the President has the veto power. However, he said he does think some Democratic legislation based on these promises will get passed “just because they do have control in the House and Senate.” He said because of this, Bush will have to be more bipartisan in terms of the issues.

Cobb said the Democrats will lead with legislation that already has popular support.

“So it will be very unlikely and politically disadvantaged for Bush to oppose the initial round of political legislation,” he said.

Whether the Democrats will follow through with their campaign promises will become apparent over the next few months.

Compton said he thinks Americans will hold the Democratic Party accountable for its promises.

“I would hope they are going to follow through because that’s what they said they’d do for the American public,” he said.