For the first time in a long time I want to applaud President Obama --- for suggesting that we bring back something that we had 50 years ago: free college. I can remember saying when I was 15 or so: I cant go to college. Im not rich. I was a veteran before I realized that back then it was cheap and it was possible. Free college was a good idea back then and it is a good idea now. It will never get Congressional approval, as there is nothing Republicans fear more than a population of young voters who can read. Better our young folks go in the military or clerk in a big box store where they can learn everything they need to know about the world from Fox News or basic training films. I think tuition was $100 a semester when I was an undergraduate in 1958. You could work all summer at $5 or so a day and get enough to pay your tuition. I played for a dance on Saturday night which paid $10. Half of that went for rent for my off-campus room and the other half went for food. I heard the talking heads on TV tell about President Obamas proposal. Every time they mentioned Free college, they ended with, How is he going to pay for it? I dont think Ive ever said, Duhhhh. But when I heard the talking heads ask, How is he going to pay for it? ---- Yes. I said, Duhhhh. Free college more than pays for itself. Any inhabitant of northern Europe will tell you why they are rich and happy. The more education you have, the more money you earn. And the more money you earn, the more you pay in taxes to support healthcare, education, and the infrastructure. To be sure, in Europe a war machine doesnt eat half of their countrys wealth every year so theyre ahead of us there. It can be statistically proven that people with educations and good incomes are much less likely to rob grocery stores or collect welfare, which in itself is a great savings to society. Can you hear corporate Americas cries of indignation over lost income should it no longer feed and house the largest prison population since the days of Stalin? Wherever education is popular a country soon saves, but many Americans want everything Now. Today. Too many Americans cant think 20 or 30 years down the road. Our corporations are run to make a profit for that quarter for stockholders. Their ability to compete with China and India and Brazil in 5 years is not a consideration. So innovative research is now a thing of the past and is left to our friends in the many countries that are leaving us behind. Enough educated voters could change this, so Im proud of President Obama for suggesting that we bring back free college. Its implementation would certainly be the most efficacious economic stimulus package to be suggested in this country since the days of FDR. Which is why Id bet my Model T and 50 acres of forest that it doesnt stand a chance of being passed by a Republican Congress.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 19:09:44 +0000
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