What does The Far Left not understand? There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Some way, somehow, somewhere, somebody has to pay for it!
(Nice touch here, having the donkey actually running to the left. I wonder if he understands how many voters he’s going to alienate?)
Free college? Bad idea. Where is the incentive to learn?
And if the student doesn’t pay, someone else will have to. You. Me. The middle class. Even those who couldn’t afford their own educations will see their tax dollars going to pay for someone else’s education.
I know it sounds like I’m saying “I got mine. Screw you.” But I don’t see any fair, equitable way to start handing out free educations.
Under our socialized system of education,; once the students have graduated and start earning their living, they become liable for the cost of their higher education.
The amount paid back depends on the amount earned, heres a link that will five you the figures, it’s all very fair and equitable,
So the taxpayer is actually just lending the students the money until such time as they can repay, My daughter Sarah has taken two degrees through this scheme and has paid back in full what she was loaned, mind she was lucky to get a high paying job after getting her masters
Might not be a free lunch just eating it on credit
https://www.studyassist.gov.au/paying-back-your-loan/loan-repayment
Then your system isn’t really free education. Sounds a lot like what happens here. Many kids get student loans to pay tuition, then pay the loans off after they graduate.
It is a very small % of the graduates from Uni education that ever earn enough to pay back their HECS. Most gets written off. It is not held against them and does not affect their credit standing ever,; which is where we differ greatly I believe. The HECS is only paid back if they can really afford to. most can’t.
Well, that’s definitely different. Here you’re expected to pay up, sooner or later.
There are plenty of people who would benefit from a free college education, not everybody can afford to send their children to higher education. Would you deny a brilliant child a free ride just because he was poor? I hope not, I know I wouldn’t.
I don’t subscribe to the me first attitude all the time
Right now few seem to even engage enough to get what is available in 12 years of free public education.
There are numerous instances where people became successes without college degrees
Trades often end up with higher incomes than some college degreed people. Welding, plumbing, carpentry, 2 year certification in tech, health care, child care…..have any idea what a nanny can make – you’d be stunned.
My dad’s family were poor dirt farmers – all 5 of the boys and 1 girl got college degrees, 3 PHDs. They washed dishes, delivered papers and other part time jobs while in school. As each graduated, they would turn around and send money home to help the younger.They all lived frugally
Personally we got hit hard by recession and were qualified for overly level for some years, It was hard to tell kid, you are smart, but there’s not much money for college. My kid started working at 15 and saved every penny. We did not have fancy stuff or new cars or vacations because we had a goal. We all worked jobs we could get – not always ones we liked and saved money. Kid studied like crazy – good grades, searching for scholarships (which you have to apply, following instructions, and work to earn- it’s not easy), and talking with colleges about financial aid helped. In college she got work-study jobs at the university. During summers she worked and took affordable courses at local community college and a affordable transferable health course online form another university. She graduated in 4 years.
There are ways to pay for college if you try hard enough and are willing to work. It is not easy but one does learn the value of money, budgeting, and the rewards of accomplishment from your own efforts..
So many are not willing to make any effort – BAH to them.
Free is always paid by someone.
Nothing given free is appreciate – and only adds to the entitled attitude of some already full of self importance and “specialness”
Where our system differs I’ve commented on in a reply to Susan; Phil. I agree about the free lunch thing.
Your higher edu loan system makes sense – the difference is not just the system, but the attitude of the students taking the loans – your students expect and feel obligated to pay as much as possible of loans back – and make an effort. Here, well, there’s so much “It’s a human right” thing going on and so many simply expect an open line of credit with no obligation on their part.
(Sadly, our former President and his wife did not pay back their student loans until that fact was uncovered during his Presidential campaign…then they immediately paid what they owed because they had the money…just didn’t bother to pay their debts until it was noticed. With examples like that…)
I would gladly offer free state tuition to teachers, firefighters, and police officers’ children – those families suffer financially. Maybe after 4 years of teaching, one free in state college tuition for each additional year starting with the fifth year of service. It would help a good number of students who are not qualified for scholarships based on poverty, or diversity. And it might retain teachers and public servants..
(FYI Our friends with the 3 young children who relocated back to Australia a few months ago are so thrilled to be there – a quieter life near the beach with people talking about things other than what expensive exclusive private school they are preparing their preschooler for…if he/she can pass the interview…oh, yes an interview coach is mandatory…We are so happy they made the jump – you’ve got a good one there.)
I think most people probably accept a fair tax system as a necessary part of funding government. But our system is badly messed up. The very wealthy keep getting tax cuts while Sanders, among others, proposes to raise taxes on the middle class to pay for all that free education he keeps talking about.
Sigh. the definition of words changes so fast “free” isn’t, so it’s not.
It’s all about the economy. We simply can’t afford any more taxes
All those wealthy athletes, movie stars, social media/reality show stars seem to be really fast to wail about the poor and immigrants, but really slow to hand over money to immediately help those in need – or pay for scholarships for academically bright college hopefuls. …they all want the rest of us to fund their lofty ideas…
There is much to be concerned about with these candidate. (I keep hoping there is someone they are holding back until the last minute…of course no one will have time to investigate/talk with to find out who that person really is and what that new candidate really plans to do – but we’ll be so relieved the others were passed over?)
Sometimes your place sounds like yester-year to me. We’ve wandered so far off the path and back into the wilderness….
Perhaps it’s because we are an isolated island /continental nation with no other country on our doorstep has encouraged us to be aware and to take care of each other. I just hope this country stays this way, but with the influx of migrants from Asia refugees from countries expecting a free ride on the Aussies generous nature I doubt it will stay the way I know and love and enjoy.
Australians pay their taxes willingly there are some that are for ever seeking tax cuts, but the majority don’t, strange as it may seem they are happy and prepared to pay more providing government spend it on those that need help.
Some put it down to the convict settlers history as against a religious settlers history, the convicts that settled here originally had to help and look after each other, no one else did.
Hang tough.
So far so good there.
The generous nature is what’s sinking us.
What is given free is rarely appreciated.
12 years of free education – yet so many do not engage, do not see the importance to learning what is offered as preparation for life and higher ed.
So not fair to those who struggled – to get grades, to get scholarships, who worked jobs while in public schools and during summers.
The only way I’d go for free is if each student has to sign a paper acknowledging their “free” is being paid for by (insert actual names here – data is readily available) their next door neighbors, their parents, their grand parents, their aunts and uncles, their cousins they never met, the single mom with young kids, the shop keepers, the grocery store stockers, the Walmart greeters….the people down the block with cancer….)AND the would be student writes an 5 paragraph 3+ page paper explaining why these people should do that for them.
Far too many kids end up in college without any idea why they are there – it’s party time – spring breaks!(paid for by grant money meant for edu), they take useless courses, take less than 15 credit hours per semester,do not try to get scholarships or work study programs, do not lower costs by taking summer classes at community college or online, do not go to summer school do not plan on getting out in 4 years.
Free? Maybe if students are mandated to go not a service to the country corps upon graduation – one year participation for each year of college paid – not military, but there’s lots needing done – litter pick up, building homes for vets, painting/repairing houses in depressed areas or for old people,…there’s plenty of ways to pay
it back – and it would contribute to the country and justify the student’s existence (Do you know many students here at on Univ. stack al their 12 hours of courses on one or two days and then loaf all the rest of the week – it’s so common now…)
Free is throwing away something of value
I was educated from age 3 years 5 months to 14 years 11 months and 20 days, it was free, I hope it wasn’t thrown away. I could have had a lot more for free; but my mother thought I’d be more use in the workforce, read paying board!
I’m sure you weren’t the only kid raised that way. But you’ve got street smarts, which is just about as valuable these days.
School used to end at grade 8. Mom’s ended at grade 11. Now many want to add yet another year to public K-12 education? To prepare them better? Please, If they don’;t have it by 12 grades, what are the chances?
So many student now seem offended if you ask if they are getting summer job these days…simply too good too…
Pity we can’t convince the Koch bros and some others I could think of about the free lunch thing.
It’s going to require a lot of money from the very wealthy, I’m afraid. Some of them are already great philanthropists, but many more are not.
I don’t think college should be free. Just make it more affordable like it was when I went. I worked my way through school, never took out a loan, because tuition was at an amount that part-time work would pay for it.
Agreed. Tuitions have risen to ridiculous levels, even for in-state students at a state university.