Do you think college should be free?

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And the right as well. Even the American right (you use a different system that the normal system of left and right) forces people to pay taxes.
The philosophical question is: what does “free” mean?
 
Colleges aren’t run by volunteers. Wouldn’t “free” college leave its staff and faculty (and their families) starving?
 
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But there is a lesson there. WHY do they start their lives mired in debt?

Because we tried to “help” them with student loans, of course! Colleges saw this as a bonanza, hiking prices through the roof – after all, the students can just borrow more. The colleges are in effect, stealing the student’s life savings before they’re even earned.

If we have “free” (government paid) college, that will simply give the colleges a vacuum cleaner to stick in the taxpayer’s pocket. They can hike prices more and more – and Uncle Sugar will pay and pay.
 
LeafByNiggle said:
This is understood. Free police and fire protection is similar. Free highways are similar. Free public parks are similar.
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Highways, police, fire protection and public parks are available for everyone anytime. The difference is the colleges will be used by a very small and select group of people, and not all people want or need to go to college.
 
Which came first. Most students thinking they need a college degree to succeed in business or businesses requiring a college degree for the good entry level positions?
 
On the contrary, fire and police protection, although they are available to all who need them, are actually used by a tiny fraction of the population - just like a basic college education. Same thing with public parks. Not that many people use them. Yet everyone has to pay for them with taxes.
 
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Everyone benefits from the police and fire protection. Not everyone benefits from college.
 
Not true. Fire departments also respond to many other calls. And they are always available to respond to those in need.
 
The point is there are many other things that are paid for by taxes that are used by only a subset of the population. College would be similar.
 
No, college is different. There is no requirement for taxpayers to pay for college and the cost if it did so would severely hurt lower and middle class taxpayers.
 
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So why isn’t it free already?

Just kidding…I know it’s because we have to have the Magic Paper to prove to future employers we’re capable of writing complete sentences and completing SOMETHING.
 
Unfortunately, possessing a degree still does not guarantee the ability to write complete sentences. And some are okay with sentences, but have difficulty with paragraphs.
 
Convert3 said:
No, college is different. There is no requirement for taxpayers to pay for college and the cost if it did so would severely hurt lower and middle class taxpayers.
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On the contrary, free college would especially help lower and middle classes who could not otherwise afford it. And there was no requirement for taxpayers to pay for public parks - until there was.
 
The strain the tax burden will put on the poor and middle class will be much more widespread than those that would benefit. There are ways to pay for college that those families that can’t afford it and really want it can use.
 
Convert3 said:
The strain the tax burden will put on the poor and middle class will be much more widespread than those that would benefit. There are ways to pay for college that those families that can’t afford it and really want it can use.
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We have a progressive tax system. The tax burden falls mostly on those who can pay (which is why I suppose conservatives oppose them so much.) And what are these “ways” that poor families can pay for college?
 
It’s called working your way through school, which is how my wife and I each did it. Some can get scholarships, student loans work as long as they are used judiciously and not to pay for a psychology degree at a private school. The military helps pay for some. My daughter in law is getting her degree from Arizona State and paid for by Starbucks.
People who have some skin in the game appreciate the education more and don’t waste it.
 
Convert3 said:
It’s called working your way through school, which is how my wife and I each did it. Some can get scholarships, student loans work as long as they are used judiciously and not to pay for a psychology degree at a private school. The military helps pay for some. My daughter in law is getting her degree from Arizona State and paid for by Starbucks.
People who have some skin in the game appreciate the education more and don’t waste it.
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No one asks high school students to “work their way through school.” I wonder why?

Also, it is harder and slower to get through school when you have to work a nearly full-time job at the same time.
 
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LeafByNiggle said:
No one asks high school students to “work their way through school.” I wonder why?

Also, it is harder and slower to get through school when you have to work a nearly full-time job at the same time.
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You’re reaching. High school education is not the discussion. Harder and slower??? I’ll tell you a secret. Life is hard. Deal with it.
 
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