2016 Postmortem

Lucinda

(31,170 posts)

36. I know the problems much better than the solutions.

Mon Feb 22, 2016, 02:01 AM

Feb 2016

I know my peers from college are still paying on loans with obscene interest rates.

I know that my niece is working a crappy job and trying to take care of her children, wants to go to college, but can't figure out how to make it all work without incurring massive debt.

I know the problems that exist in my corner of the world really well.
But I don't think the solution comes from talking up free college for all, without any real workable plans to make it happen.

I think Hillary's plans are a good starting point.
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/college/

Beyond that, i'd like to see improvement in the amount of Community College credits transferable to universities. The rate right now is not particularly good. Students could get some of the undergrad core requirements out of the way in a free CC system, and work toward scholarship or grant programs to move into the university system, with much less debt load.

I'm sure there is more rambling around in my head, but it's super late and I think my brain is about to go on strike.

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Poll: Where do you stand on free tuition to state colleges and universities [View all] JDPriestly Feb 2016 OP

It should be easy to afford a college education. Ken Burch Feb 2016 #1

I think Bernie is right Duckhunter935 Feb 2016 #2

I vote in support but there needs to be some type of means testing. Purveyor Feb 2016 #3

Why do we need means-testing? JDPriestly Feb 2016 #4

I attend an East Coast private college, with tuition and fees running about 66K per year... anotherproletariat Feb 2016 #57

What has means testing got to do with it? mikehiggins Feb 2016 #69

private colleges aren't really the issue, are they? 0rganism Feb 2016 #116

If you can't fill out a FAFSA form then you probably shouldn't be in college in the first place. NobodyHere Feb 2016 #110

No Kalidurga Feb 2016 #27

No.... daleanime Feb 2016 #50

Gods no. The WORST part of modern day life is having to PROVE to the gov't or other people Erich Bloodaxe BSN Feb 2016 #101

It should be affordable. Very affordable. MADem Feb 2016 #5

I'm unsure. Should we seek to continue institutions that celebrate separating JDPriestly Feb 2016 #8

Should we continue with Historically Women's Colleges? Eliminate that option for them, too? MADem Feb 2016 #19

Frankly, I think people will still want to go to private colleges even if tuition JDPriestly Feb 2016 #32

What if what you think is wrong? MADem Feb 2016 #80

I have to return your question to you. What if what you think is wrong? JDPriestly Feb 2016 #81

We preserve culturally vital colleges and universities in my scenario. MADem Feb 2016 #82

How would free public college tuition eliminate Women's Colleges? senz Feb 2016 #49

Why pay to go to a midranked boutique college if you can get 2 years for free? MADem Feb 2016 #63

You need an MA today if you want to get anywhere. Either an MA or some JDPriestly Feb 2016 #71

No, you don't. You live in a rarified world if you think everyone needs an MA. nt MADem Feb 2016 #75

Even grade school teachers and business owners get MAs. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #83

I know a plumber who doesn't have an MA. He's rich as Roosevelt. nt MADem Feb 2016 #84

Plumbers and car mechanics are the two exceptions to my rule. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #108

Just those two? Not carpenters? Masons? MADem Feb 2016 #111

Cooks and chefs and landscapers, artists, musicians, electricians, dental assistants, medical JDPriestly Feb 2016 #117

Really? That's not my experience, and I've got relatives who do some of those jobs. MADem Feb 2016 #118

I'm not African-American, and I do not understand the argument for black colleges. onpatrol98 Feb 2016 #102

I would like to add that one of the reasons that I strongly support tuition-free JDPriestly Feb 2016 #16

Affordable college will help them, too. nt MADem Feb 2016 #22

Even if tuition is free, students will still have to pay for room and board. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #34

At a community college? I don't THINK so. You take the bus, you come home. MADem Feb 2016 #65

My daughter worked while in college on full scholarship and living at home. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #67

A lot of young people do not live within busing distance of a community college. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #72

MOST do, though. MADem Feb 2016 #74

Massachusetts is a particularly densely populated and liberal state. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #86

And how do these people buy groceries, meet their friends, or go to the gym? MADem Feb 2016 #88

My niece cannot afford the internet, and there is no bus service to her small town. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #89

Buy her a car. Or tell her to put up a rideshare plea on the college bulletin board. MADem Feb 2016 #91

73% of HBCU students attend public universities. JonLeibowitz Feb 2016 #51

What is this essay even SAYING? UGH~~! That because the percentage is "small" that these students MADem Feb 2016 #60

The percentage of private HBCU students is small relative to public+private HBCU students. JonLeibowitz Feb 2016 #62

The essay you cite sounds a bit like "Screw those black kids" to me. MADem Feb 2016 #64

I don't get that impression at all. But it doesn't matter what I think about tone(as I am not a PoC) JonLeibowitz Feb 2016 #66

UGH. This isn't about NUMBERS. MADem Feb 2016 #70

The argument isn't that the numbers overall justify hurting HBCU JonLeibowitz Feb 2016 #105

So, let's get rid of Harvard, the oldest college in our nation.... MADem Feb 2016 #107

Excellent post. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #73

I benefitted from virtually tuition free education at Cal in the 60's tularetom Feb 2016 #6

My college related expenses for 5 years LibDemAlways Feb 2016 #21

I Support a Democrat in the White House Stallion Feb 2016 #7

I support someone who aims high and will fight for his ideals that benefit the average citizen Art_from_Ark Feb 2016 #9

Pessimism is its own reward. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #12

Its Called Math Stallion Feb 2016 #13

I'm sure they said that when the idea of free high school was introduced. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #18

46 Less than 60 Stallion Feb 2016 #44

I support a champion of Democratic values in the White House senz Feb 2016 #43

There is no downside to making public colleges and universities tuition free. LibDemAlways Feb 2016 #10

Not true! kennetha Feb 2016 #14

California had free state colleges in the 1950s & 60s. Worked just fine. senz Feb 2016 #47

My tuition as a graduate student was free Art_from_Ark Feb 2016 #87

Sad that a few decades later, some who call themselves "Democrats" senz Feb 2016 #92

Absolutely Art_from_Ark Feb 2016 #93

I think we need another option on your poll. Lucinda Feb 2016 #11

What other option would you suggest? JDPriestly Feb 2016 #26

I know the problems much better than the solutions. Lucinda Feb 2016 #36

You have some good ideas. From the poll, you can see that free tuition is JDPriestly Feb 2016 #40

We can also already wipe out the planet several times over, it seems to me that some of that Lucinda Feb 2016 #42

I would love HillDawg Feb 2016 #15

What would you suggest? That's why I asked for comments. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #25

It's already free for lower income students in California flamingdem Feb 2016 #17

Graduate students often get jobs teaching. They are not well or adequately paid, JDPriestly Feb 2016 #35

I did my masters in the UC system and didn't have a cent of debt flamingdem Feb 2016 #38

That tax covers it and educating the next generation nadinbrzezinski Feb 2016 #20

I think it's way more complicated than this mythology Feb 2016 #23

Rich kids get free education. Do you think that they value it less for that reason? JDPriestly Feb 2016 #37

I support free tuition and fees but Bernie's plan is a bunch of nonsense alcibiades_mystery Feb 2016 #24

What plan would you suggest that would work? JDPriestly Feb 2016 #29

Yes, I have applied for FAFSA and I pay monthly on my (very modest, admittedly) student loan alcibiades_mystery Feb 2016 #41

There is nothing "ridiculous" about 1960s California and present-day Europe. senz Feb 2016 #48

That may be true, but you will not get there following Bernie's plan alcibiades_mystery Feb 2016 #96

What is a speculative Wall Street trade? Yupster Feb 2016 #28

I think it is the fast trades. Probably not what you do with your IRA. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #31

You're right Yupster Feb 2016 #58

The idea is to impose a tiny tax on the many, many, many trades and I believe JDPriestly Feb 2016 #76

I would go a lot farther than this. Kalidurga Feb 2016 #30

State universities in Canada pay 2/3 of the cost of tuition. The applegrove Feb 2016 #33

That would be a start. Someone above also suggested that costs should be JDPriestly Feb 2016 #39

As long as workers retirement accounts and state pension funds are exempted from the tax geek tragedy Feb 2016 #45

How would this raise constitutional questions if it's already been done with no problem? senz Feb 2016 #53

Most of the FTT revenue studies exclude those types of funds. JonLeibowitz Feb 2016 #54

Yes. And a lot of the trades are there to hedge or to "make" the market appear JDPriestly Feb 2016 #77

With education all problems we have can be solved madokie Feb 2016 #46

Madokie, you see eye to eye with our nation's founders on this. senz Feb 2016 #59

Why not extend public education for all students beyond gr12 gwheezie Feb 2016 #52

Interesting ideas. Sort of reminds me of the European system. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #78

Well at least we now know who the Republicans in Democratic clothing around DU are... JonLeibowitz Feb 2016 #55

And we know who doesn't understand a damn thing about the historical and cultural significance MADem Feb 2016 #61

This is how Bernie proposes to pay for free tuition on public colleges & universities. senz Feb 2016 #56

Thanks. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #79

HOW COULD DU OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT SUCH A TERRIBLE THING! mhatrw Feb 2016 #68

When I attended undergraduate school back in the late 70s to mid-80s, PatrickforO Feb 2016 #85

HEY PEOPLE, DeeBunker Feb 2016 #90

I support it (nt) bigwillq Feb 2016 #94

I'm a Bernie supporter but honestly am not crazy about this TheFarseer Feb 2016 #95

Not voting for this yet. But I have questions and concerns..... Adrahil Feb 2016 #97

"Free" is a word we need to stop using. NCTraveler Feb 2016 #98

Isn't the Sanders campaign the ones that keeps saying it's "free" ? n/t MichMan Feb 2016 #100

It is free to the student at the time of matriculation and attendance. JDPriestly Feb 2016 #114

Costs vary wildly MichMan Feb 2016 #99

The young are our future,educating them will more then pay for itself. libtodeath Feb 2016 #103

There are a lot of great private schoools besides HBCU MichMan Feb 2016 #104

The poll results speak for themselves. I am surprised, but the time for free tuition at JDPriestly Feb 2016 #109

How could ANY Democrat oppose the general concept? BillZBubb Feb 2016 #106

You need a special option for for college employees: "I support it but wait until after I retire." Gidney N Cloyd Feb 2016 #112

Our national gross income and GDP are very nearly rnk6670 Feb 2016 #113

I support mvd Feb 2016 #115