(This image is from the Facebook page Being Liberal.)Some of you may think that's a crazy idea -- free college. But it actually makes a lot of sense, and it would be cost-effective (which right-wingers usually think is a good thing). Those who get a degree will pay a lot more in taxes over their lifetime than if they did not have a degree -- and the extra taxes they would pay would far exceed the cost of their college education to the government. Other countries already do this. Why shouldn't we do it (at least for poor and working class students who have demonstrated the capability to do college level work)?
What we are currently doing simply makes no sense. The government is trying to make money off loaning money to students to go to college. This keeps a lot of qualified students from attending college (because they don't want to incur a mountain of debt). And it ties others to many years of trying to pay back huge college loans (with money that could be going to buying a house or doing many other things that would benefit the economy at large).
Our country needs an educated populace, especially in these modern times -- and the more educated our populace is, the better it is for this country. Why then do we consider it a good thing to put roadblocks in the way of a student seeking a higher education? Why are our leaders too stupid to see all of the benefits to our government and our society at large by making college free (or very cheap)?
