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Waiting For Everyman

(9,385 posts)
77. We had free tuition to state universities in the 1960s.
Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:50 PM
Jun 2016

I know, because I went then, all it required was a "B" average and state residency. Were we so rich then, and so poor now?

Instead of making you guess, I'll tell you, three key things were different: one, most state universities were state-owned and therefore held all college costs down competitively, since then most have been privatized; two, we had a very high top tier tax rate, like 80% and that's why there weren't ridiculously high salaries then, creating needless billionaires, and instead we had a very large, very strong middle class; and three, we were in a space-race with the Russians, and the PTB figured they (temporarily) needed to develop all the talent we had. Those with grades in the top 3% of the graduating class were courted and recruited like sports stars are now, I'm now even kidding.

Funny, what can be done when there's a desire to do it.

Because going to college wasn't dependent on MONEY, those who were there really belonged there, and you didn't have wealthy dipshits from all over the world taking up the openings, buying their way through and driving up the cost for everyone else to be paying off for a decade or two.

I won't even go into the over-blown administrators' salaries today and the price of sports facilities for teams to cater to the betting public driving up tuition for no reason.

This college mess today is nothing but another malignant bubble which needs to pop. Young people today deserve free college as we had before, and those already in debt from it need some major government-funded relief. Most of all it should be super easy and cheap for anyone who has some college to finish their degree.

Today, most of those people are blocked from continuing, by the debt they acquired while getting some of the needed credits, without having the higher paying job a degree would give them, to pay it off. It's not a bit fair. And just wrong. Banks are keeping peoples' lives on hold for years and years, for no good reason. It's like indentured servitude today. It's total bullshit.

I'm 66, and I'm sick and tired of watching the useless money machine devouring everything and everyone else. It's time to knock these overbearing "giants" back down to size, and there are techniques which have worked in the past for doing just that. We don't even need to reinvent the wheel, all we need is the will. Bernie is the focal point of that will. His ideas would give us a much better quality of life, and they are not bullshit they are real and doable.

judging by the "free tuition" signs I see hill2016 Jun 2016 #1
How the Republican Obsession With 'Free Stuff' Could Backfire portlander23 Jun 2016 #3
It's "funny" how eager Clinton supporters are LWolf Jun 2016 #88
Funny how eager Sanders supporters are to adopt the Republican obsession with Hillary's emails oberliner Jun 2016 #103
I don't care about her damned emails. LWolf Jun 2016 #117
Understood oberliner Jun 2016 #118
TRUTH IS TRUTH No Matter The SOURCE! Then Again Are Lies Lies No Matter The Voice? CorporatistNation Jun 2016 #120
So on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough (conservative) tells the truth and Rachel Maddow (liberal) doesn't? oberliner Jun 2016 #121
How did Bill win in '96 again? azurnoir Jun 2016 #125
It must be a Clinton thing. LWolf Jun 2016 #126
Is "free tuition" a bad thing? pinebox Jun 2016 #24
Without out limits and qualifications... absolutely. beachbum bob Jun 2016 #31
Explain please. pinebox Jun 2016 #32
free (heavily subsidized) health insurance doesn't mean health care for all alc Jun 2016 #53
I KNOW This May Have Been Proposed Before... BUT ChiciB1 Jun 2016 #75
Actually it does mean that in countries like pinebox Jun 2016 #123
College not an entitlement...plain and simple beachbum bob Jun 2016 #83
That isn't an argument. You just restated your position. Marr Jun 2016 #90
The right wing of the Democrtic Party thinks ... Yurovsky Jun 2016 #92
True. I think there are also a lot of follower-types whose Marr Jun 2016 #93
Yep... That's why they can support a candidate who hasn't ... Yurovsky Jun 2016 #98
Kids who can qualify...which means have the smarts ..and need financial help...should get it.. beachbum bob Jun 2016 #119
Not all free, not all Universities, public universities All in it together Jun 2016 #128
beachbum bob—ConservaDems, Corporate Dems, craven Dems…are not entitled to anyone’s votes. CobaltBlue Jun 2016 #97
He sounds like a Libertarian, word for word pinebox Jun 2016 #124
Can you please link me to any speech from Bernie where he didn't mention the word "qualified" in NorthCarolina Jun 2016 #81
Absolutely wrong. Every high school grad in California back in the 60s libdem4life Jun 2016 #91
The promise of free tuition without having the ability to accomplish it IS a bad thing... yawnmaster Jun 2016 #82
I keep seeing this 'dirty liberals want free stuff' meme from your corner. Marr Jun 2016 #45
They are republicans. JRLeft Jun 2016 #85
Marr—I think people choose a party more for social than any other ideals. … CobaltBlue Jun 2016 #99
Corporate tax loopholes and putting money offshore to evade taxes is FREE STUFF for Larkspur Jun 2016 #59
It means they need to be heard and taken seriously. They are inheriting appalachiablue Jun 2016 #2
being taken seriously requires acting in a serious manner. geek tragedy Jun 2016 #6
Not taken seriously by who? Young people will support and vote appalachiablue Jun 2016 #8
Young people who keep an open mind and are open to doing the geek tragedy Jun 2016 #10
They know what they're doing, and it's their decision, not yours. That's all. appalachiablue Jun 2016 #12
yes, and decisions have consequences geek tragedy Jun 2016 #16
You've said that at least three times. Judging by the posts here appalachiablue Jun 2016 #17
"deciding to stay home means they don't count"... ljm2002 Jun 2016 #19
How dare you not vote for my candidate! MillennialDem Jun 2016 #23
''the adults in the room' Ichingcarpenter Jun 2016 #14
if they aren't going to be allies in the fight against Trump geek tragedy Jun 2016 #15
See here's the thing... ljm2002 Jun 2016 #20
Yep, keep treating Bernie voters like trash and they'll hate you. MillennialDem Jun 2016 #25
They see both as sides of the same bad coin and choice dealt to them Ichingcarpenter Jun 2016 #29
yeah yeah, and Bush=Gore according to this group of geniuses way back when geek tragedy Jun 2016 #37
No that meme or toon is from the Brits and it was left right during not later than 2010 Ichingcarpenter Jun 2016 #49
anyone who's indifferent between Clinton and Trump is the one geek tragedy Jun 2016 #52
They are not indifferent..... Your condensing moronic logic doesn't get it. Ichingcarpenter Jun 2016 #57
And they won't get off your lawn, either. (nt) jeff47 Jun 2016 #21
as long as they get out of the way of those trying to stop Trump, fine. geek tragedy Jun 2016 #39
Well, they actually get to live through the repercussions of the decisions you made. jeff47 Jun 2016 #46
yes, Democrats are to blame for all problems, never mind the Republicans controlling Congress geek tragedy Jun 2016 #50
And those Democratic losses were caused by.......? jeff47 Jun 2016 #54
Democrats have controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress 4 years of the past 36 geek tragedy Jun 2016 #58
Do you just need me to quote my post verbatim? jeff47 Jun 2016 #78
Republicans are the party that opposes change. So the constitution is rigged in their favor. geek tragedy Jun 2016 #79
It has a lot to do with clueless people making garbage claims like "Republican-lite" and... Lord Magus Jun 2016 #95
Allowing illogical voters a chance to be illogical TeacherB87 Jun 2016 #33
the idea that a big sweeping revolution will come along and bring about geek tragedy Jun 2016 #40
Seriously by who? BlindTiresias Jun 2016 #48
Yes, as will every other organism alive today, nt geek tragedy Jun 2016 #51
That is a good observation, just look at the GOP acting like fools and picking a real rich fool Rex Jun 2016 #94
He's best as an independent voice I think geek tragedy Jun 2016 #100
It seems that many older 'I got mine f u' Hillary supporters J_J_ Jun 2016 #9
It is not only millennials. Skwmom Jun 2016 #4
Trump will fix that. YouDig Jun 2016 #5
most milennials are adults and will recognize the need to defeat Trump geek tragedy Jun 2016 #7
Here's the thing - if they're legal adults, they can still vote. Just like this person MillennialDem Jun 2016 #28
It means Kall Jun 2016 #11
I think your view of the past thucythucy Jun 2016 #47
Nobody thinks, or knows, that these problems will be addressed by a Trump presidency. djean111 Jun 2016 #55
Hard to say thucythucy Jun 2016 #60
I am 70, a woman, and experienced many of the things that you did. djean111 Jun 2016 #65
I pretty much agree with you. thucythucy Jun 2016 #69
Statistics don't lie. If the minimum wage had kept up Kall Jun 2016 #67
Clintonism is the Reagan Democrats who grew up on the government's milk and then wanted burgers MisterP Jun 2016 #72
political newbies: We know better!!! BootinUp Jun 2016 #13
So let's go ahead and talk down to the largest voting block? pinebox Jun 2016 #27
I'd tell them to get off twitter and try to learn something about government. nt BootinUp Jun 2016 #34
I'd tell you to start using Twitter pinebox Jun 2016 #38
Its a great tool. At the same time its being used to spread all kinds BootinUp Jun 2016 #41
Disinformation is every where including here. pinebox Jun 2016 #43
Very true. nt BootinUp Jun 2016 #44
Are you saying that millennials are the largest voting bloc? Lord Magus Jun 2016 #96
The timing of all this is good. Let them get out their youthful frustrations all summer, and anotherproletariat Jun 2016 #18
Um portlander23 Jun 2016 #22
I'm saying that the choice is very stark. The two candidates could not be more different. anotherproletariat Jun 2016 #36
You have to know that was a very condescending thing to say. thucythucy Jun 2016 #61
No, I honestly think that the violent part of the movement will wear itself out. anotherproletariat Jun 2016 #63
Well, let's all hope there's no violence. thucythucy Jun 2016 #66
We Millenials need to defeat Trump and the Republicans forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #26
Hell no and #HillNo pinebox Jun 2016 #30
Yep, we've totallly "defeated that" and the Dems are just sandbagging to serve corporate mastes forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #70
I look forward to you working in the political world WhiteTara Jun 2016 #62
I'm really looking into it forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #71
every county has a democratic central committee and some sort of club WhiteTara Jun 2016 #73
I think it's time voters over 45 did their part icecreamfan Jun 2016 #74
"We're here, we're mad, we....hey, what's on Netflix?" Tarc Jun 2016 #35
Either does "Hillary is going to win! Hurry! Dick Van Dyke is on!" pinebox Jun 2016 #42
Yeah BlindTiresias Jun 2016 #56
Samders promising free college educations is like a one legged man in a butt kicking contest...not demosincebirth Jun 2016 #64
demosincebirth Ichingcarpenter Jun 2016 #68
Oh, now you're also the self appointed spelling monitor. Good work! demosincebirth Jun 2016 #129
We had free tuition to state universities in the 1960s. Waiting For Everyman Jun 2016 #77
And losing. It means nothing to the Democratic Party. Most never bothered to register to vote. tonyt53 Jun 2016 #76
This message was self-deleted by its author artislife Jun 2016 #80
ticked off baby boomers, Gen-Xers, Hispanics and African-Americans are telling millennials to STFU wyldwolf Jun 2016 #84
Not this ticked off Gen-Xer PowerToThePeople Jun 2016 #104
Yeah, that changes everything. wyldwolf Jun 2016 #105
Does not change your lie into truth. PowerToThePeople Jun 2016 #106
What lie? The facts don't lie. wyldwolf Jun 2016 #114
The problem with ignoring the millennials is you may lose them in the future by actions now. EndElectoral Jun 2016 #86
They really don't care BlindTiresias Jun 2016 #89
Message auto-removed Name removed Jun 2016 #87
Sanders' only appeal with the Millenials is the trillions in new entitlements that Sanders is Trust Buster Jun 2016 #101
Free Stuff portlander23 Jun 2016 #102
You sound foolish. Sanders was proposing "free" tuition. To deny that is to deny reality. Trust Buster Jun 2016 #107
Free Stuff portlander23 Jun 2016 #108
You haven't followed Sanders closely then. He is proposing free college tuition that others will be Trust Buster Jun 2016 #109
This message was self-deleted by its author portlander23 Jun 2016 #110
Forced to Pay For portlander23 Jun 2016 #111
Sure people will be forced to pay. How else do you think that the money can be raised to pay Trust Buster Jun 2016 #112
Oh! The unfairness of taxes! And people being forced to pay for other's peoples free stuff!!! portlander23 Jun 2016 #113
Easy to say if you aren't the one paying them. If paying for the tuition is not an issue, then let Trust Buster Jun 2016 #115
Taxed enough already!! portlander23 Jun 2016 #116
I don't think the people are subsidizing colleges enough. David__77 Jun 2016 #127
lot's to be learned by these emerging voters bigtree Jun 2016 #122
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