Higher Education Proposal

[louis c]

Here's my idea, which I have given quite a lot of thought to. The Democratic Party owes the young people of America and the American Middle Class. It's always a good thing to do the right thing and the residual affect is that it's good politics, too.

Every High School Graduate who is less than 30 years old who successfully finishes two years of College (including community college) would qualify for a 50% rebate of their tuition for their Junior year to a state college or university if it has been successfully completed and an 80% rebate to a state college or university for their Senior year upon graduation and receiving a degree.

Who likes my idea?

[Romulox]

1. Um "less than 30 years old"? Nonstarter. nt

[louis c]

2. Why?

that's OK, leave it out. The first two years are on the student, anyway.

I was just thinking that we should take the burden off of young people just starting out and their parents and reduce the need for student loans.

But if the age thing needs to be adjusted or eliminated, there is certainly room for discussion.

[Romulox]

3. Because discrimination on the basis of age is wrong? Especially when those over 30 will be expected

to *pay* for this benefit...

[louis c]

4. Then eliminate it, now what do you think of the idea?

it certainly is the least important part of the proposal. I just gave you my reasons for the age thing, but it's not a non-starter to leave it out.

[Romulox]

5. I think existing colleges cost too much and give too little. Subsidizing them

has been shown to do nothing but fuel double digit tuition increases. Higher education, meanwhile, returns less and less to the student, while demanding more and more.

I'm not sure that the answer is more subsidy into the existing system. If demand for higher education so outstrips supply that people are willing to pay 5 or 10% more for it this year than last and go $100,000 or more into debt for it, then I suggest we expand the number of colleges and universities to meet some of this demand. That would take substantial money, yes, but it would be spread around in a more productive way than simply channeling more taxpayer money to the college-loan servicers and financiers.

And as a bonus, it would provide excellent job opportunities to the very class of people--college educated professionals, who now are struggling to pay off those exorbitant loans for all those under-performing degrees.

[louis c]

8. That's Why I Have Stipulated Only State Run Schools

you can put cost controls on them

[Savannahmann]

6. Why not take it further?

With the enormous cost of Education, can't we put a cap on what Universities charge people who are desperately trying to get a better life.

[exboyfil]

7. Lets put for profits aside for a moment

and talk about traditional institutions. As far as public institutions they are struggling desperately to make budgets given the cut backs from states. In my state at least education spending has grown with the tax base, but almost all the growth in spending has gone for K-12. The only way to change it would be to tax more for higher education (our top marginal is 9% which starts at $66K).

[SickOfTheOnePct]

9. Public universities yes

Private universities, no.