News Obama: Free Community College for All

[Barry-xlovecam]

OK! Free! The CollegeTube.gov has arrived!

Well, we all know this proposal will not be free -- it will cost us. But is the cost worth the gain? A good technical trade skills education is necessary in today's world. The current secondary education system in the USA is not accomplishing this but will this proposal for a community college mandate accomplish this or just output graduates that are useless at government expense?

We don?t need more educated generalists today we need technically (digitally) adept graduates.

Obama to propose two free years of community college - CBS News

It?s all over the news and now the House can come out against education expenditures while continuing the important things that we need to spend money on (to get reelected). </sarcasm>

[MaDalton]

welcome to the rest of the (civilized) world?

[bronco67]

It would probably be more important for pre-school to be subsidized. Just imagine how much better off the country would be if every child, regardless of what's going on at home was able to get an education before public school. Think about the crimes that will never be committed because some kid got on the right track early.

My wife is a teacher, and sees the difference between kids who went to pre-k versus the ones with no previous formal education. My 4 month old daughter just started day care, and it's basically a school with a curriculum. She'll be there all the way up until the time she goes to kindergarten. There's no one who can tell me she(or any other kid) won't have a head start against other kids who can't afford it.

The country would be better off if EVERY child had the opportunity to do this. It's the one socialist thing that even rich people should get behind. Those tax dollars paying for that inner city kid's pre-school might be the thing that keeps that same kid from breaking into your house 20 years later to murder your family --- or gives you an employee who will increase your profits.

[SCORE Ralph]

Amen to both comments @MaDalton @bronco67

[OldJeff]

By Free he means more taxes.

But............ I think post HS Education should be available to those that cannot afford it, and as anti socialist as I am I could get behind this, AND a real healthcare solution, paid for not by increasing taxes, but by eliminate bullshit government spending

[Barry-xlovecam]

If I had my choice were my taxes were spent -- education would be better than a lot of the political pork spending. There should be better standards for taxpayer paid education with regard to eligibility.

We don't need to create pass through nitwits with community college AA degrees as ''file clerk" or "computer data entry." High School educations should adequately prepare persons for quality entry level jobs and not just High School graduate burger flippers or WalMart cashiers.

[poncabare]

throwing money at problems is always the best solution

[bronco67]

throwing money at problems is always the best solution

What else is there to throw at it?

[TCLGirls]

A win for education.

[aka123]

welcome to the rest of the (civilized) world?

I was thinking more like "Big news! Someone has invented a wheel.", but that too will do fine.

[420]

What else is there to throw at it?

strippers

[aka123]

strippers

Sounds good, if we are talking about them going to college.

[Vendzilla]

Sure sounds good, but with the present drop out rate in just high schools in the US, something better can be done, like just getting more high school graduates.
Community College is not expensive and there are ways already of getting a free education.

Government-Funded Preschool Is a Failure that Obama Wants to Spread Nationwide - Reason.com

Preschool has already been proven to be a failure. The fucking government has so much red tape for the teachers to do that more time is spent with the red tape than the students, so this will be another good idea but not thought out piece of shit idea by a president that's more concerned about brownie points than doing a good job, people have seen thru him and that's why his average approval rating is lower than both Bushs!

[blackmonsters]

Sure sounds good, but with the present drop out rate in just high schools in the US, something better can be done, like just getting more high school graduates.
Community College is not expensive and there are ways already of getting a free education.

Government-Funded Preschool Is a Failure that Obama Wants to Spread Nationwide - Reason.com

Preschool has already been proven to be a failure. The fucking government has so much red tape for the teachers to do that more time is spent with the red tape than the students, so this will be another good idea but not thought out piece of shit idea by a president that's more concerned about brownie points than doing a good job, people have seen thru him and that's why his average approval rating is lower than both Bushs!

The preacher of gloom and doom knows all.

[Rochard]

Education is the key to everything.

Imagine if we could double the amount of people going to college?

[baddog]

Good luck

[Vendzilla]

The preacher of gloom and doom knows all.

Too bad you didn't get educated, maybe then you would have understood what i posted. i'll try to keep it below the 7th grade level so you can understand it next time.

[Vendzilla]

Education is the key to everything.

Imagine if we could double the amount of people going to college?

i can imagine more of the same under Obama

[L-Pink]

It would probably be more important for pre-school to be subsidized. Just imagine how much better off the country would be if every child, regardless of what's going on at home was able to get an education before public school. Think about the crimes that will never be committed because some kid got on the right track early.

My wife is a teacher, and sees the difference between kids who went to pre-k versus the ones with no previous formal education. My 4 month old daughter just started day care, and it's basically a school with a curriculum. She'll be there all the way up until the time she goes to kindergarten. There's no one who can tell me she(or any other kid) won't have a head start against other kids who can't afford it.

The country would be better off if EVERY child had the opportunity to do this. It's the one socialist thing that even rich people should get behind. Those tax dollars paying for that inner city kid's pre-school might be the thing that keeps that same kid from breaking into your house 20 years later to murder your family --- or gives you an employee who will increase your profits.

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Best idea yet. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


.

[crockett]

welcome to the rest of the (civilized) world?

Oh.. You don't understand..it's "diffrent" here.. You are obviously a commie or a socialist if you think free healthcare and free education are something good.

[crockett]

Sure sounds good, but with the present drop out rate in just high schools in the US, something better can be done, like just getting more high school graduates.
Community College is not expensive and there are ways already of getting a free education.

Government-Funded Preschool Is a Failure that Obama Wants to Spread Nationwide - Reason.com

Preschool has already been proven to be a failure. The fucking government has so much red tape for the teachers to do that more time is spent with the red tape than the students, so this will be another good idea but not thought out piece of shit idea by a president that's more concerned about brownie points than doing a good job, people have seen thru him and that's why his average approval rating is lower than both Bushs!

How would anyone guess that Vendzilla would show up to parrot the Daily Fox News talking points..

[aka123]

Oh.. You don't understand..it's "diffrent" here.. You are obviously a commie or a socialist if you think free healthcare and free education are something good.

Free education and healthcare is a good thing. If that makes me socialist, maybe socialism is a good thing. If big or should I say most part of the developed world is "socialist" and you ain't, what it says about you? You are the only ones who are right? Or wrong?

[baddog]

Pre-K is a waste; nothing to be gained. All it is is subsidized babysitting.

[bronco67]

Sure sounds good, but with the present drop out rate in just high schools in the US, something better can be done, like just getting more high school graduates.
Community College is not expensive and there are ways already of getting a free education.

Government-Funded Preschool Is a Failure that Obama Wants to Spread Nationwide - Reason.com

Preschool has already been proven to be a failure. The fucking government has so much red tape for the teachers to do that more time is spent with the red tape than the students, so this will be another good idea but not thought out piece of shit idea by a president that's more concerned about brownie points than doing a good job, people have seen thru him and that's why his average approval rating is lower than both Bushs!

You can always dig up some "truth" that makes sense for your worldview.

[Due]

It would probably be more important for pre-school to be subsidized. Just imagine how much better off the country would be if every child, regardless of what's going on at home was able to get an education before public school. Think about the crimes that will never be committed because some kid got on the right track early.

My wife is a teacher, and sees the difference between kids who went to pre-k versus the ones with no previous formal education. My 4 month old daughter just started day care, and it's basically a school with a curriculum. She'll be there all the way up until the time she goes to kindergarten. There's no one who can tell me she(or any other kid) won't have a head start against other kids who can't afford it.

The country would be better off if EVERY child had the opportunity to do this. It's the one socialist thing that even rich people should get behind. Those tax dollars paying for that inner city kid's pre-school might be the thing that keeps that same kid from breaking into your house 20 years later to murder your family --- or gives you an employee who will increase your profits.

I think you are correct that people that put their kids in pre-k is better off than people who does not. I do not think it will help the society to put everyone in pre-k (free or paid), your kids and other kids have a head start because of the mentality in the home where the kids grow up.

People who put kids in pre-k is aware that education is important and / or they are busy professionals that can afford it. Typically both types of family would like to see their kids succeed in life hence they start out early.

You can help kids from troubled families to succeed in life by offering a more customized educational program followed by after-school activities that offer the stimulation and challenges they need to get a success feeling.

Offering free Pre-K and other benefits to parents who goes back to get a college degree would help both them and their kids.

I think free college would lower the high school dropout rate, I'm sure there is a lot of kids that see they have no future in college so they'll just drop out from high school if they found a cool gang or got some minimum paying job

[crockett]

You can always dig up some "truth" that makes sense for your worldview.

But he only posts facts..

[kane]

I think you are correct that people that put their kids in pre-k is better off than people who does not. I do not think it will help the society to put everyone in pre-k (free or paid), your kids and other kids have a head start because of the mentality in the home where the kids grow up.

People who put kids in pre-k is aware that education is important and / or they are busy professionals that can afford it. Typically both types of family would like to see their kids succeed in life hence they start out early.

You can help kids from troubled families to succeed in life by offering a more customized educational program followed by after-school activities that offer the stimulation and challenges they need to get a success feeling.

Offering free Pre-K and other benefits to parents who goes back to get a college degree would help both them and their kids.

I think free college would lower the high school dropout rate, I'm sure there is a lot of kids that see they have no future in college so they'll just drop out from high school if they found a cool gang or got some minimum paying job

I agree with the pre-k thoughts. Pre-k itself likely has little to do with the kid's success rate it is likely more about the parents at home and how they work with the kid. Shitty parents tend to turn out shitty kids regardless of what is available to the kids.

As for free community college curbing the high school dropout rate, I'm not so sure about that. I know a few people who have dropped out of high school and none of them did so because they thought they had no future in college. They had a million other reasons and issues most of which were that they were from fucked up families and led fucked up lives.

What I think it might do is help those kids who graduate college and are unsure what they want to do, but know they don't want to spend money going to college find some sort of direction for their lives. It may also help encourage people to become welders, electricians, plumbers, mechanics etc because they can learn a trade for free.

[onwebcam]

Government involvement is why college is so expensive now. More involvement only mans more expensive.

[SuckOnThis]

It's Obama's secret plot to make people smarter.

[Captain Kawaii]

- Just what the US needs.

[Rochard]

I thought this was just a "vague idea" and I had no idea Obama discussed it today. Right out of the gate the Republicans hated it, and it's just like Obamacare all over again - It's a Republican idea that is working in a state, the Democrats are going to steal it and make it theirs, and Republicans are going to fight it tooth and nail.

Not this shit again.

[Barry-xlovecam]

The 2 year free community college funding should be limited to technical skills like computer programming and repair, medical tech training and other specific vocational skills -- train young people to get decent paying jobs that are in demand.

If someone wants to pursue a more liberal arts education leading to a 4 year school and a bachelor degree let them pay for it -- we will end up giving them food stamps anyway. If someone wants to study mathematics or hard sciences with hopes of progressing to a 4 year university and maybe graduate school -- we need physicists and engineers -- help them to pay for that sort of education.

Buy your own ticket if you are not interested in getting an education for an in demand job. How many history instructors or professors do we need? You can't afford to give everything to everyone -- you need a return on the tax dollar -- people that get good jobs make good money and pay back tax dollars -- useful education is a good investment for a society.

[Barry-xlovecam]

I thought this was just a "vague idea" and I had no idea Obama discussed it today. Right out of the gate the Republicans hated it, and it's just like Obamacare all over again - It's a Republican idea that is working in a state, the Democrats are going to steal it and make it theirs, and Republicans are going to fight it tooth and nail.

Not this shit again.

I wondered if this is an empty offer toward a political fight -- if you come out against an education bill you look rather dim witted ... It's a political trap maybe?

[kane]

I wondered if this is an empty offer toward a political fight -- if you come out against an education bill you look rather dim witted ... It's a political trap maybe?

I wouldn't be at all shocked to hear that this is a political play. I have a feeling Obama is going to spend much of the next two years defying the republicans and trying to separate himself and the democrats from the republicans. This way going on 2016 the democrats can say, "We tried to give you free college, affordable healthcare blah blah blah and the republicans want to take it all away."

BTW I like your idea about making the free college only apply to those looking to learn a direct trade. I just read earlier tonight that only a tiny percent of the people who go to community college end up getting a 4 year degree. We shouldn't be paying for them to just spend 2 years finding themselves, but if they want to be nurses, or welders or plumbers etc then it could be a very good thing.

[fappingJack]

Good luck take care.

[mikesouth]

I dont have a problem with it BUT i think you should have to qualify for it at an educational level, too many of our public schools are little more than holding pens for the future inmates of America. but if someone wants to learn advanced skills or vocational skills Im all for it. stop the war on drugs use that money to do it, and add in pre-primary education as well

[woj]

it's hard to argue against education, it seems like a good idea...

but it also seems that training millions of webmasters/designers/programmers/photographers, etc might not be so great? Fast forward 5 years from now, and we all will be competing with millions of workers who just got out of community college, willing to work for dirt cheap... some will even have entrepreneurial drive so they will start websites, businesses, etc that will compete with us... and on top of that we paid to train them...

we all acquired valuable skills through hard work, many of us paid $$ to acquire those skills, and now everyone and their dog will have the same skills and will be competing with us...

it might be good for the economy overall, but on a personal level I see very little benefit and mostly downsides...

[MaDalton]

The usual suspects are against it - who would have thought....

[Rochard]

I wondered if this is an empty offer toward a political fight -- if you come out against an education bill you look rather dim witted ... It's a political trap maybe?

Education has always been the key to everything - make the people smarter, you will have a better, smarter country.

Is it a trap? Just like healthcare. How can you be against healthcare? On top of it, this is a Republican plan the Democrats are going to steal.

[Vendzilla]

You can always dig up some "truth" that makes sense for your worldview.

Did you know that the US is ranked 25th out of 34 countries in math and science in a study in 2009?

If the government is to do anything, it should first fix that problem, not adding to it

U.S. Students Still Lag Behind Foreign Peers, Schools Make Little Progress In Improving Achievement

or do you think that 29th is ok? Please enlighten us?

Again, that sorry excuse of a president we have would rather try for Brownie points than actually fix anythng

[kane]

it's hard to argue against education, it seems like a good idea...

but it also seems that training millions of webmasters/designers/programmers/photographers, etc might not be so great? Fast forward 5 years from now, and we all will be competing with millions of workers who just got out of community college, willing to work for dirt cheap... some will even have entrepreneurial drive so they will start websites, businesses, etc that will compete with us... and on top of that we paid to train them...

we all acquired valuable skills through hard work, many of us paid $$ to acquire those skills, and now everyone and their dog will have the same skills and will be competing with us...

it might be good for the economy overall, but on a personal level I see very little benefit and mostly downsides...

I'm not sure how much more competition it will create for individuals. One thing being in this business has taught me is that you can show 10 people exactly how to make money in it and give them a step by step manual on how to do it and nine of them will still not put in the effort.

[blackmonsters]

Government involvement is why college is so expensive now. More involvement only mans more expensive.

BaBaBaBaBULLSHIT!

Private universities are 2 and even 5 times more expensive then public universities.

Harvard ain't run by the government.

Sarah Lawrence College: $65,480 - 10 most expensive colleges - CNNMoney

[Robbie]

Education is a great thing.

But whenever this kind of thing is talked about...it leaves out a HUGE problem: A lot of kids don't LIKE going to school. They never have, they never will.

A lot of other kids are just plain out DUMB. There, I said it. It's not politically correct...but it's the truth.

So while this will indeed help the percentage of kids who just LOVE going to school and learning shit...it's not going to change society in any big way. There are way more kids that hate going to school and add in the dumbfuck lazy ones to that number and you will still have the same ones growing up to be idiots.

The ones who love school already and are really smart...they figure out a way to make it in life even without the handouts.

This will make it easier for them, which is a good thing.
But it's definitely not gonna change the trajectory of all those kids who hate school and hate authority. You can't change everybody just because you give them stuff for free.

If that worked, we would already be living in a utopian society after all these decades since "The New Deal" of FDR and the ever-growing amount of money the federal, state, county, and city govt's hand out to people.

[Robbie]

Harvard ain't run by the government.

No, but once the govt. started it's huge student loan program...the universities like Harvard saw that they could raise prices to the moon. And they did.

[dyna mo]

welcome to the rest of the (civilized) world?

post makes no sense.

you can count on 1 hand the # of free college programs on the entire planet.

[blackmonsters]

No, but once the govt. started it's huge student loan program...the universities like Harvard saw that they could raise prices to the moon. And they did.

Bullshit.

Private universities are using interest from their endowments to give student financial aid.

Harvard University's largest-in-the-country endowment saw returns of 15.4 percent in the last year, and now stands at $36.4 billion.

Harvard?s Endowment Is Bigger Than Half the World?s Economies - Business news - Boston.com


Financial aid increases by $10M | Harvard Gazette

To keep Harvard College affordable for students from every financial background, Harvard College will increase its financial aid budget for the 2013–14 academic year by $10 million, or 5.8 percent, bringing the total to a record $182 million. Since 2007, Harvard’s investment in financial aid for undergraduates at the College has increased by 88 percent.

More than 60 percent of Harvard College students annually receive need-based scholarship aid, paying on average $12,000 toward the cost of tuition, room, and board. As a result, approximately 20 percent of families pay nothing and many College students graduate debt-free.

[MaDalton]

post makes no sense.

you can count on 1 hand the # of free college programs on the entire planet.

Free education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It says the list is not complete but there are already 50 countries on there

Czech Republic and Slovakia are free too

[Vendzilla]

Just so you know, legislation that GW Bush did gave my daughter a full ride at a university. So really this is pretty much kinda lame.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/do...3_pamphlet.pdf

[mineistaken]

Oh.. You don't understand..it's "diffrent" here.. You are obviously a commie or a socialist if you think free healthcare and free education are something good.

funny to see democrat fanboy (leftist) hating on other leftists (commies, socios)

[Robbie]

funny to see democrat fanboy (leftist) hating on other leftists (commies, socios)

Pretty sure that crockett was being sarcastic.