Posted on 12/24/2004 9:22:10 AM PST by postitnews.com
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Shocked - Americans might have to pay for their own education!
The Bush Administration's new restrictions on federal financial aid will move college further out of the reach of American students, denying them the opportunity for a better life that college provides. Even the Grinch only stole one Christmas -- this decision will steal lifetimes of possibility.
Over the last three years, tuitions have risen by 35 percent, and as a result, some 220,000 young people have already been priced out of college. Instead of taking strong steps to address this problem, however, Republicans are making it worse, forcing students to fend for themselves. Democrats believe that if students work hard and do well, they should have the opportunity to succeed by going to college.
Pell Grants used to cover three-quarters of the cost of tuition at a state school. Now they barely cover one-third of those costs. We should be doubling Pell grants, not slashing them. As a nation, we simply cannot afford to fail our young people.
Editor's Note: Maybe left-wing college professors are to blame with over-priced salaries. Sounds to me like a good opportunity to outsource!
Then she should be trying to ban the NEA, that would go a long way.
Nancy Pelosi Shocked. :)
Get rid of some of the Liberal professors and maybe conservatives will be more willing to support colleges.
Students who do work hard do get the oppurtunity. Its called scholarships. Also, usually, students pay for college with a job, but of course, I get it, they shouldnt even have to do that little much.
I think Rush had it best on this when he brought up the point about paying for things you want. I wasn't above working my way through school.
Hard core dyed in the cashmere limousine liberal SOCIALIST.
college is over-rated.
If kids like me can't get to college w/o gov't interfering (i mean helping), we're a lost generation.
Agreed! And when I did it I was divorced mom without any child support and sometimes worked three jobs. I had an aunt who I lived with and she helped with the kids. We all made it to see better days!
Well, let's see. Salaries of professors have basically kept up with inflation, which is about 8% over 3 years. So what explains the other 27%? State aid and so forth has stayed pretty steady, been cut in some states, so that would explain part of the increase, but what about the rest?
Well, there's a pretty simple explanation: Colleges are empire building, spending lots of money on "staff" who have nothing to do with instruction or research for that matter. I know one local school of agriculture that has 19 associate deans. Multiply that by 15 or so schools/colleges at any large state university and you'll see why the costs are rising--it's due to administrative expansion, not professor salaries, and not evil Republicans.
Dems can't grasp the concept that higher education, like health care, pizza, housing, video games, Nike shoes and the like, is just another commodity. Why they think other taxpayers should foot the bill for everyone else - that is, the ones who don't want to work hard enough to earn the money to pay for these things - is beyond me.
Nancy Pelosi thinks higher education should be an entitlement? I had to pay my way in college - I certainly didn't get a free ride! Its not like people who can qualify for college are being turned away simply for lack of money.
That's alright nancy, the mean ol Bush administration took away all of the good paying jobs anyways. < sarcasm >
If Pell Grants were doubled, tuition would start skyrocketing to absorb the new potential revenue. Such an increase would only help college students at the margins, as the colleges would raise tuition and absorb the Pell Grant revenue just like a sponge. Someone needs to show Congressperson Pelosi a supply and demand graph.
Um.....If one has actually bothered to read the book one would know that the Grinch didn't end up stealing any Christmases.
Furthermore, why on Earth is a minority leader of the most powerful nation in the history of the world likening political policy to children's' stories?
I'm assuming it's because her constituency only understands government at a 3rd grade level.
Just as in health care, third party payments are driving up the costs to the point where it's hard to afford college without them. Get rid of government funding and tuitions will probably start going down.
We are above average income and can help our son with college. Instead he's doing it on his own. Proof that an individual can get a college education.
4.5 years in the Marines, with a $28,000 kick out; and now Army ROTC at UCLA with the prospect the Army will pick up his post-graduate school.
It's still the government/taxpayer money, but with service as the reciprocal.
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