Posted on 11/13/2015 4:28:56 AM PST by markomalley
An interview Thursday afternoon on the Fox Business Network went viral on social media after a college student guest appeared unable to answer basic questions about her proposal to make public education free, leaving many viewers scratching their heads.
Student organizer Keely Mullen told Fox's Neil Cavuto that her group, the Million Student March, is "a movement for a more equitable and fair system of education as opposed to the really corporate model that we have right now."
She added that the movement has "three core demands": Free public college, the cancellation of all student debt, and $15-an-hour minimum wage for all campus staff.
Mullen was unable, however, to explain how her group planned to finance these goals.
Cavuto asked who would pay for the movement's demands, to which she responded, "Great question. Uh, I mean, you know, so, I'm not sure if you're talking on like a national level or at particular schools, I can sort of touch on both."
"If you want all that stuff, someone has to pick up the tab, who would that be?" the Fox host asked.
"The one percent of people in society that are hoarding the wealth and really sort of causing a catastrophe that students are facing," his guest answered. "I mean we have a relationship right now where one percent of the population owns more wealth than the 99 percent combined."
Mullen is a graduate of the Francis W. Parker School, and is currently attending Northeastern University as a political science student, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
Cavuto persisted.
"The one percent just had their taxes raised a few years ago to 40 percent, then to pay for the healthcare law they had them raised a few percentage points, then they had their deductions limited to raise another couple points, where depending on state and locality, they're pushing over 50 percent in taxes. How much higher do you think, how much more do you think they should pay?" he asked.
"I think enough until we have a system where not 1 in 2 American families are threatened with poverty," Mullen responded.
"So where do they go? They're smart folks, these people, these 1 percent hoarders, right. So if they leave here, then who's going pay for all this stuff that you want?" he asked
"If they leave?"
"The country," Cavuto clarified.
"I mean, there's always going be a one percent in the U.S. The U.S. is like the bastion of capitalism and its success," Mullen said.
Cavuto asked, "Do you think the one percent could pay for all of this?"
"Absolutely! Eighty-five people in the world hold more wealth than half of the global population."
"Wait a minute," the host interjected. "So are we talking about 85 billionaires or are you extending this to the one percent or whomever earn a little bit north of $250,000? At what level, Keely, do you say you got to start paying a helluva lot more than you're paying in taxes?"
Mullen explained, "I mean, I think people earning, certainly people earning more than a million dollars a year should be contributing to the wellness of society."
And it continued on in that vein for quite a bit, leaving several viewers feeling that Mullen hadn't quite thought through the whole of her group's platform.
The interview was then picked up and distributed widely by conservative media.
All campus employees should earn a min of $15 an hour, and then taxed 90 percent on their higher wage. Then they can take home less money than when they earned only $8 an hour. I really hope her parents decide that scraping by to pay for her tuition is not worth it.
“Someone is behind the scenes pushing this.”
I believe this also.
This is a warm-up for life under a post-2016 Republican administration.
If that girl is college educated we might just as well shut down the colleges right now.
She wasted her time and mony because she is still dumber than a box of hammers.
That video is evidence that she was scammed and should demand the university refund her tuition.
The guy who runs the local lawn mowing business has a much greater understanding of economics than this brainless twit.
I’ve often asked that question of people proposing and supporting minimum wage hikes. Why not$100 an hour or a million?
When they start talking about not being able to raise a family on the current minimum wage, my question turns into, “So, can you raise a family on $XX?” (their minimum wage proposal amount), the answer is always no. It is ultimately an emotional outburst, not tied to reality or facts at all.
The funny thing is they do not do what she is asking for in Progressive Europe and they are wanting us to be like them, but no offense I do blame whatever generation had us believe that college should be for everyone because it isn’t clearly.
I watched the whole thing.
I need to get drunk to get my smarts back.
If this is demonstrative of the next generation of adults, we’re past screwed, as many of these asshats will become policy makers and bureaucrats.
Cavuto should have brought out a homeless guy who has absolutely nothing. To that homeless guy, this girl is the 1%. Cavuto should have then asked her if she and her family would be willing, right at this moment, to give up enough income to just provide the homeless man a home, food, AND the free education she wants.
My guess is this was the first time she heard of the facts presented by Cavuto which is why she dismissed them
Ah yes - the ubiquitous "comprehensive" program.
The refuge of the leftist scoundrel in Washington and the idiot socialists in liberal colleges.
When you hear either one use the word "comprehensive" you had better grab on to your wallet and your bank book.
Keely Mullen.... an idiot. If she is the best they could come up with for the leadership of this movement, no worries.
Cavuto suggested that she and her family and her friends parents have their taxes raised. She said they were already getting government assistance and couldn’t afford to pay.
You said...
“Keely Mullen.... an idiot. If she is the best they could come up with for the leadership of this movement, no worries.”
The worry comes when they get elected to high office
Pretty safe to say Ms. Mullen has not graced the halls of the mathematics or economics schools during her years in school.
Cavuto did a nice job turning the argument back on her.
I watched that. And he got her to say that she and her comrades would be more than happy to pay 90 percent in taxes once they started making good wages.
I don’t think she thought it through mathematically when she said that there will always be a one percent.
Feel the Bern
It should read:
The Stupid, It Berns
"Let's get 'em!"
That's socialism for ya.
If we had "free" college, it sure as hell wouldn't be for the masses. Little ladies like this would be tracked from middle school into being hairdressers or receptionists.
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