OPINION:
“No free lunch” is an old but true bromide. There is also no such thing as a free college education.
A free college education is not funded by Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders or a generous government. The money would be taken from the wallets of American taxpayers. While it is highly unlikely that Congress would ever force states to provide college education tuition-free, what bothers me is that so many people think this is a great idea.
Just who would (unfairly) benefit and who would (unfairly) bear the cost? Obviously the benefit goes to the college graduate, and the cost is shared by all taxpayers. To me the great unfairness of such a proposal is that those who do not go to college or do not finish college would be forced to help subsidize those who do. Approximately 70 percent of the population has high school degrees or less. The average person with a bachelor’s degree will have, on average, a lifetime income of more than $1,000,000 more than the average person with a high school degree. An advanced degree would provide an even greater income over a lifetime. How fair is it for the less wealthy to have to subsidize the wealthier? I am waiting to hear the liberal outrage.
A college degree can also be one’s ticket to more interesting and challenging careers. A good education is the best foundation for a life richer in understanding the world around us. I realize college can be expensive. I also realize that millions of Americans have made the effort in time and money to get that sheepskin. Here’s the thing: America is the land of opportunity. It is not the land of the free lunch.
ED NICHOLS
Montgomery Village, Md.
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