[ReinholdNiebuhr]

I tend to lean libertarian, so that's my bias. I'll be upfront with that. That said, I'd be okay eliminating student loans both in government and even in private markets. Like private personal loans take over. I think it would work out over time.

I can't speak for the overall society, but I know personally I noticed locally amongst friends and family that when student loans became more widespread under Obama local private companies stopped paying for their employers to get nursing degrees, or other degrees. My sister got her RN and Masters degree through a program at the hospital she worked at, starting as a receptionist when 16. I knew someone who was a dishwasher at a michelin star restaurant and they paid for his culinary degree and worked to develop him. He's running his own joint now. It seems now not many employers are willing to pay the bill for education as the government is there to do that for them. I can't say this is perfect.. it seems any way you cut it people are going to get thrown under the bus.

Personally I paid upfront for college after years of working various jobs, I cherished every class a whole lot more I feel. Sure it's history and political science that I majored in, degrees many would view as useless. I think said studies are more vaulable when you're older, after you start building a life/career as they can certainly add compliment to one's understanding of reality. That said, I'm not advocating people not go into said fields at a younger age, it's a tricky issue. I know I would have hated studying STEM related stuff when younger and even when I went to college at an older age. Now I'm working on aquaculture stuff.. go figure.

[aplummer]

This would exclude so many smart kids from college. People who work a ton of jobs but support disabled family members for example.

> “it seems any way you cut it people are going to get thrown under the bus.”

Incorrect, every other western country at least has a pretty workable system.

[ReinholdNiebuhr]

"people are going to get thrown under the bus", can include rich being over taxed to pay for free college for the masses. My statement was meant to be broad in that someone is going to get screwed, rich or poor.

[Fomite]

The thing is the magnitudes are different. Calling them both "getting thrown under the bus" suggests they're equivalent.

The rich (myself included in that statement) are doing just fine, and could shoulder a little more without major setbacks. The poor are already dealing with a system that is bringing social mobility to a halt.

[ReinholdNiebuhr]

Future is iffy to predict, one could include overbudernsome regulations and heavier than expected taxes. Sort of depends on which way the politics shifts. Generally the pendulum ends up in the center after swinging left to right etc. So who knows what'll be like in 2030-2040. Getting thrown under the bus is simplistic term sure, however if I recall if half the population wants more and more, and the population that is sought after to pay for it is the rich, the burden will continue to grow. Thus we get into the same debate that is all over the net and media these days of paying fair share etc.

I was poor, now I'm above average. I would say maybe upper middle class now due to my business ventures, but before school which I paid for out of pocket through jobs I worked + having to pay for life's other nonsense things, so I'm not totally sympathetic to others in the same situation. By poor, I mean I was living in a house I bought for cheap as it was a foreclosure in a poor neighborhood, working two full time jobs and going to school part time/half time (9 credits per semester). Had to pay for my own health insurance, car insurance (1988 beretta's aren't the most reliable of transportations), plus two children, one with medical conditions. So to me idk, like I said I don't have much sympathy and think plenty should be able to adapt.