"Make it free" doesn't work when costs are out of control, regardless of the product, service, or industry.
An idea solution would more closely connect the buyer (student) to the consequences of their decision (both good and bad) while holding the seller (university) accountable for the quality of their product/service.
Until you can address all three, there's no solution just pandering after the fact.
> I considered the alternative in my second paragraph. You didn't respond to that point. How do you reconcile meritocracy with pay-to-play?
Because it wasn't worth responding to. Most meritocracy has pieces that are pay to play. Maybe it shouldn't but acting like it doesn't is foolish.
The more interesting question is: How many students get a net benefit - financially, socially, etc - from college?
The more interesting question is: How many students get a net benefit - financially, socially, etc - from college?
From a policy perspective, the question we should be asking is "how much does society benefit from college graduates?"
If there's a net benefit to people attending college, then society should be funding it, as it's essentially "making a profit".
I also agree that changes to the funding model need to address the spiraling costs of attendance. But, I also believe much of that spiral is due to the funding model (near unlimited government backing and lack of dischargeability for the borrower).
I can say the exact same to those whose solution is to privatize everything. And frankly it seems like they're the ones who have governed the US for the last half century and the results do not seem great.
> I can say the exact same to those whose solution is to privatize everything.
Health care and higher education have moved hard the other direction.
No clue if privatization would work here - not pitching that - but the current solution has failed us and the "make it free" mantra doesn't work as long as the price is spiraling out of control.
> Health care and higher education have moved hard the other direction.
How so? I have no option to get public health care that I'm aware of; it's actually hard to imagine getting health care without being forced to pay a premium to a private company.
In both cases, private entities provide the bulk of the services, therefore you pay them.
And since you pay a fraction of the actual costs of the service for the public plans, the government subsidizes the rest.
The government is rarely the service provider for most of what they "provide" - roads are built by construction firms, medical care is mostly private doctors (the VA and HHS has some), the TSA is replaced by private firms in some places, and even nuclear missiles are manufactured by companies.
> The government is rarely the service provider for most of what they "provide" - roads are built by construction firms, medical care is mostly private doctors (the VA and HHS has some), the TSA is replaced by private firms in some places, and even nuclear missiles are manufactured by companies.
That's a deliberate policy choice. It doesn't have to be that way, but our politicians tend to be corrupted by campaign contributions and lucrative post-political jobs or (inclusive or) free-market ideologues who demand contractor bidding for any government services.
> That's a deliberate policy choice. It doesn't have to be that way, but our politicians tend to be corrupted by campaign contributions and lucrative post-political jobs or (inclusive or) free-market ideologues who demand contractor bidding for any government services.
That's a theory.
But as a former Fed, let me propose a different hypothesis: The people who want to do good work, want to grow, and want to push to the next level (whatever that is), don't go into government. Or if they do, they don't stay.
But don't believe me: if you know any US veterans, ask them about their experiences with the VA. Ask them if they've ever gone when it wasn't the only option.
I considered the alternative in my second paragraph. You didn't respond to that point. How do you reconcile meritocracy with pay-to-play?