Name: Christy Thomas Column

Writing

I remember reading an article on Twitter about a girl who got rammed by a city bus.
Despite her near-death experience, she received enough money from the lawsuit to pay
off her $120,000 student loans. She may be in physical therapy for most of her life, but
on the bright side, at least she won’t be drowning in debt like the rest of her generation.
In 2020, the United States student loan debt hit a whopping 1.7 trillion spread out
amongst 44.7 million borrowers. In other Western countries like Switzerland, the price of
college is at a measly $4,000 per year. That is the power of progressive policies. Rather
than investing in filling corporate pockets and manufacturing the most destructive
weapons, those countries invest in their citizens. The U.S. should give it a try.
One way to finance colleges is through budget cuts. Congress spent almost $718
billion on the military in 2019. Surprisingly, that figure was actually lower compared to
what it used to be. A small percentage of that (11% to be exact) could pay for the
estimated $80 billion dollar cost to make all public universities free. But that’s
communism.
At least that is what the Republicans like Mitch Mcconnell and Chris Christie say.
According to the GOP, the military protects American liberties across the globe.
However, it is safe to assume that most American freedoms are not threatened by a war
in some corner of the Middle East. Most democratic countries do not have 800 military
bases like the US, but their rights still seem to be entact. National security is not just a
range of bombs, missiles, and nukes. It also means improving the lives of daily
Americans. A cutdown on the military budget can potentially provide free tuition to
students of all incomes.
Another approach is to tax the top 1%. The top 1 percent includes about 1.13
million families who make an average income of about $2.1 million. Increasing their
taxes to about 45% can bring in $276 billion in revenue. This too is scrutinized by the
Republican party. Apparently, Jeff Bezos, who has a net worth of $191 billion, would be
too poor with his remaining $85 billion.
College was already toppling over. Then, the coronavirus hit. Most state universities
were struggling to maintain large budget holes because they rely mostly on student
tuition. Contrary to popular belief, financial aid only incentivizes colleges to increase
tuition prices. Moreover, most universities keep their profits hidden away in bonds to
keep their administrations rich.
An universal college program could fix these cracks and embolden the idea of
college as a public good. This prospect won’t turn America into a dirt poor
Venezuelan-type state. Rather, it can provide millions of students with the ability to enter
the workforce without the burden of student debt looming over their heads.