Children are our future? Michigan Dems act like they really believe that (Free college tuition)

[LuckyTheDog]

Michigan Senate Democrats are swinging for the fences. The Dems want to offer tuition-free higher education to qualified young people who graduate from the state’s K-12 system – and they want to pay for that by repealing corporate tax breaks.

At first blush, that might sound like a hippy-dippy fantasy dreamed up in the tents of the Occupy Detroit movement. It also could be the best thing that ever happened to free enterprise and entrepreneurship in this state since Henry Ford learned to use a wrench.

Under the proposal, called Michigan 2020, Michigan high school graduates would be eligible to receive a grant for tuition and other costs at one of Michigan’s public community colleges or universities. The price tag for the plan, which is based loosely on the Kalamazoo Promise program, is estimated to be about $1.8 billion per year. That money, the backers say, could come from closing “the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying taxes.”

In an announcing of the plan, Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement, “It’s time for us to be bold and there’s no better place for us to start than by giving each and every child in Michigan the chance to compete in the 21st Century job market.”

More here: http://www.northstarwriters.com/2012/01/18/children-are-our-future-michigan-dems-act-like-they-really-believe-that/#more-9683

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Given that is one of those demands from the Occupy movement

yup...

[woo me with science]

5. +1

Really, the Occupy movement is the first time I have seen anyone identify what is really going on in our education policy: the transformation of higher education from a leg up toward a better life into one more debt trap enriching the one percent.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. I think we need to save Detroit's public schools

(among other things) first


Not that I am against the idea, I just think we need to get our ducks in a row before we to shopping for more ducks.

[exboyfil]

3. The ironic thing in our state

is that we are looking at reducing taxes on corporations. With the state universities sitting on $23K/yr projected for in state students and $25K/yr for engineering students (all expenses included) and little merit money available, it seems we are moving in the opposite direction.

[LuckyTheDog]

4. Michigan could jump to the head of the class if the Senate bill were to be adopted

But I doubt that is going to happen.