Recently our friend Mike, who is a millennial, wrote
about why he supports Bernie Sanders and it was very telling. It centered on
the un-affordability of college, which we totally understand. Mike agreed to let us share the conversation
with me (Rob).
MIKE: Hill + Bern
must run together. We need her experience and his ideas/passion.
The problem with Hillary, from my perspective, is that I
don't believe she's for someone like me.
I think she's for someone like her.
And I'm clearly not alone in this.
I'm not saying my life will be worse with her in office.
Odds are her policies will improve my life.
But I need someone to TRY to take it as far as he (Bernie Sanders) will
TRY.
MIKE: My taxpayer
dollars send money the universities I have attended. Then my personal income
goes right back to the government to pay for my student loans. How many times
do I have to pay for my education? The education your generation told me to go
get in order to thrive? So, let's knock this shit off and create a university
system that doesn't require people to spend as much money as small house just
to qualify for their first job.
This is my sharing my opinion with you. If it comes off as angry, that's because I am. Just like many other twenty somethings who feel generally shafted. Generally and genuinely.
ROB: Hey, I get
it. I paid for my own education working 3 jobs for 10 years.
However, I get irritated that every millennial wants a
free ride with tuition when I had no life for a decade, never could date, never
enjoyed my 20s or even early 30s. -
But everyone wants free tuition and a job that starts at
50K. -
One observation: California
has free tuition for in-state. Perhaps it would be better to see if other
states can make that work as they did. (NOTE: the Calif. program is for a 2 yr degree) Just saying!
MIKE: Well. Here
is the deal. My education will cost upwards of 100K when it's all over. I feel
damn well worth 50K and I'm not even campaigning for free college. Let's lower
the cost of tuition. The average undergraduate degree can cost 30-50+ K
Let's lower the interest rate to repay loans
Why is my interest rate almost 7% for my federal loan?
Honestly I wouldn't advise anyone to go to school. As you
know, I think about dropping out all of the time.
Especially when I have a friend driving an excavator for
$75 an hour
ROB: Well I also felt I was worth 50k. But I got 12k
Want to lower tuition?
Then petition to stop paying sports coaches millions in
salaries. Really
That is the reason tuition is through the roof.
My interest rate was 8 percent on my school loans. I get
it.
MIKE: There are many reasons why tuition is high. Sports
budgets perhaps being among the most glaring. Education crossed over from being
a public service to a business a long time ago and it's ugly.
ROB: I agree. I hate the stupid system.
MIKE: I mean, it's
depressing. I sincerely am not sure if I'll ever be a home owner, or able to retire
I'm almost 30 and the only thing I own is a car.
ROB: Mike I didn't even own a car at 30 as I was still
paying on it. I had nothing. I have no
fond memories of doing anything fun in my 20s and 30s because I worked so hard
to get my education and pay for it.
Bottom line: We both agree the cost of tuition is unreasonable. Sports salaries have a LOT to do with that. Teachers are getting paid a fraction of sports coaches. Further, the interest rate on student loans needs to drop.
Making the leap to "free" tuition is a big one, though, and I think it needs to start with cutting salaries of coaches back to 100k not 2 million dollars.
