Education is not the answer. If it were we wouldn't have college grads at the OWS event asking to have their student loans forgiven because they can't find a job in their field. Why is student loan debt so high in this country? Why is no one going after colleges and universities for price gouging?
Education is the answer. The problem is that higher education has become a place where a lot of people go for years of coasting, and they don't study anything useful. While this is definitely my opinion, the fact that we've been churning out business majors like crazy is obviously going to lead to a larger supply than demand. It also comes back to lackluster public schools that don't offer any meaningful introduction to science and technology, so a lot of otherwise capable people are overwhelmed by the "challenging" courses in college.
Cost is definitely a problem, though. While public universities are still a fairly good deal when you're attending in-state, private for-profit universities (like Strayer) are grossly overcharging and can be fairly predatory. Thankfully, there are things being done about this.
So private colleges are fucking students by overcharging for degree programs that are not needed in the jobs market? WTF? Clearly American greed does not stop at Wall Street. When does the "Occupy the Ivy League" protest begin?
That chart of majors is scary and telling all at the same time. Math and Science fell out of the top ten in the 70's and never came back. Even the related field of engineering has fallen off since the 70's.
So private colleges are fucking students by overcharging for degree programs that are not needed in the jobs market? WTF? Clearly American greed does not stop at Wall Street. When does the "Occupy the Ivy League" protest begin?
Gee, Steve, I dunno. Maybe when we finish handling the whole "corporate and financial greed have so utterly fucked the economy that not even Ivy League grads can find jobs" situation. It seems logical that the entire economic system in the US going to shit right this moment is a slightly more pressing situation than the bubble being formed by unsustainable levels of student debt which will likely collapse in several years.
So private colleges are fucking students by overcharging for degree programs that are not needed in the jobs market? WTF? Clearly American greed does not stop at Wall Street. When does the "Occupy the Ivy League" protest begin?
If you note, he was talking about for profit private colleges. The Ivy League is non-profit and actually doesn't charge significantly more than any other non-profit private college. They often also have a bigger budget for grants and other aid other than loans than some other colleges, meaning that you may not be as much in debt as you would be at some other schools.
For the sake of full disclosure, I am speaking as an Ivy League graduate myself. The vast majority of my tuition and fees were covered by grants that I did not have to pay back. Now I did have some loans, but the amount of my loans totaled roughly what a car loan would be on a higher end, but not luxury, new car at the time of my graduation about 12 years ago (it helps that I consolidated all my loans into one monthly payment). Also, I have 20 years to pay off said loan, not 5 as the typical car loan does, meaning that my monthly payments are fairly low and the payments themselves are at least partly tax deductible. Finally, due to all the grants and other stuff I got, my tuition bill was actually less at this Ivy League college than some of the other private colleges I applied to.
Admittedly, I have a degree in computer engineering, meaning that my odds of finding a job after graduation were much higher than your random history major or what have you. I also admit that college prices have gone up significantly since I graduated and the situation for a current graduate could be much worse than mine -- although this is an across-the-board increase in college prices that is not unique to the Ivies.
If you note, he was talking about for profit private colleges.
Well said. It's also worth noting that while we have Occupy Wall Street going on, there are investigations into for-profit colleges. So things are moving along nicely there, no need to riot.
I think if I could explain my position better, it would be to phrase my ideas as short-term and long-term answers. Short-term, we have to get our economy under control and work to limit corporations' role as shareholders in the government. It's gotten to the point where I barely feel like a shareholder in the US government, and I barely feel like my ideas are heard outside of my social group even when I do write congressmen.
Long-term, I am quite convinced that we need to focus on education for the reasons I've already stated. To be honest, I feel that once we get the first problem under control, I'll be able to trust our government to sort out the details of how to make the second problem go away. After all, it's my job to QA software. It's my senator's job to make sure that our country continues doing what it's supposed to do.
It's my senator's job to make sure that our country continues doing what it's supposed to do.
Are you sure your Senator knows what his job is?
I don't share the same faith in the government that you do. I see people who go to Washington saying one thing that end up doing something else when they get there. When I see a Senator toe the party line rather than represent the voters who sent him there I cringe. What's good for a Floridian is not necessarily good for an Alaskan. When either one of those Senators votes for (or against) something that is not in the interest of their constituents simply because the part leadership tells them to vote that way I get angry.
I don't share the same faith in the government that you do. I see people who go to Washington saying one thing that end up doing something else when they get there. When I see a Senator toe the party line rather than represent the voters who sent him there I cringe. What's good for a Floridian is not necessarily good for an Alaskan. When either one of those Senators votes for (or against) something that is not in the interest of their constituents simply because the part leadership tells them to vote that way I get angry.
I think you misread my post. I don't currently trust my senators. Hell, I'm represented by Lindsay Graham, who I've been repulsed by numerous times. However, if they manage to solve the first problem that would go a long way towards restoring my faith in them.
Of course... our current crop of congressmen may be ousted as a result of all of this.
I really don't understand this 53% thing. Why 53%?
53% pay income tax the rest get refunded for all of it. So they are making the point that they are paying the taxes. Completely disregarding all the other taxes everyone pays.
53% pay income tax the rest get refunded for all of it. So they are making the point that they are paying the taxes. Completely disregarding all the other taxes everyone pays.
Also disregard that if they make less than $50k/year they likely don't pay federal income tax, from how I understand it.
Taxable income - Standard deduction? Please, if you have information to the contrary let me know. I've been going off of assumptions and things on The Internet, so in all likelihood I may be going off of a false assumption.
I'm just trying to figure out how I make just $10K more, yet pay nearly $10K in federal taxes. How does that work? If they really getting a refund of their federal taxes then their take home is more than mine!
I dunno. I found this, however I don't have my withholding information available so I'm not sure how much of my income tax was actually refund versus me overpaying. It seems that I had made a bad assumption though.
I dunno. I found this, however I don't have my withholding information available so I'm not sure how much of my income tax was actually refund versus me overpaying. It seems that I had made a bad assumption though.
I didn't expect him to say correct things, and then he did. Woah.
Would I have endorsed his video if he didn't say correct things?
I wasn't quite sure if you were being ironic. I was skeptical because the video had 4 dislikes and 3 likes with only 210 views. Lots of us post links that we don't agree with!
What percentage of Wall St Occupiers are Ron Paul supporters?
A suprisingly high percent - and Growing. From the start, Ron Paul supporter communities have been PACKING these protests to preach the gospel of Ron Paul, take along voter registration forms(often Semi-filled out so that you can't change the details away from being a Ron Paul Supporter), and fundraising for their "Moneybomb" campaigns.
I didn't expect him to say correct things, and then he did. Woah.
Would I have endorsed his video if he didn't say correct things?
I wasn't quite sure if you were being ironic. I was skeptical because the video had 4 dislikes and 3 likes with only 210 views. Lots of us post links that we don't agree with!
If I'm being ironic, the text will be green. Because I'm totally 100% self-consistent.
I like this. Kind of. I'm not sure what he is particularly arguing though.. That we really need the status quo? I think he's saying a lot of nothing very hilariously.
I like this. Kind of. I'm not sure what he is particularly arguing though.. That we really need the status quo? I think he's saying a lot of nothing very hilariously.
I think he's mostly encountered the Ron Paul supporting crowd, who while not the majority, are very vocal, and very, very silly. They have some crazy bullshit ideas, which he's talking about in this video. I think it's easier to address them, than many of the rest of the protestors, because unlike many of the rest of the protestors, they actually know exactly what they want, and are very clear and very vocal in telling us about it.
I think he's mostly encountered the Ron Paul supporting crowd, who while not the majority, are very vocal, and very, very silly. They have some crazy bullshit ideas, which he's talking about in this video. I think it's easier to address them, than many of the rest of the protestors, because unlike many of the rest of the protestors, they actually know exactly what they want, and are very clear and very vocal in telling us about it.
Makes sense, I'm all for calling them out on their bullshit. I'd rather not bring in someone who seriously wants the end of the world.
Wait, does Ron Paul support ending the world? I've always wanted a super villain president.
Yeaaaah...but not in a villainous way, more of a misguided idiot trying to do good way, except since life isn't a Disney movie, his bumbling about doesn't accidentally make the world a better place in the third act after an appropriate amount of dramatic tension and self discovery.
Wait, does Ron Paul support ending the world? I've always wanted a super villain president.
Yeaaaah...but not in a villainous way, more of a misguided idiot trying to do good way, except since life isn't a Disney movie, his bumbling about doesn't accidentally make the world a better place in the third act after an appropriate amount of dramatic tension and self discovery.
Comments
That chart of majors is scary and telling all at the same time. Math and Science fell out of the top ten in the 70's and never came back. Even the related field of engineering has fallen off since the 70's.
For the sake of full disclosure, I am speaking as an Ivy League graduate myself. The vast majority of my tuition and fees were covered by grants that I did not have to pay back. Now I did have some loans, but the amount of my loans totaled roughly what a car loan would be on a higher end, but not luxury, new car at the time of my graduation about 12 years ago (it helps that I consolidated all my loans into one monthly payment). Also, I have 20 years to pay off said loan, not 5 as the typical car loan does, meaning that my monthly payments are fairly low and the payments themselves are at least partly tax deductible. Finally, due to all the grants and other stuff I got, my tuition bill was actually less at this Ivy League college than some of the other private colleges I applied to.
Admittedly, I have a degree in computer engineering, meaning that my odds of finding a job after graduation were much higher than your random history major or what have you. I also admit that college prices have gone up significantly since I graduated and the situation for a current graduate could be much worse than mine -- although this is an across-the-board increase in college prices that is not unique to the Ivies.
I think if I could explain my position better, it would be to phrase my ideas as short-term and long-term answers. Short-term, we have to get our economy under control and work to limit corporations' role as shareholders in the government. It's gotten to the point where I barely feel like a shareholder in the US government, and I barely feel like my ideas are heard outside of my social group even when I do write congressmen.
Long-term, I am quite convinced that we need to focus on education for the reasons I've already stated. To be honest, I feel that once we get the first problem under control, I'll be able to trust our government to sort out the details of how to make the second problem go away. After all, it's my job to QA software. It's my senator's job to make sure that our country continues doing what it's supposed to do.
I don't share the same faith in the government that you do. I see people who go to Washington saying one thing that end up doing something else when they get there. When I see a Senator toe the party line rather than represent the voters who sent him there I cringe. What's good for a Floridian is not necessarily good for an Alaskan. When either one of those Senators votes for (or against) something that is not in the interest of their constituents simply because the part leadership tells them to vote that way I get angry.
Of course... our current crop of congressmen may be ousted as a result of all of this.
What percentage of Wall St Occupiers are Ron Paul supporters?