Bachmann ripped by the St. Cloud Times over lack of Pell grant increases for college students.
July 13th, 2007 | by admin |Michele Bachmann was ripped by the St. Cloud Times yesterday for not supporting college students. Maybe I’m reading into that a bit but that’s how it came across to me. They singled her out for not voting in favor of increasing Pell grant amounts available for students. It sounds like a mean thing to vote against that, but maybe we should take a deeper look at the government and their place in funding a higher education.
Why should government fund higher education?
I went to college. I took out student loans provided by the federal government. I also accepted a Pell grant. I’m not going to hide that I participated in the system in place.
In retrospect I do think I have a problem with the way financial aid is organized though. There is a mentality that the government owes individuals the right to have a college education funded. Is that reasonable? The way federal funding works now, students are evaluated based on what their parents income is. If their parents income is high enough, the federal government will not kick in grant money or certain low interest student loans. This is designed to serve as some sort of social justice to help those who make less money. The problem is kids who have parents who make higher incomes run into problems if their parents don’t decide to contribute any money toward their higher education. These kids get stuck. (You know, I think I’m making an error. I just referred to college students as kids. Most of the time college students are over 18. They are young adults. Which is another reason why I have a problem with the idea that they are “owed something.”)
This system is flawed. Since when is it a guaranteed right that everyone should get a college education funded? It’s not a guaranteed right academically. You have to meet certain academic standards and criteria in order to be accepted into certain institutions. The academic system encourages people to achieve and be rewarded for their achievements.
I’d like to see the same sort of methods used in regard to financial aid. In fact they are in place already to a degree based on academic scholarships. Even if someone comes from a low income home, they can work their way through college. They can also achieve scholarships based on their academic achievements. I think we need to focus on encouraging that sort of aid rather than increasing free money from the government. In a sense how different is the Pell grant system from the welfare system? A free hand out with no responsibility attached to it. No one is guaranteed a free hand out in life and it’s a lesson young adults should learn early on.
So before you start judging Michele Bachmann’s decision to not increase Pell grants for college students as a “heartless thing.” I encourage you to look at the details first and I think you’ll realize the last thing we need is more government hand outs! Instead let’s focus on equal opportunity, and push achievement and personal responsibility!
By Doug on Jul 17, 2007
I assume that since you don’t support Pell Grants, you’ll be sending your’s back or at the very least donating it to another schools scholarship fund. I look forward to following your philanthropic efforts to help those in need.
By Talk Radio Personality on Jul 17, 2007
No I won’t be sending mine back. I wouldn’t expect anyone who plays by the rules to send theirs back either. I wouldn’t condemn anyone for taking advantage of the system in place. It’s legal and it’s within the rules.
The point is, the system needs to be looked at and possibly changed. It has nothing to do with students who use the current system or have previously.
Thank you for your input though!
By Doug on Jul 17, 2007
The flaw I see in your position is your statement that “There is a mentality that the government owes individuals the right to have a college education funded.”
I don’t feel that way and I don’t know anyone that feels that way. I especially don’t believe the recipients of grants feel that way.
I do however think there is a mentality that the government plays a part in determining the economic future of the country and educating it’s citizens plays a huge part in that.
It’s the reason so many European and Scandinavian countries provide the funding for higher education for it’s citizens. It’s an investment.
That will likely never happen in this country because there is a pervasive feeling that any and all taxes are inherently evil.
To your point that Pells are viewed as an entitlement, I have a daughter heading to her first year at Eau Claire next year and for the last year and a half, I have been neck deep in the applications / financing process and I’ve been surrounded by her friends going through the same thing. I can assure you that Pell grants and grants in general are viewed as gifts above and beyond. For those who got them, it’s icing and it’s a great help but not expected. For those who didn’t get them, it sucks and they are kicking themselves for not working harder because they may have gotten more scholarships.
By Talk Radio Personality on Jul 17, 2007
I don’t disagree with the argument that education is worth investing in. I just don’t know if it’s the government’s role to do that.
I think private entities such as charities and corporations should be encouraged to invest in future workers.
The other point I’ve tried to make is that certain financial aid programs are flawed because they’re not focused on rewarding achievements which I feel they should be based on.