Topic: Education
Universal, Quality Education: “Free Is the Enemy of the Affordable” I am opposed to making people start their life with (educational) debt, and stay indebted forever. But going in the other extreme - where the State takes it all - is equally reprehensible. More than that, it is dangerous - for it creates the thought that "Government has taken care of everything". An "easy does it" society is a stagnating society, at risk of uproot, at least being left behind, by others.by Ohm
(centrist)
Sunday, March 29, 2009
I am a proponent of access to Quality Education for All. I believe that pricing of Education - from Elementary all the Way to the Highest - should be above the realm of market pricing. That is the way to ensure that the best talent in each generation, independent of to whom they were born, can bubble up the system to lead in all aspects of society and economy.
Similar are my views on Universal Access to Healthcare.
I argue for thoughtful, progressive taxation to pay for keeping equality of opportunity alive for everyone; else the system will be rejected by the have-nots that comprise the masses and there will be nothing - neither for the rich nor the poor. At a minimum, each man in the socio-economy should clearly see that there is more than reasonable opportunity to jump strata for his children if not for him. Else, the socio-economic "order" will be unstable and always a hair's breadth from mass-rejection and ensuing chaos.
I am, however, also a supporter of Individual Responsibility. Like many others, it is indeed troubling to me to envisage a system where people depend on the Government for too many things. Public freebies and bailouts can indeed create zombie nations which are unstable and collapse-prone in their own way.
I would like to see a society where basic human elements like Education and Healthcare are paid for significantly by progressive taxation, yet are not free. I would like to see a Public Education System, where a family pays in say 2% of their income per child that they send to school. Where families have mortgage payments amounting to 40%+ of their income, they can, and should, pay 2% per child they send to school. Make it 3% for college. Switch to an apartment rental if you have to in order to make this payment. The system needs to see YOU putting priority on educating your child before it can subsidize it. THAT is the individual responsibility that needs to be nurtured. I am opposed to making people start their life with (educational) debt, and stay indebted forever. But going in the other direction - where the State takes it all - is equally reprehensible. More than that, it is dangerous, for it creates the thought that "Government has taken care of everything". An "easy does it" society is a stagnating society. Throughout history, a society where life got too easy was promptly uprooted/ overshadowed by another still marching on the path of human progress. That's how America overtook Europe through the 20th Century, it's important for it to stop short of going 100% Europe - to stay competitive and vibrant.
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