We are in another political season and each candidate is trying to prove that they are the most patriotic, powerful and commanding, and they will make America the greatest. How will they make America the greatest? What resources will they use and how will they develop and use these resources? I am convinced that America's greatest resource is its people. We are a rather special blend of humanity. All of our ancestors were immigrants, and it takes courage, strength, and faith to travel halfway around the world and survive and prosper in a strange land. As a result, America has received some of the best that the world has had to offer. People are America's greatest resource. How do we develop and use this resource? How do we find the best scientists, engineers, teachers, doctors, technicians, craftsmen, tradesmen, lawyers, and politicians? The answer is obvious! We make quality, free education and training available to everyone and this includes college for any student who has done his work and qualifies. We need to promote knowledge and understanding as something that every person owes to themselves and to their country. America depends on the greatness of its people, i.e., the greatness of each person. Any political candidate who is opposed to better, available (meaning really good inner city schools) and free education and is opposed to the necessary taxation to pay for it is wrong for a number of reasons. Maybe they needed a better education themselves to understand that a significant investment is needed to develop any resource, and America's greatest resource needs the best education for its greatest development. Maybe they understand this concept, but don't think that they can talk about taxes and get elected. Maybe their children go to private schools and there is no need to invest in public schools. Maybe they prefer a poorly educated electorate that is easier to fool. Maybe they are more loyal to themselves and their success than they are to their country. I don't want America to fade. There is always a risk of our losing status economically, politically, socially and militarily. To become our greatest and avoid fading, we need to invest in and develop our greatest resource - our people. It will be a significant investment requiring more taxes, but no resource is developed without investment, and good investments bring real profits. America is worth a good investment. Besides, our children and grandchildren will praise us forever.
Free higher education would be the best investment we could make. Once all that is free (or near free like there could be a few reasonable strings like passing tests or public service work), then it takes away many of the excuses for people not succeeding and needing welfare in just a few generations.
The best "investment" we could make is to let people control their own money. End taxation and get the government out of the way. And government "education" is far worse and more expensive then private solutions. Just look at how many free resources are available online--khan academy, mises.org, educational podcasts, etc. Why would anyone think that education should cost a fortune? Why would anyone think we need to spend MORE money on government schools? The only answer is that they want more government and more money going to government employees. You cannot make the argument today that free market education is too expensive for even the poor to afford. You'll be laughed out of the room. There is zero reason to continue with publicly funded education.
This is exactly how you create misappropriation of resources. I would agree to a Japanese model in which those who test the highest are given free education. Otherwise, you are going to provide an incentive for corrupt, costly, inefficient and worthless education. Private individuals are far better at investing capital than the federal government.
Free education is a horrible idea for several reasons. 1. By the laws of supply and demand, if it is free it will be over-consumed. People who doesn't have a good reason will use it. people who won't study as hard will use it. people will use it to learn worthless things like medieval poetry. In short, it will lead to society paying a lot of people to essentially waste resources. Teachers cost money you know, and why would you want to offer free education in worthless subjects? Why would you offer free education to people who won't study properly anyway? 2. You would be subsidising other countires. let's say you give free education to someone, and then they move to another country. Congratulations, you have now subsidised the other coutnry by education their workforce. This is what is happening to e.g. Sweden. I personally plan to educate myself here, then move, basically screwing over Sweden. It's a bad system. By having education cost, students would have to take loans. having to take loans would discourage them from taking worthless courses, and it would discourage those who are not serious about their studies. it would also mean that if they move to another country, their debt goes with them.
