Okay, I know I posted those quotes from "clinton surrogates" I saw talking on msnbc.
To be clear -- I don't know if they are OFFICIAL campaign surrogates, but it's the usual panel that's always on there that is pro Clinton. The one that said "she ain't ever gonna agree people with no money should get free college," was former PA governor Ed Rendel. (he actually is an official clinton surrogate)
OK, SO HMM.. that sounds like more hardcore Republican than any Republican ever does..
But then I just looked at Clinton's website, and if one reads that (and if it's believable) then it SOUNDS like she's for free college too. She says "debt free," so what does that mean exactly. And who exactly gets to participate, JUST the poor and it would still be like it is now where so many millions are frankly lower middle class, yet "not poor enough for a pell grant."
With Clinton sometimes, she can make something sound like one thing but then it's really a whole other thing,
she's really tricky that way with lawerly language.BUT ANYWAY.. on her website anyway, it sounds good, so I don't understand why her surrogates don't talk about that? And I've never heard her actually talking about this policy on her website either.
While her surrogates say on tv "we ain't doin' nothin' for nobody," for whatever it's worth, here's what her website says:
The New College Compact:
Costs won’t be a barrier, debt won’t hold you back.Hillary will:
Ensure no student has to borrow to pay for tuition, books, or fees to attend a four-year public college in their state.
Enable Americans with existing student loan debt to refinance at current rates.
Hold colleges and universities accountable for controlling costs and making tuition affordable.
“We need to make a quality education affordable and available to everyone willing to work for it, without saddling them with decades of debt.”
Here’s what every student and family should expect under Hillary’s plan:
Costs won't be a barrier.
Students should never have to borrow to pay for tuition, books, and fees to attend a four-year public college in their state under the New College Compact. Pell Grants are not included in the calculation of no-debt-tuition, so Pell recipients will be able to use their grants fully for living expenses. Students at community college will receive free tuition.
Students will do their part by contributing their earnings from working 10 hours a week.
Families will do their part by making an affordable and realistic family contribution.
The federal government will make a major investment in the New College Compact by providing grants to states that commit to these goals, and by cutting interest rates on loans.
States will have to step up and meet their obligation to invest in higher education by maintaining current levels of higher education funding and reinvesting over time.
Colleges and universities will be accountable for improving outcomes and controlling costs to ensure that tuition is affordable and that students who invest in college leave with a degree.
We will encourage innovators who design imaginative new ways of providing a valuable college education to students—while cracking down on abusive practices that burden students with debt without value.
A $25 billion fund will support HBCUs, HSIs, and other MSIs serving a high percentage of Pell Grant recipients to help lower the cost of attendance and improve student outcomes at low-cost, modest-endowment nonprofit private schools.
Debt won’t hold you back.
Under Hillary’s plan, if you have student debt, you will be able to refinance your loans at current rates. An estimated 25 million borrowers will receive debt relief, and the typical borrower could save $2,000 over the life of his or her loans.
For future undergraduates, the plan will significantly cut interest rates so they reflect the government’s low cost of debt. This could save students hundreds or thousands of dollars over the life of their loans.
Everyone will be able to enroll in a simplified, income-based repayment program so that borrowers never have to pay more than 10 percent of what they make.
Fully paid for: This plan will cost around $350 billion over 10 years—and will be fully paid for by limiting certain tax expenditures for high-income taxpayers.
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/college/
The thing about all the above, is that it's general statements written by lawyers so the "devil is in the details."
This sounds specific:
Students at community college will receive free tuition.
Well if that's what she's for, that's some good progress.
But why does she never TALK about this? She never, ever, talks about the policies on her website (that I've ever heard).
Why? It makes me think that she doesn't really want to commit to them.. like, "just have it up on the website but then don't talk about it in speeches."
If she's for free community college for all then that sounds good, why not talk about it?
Then another thing the policy statement says is very general -- that college should not be free, but that families should make an "affordable and realistic family contribution."
Okay, so what does that mean?
There's no exact detail.. what is "affordable and realistic," what does that mean?
Does it mean $20,000? $40,000? Does it mean roll it back to the 90s, and students could work a part time job and pay their way through?
edit: it's like.. it's NICE if a candidate has a detailed website. And Trump does not.
BUT, one does not vote just based on some website text, either.
It's odd to me -- if there is a plan, then I as a voter want to HEAR it, and hear it a lot, not just "it's on the website."
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