4 ms·

One thing I'd like to see added to freebies discussion is the meaning behind of the word 'free'. For example: 'College education and healthcare /should/ be free

by Pmop 8y ago

One thing I'd like to see added to freebies discussion is the meaning behind of the word 'free'. For example: 'College education and healthcare /should/ be free for all in this country(USA).' really means 'College education and healthcare /should/ be paid with taxpayers' money for all in this country(USA).' This really adds to discussion as people get also to discuss if they really want to spend more of their own money. The word 'free' in this context seems to automatically dismiss any discussions about tax rise and public spending. Disclaimer: I'm Brazilian, not some angry republican.

tjr225 8y ago
GP here...while I think it is a given that what I meant is that these would be free for all by leveraging taxation, I don't think we(average joe) really need to spend any more money to accomplish these things. Our politicians gladly pour money hand over fist into private defense contractors pockets and I think this is wrong. We should be spending this money on Education and Healthcare for all, instead.
- tomcam 8y ago
  What math leads you to this conclusion?
  - tjr225 8y ago
    As of right now, the US military budget is 610 billion $ per year
piva00 8y ago
And what person wouldn't want to fund and invest in their own future? Using tax money to fund free education for every child and healthcare so no one has to be burdened for life with debt is one of the best return of investments of your taxes in the long run. I'm Brazilian and living in Sweden, that is how society here thinks (mostly), social mobility here is absolutely real. Just as an anecdote, I have friends who are 1st generation born here from very poor immigrant families, they are architects, engineers and fashion designers with good careers ahead. That was only possible because they had access to free education for all of their lives. I am proud to pay my taxes here and fund this, even though I never have used (and don't plan to have a family), as many issues as this society has it works and tries to improve itself, coming from Brazil it's another world. So I don't appreciate the rhetorics around not funding public education and healthcare, these are basic tenants of the societies of the future.
- overeater 8y ago
  The parent post is about college, so this is not about children anymore. I think what making it all free takes away, is the importance of making good decisions about college. If it were all free, I bet a lot fewer students would take it seriously and be more likely to enroll in less practical degree programs -- english, psychology, american studies (not architecture, engineering, design, as you mentioned). They would also not have any urgency to finish in time, to see well-paying careers afterwards.
  - vageli 8y ago
    > If it were all free, I bet a lot fewer students would take it seriously and be more likely to enroll in less practical degree programs -- english, psychology, american studies (not architecture, engineering, design, as you mentioned). They would also not have any urgency to finish in time, to see well-paying careers afterwards. What are those people doing now if they didn't go to college because it was too expensive to pursue an "impractical" degree? Wouldn't providing people the option for further education be a net good for society in general? I'll choose to ignore the entire notion of "impractical" degrees. The society I want to live in is not without music, literature, and art. But those are "impractical" studies.

by Pmop 8y ago

tjr225 8y ago

GP here...while I think it is a given that what I meant is that these would be free for all by leveraging taxation, I don't think we(average joe) really need to spend any more money to accomplish these things. Our politicians gladly pour money hand over fist into private defense contractors pockets and I think this is wrong. We should be spending this money on Education and Healthcare for all, instead.

tomcam 8y ago
What math leads you to this conclusion?
- tjr225 8y ago
  As of right now, the US military budget is 610 billion $ per year

piva00 8y ago

And what person wouldn't want to fund and invest in their own future? Using tax money to fund free education for every child and healthcare so no one has to be burdened for life with debt is one of the best return of investments of your taxes in the long run. I'm Brazilian and living in Sweden, that is how society here thinks (mostly), social mobility here is absolutely real. Just as an anecdote, I have friends who are 1st generation born here from very poor immigrant families, they are architects, engineers and fashion designers with good careers ahead. That was only possible because they had access to free education for all of their lives. I am proud to pay my taxes here and fund this, even though I never have used (and don't plan to have a family), as many issues as this society has it works and tries to improve itself, coming from Brazil it's another world. So I don't appreciate the rhetorics around not funding public education and healthcare, these are basic tenants of the societies of the future.

overeater 8y ago
The parent post is about college, so this is not about children anymore. I think what making it all free takes away, is the importance of making good decisions about college. If it were all free, I bet a lot fewer students would take it seriously and be more likely to enroll in less practical degree programs -- english, psychology, american studies (not architecture, engineering, design, as you mentioned). They would also not have any urgency to finish in time, to see well-paying careers afterwards.
- vageli 8y ago
  > If it were all free, I bet a lot fewer students would take it seriously and be more likely to enroll in less practical degree programs -- english, psychology, american studies (not architecture, engineering, design, as you mentioned). They would also not have any urgency to finish in time, to see well-paying careers afterwards. What are those people doing now if they didn't go to college because it was too expensive to pursue an "impractical" degree? Wouldn't providing people the option for further education be a net good for society in general? I'll choose to ignore the entire notion of "impractical" degrees. The society I want to live in is not without music, literature, and art. But those are "impractical" studies.