Mark Small

A big expense for the King was military here. British fought the French, the Spanish, and the people who already lived here. The price of the French & Indian War led to taxation that gave rise to Declaration of Independence. 5/24

When we read about taxes King George imposed on the Colonies, some miss important element of this taxation: settlers who enjoyed “free” land (occupied by fewer indigenous peoples) were beneficiaries of expenses fronted by England. 6/24

King George was insane - “The Madness of King George” is both graphic & accurate about him. There is no dispute that people who settled here were without representation, as colonists with members selected by colonists, in Parliament. 7/24

Amongst other laws, the 1765 Stamp Act imposed duties “on most court-sanctioned documents” and even “playing cards, dice ... and newspapers...” amongst other items. Ferling, “A Leap in the Dark,” 2003, p. 31. 8/24

The Boston Tea Party was a reaction to the 1773 Tea Act - the effect of which, actually, was to reduce taxes to the Colonies on tea. Ferling, p. 94. American history has been anti-tax. Colonists resented any taxation. 9/24

U.S. politicians only are popular if they promise “no” or lower taxes. Former VP Walter Mondale said he’d have to raise taxes. Mondale lost to Reagan who, in eight (8) years, increased the national deficit from $994 billion to $2.9 trillion. 10/24

People love “free” things. As already noted, until the 1960s students in California did not pay tuition for college. In Indiana tuition at I.U., in the early 1970s for in-state students only was twenty dollars ($20) per credit hour. 11/24

Public colleges and universities in California in the 1960s had to pay salaries and wages for faculty and other personnel. Campuses needed buildings, that, once built, used utilities and required care and upkeep. Of course there are many other expenses. 12/24

These facts seem obvious, but R somehow overlooked when people talk about “free” college. Education: as much a part of our infrastructure as roads & bridges. No one would expect to use these resources w/o $ 4 construction and maintenance. 13/24

Today: avg debt for 69% of college grads is $29,600 Debt for 14% of parents who took out loans for their kids is $35,600. We need strong post-secondary education, whether trad’l academic (college) or some form of professional training for a skill. 14/24

No other country - won’t say “advanced” country; not sure if USA is advanced anymore - heaps idiotic debt on students who go to college. We damage our future by dumping $ into a military as we kill people 4 little/no reason. 15/24

When ppl use terms like “free” ed’n, they fall into trap. If college is “free” 2 students who then go 2 college & party, avg taxpayers are made 2 feel they’re paying for keggers & middle- or lower-class kids in college R moochers. 16/24

This enables people such as DeVos to allow glorified loan sharks to gouge money from college students. 17/24

DeVos also did a number on primary & secondary ed’n: divert $ to charter schools - I know, charter schools are “public” but do not work for most kids as well as traditional public schools - or vouchers. 18/24

We should abandon notion that anything is “free” In our ed’n system a student should be able to go as far as her/his abilities. M.D. or Ph.D. in science, a tech degree or a Ph.D. in history or anthropology. Probably most would do for a bachelor’s degree. 19/24

At end of that education, in a public system, students should not face horrendous - or any - debt. The student gets one shot to go as far as his or her brains and perseverance takes them. We ALL benefit. 20/24

And we should not force kids into the military as what for many is the only choice available to get a degree. (Besides, robots will doing a lot of the work there, soon, and people will be needed far less.) 21/24