Obligatory Bush Topic

[B E C K]

From:  http://www.utne.com/webwatch/2005_182/news/11532-1.html

Bush Goes to School on Low-Income Students
The current administration fulfills political promises and devalues education in one "Pell" Swoop
—By Marca Bradt, Utne.com

January 20, 2005 Issue

Earlier this week, President Bush proposed raising the maximum aid allotted by the Pell Grant to low-income college students. On face, it seems a legitimate effort to make good on Bush's campaign promise to make education a priority. Critics argue it's just another disingenuous, dirty trick.

In reality, the 12 percent hike -- totaling $15 billion over five years -- barely keeps pace with the rate of inflation. And, over the past three years, college expenses have risen five times as fast as inflation. What's more, before the increase is instituted, a new tax formula will be implemented to determine who can receive a Pell Grant. As a result, some 90,000 students could lose their eligibility and, based on the updated formula, another 1.3 million students will actually get less grant money.

The Pell Grant was conceived by Senator Claiborne Pell in 1972 to offer low-income students a chance to earn a college degree, which at the time ensured a higher paying salary after graduation. Nowadays, though, the average college graduate comes into the workforce $20,000 in debt, and he or she is lucky to find a job that will help them pay it off.

I think any way you slice it, Bush or no Bush, it still remains a rather depressing article.  

[Evil Monkey-Tom]

They are true douche bags. It impresses people who are too dumb to actually read past the headline, and then the educated people who realize what is happening are called liberal oppurtunists, and then we get him reelected ^_^

In twenty years, people will ask us how we lived through this time.

[ChelseySuzie]

I'll just tell them that I was high for most of his 2nd term.  Kidding!

[Evil Monkey-Tom]

I won't be.

[B E C K]

They are true douche bags. It impresses people who are too dumb to actually read past the headline, and then the educated people who realize what is happening are called liberal oppurtunists, and then we get him reelected ^_^

In twenty years, people will ask us how we lived through this time.

Not the ones who die in the war.  Zing!

[Rodent of Unusual Size]

I applied for a Pell grant, but my parents had made "too much money" the year BEFORE.  Yet, that year my dad had died, and the familiy's income was ass raped by medical bills that insurance did not pay.  

So now I stand in heavy debt.  Luckily, I got a job that's helping me pay it off early, no damn thanks to the government.

Oh, wait, I'm working FOR the government, now...well, fuck college!

[Pretty Faye]

marry a rich, old woman

[B E C K]

LOL.

[Evil Monkey-Tom]

marry a rich, old woman

You want him to marry you?

[B E C K]

No, she wants him to marry Mrs. Banks.  I'm certain Jane or Michael went crazy from their years of Santinism and whacked Mr. Banks by now.

[Sam]

I'm so far into debt it's silly.

But this Pell thing really isn't the problem at all.  In the grand scheme of things, it's nothing.  The problem is we're pushing every dipshit coming out of high school into college when they don't even want or need to be there.  While dumb fuck frat boy is taking the minimum amount of credits he needs to stay enrolled on his way to a major in North American Pottery History, he's diluting  the value of the diploma I'm working my ass off to get and that I need to have to even be considered for a job.

Fuck college.  I should have gotten into an electrician apprenticeship instead.

[Beautiful Faye]

marry a rich, old woman

You want him to marry you?

are you retarded or you just don't realize your "jokes" are not funny AT ALL. they are soooo bad that its starting to annoy the hell out of me

[Fiero]

marry a rich, old woman

You want him to marry you?

are you retarded or you just don't realize your "jokes" are not funny AT ALL. they are soooo bad that its starting to annoy the hell out of me

It's kinda funny, in a sort of lame way.

[Beautiful Faye]

no its noot
its pathetic :-/

[Fiero]

no its noot
its pathetic :-/

Well, yeah, that's what I mean, but funnilly pathetic.

[Evil Monkey-Tom]

I'll take that as a compliment, since you two don't know any better.

[Rodent of Unusual Size]

I'm so far into debt it's silly.

But this Pell thing really isn't the problem at all.  In the grand scheme of things, it's nothing.  The problem is we're pushing every dipshit coming out of high school into college when they don't even want or need to be there.  While dumb fuck frat boy is taking the minimum amount of credits he needs to stay enrolled on his way to a major in North American Pottery History, he's diluting  the value of the diploma I'm working my ass off to get and that I need to have to even be considered for a job.

I like the Japanese system, learned from watching myriad animes on the subject.  Take a hard-assed test, which not only tests your knowledge but aptitude as well.  Based on the results, you get to choose your college based on some sort of qualitative measure.  If you're a dumb-ass, they can put you in a vocational school, where you belong.

Fuck college.  I should have gotten into an electrician apprenticeship instead.

That's what my dear old Pappy used to tell me.

[Faye Valentine]

I'll take that as a compliment, since you two don't know any better.

and YOU know??

[Evil Monkey-Tom]

I'll take that as a compliment, since you two don't know any better.

and YOU know??

Who truely knows?

[Fiero]

Only God.

[B E C K]

Yeah, what he said.  Only me.

[Evil Monkey-Tom]

God wouldn't smell like blueberry muffins.

[B E C K]

Only my burps.  

[Evil Monkey-Tom]

EXACTLY!

[Bernie AKA]

The problem is we're pushing every dipshit coming out of high school into college when they don't even want or need to be there.

THANK YOU!!!  A degree would have disqualified me for the job I hold and shoved me into some other aspect of insurance I didn't want like claims adjusting or marketing.  Give me a steady $45K every year over some six-figure status salary based on sales performance any day.    But then, success seems to be piched to students as a huge starting salary, not earning a decent living year in and year out. Unfortunately, they never tell you what happens when times get tough and your former earnings price you out of the market.  

[B E C K]

I don't even know how to earn a decent living.  There should've been a class on it in high school, instead of wasting my time on ghey Powerpoint.

[Rodent of Unusual Size]

I rest easy in the fact that, if times get tough enough, I can always haul pulpwood.  

[MegatronYES]

The alternative is socialism. Quit whining.

[Bernie AKA]

The popular alternative is popping out a few snatchdragons to live off of the village's tax dollar.   <_<