Bernie Sanders has been severely criticized, even by fellow Liberals, for advocating free college education for Americans. It is supposedly “too expensive”.

But we have had “free college” for about a century now!. Its not been totally free, but we have had government support for higher education in the form of subsidies ever since the introduction of the State College system. Of course, it wasn’t completely free, but the taxpayer (even if his kid didn’t go) paid for the bulk of the costs of college education, so those who could afford the price of admission and pay a modest tuition got the bulk of their education paid for by the State (read taxpayer). It was essentially welfare for the middle class. Or maybe, “affirmative action” is a better term.

Not only did tuition not fully pay for the cost of each student’s education, the government also lavished money on private colleges in terms of grants, research, facilities and numerous other benefits. Not only was this a way to buy votes from the middle class, it also had legitimate benefits: an educated population is better for the country in the long run. It makes economic sense; it pays for itself, with dividends. But to be honest, if you were able to afford a token sum for tuition, the taxpayer would pick up the rest of the tab for you. It sure sounds like Socialism to me.

Of course, today, with the increasing influence of for-profit colleges designed not to educate, but to provide vocational training to service the demands of the corporate infrastructure; this is not likely to happen. The primary motivation of these institutions is the harvesting of the windfall profits of the student loan industry. Free enterprise does not like competition from the State.

Today, with the country importing scientists and engineers from foreign countries because our own youth prefers to study football, fraternities and business administration, who paid for Gupta’s university degree? He was probably very well educated at a publicly funded school in his own country.

In fact, most countries in the world have subsidized college to some extent, even many poor, third world nations. In the early years of the 20th century, my grandfather (who was by no means well off) was
given full tuition support to attend medical school at the University of Havana. He still had to feed, clothe and house himself, as well as pay for books and fees, but tuition was free. It was his right as a Cuban citizen to be educated at public expense…provided he could pass a competitive examination and get in.

(BTW, he never graduated. Some said it was because of a woman, others say it was politics, but he left Cuba and emigrated to America. He never did talk about it much.)

But that’s the key. The system must be competitive, the benefit is rationed, but not by family wealth. You don’t get to go to college and study some lunatic discipline like sports journalism or real estate investment counseling at public expense. You can still pay for your own education if you like, but to get a free ride, you have to pass tough entrance exams. That is the only fair way to do it. Period.

Yes we can afford Bernie’s plan. In fact, we can’t afford not to.