The Deception Of "Free" College

Young Americans are being crushed by student loan debt. Their families are feeling it as well.

Enter Bernie Sanders.

Attempting to stay to the Left of his leftie comrades running for president, Bernie told the press yesterday, "The American people bailed out Wall Street. Now it's time to come to the aid of the middle-class people of this country."

Millions of young adults are exclaiming, "Free at last."

But freedom from consequences isn't freedom.

A closer look at the deception.

The Washington Post published an op-ed that notes, "Many Democratic presidential hopefuls have pushed into the ideological territory that Bernie Sanders had to himself in the 2016 campaign."

Sure they have. Every left-wing politician knows that people love free stuff and the more you offer for "free," the more votes you get from uninformed people.

WAPO also notes that Bernie is trying to re-brand himself so as to always be to the Left of all the other candidates, no matter how far Left they go with their rhetoric about free stuff. Like free college.

A closer look.

Bernie's Bailout Bill is deceptive. It will help colleges immediately but not students in the long term.

These are the latest numbers (2019) on student loans in the US:

• About $1.53 trillion is owed.
• 44.7 million people have student loans.
• The average individual debt is $37,172.
• The average monthly payment is $393.

Bernie's bailout bill is an immediate benefit for colleges. It will be a redistribution of the $1.53 trillion.

The reason schools keep raising their tuition is that students have easy access to federal loans, and the government has a near monopoly on education.

Colleges know they can keep raising their tuition without fear of losing students because federal loans serve as a guaranteed subsidy.

As college costs have sky-rocketed, students have become more deeply indebted.

Personally, I think at least a part of the solution is not paying off existing student debt, but to significantly reduce the federal subsidies and restore the private market's role in providing student loans.

This would create opportunity for alternatives, like private lending or even income sharing deals.

It would also put much need pressure on public education. The public colleges already have their $1.53 trillion but have not been held responsible for providing quality education to the people who now hold the debt.

Colleges are more and more being consumed with "gender identity," "women's studies," and a long list of other similar studies that, in the real world, are meaningless. People walk out of these government-run, social experimentation institutions with no real ability to pay back their student loan.

I'm not alone in believing this. Only 48% of Americans now express confidence in the institutions of higher learning in the US. Three years ago, 57% expressed confidence.

But Bernie and his fellow "democratic" socialists are fostering an even more destructive deception.

Freedom from consequences is not freedom.

Monday, Bernie tweeted: "Are you truly free if you graduate hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt? Are you free if you cannot pursue your dream because you don't make enough to cover your student loan payments? We will cancel student debt because there is no freedom without economic freedom."

Are you truly free if you graduate hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt?

Are you free if you cannot pursue your dream because you don't make enough to cover your student loan payments?

We will #CancelStudentDebt because there is no freedom without economic freedom.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 24, 2019

Ben Shapiro says, "This is an Orwellian redefinition of the term freedom."

He says,

"Freedom has traditionally meant the ability to make your own decisions---and live with the consequences of those decisions....But Sander's economic plans offer precisely the reverse...his is merely the latest in a long line of such re-definitions from the American left."

Shapiro notes that Franklin D. Roosevelt suggested that "true individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence"---then proceeded to make more Americans dependent on government than ever before in American history.

He says of FDR,

"He declared 'freedom from want' in January 1941, in the midst of a second Great Depression of his making---the prior year, the employment rate in the United States was 14.45 %. The mere declaration, as it turned out, did not end want. And the redefinition of freedom as government-sponsored dependency did not end in prosperity or freedom."

Shapiro says, "Canceling student debt may mean a more carefree life for those who voluntarily took on debt, but it means a more burdensome life for those who have paid off the debts, who didn't go to college or haven't been born yet."

He says, "Carefree doesn't mean free. It simply means that someone else may be taking responsibility for your decisions."

Shapiro concludes:

"Going to college is often seen as an important step toward adulthood. Responsible financial decision-making is a far more important step. Disconnecting the two just continues the infantilizing of American adults. But that's all part of Sander's agenda, isn't it?"

The greatest debt cancellation in history

In the spirit of discussing debt cancellation, free stuff, and authentic freedom, I've got to mention this. I know many of you who read this daily column do not claim to be Christian. And many of you live in a country other than the United States.

Consider this.

The human heart will most always embrace the idea that our shortcomings spring not from choice but from circumstances.

Eve blamed the serpent---Adam blamed Eve. Both made terrible choices. And there were consequences.

Not only were Adam and Eve removed from the Garden, but they were also separated from their relationship with God. And the resulting consequence was that all people going forward were born in sin.

The consequence of sin is death.

The decision was made that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, would willingly step up and willingly pay the debt, by giving His life to save ours.

And He did.

That debt cancellation is celebrated at Christmas and Easter. More than 2 billion people now on earth have accepted that benefit of Christ's death as cancellation for their sin debt. They are called biblical Christians. I'm one of them.

The consequence of eternal hell remains for those who reject Christ's debt cancellation.

Jesus Christ was no mere passing politician trying to get votes, although some mistook him to be.

He was and is the Son of God. Acceptance of His debt cancellation happens by believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth that He is indeed the Son of God and is risen from the dead.

Know the Truth.

Be Debt Free.