Wednesday, May 14, 2008

You make your choices, so grow up

Here's Hugh Hewitt's latest Townhall.com commentary:

In recent weeks Michelle Obama has been speaking about the burdens of student loans on new college graduates. While it is true that some students emerge from their undergraduate and graduate years with a large pile of debt, many do not, and many more have gone about the business of paying off their loans over the many years with the generous terms provided them. Nobody likes paying off loans, but doing so is a responsibility and one an adult shoulders without begrudging the effort.

We thus wonder if Mrs. Obama is doing good or mischief by suggesting that debt somehow wrongfully limits choices. Debt is itself a choice and as difficult as it is to pay back large loans, the borrower should not be bitter about the burden he or she accepted. Encouraging resentment over responsibility is not leadership. The attention the Obamas are receiving from young voters gives them a unique opportunity to model responsibility, not resentment.

I first heard Ms. Obama's weepy rhetoric in regards to student loans and the so-called "wage-slavery" problem on Hugh's show a few weeks ago. My first reaction was why not attack the root, i.e., high tuition costs? The fact is government backs these loans and that's one of the main reasons tuition is high. Another reason is the endless pimping of college as the key to success, thereby greatly inflating the demand. Sure, if you don't drop out. And here's a stupid question: do you think the Obamas favor decreasing the role of government in the financing of higher education or expanding it?

I think that in sticking with this constant playing of the resentment card, usually dealt by the distaff side of his campaign, the Obamas are treading in dangerous waters. The concept of America as a land of opportunity does not mean that everybody is going to have the same opportunities that everybody else possesses. Resentment about the lack of natural talents or circumstances of birth only leads to further resentments whereas acceptance of these circumstances added to determination, sound judgement and elbow grease is what generally leads to accomplishment.

8 comments:

  1. Hello. Congratulations for your blog. Do you know why the young people pray the holy rosary? You can watch here fifty testimonies of young university students
    (in Spanish, with english subtitles)
    See it: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=YxjjyXhO9EA
    It is one of the most watched videos on Youtube in May.

    Santiago (Granada, Spain)
    http://opinionciudadano.blogspot.com/

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  2. On the subject of Michelle Obama, I wonder if she is a nagger and, if she is, exactly what kind of nagger she is -- Innocent? Chatterbox? Riddler? or T-rex?

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  3. Seven years ago I decided to take on a large pile of student loans in order to attend graduate school. I had actually escaped college with a fairly small amount of loans, but graduate school was different. That was my choice. Seven years on and I will soon be done (hopefully) with my Ph.D, which means it will soon be time to pay back the piper.

    Sure I could probably have done with a little less, but it was my choice and my gamble, and every cent was worth it. It's ten times more than credit card debt, yet it feel one hundred percent better because it applies to self betterment, and hopefully greater wages.

    So, Mrs. Obama, take your faux concern and shove it.

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  4. i feel a song coming on:

    Michelle, ma belle
    paying student loans is such pure hell
    poor Michelle

    Michelle, ma belle
    government should make your law school free
    totally free

    we'll pay it, we'll pay it , we'll pay it
    That's the least we can do
    for very special you
    I will say the only words I know that
    You'll understand

    Michelle, ma belle
    Vous Michelle etes vraiment exceptionelle
    exceptionelle

    I want you, I want you, I want you
    to have a ton of cash
    a most abundant stash
    Until I do I'm telling you so
    You'll understand

    Michelle, ma belle
    we will pay you mortgage bill as well
    mortgage as well

    I am saying now the only words
    That you'll understand, my Michelle

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  5. Yeah, Cranky, my bro-in-law is in the same boat right now. But he's going for the gold, the PhD, and hey, the loan is part of the package.

    People come to this country, take out a loan to start a restaurant or supermarket and become successful in those businesses frequently. A degree should not be any different. I should not be entitled to a college education/degree just because I'm smart any more than I should be entitled to own a restaurant because know how to wait tables or cook food.

    BTW, these business owners are proud of this country regardless of whether their spouse is running for high office.

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  6. in 1992 i went to a public law school on purpose b/c i knew i was going to pay the bill. I didn't even consider private schools because they were double the price. my out of state tuition was a whopping $11K (in state was probably about half) and I had about $400 per month living expenses.

    you shouldn't go to an expensive law school (not even harvard) until you do the math. assuming you can do the math. Michelle.

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  7. Kathleen, that song totally rocks. :-)

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