Occasionally someone gets me riled up. I am a very patient person 98% of the time, but there are a few things in this world that pop the filter off my mouth in 0.395 seconds flat. Yes, flat.

My kid brother (not really a kid anymore, but that’s beside the point), who just graduated college with a double major in music and education, recently posted Obama’s student loan reform announcement to his facebook page in order to alert the droves of other recent college grads of the fantastic news. But as with anything, not everyone thinks it is fantastic.

After wildly typing out this long-winded response on facebook, I thought it worthy to post here. With all the recent activity in our government, perhaps it’s time to remind some what’s actually at stake… and what we have already started to lose.

Our government is not an a la carte system. Notice the word “system.” Government “system.” It only works when it works as a whole. You don’t suddenly decide you’re liver isn’t pulling its weight and remove it, do you? (Well, i certainly don’t cause… ha!). You wouldn’t make a la cart choices in your circulatory system would you? How about removing a few million units from our sun and see how that works out. Anyway, you get my point. Okay, so here goes.

My brother is so nice… I sometimes go for the jugular. Admittedly, my response was slightly reactionary, but that doesn’t make it any less true. And I stand by it.

Brother:
Hey,
Student loans can make you feel like you’re drowning in debt and will never recover. President Obama is making two changes that could relieve some of that pressure. Watch the video and find out how these changes could make your life easier — then pass it on:

Random Facebook Guy:
I think you mean harder. All this does is make the taxpayers foot the bill for the students.

Brother:
So that taxpayers have a chance to be a student? And to get the job they want, waking up in the morning happier about their life, while helping others achieve the same achievement?

Random Facebook Guy:
While the rest of us poor slobs foot the bill.

Brother:
Go to school 🙂 You can now

My [slightly reactionary] response:
This argument is moot. an educated society is a wealthy society. The more college graduates and successful business people we have contributing to the economy, the more money we have in the economy and the more money we have overall, allowing us to do things like this. Not only that, you don’t think teachers – who sacrifice their own well-being for the betterment of our country – deserve a break? They go to school longer and rack up more debt then your average corporate VP, yet get paid a fraction of the salary and struggle to pay back the same loan. They continue to have their salaries cut as budgets are cut and people vote down taxes. Public schools are a function of the government. Have you forgotten that? It’s FREE! For anyone and everyone who wants an education. Only, wait… it’s not actually free, is it? This system – the system that makes us one of the greatest countries int he world – only works when everyone contributes. So if you don’t want to pay taxes to support the whole, that’s fine. Just don’t use the services. No school. No roads. No police, firefighters or EMTs. No military protection. No community health clinics. No subsidies for farmers, so you don’t get to buy any food at the grocery store either. No electricity, which is also party supported by our government. If you get arrested and can’t afford a lawyer, too bad. Guess you get to spend the rest of your life in prison. No motor vehicles unless you fabricate and construct it yourself. No Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security. No job training programs. Honestly, the way some people have tunnel vision astounds me. If you want to live this way, fine. Go buy an island somewhere out to sea, and live off the grid 100%. Or you can choose to be a part of this society… but you are going to have to contribute. NOTHING in this world is free, and “fiscal conservatives” would be well to remember that. Even Regan – the poster child for conservative values – understood that.

*Shrug* Sure, it’s a little… simplified, but am I completely off base here? If you think so I would love to hear it explained in an educated way and have an actual discussion about it. Thus far all dissenting opinions I’ve heard have amounted to “That’s wrong.” “Why?” “Because it is!” …mmmmkay

And just in case you were wondering, here is the video in question. This blogger thinks it’s great news.