University: Who Pays?

Many parts of Europe are "reforming" their educational fees systems; seeking to assess higher tuition fees for university. (In Sweden, where I live, university students still pay no tuition fees). Educational access to all who are qualified, regardless of family wealth, is a worthy goal threatened by high tuition fees.

There are assorted good arguments for raising tuition, but good arguments against the practice are often unheard. Many functions of university, most university costs and investments, have little or nothing to do with undergraduate education. Why should prospective students pay?

The people making the decisions, politicians and others throughout society, have already received heavily subsidized education. Many of their arguments for "students paying their way" are also relevant to their own educational backgrounds. Why not consider retroactive cost assessment? Noisy proponents of higher fees can themselves "pay their way" - reducing higher education costs for teenagers.

[When I submitted this letter to The Independent, they cut out the last paragraph - perhaps guiltily unwilling to advocate repaying the educational benefits editors had themselves received.]

Chalmers Johnson, RIP

Chalmers Johnson is dead at 79. The world has lost a great voice. He was a person who thought & fought prolifically, a modern Thomas Paine. This note is not eulogy or panegyric - I didn't know Chal well enough; he was a brilliant policy analyst; he was hard-working, inspired & pugnacious; he was a great mentor; and he regularly irritated the petty powerful. If only our world had hundreds such!

Life as an Outsider

I never liked the Bush Declaration: "You're either with us - or against us."

The 1987 film "Wall Street" (rewatched last night) had one early takeaway line: "If you're not inside, you are outside."

In the USA now, the top 1% hold 34% of the nation’s wealth; the bottom 40% own nothing (and the bottom 50% hold just 2.5%)...

Too many in America fail to recognize: they have become outsiders. A feeding frenzy is going on; they're not invited - they are obedient servants or in danger of being consumed.

Social services insure the rich by maintaining civilization. Hoodlum society has high costs and terrible dangers for the wealthy. Social investments are important!

Validation & Fellowship

It feels good to receive dozens of birthday greetings. Small niceties can be valuable. I've lived thirty years as a foreigner, and appreciate smiles and greetings and hospitality as many others can't. I've been fortunate, cultivating good lifestyle & integrity. The process of achieving many personal goals has developed composure to wholeheartedly delight with others at their joys. My family has been fundamentally healthy. Challenges, pain & perplexities are always near at hand; such is life. Yumbo!

Paying for Corporate Crime

Collusion in the airline industry led today to fines of over US$1 billion. Airlines have already been fined more than US$1.5 billion by the USA for fixing fuel surcharges.

This problem has many dimensions, but a key facet is who should pay. Corporate bonuses and salaries have been "earned" (and paid) based on fraud & illegal activity.

Governments can shake down corporations: fishing for revenues, overcharging for licenses, reinterpreting rules & changing laws to bolster treasuries or aggrandize crusading individuals. Arrogant corporations & government both can gouge consumer-citizens. We little people seem pawns in a bigger game.

Corporate executives & bankers enjoy a system where "white collar crime" brings great personal reward at little personal risk. This stinking system must change.

Savage

"The Muslims are the new Redskin. We Americans occupy, subjugate and take responsibility for their lands & resources. We're working to help them. It's criminal that our brave men & women doing military service are being injured and killed."
        -- Millennium meme of Right America

Just Government

"Just government has nothing to hide."
      -- Dr. Bruce Henry Lambert

Watching Civility Burn

Firefighters from South Fulton (Tennessee, USA) recently watched Gene Cranick's home burn down; they refused to assist since the owner hadn't paid $75 protection money.

The city requires rural residents to pay in advance for protection. Attempts on the spot to pay - after the fire began - were refused. Fire crews only responded to limit the fire's wider spread, the neighbor next door had paid the protection fee.

Is this proper? Many Americans side with the fire services, with comments such as: "Dude should have paid; otherwise it ain't fair for those who did pay." or "Isn't his family worth $6.25 a month." and also "When firemen are busy saving the home of a freeloader, they can't protect those properly contracted for services."

While this case may be otherwise, many libertarians proclaim individualism, fighting against taxation, yet eagerly use social services if they're allowed. Those who turn their backs on society & civility shoulder risk. But Darwin's dog-eat-dog world is harsh; when misfortune appears, it's best to have help.

Rick Sanchez - RIP

CNN anchorman Rick Sanchez was fired today from his network after Pete Dominick's satellite radio interview labeled Jon Stewart a minority:

RS: "C'mon. How is he a minority?"

PD: "He's Jewish."

RS: "Yeah, very powerless people." [laughs]

PD: "Whoa."

RS: "You're such a minority. I mean, you know. Please. What? Are you kidding?"

PD: "You're telling me that -- "

RS: "I'm telling you that everybody who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart. And a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart. And to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish are oppressed minorities? Yeah."

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Revolting comment! Bye Rick. Anyhow, your reports ran too right-wing for my taste.