Thursday, December 9, 2010

The rioting UK students are correct...




Oh, sorry, wrong video.




As I write this, thousands of university students in the UK are rioting in the streets of London, protesting the successful vote in Parliament for an increase in what they will have to pay towards their education. For the last few years, students have had to pay about $5000(US) annually for their college education, with the Government picking up the rest. As part of a large plan to cut the size and cost of Government before it goes broke, students will be asked to pay closer to $14,000(US).

If these poor kids were receiving a worthwhile education they'd understand that if the government tuition subsidies stay in place, in twenty years they will be footing the university bill for someone else...and probably rioting in the streets in protest. Looks to me like these kids haven't even been exposed to basic economic theory. Why should they pay anything at all for an education that falls so short?

The best sign I saw while I watched the video: F**K FEES ~ Free Education Now. I must say; well said. The mollycoddled students are not alone in their despair.



A couple of months ago a detailed austerity package was introduced in the House of Commons to deal with the UK's $173(US) billion deficit, the largest in Europe, which is saying a lot (Greece? Ireland? Portugal?). The interest payments alone on that debt are a monstrous $68 billion a year.

Government agency budgets are being cut by 19%, serious cuts to welfare programs will save $28(US) billion, the age required for retirement pensions will gradually be raised and, shockingly, the Queen's budget will be shaved by 14% next year. (How ever will she be able to afford that wedding?)

I wonder if our own politicians would have the same kind of courage when it comes to making the tough cuts?

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