Santorum Accuses Obama Of 'Snobbery' For Wanting All U.S. Kids To Attend College

[chanel]

I'm sorry, I can't see where he said that he wants everyone to go to college...
It looks to me like he's proposing to improve early education and access to higher education...but maybe I'm not reading it right.

Guiding Principles

Providing a high-quality education for all children is critical to America’s economic future. Our nation’s economic competitiveness and the path to the American Dream depend on providing every child with an education that will enable them to succeed in a global economy that is predicated on knowledge and innovation. President Obama is committed to providing every child access to a complete and competitive education, from cradle through career.

About.com: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education

In his address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, President Barack Obama called for every American to pursue some form of education beyond high school .
It's an ambitious goal — some might say impossible. Currently, only two of every five American adults have a two- or four-year college degree. Millions of Americans struggle even to complete high school, with one in four dropping out. And even a high school degree is no guarantee a student is ready for college.

Particularly alarming are the college rates for low-income and minority students. One recent study reported more than 90 percent of low-income teens said they planned to go to college — but only half actually enroll.

Those who do enroll are substantially less likely than others to finish their degree. If they borrowed money for college and don't graduate, they may be worse off than if they hadn't even started college.

The Associated Press asked six experts — from the worlds of policy, philanthropy and some who work directly with struggling students — to answer the same two questions.

Is the president's goal realistic? And what would it take to attain it? Here are their responses.

College for all: Is Obama's goal attainable? - US news - Education - msnbc.com

There are people who agree with the President and many who do not. That does not make Santorum a "nutjob".

"Access" always equal $$$$$. Forcing states to prepare every high school student for college takes $$$$ and can have negative consequences for students who cannot handle the rigor of physics, calculus, and foreign languages. Those students deserve options.

I happen to agree with the President's plan to hold colleges more accountable for costs and retention rates. But that is for students who truly want a degree. Not the ones who have been duped into thinking that higher ed. is merely "13th grade".

The fact is that there are kids who will never read beyond the fifth grade level. There are students who will never be able do fractions. We can argue all day long about how to fix that, but encouraging them to go to college despite that is ludicrous.

 

[Ravi]

Oh boy

Fake outrage "Obama gonna make everyones kids go to Kollege! You're not the boss of ME!"

Waa..pleez.

That's exactly what this is....

Americans have become lazy and believe that they should succeed in life simply because they are Americans. They don't want to strive for anything and encouraging people by saying we should all have the opportunity to get a college education is somehow a bad thing.

When Americans are no longer a super power it will be the fault of these whiners.

 

[Douger]

I wonder if Santorum realizes the best auto-mechanics went to school for that.

Henry Ford attended classes ?

 

[JoeB131]

Oh boy

Fake outrage "Obama gonna make everyones kids go to Kollege! You're not the boss of ME!"

Waa..pleez.

That's exactly what this is....

Americans have become lazy and believe that they should succeed in life simply because they are Americans. They don't want to strive for anything and encouraging people by saying we should all have the opportunity to get a college education is somehow a bad thing.

When Americans are no longer a super power it will be the fault of these whiners.

No, not everyone needs to go to college.

College should be for the best of the best. Today we've democratized it, and turned it into HS plus. (Because thanks to unionized teachers, an HS Diploma isn't even a valid promise that the person holding it can read.)

Of course, it would be nice if we could get good jobs for kids when they graduate HS, but thanks to the idiotic trade treaties signed by both parties, those jobs are in China and Mexico now.

 

[Ravi]

Oh boy

Fake outrage "Obama gonna make everyones kids go to Kollege! You're not the boss of ME!"

Waa..pleez.

That's exactly what this is....

Americans have become lazy and believe that they should succeed in life simply because they are Americans. They don't want to strive for anything and encouraging people by saying we should all have the opportunity to get a college education is somehow a bad thing.

When Americans are no longer a super power it will be the fault of these whiners.

No, not everyone needs to go to college.

College should be for the best of the best. Today we've democratized it, and turned it into HS plus. (Because thanks to unionized teachers, an HS Diploma isn't even a valid promise that the person holding it can read.)

Of course, it would be nice if we could get good jobs for kids when they graduate HS, but thanks to the idiotic trade treaties signed by both parties, those jobs are in China and Mexico now.

Thanks for proving my point with your defeatest attitude.

 

[JoeB131]

That's exactly what this is....

Americans have become lazy and believe that they should succeed in life simply because they are Americans. They don't want to strive for anything and encouraging people by saying we should all have the opportunity to get a college education is somehow a bad thing.

When Americans are no longer a super power it will be the fault of these whiners.

No, not everyone needs to go to college.

College should be for the best of the best. Today we've democratized it, and turned it into HS plus. (Because thanks to unionized teachers, an HS Diploma isn't even a valid promise that the person holding it can read.)

Of course, it would be nice if we could get good jobs for kids when they graduate HS, but thanks to the idiotic trade treaties signed by both parties, those jobs are in China and Mexico now.

Thanks for proving my point with your defeatest attitude.

Not a defeatist attitude, a PRACTICAL one.

College is just wasted on some people. An absolute waste of time and money, because

1) College doesn't make them any smarter

and

2) Even if they get degrees (devalued just to be fair), it's not like the economy can absorb them.

Frankly, when I was in the service, I saw all these wonderful inner city education results, and they couldn't read, write, do math or even knew basic history. But they joined the Army to go to college. Yup.

We need to fix basic education long before we worry about who gets into college, not try to make giving college degrees to people who can't read them a goal.

 

[Gadawg73]

Oh boy

Fake outrage "Obama gonna make everyones kids go to Kollege! You're not the boss of ME!"

Waa..pleez.

That's exactly what this is....

Americans have become lazy and believe that they should succeed in life simply because they are Americans. They don't want to strive for anything and encouraging people by saying we should all have the opportunity to get a college education is somehow a bad thing.

When Americans are no longer a super power it will be the fault of these whiners.

No, not everyone needs to go to college.

College should be for the best of the best. Today we've democratized it, and turned it into HS plus. (Because thanks to unionized teachers, an HS Diploma isn't even a valid promise that the person holding it can read.)

Of course, it would be nice if we could get good jobs for kids when they graduate HS, but thanks to the idiotic trade treaties signed by both parties, those jobs are in China and Mexico now.

And the Mexicans and Chinese making the shoes and jeans are how smart?
The problem we have are with the Chinese graduating more engineers and mathematicians every year combined than what we graduate in basket weaving and female studies and every other degree.

 

[Gadawg73]

No, not everyone needs to go to college.

College should be for the best of the best. Today we've democratized it, and turned it into HS plus. (Because thanks to unionized teachers, an HS Diploma isn't even a valid promise that the person holding it can read.)

Of course, it would be nice if we could get good jobs for kids when they graduate HS, but thanks to the idiotic trade treaties signed by both parties, those jobs are in China and Mexico now.

Thanks for proving my point with your defeatest attitude.

Not a defeatist attitude, a PRACTICAL one.

College is just wasted on some people. An absolute waste of time and money, because

1) College doesn't make them any smarter

and

2) Even if they get degrees (devalued just to be fair), it's not like the economy can absorb them.

Frankly, when I was in the service, I saw all these wonderful inner city education results, and they couldn't read, write, do math or even knew basic history. But they joined the Army to go to college. Yup.

We need to fix basic education long before we worry about who gets into college, not try to make giving college degrees to people who can't read them a goal.

That is very well said and I agree with that 100%.

 

[Sallow]

Yes and no. From his perspective, that of a Monarchist in love with Dynastic rule, Somalia is sort of left leaning.

His preference would have been that America lose it's revolution and we still be living under the rule of royalty.

But watcha gonna do?

If you examine the historical record, monarchies have performed better than democracies. They consumed less of the country's wealth and allowed their citizens more individual freedom. They also enjoyed greater economic growth.

I would prefer it if the Constitution had never been adopted and we remained under the articles of Confederation. Creating a federal government is the biggest mistake this country ever made.

You can't be serious. Oh wait..you are.

Democratic Republics have far out performed Kingdoms, Monarchies, Dictatorships and any other conservative forms of government. Rome (when it was a Democracy) and the United States are proof of that.

 

[Cecilie1200]

i definitely want my 7yo to go to college. i bet most parents want the same. i wonder what people would say if a president said something like...

"well, not everybody needs to have the opportunity to go to college."

I want my kids to go to whichever school allows them to train for the career that would make them happy. I certainly don't want them to go to college and rack up enormous debts for themselves if what they really want in life is to be an auto mechanic or an electrician or something like that.

And what the hell's wrong with technical trades, may I ask? I believe THAT would be the source of Santorum's "snobbery" comment: why does Obama think the only valid education and career training comes from colleges?

 

[Cecilie1200]

OMG - Can you believe these right wing radicals at Harvard? A bunch of Santorum freaks I imagine.

The U.S. is focusing too much attention on helping students pursue four-year college degrees, when two-year and occupational programs may better prepare them for the job market, a Harvard University report said.

The “college for all” movement has produced only incremental gains as other nations leapfrog the United States, and the country is failing to prepare millions of young people to become employable adults, said the authors of the Pathways to Prosperity Project, based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Four Years of College Isn't for Everyone, Harvard Study Says - Bloomberg

It really depends heavily on the individual students, we should fully support any student that wants to get a degree in something serious, like engineering, physics, or a medical degree.

I support - emotionally, not financially - anyone who really wants a degree in ANYTHING . . . so long as THEY are paying for it, not me. I also fully support anyone who wants to do something that doesn't require college. Just so they're happy, productive, and not sucking off my tax dollars.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I agree that not everyone is cut out for a four year college degree. OTOH, have you priced a two year tech School lately?

Besides... tell me where Obama said "four year College".... I know he was also talking about tech schools.

You want to know what the REAL problem is? There was a time when Companies would train their employees from scratch.... Now, they don't want to do that. They'd rather have a kid go 50-100K in debt... Then offer them a job. Desperation makes for good slaves... er... Employees.

You "know" nothing of the sort. You ASSUME that, because - just like during his election - you halfwit liberals just project whatever you want to believe Obama is onto him so that you can continue to brownnose him.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I wonder if Santorum realizes the best auto-mechanics went to school for that.

school or college?

Or learned it from other sources?

I believe it is still possible to get an apprenticeship as a mechanic and learn it that way. I KNOW that's still how one learns carpentry and similar trades.

 

[Gadawg73]

school or college?

Or learned it from other sources?

I believe it is still possible to get an apprenticeship as a mechanic and learn it that way. I KNOW that's still how one learns carpentry and similar trades.

Exactly.
I got an apprenticeship as an investigator and then went to college. Two degrees later, with majors in business and finance, I have an agency detective license and have been doing it for 30 years.
Without not a cent in taxpayer $$.

 

[Cecilie1200]

An auto mechanic can learn his trade from hands on experience or from technical schools or from college. The point is, Santorum was the one being elitist by insinuating auto mechanics are uneducated.

How many auto mechanics do you know with a college education?

I don't know a single university in my area that teaches classes in auto mechanics. The local community college does, but it's not a degree program; it's a certificate for employment program, aka the community college is acting as a trade school.

 

[Cecilie1200]

That's a bank vice president in Hawaii.......not exactly a fast track to fame and fortune

What, do you think banks in Hawaii trade coconuts and seashells, you ignorant douchebag?

Obama and rightwinger think Hawaii is part of Asia. Everyone there works stooped over in the rice fields all day.

Rightwinger might think Hawaii is like "Gilligan's Island".

 

[Gadawg73]

Santorum does not have to open his mouth to be known as a fool.

 

[Cecilie1200]

How many auto mechanics do you know with a college education?

Do you honestly think the people who fix the best cars in the world learned that from their local car shop?

Trade school is not college....

I think the people who "fix the best cars in the world" went to trade school AND THEN did a long apprenticeship with a specialized car shop for those type of cars. If Stupid is aware of some college offering degrees in "Auto Mechanics for Rolls Royces" somewhere, I'd like to see a link to it.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I never really paid the slightest attention to Santorum but the more I see him the more his personality creeps me the hell out. To think this man has any kind of political following makes my skin crawl.

Situations like this proves one thing. NO matter what Obama says, the right will always say he is wrong. NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS.

That would be because he's so goddamned liberal, he's incapable of saying anything that isn't insanely leftist, which means he's always wrong.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Do you honestly think the people who fix the best cars in the world learned that from their local car shop?

F-1 mechanics generally have degrees in mechanical engineering. Imagine that.

I doubt it.

As I recall, my father-in-law was an airplane mechanic for the Air Force, and then for Lockheed after he retired from the Air Force. He didn't even go to trade school; the Air Force trained him themselves.