Monday, March 13, 2006
Letter to Representative Chet Edwards on Student Loans
Steve Harris
Address Omited
January 28, 2006
The Honorable Chet Edwards
Dear Representative Edwards,
Thank you for writing the column on January 27, regarding cuts in federal student loan programs. I agree with your position on some issues; but not, however, on this one. It is true that the costs of higher education in America has skyrocketed, and many families will have a harder time affording these costs. But why?
Colleges and Universities continue to raise tuition and housing prices year after year. Each time prices increase, students and their parents are forced to seek out more loans, grants, and jobs to anti up. Because the perceived value of higher education is so high, they're willing to make the sacrifices necessary to pay. I believe one reason tuition prices increase is exactly because universities know the government will subsidize the students more each year, and students will funnel money to administrators. Stop, or slow down, the flow of federal subsidies and the costs will level out.
There's another reason to stop the federal subsidies of colleges and universities. This is a principle I've brought up with you before. James Madison stated, "I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." When government takes money from one citizen to give to another, for whatever reasons you justify, you have ignored the intentions of our Founding Fathers. You have told those students who work extra hours in a job to pay cash for their education, rather than borrow, that their work and principles are not good enough. Now those students must also help to pay for other students as well. They have no choice to give out of charity, the government will tax the money from them. The Founding Fathers wrote extensively on this subject and I believe as they did, the federal government should not be involved in benevolence.
I also want to address the way you link tax cuts to the cuts in student loans in such a negative way. You said, "The $11.9 billion student aid cuts won't reduce the deficit. Instead, they are being pushed so the Congressional leadership can pass a few weeks from now an extension of recent temporary dividend cuts that give a $220,000 annual tax break to those making $1 million a year in dividend income." That's how you see it.
The way I look at the federal budget, I think the $11.9 billion student aid cuts are being pushed so the Congress can afford a $2 million Hike and Bike trail in McGregor, TX, and money for the Waco Transit buses, and the thousands of other earmarks our leaders in Washington have passed in the last few years. The reason you cannot balance the federal budget has nothing to do with the tax cuts. Tax cuts actually bring in more tax revenue in the long run, because the economy booms, businesses open and expand, jobs are created, and wages increased. Short sighted Congressmen, however, want to blame the tax cuts for undermining the budget, while in reality the budget shortfall can be placed squarely on the shoulders of legislative earmarks. Your Pork Barrel Spending is out of control, and you know it. But you like to buy votes with these favors to your constituents, so you don't want to admit it.
Thank you again for writing the article. I enjoy healthy dialog, and agree or disagree, I like to respond to your views. I would love to hear back from you in response to my comments.
Address Omited
January 28, 2006
The Honorable Chet Edwards
Dear Representative Edwards,
Thank you for writing the column on January 27, regarding cuts in federal student loan programs. I agree with your position on some issues; but not, however, on this one. It is true that the costs of higher education in America has skyrocketed, and many families will have a harder time affording these costs. But why?
Colleges and Universities continue to raise tuition and housing prices year after year. Each time prices increase, students and their parents are forced to seek out more loans, grants, and jobs to anti up. Because the perceived value of higher education is so high, they're willing to make the sacrifices necessary to pay. I believe one reason tuition prices increase is exactly because universities know the government will subsidize the students more each year, and students will funnel money to administrators. Stop, or slow down, the flow of federal subsidies and the costs will level out.
There's another reason to stop the federal subsidies of colleges and universities. This is a principle I've brought up with you before. James Madison stated, "I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." When government takes money from one citizen to give to another, for whatever reasons you justify, you have ignored the intentions of our Founding Fathers. You have told those students who work extra hours in a job to pay cash for their education, rather than borrow, that their work and principles are not good enough. Now those students must also help to pay for other students as well. They have no choice to give out of charity, the government will tax the money from them. The Founding Fathers wrote extensively on this subject and I believe as they did, the federal government should not be involved in benevolence.
I also want to address the way you link tax cuts to the cuts in student loans in such a negative way. You said, "The $11.9 billion student aid cuts won't reduce the deficit. Instead, they are being pushed so the Congressional leadership can pass a few weeks from now an extension of recent temporary dividend cuts that give a $220,000 annual tax break to those making $1 million a year in dividend income." That's how you see it.
The way I look at the federal budget, I think the $11.9 billion student aid cuts are being pushed so the Congress can afford a $2 million Hike and Bike trail in McGregor, TX, and money for the Waco Transit buses, and the thousands of other earmarks our leaders in Washington have passed in the last few years. The reason you cannot balance the federal budget has nothing to do with the tax cuts. Tax cuts actually bring in more tax revenue in the long run, because the economy booms, businesses open and expand, jobs are created, and wages increased. Short sighted Congressmen, however, want to blame the tax cuts for undermining the budget, while in reality the budget shortfall can be placed squarely on the shoulders of legislative earmarks. Your Pork Barrel Spending is out of control, and you know it. But you like to buy votes with these favors to your constituents, so you don't want to admit it.
Thank you again for writing the article. I enjoy healthy dialog, and agree or disagree, I like to respond to your views. I would love to hear back from you in response to my comments.
posted by Steve Harris, 7:21 AM
0 Comments:
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