On Wednesday morning, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton announced she was adopting a key campaign initiative of her rival, Bernie Sanders.
Clinton announced a plan seeking to make college education attainable for everyone, and it seeks to provide free tuition for public, in-state universities and colleges.
https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/750719440786976768/photo/1
The plan hinges on dispersing funds to economically challenged families with a joint income of less than $125,000, which, if we’re being fair, is pretty much essential income to maintaining a reasonable standard of living for a family of three if not more.
The Hill (no pun intended) dishes on Hillary’s announcement, which is surely aimed at targeting Sanders supporters:
“The plan will be phased in over five years, but families earning $85,000 or less will immediately be able to attend an in-state college or university without paying any tuition,” reads an announcement on Clinton’s website.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also unveiled a plan to use executive actions to offer a three-month moratorium on payments for those with federal student loans.
“American families are drowning in debt caused by ever-rising college costs, and it is imperative that the next president put forward a bold plan to make debt-free college available to all,” Clinton said in a statement. “My New College Compact will do just that — by making sure that working families can send a child or loved one to college tuition-free and by giving student debt-holders immediate relief.
“While [presumptive GOP presidential nominee] Donald Trump offers little more than broken promises to get rich quick, I remain committed to ensuring that a college degree is attainable for anyone in this country with the desire and determination to earn one.”
Shortly after the announcement, Sanders, who has not formally endorsed Clinton for the POTUS role, did state that it was a monumental step for her campaign, and the future of education in America.
“I want to take this opportunity to applaud Secretary Clinton for the very bold initiative she has just brought forth today for the financing of higher education. This proposal combines some of the strongest ideas she fought for during the campaign with some of the principles that I fought for. The final product is a result of the work of both campaigns,” he said in a statement.
“Let me be very clear. This proposal, when implemented, will revolutionize the funding of higher education in America, improve the economic future of our country and make life immediately better for tens of millions of people stuck with high levels of student debt.”
Preemptively, since Clinton’s initiative is aimed at providing degrees from in-state schools, it will lurch a burden on taxpayers of those states, and the eventual outcome of the plan on rising college and university costs is obviously yet to be seen.
Safe to say there will be lots of people very for the plan, and lots of people against it as well.
[via The Hill]