$2500 College Credit on taxes!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Yet another farce of our culture. "Without education you're selling yourself short." Really? Tell that to the kids I graduated high school with who now make less money than me AFTER they went to college. Oh, and don't forget, they're still paying student loans.

A few individuals you happen to know doesn't change the fact that average earnings for a college graduate is 82% higher than those who only graduated from high school. Unemployment rates for people with college degrees is less than half that of those with only a high school education right now (4.8% vs 10.1%)

[slim 1,530]

Absolutely. I have paid off the investment more than tenfold in higher taxes from higher earnings as a result of going to college. I've been directly responsible for creating jobs by growing a business.

It's like the old adage in business - you have to spend money to earn money.

So everyone does that?

I believe it's my tax dollars that pay those wages.

Yet nobody in the military is given any money. Every single one of them earns it. College kids are given money in the hopes that maybe someday they pay off the investment more than tenfold in higher taxes from higher earnings as a result of going to college. Hopefully too they're directly responsible for creating jobs by growing a business. For the military folks there's no hope they do something later - they earn their salary at the time it's paid.

ALL of them?

I specifically outlined who you should talk to.

A few individuals you happen to know doesn't change the fact that average earnings for a college graduate is 82% higher than those who only graduated from high school. Unemployment rates for people with college degrees is less than half that of those with only a high school education right now (4.8% vs 10.1%)

Like I said, I didn't go to college, but crunching your numbers (and I'm no math whiz either) it would seem to me that 4% of appx. 25% of our population that is WASTING that "investment" right now probably adds up pretty quick. Especially when you consider the money most college graduates pay into the tax scheme is already being spent elsewhere - after repaying their own debt, if they can.

[^_^ 5,021]

... nobody in the military is given any money. Every single one of them earns it.

So if the federal government decided to pay people to dig ditches and then fill them in again, would you consider that a good use of taxpayer money? Are the people digging those ditches and filling them in again "earning" their pay?

Because a large part of the money we spend on the military serves as much purpose as that hypothetical example would. It's a jobs program, plain and simple. A jobs program for chronic underachievers and kids who couldn't stay out of trouble.

[Amby 490]

slim...when I finish med school I will give you some free dr visits to pay you back for paying taxes for me to learn

[slim 1,530]

So if the federal government decided to pay people to dig ditches and then fill them in again, would you consider that a good use of taxpayer money? Are the people digging those ditches and filling them in again "earning" their pay?

Because a large part of the money we spend on the military serves as much purpose as that hypothetical example would. It's a jobs program, plain and simple. A jobs program for chronic underachievers and kids who couldn't stay out of trouble.

Digging ditches to avoid bullets is a pretty useful task.

slim...when I finish med school I will give you some free dr visits to pay you back for paying taxes for me to learn

Don't worry, Uncle Sam pays for me to go to the dr. I earned that already.

[Amby 490]

actually I'm offering free visits for everyone. thank you for helping me!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

So which is it? They are taking on debt or they are taking an entitlement program? Really it can't be both now can it?

I didn't realize someone would argue so passionately against people getting a tax incentive to improve their skills and knowledge. I think RJ got it in 1 way up the thread - jealousy.

[Amby 490]

So which is it? They are taking on debt or they are taking an entitlement program? Really it can't be both now can it?

I didn't realize someone would argue so passionately against people getting a tax incentive to improve their skills and knowledge. I think RJ got it in 1 way up the thread - jealousy.

I thought that too. Then I thought maybe he's one of those people who really wants to go to university but is too scared to take the step. Afraid to fail and all that. Then I thought maybe he just isn't smart enough. Some people really aren't smart enough and end up working in jobs where they kill their bodies doing labor jobs because it's all they can do. Those people are usually the ones who argue against higher ed.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Don't worry, Uncle Sam pays for me to go to the dr. I earned that already.

Something else you got out of your military service?

Just how long do you think the taxpayers should keep you for having SIGNED UP to do a JOB?

actually I'm offering free visits for everyone. thank you for helping me!

I know a few doctors who (in addition to their private practice) work at clinics for low-income people. Not clinics where Medicaid is accepted. Clinics where the cost of service is minimal, but paid for by the patients.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I specifically outlined who you should talk to.

No you didn't. You said "the kids I went to high school with who went to college". You did not say ALL the kids. You did not say SOME of the kids. You did not say ONE of the kids. You did not say TWENTY of the kids.

You were vague. And obtuse. As usual.

[^_^ 5,021]

Some people really aren't smart enough and end up working in jobs where they kill their bodies doing labor jobs because it's all they can do.

The irony is "those people" are the ones who tend to be most supportive of Republican Party championed changes to social security - changes like gutting disability and raising the retirement age. It's ironic people because people who bust their butt in hard labor jobs are disproportionately more likely to end up disabled or be unable to work past a certain age. When you raise the retirement age to 70, you hurt the cube dwellers a lot less.

[Amby 490]

RJ - that's something I plan to do eventually.

[slim 1,530]

So which is it? They are taking on debt or they are taking an entitlement program? Really it can't be both now can it?

A debt that can be written off is an entitlement.

I didn't realize someone would argue so passionately against people getting a tax incentive to improve their skills and knowledge. I think RJ got it in 1 way up the thread - jealousy.

Yes, I'm jealous over people doing something I have the opportunity to do as well. "I'm so mad that I choose not to do it."

I thought that too. Then I thought maybe he's one of those people who really wants to go to university but is too scared to take the step. Afraid to fail and all that. Then I thought maybe he just isn't smart enough. Some people really aren't smart enough and end up working in jobs where they kill their bodies doing labor jobs because it's all they can do. Those people are usually the ones who argue against higher ed.

You can see from my posts here on VJ how dumb I am.

Something else you got out of your military service?

Just how long do you think the taxpayers should keep you for having SIGNED UP to do a JOB?

As long as they've agreed to pay me for what I agreed to do. That's how jobs/pay works. You agree to do something for a certain fee. Part of my fee was reduced-cost (because I make too much money now) health care for the rest of my life.

I know a few doctors who (in addition to their private practice) work at clinics for low-income people. Not clinics where Medicaid is accepted. Clinics where the cost of service is minimal, but paid for by the patients.

Are you looking for a gold star? I'm not really sure why you posted this.

[Amby 490]

can I have a gold star? I just found out I'm going to mongolia this summer to work in a clinic.

[^_^ 5,021]

Digging ditches to avoid bullets is a pretty useful task.

That wasn't what I was talking about, you must have missed the part where the 'employee' fills them in again.