College Educated Graduates Who Can't Buy Homes And Can't Have Families

Dr. Housing Bubble wrote a piece about recent college educated graduates who can't buy homes, because they must service their student loan debt. It is encouraging to see this type of post, as I too have written about the subject countless times here at Education Matters. This angle ought to make policy makers stop and think critically about the student lending crisis and how it is affecting the health of the housing industry. I mean, clearly they don't give a damned about the personal stories of suffering, so perhaps we should try to raise awareness about this fact. Moreover, those who would like to own homes are also putting off having children. Whether or not you support the idea of procreation isn't the issue here. In these situations people can't have children as a result of being indentured educated servants to the likes of Sallie Mae and Nelnet. So you have a generation of recent grads who have no purchasing power and who, not by choice, will remain childless. How's that for a healthy and robust middle class?

Strayer University Beats Estimates: Because They Care

Yeah, they are doing well, because they CARE. These bastards should be shut down, just like the tobacco industry was. That's my goal.

2012, Poster Will Read: React Against Corporate Higher Education!

All Education Matters is a 501(c)(4)

It's official! All Education Matters (AEM) is now a 501(c)(4) in the state of Delaware. Hooray! I will be providing everyone with our mission statement and list of Board Members shortly.

Addendum To The Recent Post On Suicide

The subject of suicide must be approached with caution and sensitivity, and I want to make it clear that I am sympathetic to those of you who have struggled with suicidal thoughts.

Suicide has been of interest to me lately, precisely because of the desperate emails I've been receiving from indentured educated citizens. My latest piece entitled, "For the Indentured Educated Class, Suicidal Thoughts Are Not Merely A Personal Problem," received a lot of responses, too. I am also asserting that suicide is not merely related to the psychology of specific individuals (that is, of course, a factor), but reflects a larger societal problem as it directly relates to the student lending crisis. In a word, it has sociological implications, and that's why policy makers ought to be paying attention to the matter.

There is something very important that is missing in this conversation, however. I need to clear that up. Are you aware that death provides no discharge in some private loans, and that your co-signer(s) could still be liable? I don't mean to sound insensitive, but want to make this point. Of course, I think suicide is never the answer, and I've made that clear in previous posts on the subject (for instance, see my comments to readers here). In addition, it may also not be a good decision financially, if that is how you are thinking about it.

Must View Clip

Thanks to Dustin Slaughter for making this great short the night before I left the country. Dustin is one of nine members on the Board of Directors for All Education Matters. On that note, I have filled out the paperwork for incorporating, and am waiting to hear back from my Registered Agent.

Watch his short and share it with others. My work hasn't changed, and the crisis is only worsening.

For The Indentured Educated Class, Suicidal Thoughts Are Not Merely An Individual Problem

This morning when I got up to read the countless emails I receive every day from indentured educated servants, I read several disturbing ones. One debtor wrote, "I really don't see the purpose of my going on living anymore with the tag of massive Debtor in this crazy USA."

The next message I read was even worse. This one came from a person whom I've developed a strong working relationship with. In it, she told me that a family member of hers, who is drowning in debt and working in a retailer's warehouse, informed his mother (who co-signed on his loans) that if his lender goes after her, he will end his life. As it turns out, his mother is being harassed by their lender. The lender is making threats to take the mother's house away, and she is naturally frantic. 

I have written on the subject of suicide in the past, and that piece sparked a lot of conversation. I am sure those on the Hill and talking heads on the subject of higher education will write these debtors off, claiming that they merely have mental issues and ought to seek care. I don't disagree that these debtors, bless their hearts, need to be in therapy. However, to argue that it's merely on a personal level is missing the point entirely. 


I posted a request for help to get in touch with senators and other state representatives in this mother's home state on my Facebook page, and the first response I received said: "Sadly, I would bet that anonymously, a lot of us have at least taken that horrible option into consideration."

If I take the time to collect more evidence from my readers, I am confident I could assert that suicidal thoughts among debtors are at epidemic levels. That's why we must act now to solve the student lending crisis. If you imagine millions of debtors and co-signers who are contemplating, or have contemplated, suicide, what does that do for the health of a nation?

Quick Announcement: I am now a blogger for the Huffington Post

Many of you know that I recently received an invitation to blog for the Huffington Post about the student lending crisis.

My first piece entitled, "Jesse Jackson Has Aligned Himself With The For-Profits," has been published. Please make a point to post comments on the article itself. The more comments I receive, the better.

Stay tuned for more information about my most recent steps to incorporate Education Matters. The paperwork has been submitted, and I am waiting to hear back from my Registered Agent.

Part II of Who I Am: Retail Therapy and Graduate School Ennui

[Many of my readers have expressed interest in knowing more about who I am, so this is a new series that I began recently upon receiving so many of those requests.]

When I found God, I also entered the world of retail, a world that certainly seemed far removed from anything spiritual. But that was not the case. In fact, this glitzy space, that was jammed packed with glorious commodities, helped me get back in touch with a lot of holy things. In addition, it allowed me to pay homage (again) to Karl Marx, and in quite an unusual way. I realize he is quite passé these days, but with Retail Therapy, I hope to make him sexy (ha) in the twenty-first century.

So the world of retail was a blessing, and for so many reasons. First, it inspired me to write a 367-page manuscript, which has been given its final title, Retail Therapy. While I write The New Indentured Educated Class, I am also working on rewriting this work of fiction for the fiftieth time. Luckily, the burden of responsibility has not been placed solely on my shoulders. I have a co-author, Abigail Read, and she is playing an indispensable role in the final incarnation of this work. That means I have pulled it from the proverbial dustbins, and now have an outstanding co-author helping me rewrite it. Its tone is humorous, but the book definitely highlights the economic crisis that our country is still enduring.

When I began to write Retail Therapy, the economy’s seams were just beginning to unravel. So the timing was perfect for me to include the ghost of Karl Marx. Indeed, it is his luxury department store comeback! Luckily, the topic of the collapse of the U.S. economy remains relevant, so the content of the manuscript still stands. Thus, retail provided me with an unexpected type of education. Moreover, it was good to be away from the stuffiness of Brown. Even though I adore and adored my friends there – they provided me with an invaluable education, too – the whole environment became increasingly tiresome. I also found it particularly disturbing how the faculty, who had been there for decades (mind you, not all of them), were so painfully out of touch when it came to the realities of the job market. Again, my interview with Claudia Dreifus hits upon these points, and Ms. Dreifus does a superb job of analyzing reasons for why it is a problem.

For those of you who are in still academia, you are aware that it is a dismal situation. Of course the academic job market has been a disaster for quite some time, but it is definitely getting worse. And yet the schools manage to justify bloated administrations, over-paid presidents, and so forth. All the while they continue to cut tenure-track positions left and right. They have armies of adjuncts and graduate students, and these people are abused to no end. Adjuncts and graduate students generally have tenuous teaching schedules, no health care coverage, and have to work at multiple locations. So if someone tells me that the academy is leftist, let me take the opportunity now to say: take a hike. It’s been corporatized too, and that is exactly why we are in such a mess when it comes to the way in which higher education is financed.

It is a serious tragedy that these institutions have been taken over by corporatist. I think it is critical that higher education institutions have open discourse and represent various political views. In my view, these universities used to strive towards that ideal. That was before it was discovered that it could be corporatized, and that unwitting students could be turned into indentured educated servants. I mean, what better way to crush political activity (of any sort) than to burden educated people with crushing debt? It is a plan that made sense, and it is a plan that is clearly working its magic. Also, I am not talking about conspiracies here. These plans have been well-articulated by lenders and the institutions. The evidence is out there.

Overall, the academy disgusts me. That is one of many reasons why I did not wish to stick around. I refused to be a part of this insidious and immoral institutional structure.

So I became Catholic and at the same time left the protection of the academic world. To some degree, graduate school coddles you. For someone like me it was a way to remain distanced from public life and public problems. That is what graduate school was for me. That is not how it is for everyone in graduate school. But for many it is a way to avoid things. In saying that, I’m not stooping to that barbaric notion of hiding from the so-called real world. Save that drivel for someone else.
Once graduate school is over, you are in for a terrifying wake up call. While it was typical cocktail conversation to kvetch with my fellow graduate students about the shriveled and dead job market, the pessimism we reveled in together (and rightfully so), I realize now does not help to prepare those freshly minted PhD-ers on the actual job market. After so many conversations of this nature, it was time for a big change.

I thought I'd found a good place to begin a career in publishing, and so shortly after leaving academia I worked for a highly reputable publisher and respected the hell out of my manager (the guy is what I like to call 'scary smart,' and that's a compliment). However, my love for academia kept a strong, if not strangling, hold on me. All those depressing conversations I had had with fellow graduate students often centered on the issue of student loan debt. Although I received funding from the University of Chicago and Brown, it simply was not enough to cover all the expenses. That meant that I, like most graduate students, had to take out additional loans. We were all acutely aware of the fact that tuition had continued to increase exponentially over the past ten years or so, and we raised serious questions about why that was the case. That is how I soon found myself advocating for hundreds and hundreds of student loan debtors. At the same time, I maintained my connection to the Brown community, though, by helping graduate students with cover letters and academic CVs, focusing on transforming their academic work into something that applied to the “real world.”

I still advocate for debtors, and the number has grown to the thousands. However, my life changed dramatically once I left my publishing job.
 

[Stay tuned for the next installment of Who I Am]

Education and Democracy: Jim Holbert Weighs In On The Discussion

I refuse to accept claims that it's not in our best interest to have a majority of the populace educated, or in the very least have access to higher education. Many of my readers strongly disagree with my stance.

I will be reporting at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul for the next threes days, and I'm not sure I'll be able to respond entirely during this period . I was selected among 30 candidates to be a reporter for my company. The WKF is affiliated with the upcoming G20 Summit in Busan, South Korea. I will be writing articles on talks given by Tony Blair, Deven Sharma, Oliver Williamson, and others. This event will also include discussions by Fareed Zakaria, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Paul Krugman, and so forth. I also have an editor, a press pass, and will be published in an online English newspaper in South Korea.

But let's return to why education is critical to maintaining a healthy and robust democratic society. That's what a few of these readers don't get (Nando, by the way, I am not speaking about you). There is much at stake when the discourse begins to shift toward this sentiment. In economic downturns, it is often the case that people become less generous and they are threatened by the idea of allowing access to lower income individuals, immigrants, and so forth. This anti-higher education attitude stinks of that problem. When economies are bad, people are not open to the idea of a society that enables others to succeed. Generosity shrinks, and that means that a democratic society finds itself in peril.

However, there are candidates like Rick Staggenborg (who is running for U.S. Senate in Oregon) and Jim Holbert (who is also running as a Progressive Democrat for U.S. House of Representatives in Kentucky's 5th District) who do not hold these, what I assert, dangerous feelings. Instead, they continue to insist on the importance of educating people, and of providing them with access to things that are difficult to obtain because of their socioeconomic background.

Recently, Jim Holbert weighed in on the discussion we're having about education. He eloquently stated:

"Educated people are those who have learned that they must be involved in the society in which they live, and this is why education is the hope of the people of a democratic society.
 
America's enlightenment-born striving toward equality is only an eddy running contrary to the powerful current of history, which has always held that ordinary people are nothing more than a herd to pay taxes and bear arms for a ruling elite. 

It remains to be seen which vision will triumph, and if the American experiment is to win out, then an educated and involved population will be the means to that victory."


Stay tuned for a lengthier essay about the necessity of educating a majority of the populace, or at least offering them access to good and affordable education.

Hegel stated that "the owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk"

Educating a Populace Matters: Thomas Jefferson Quotes

After writing about Rick Staggenborg's thoughts on education, a few respondents suggested that educating a majority of Americans was not in our best interests. I will be writing a lengthier piece about why this sentiment is not only wrong, but dangerous to the health of our nation.

In the meantime, I will leave you with a quote by Thomas Jefferson on his thoughts regarding education: "I have indeed two great measures at heart, without which no republic can maintain itself in strength: 1. That of general education, to enable every man to judge for himself what will secure or endanger his freedom. 2. To divide every county into hundreds, of such size that all the children of each will be within reach of a central school in it." --Thomas Jefferson to John Tyler, 1810. ME 12:393 

Continued Conversations with Candidates: Rick Staggenborg discusses Education Reform

[This series of conversations with candidates is part of a new feature on Education Matters, and is entitled, "New Blood Needed For Bold Change: Cryn's Conversations With A New Type of Candidate." If you are a candidate running for office (city, state, or at the national level) and would like to be promoted on my site, please contact me at ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com. All candidates will have the opportunity to review the material I publish about them, so none of your words will be misconstrued. I'm happy to be of assistance in spreading the word about your candidacy, your values, and what you intend to do once elected. So far, I've interviewed Kevin Bradley (who's running as a Democrat for the House of Representatives, CO-5) and Rick Staggenborg, and he's running for U.S. as a Progressive in the state of Oregon.]

Rick Staggenborg expressed a desire to share his thoughts on education reform in the U.S at Education Matters. If you haven't donated to Rick's campaign, please do so today. He is a great candidate who is running as an independent for U.S. Congress in Oregon, and if you don't live in the state of Oregon, please spread the word about his campaign.

If Rick wins this campaign, I might just have a position in D.C., which would mean that I would be back in the U.S. and helping to promote a progressive agenda. That would include playing a more influential role in public discourse in D.C., and forcing those inside the Beltway to listen to the voice of the indentured educated class. If Rick has an interest in hiring me, as we discussed briefly, this would mean playing a more direct role in helping to design legislation that would help all student loan debtors. 

Let's hear what Rick had to say about education:

Democracy cannot long survive without the active engagement of an informed citizenry. This is the essence of Jefferson’s warning to the People of the United States about the danger of failing to provide an adequate education to our children. In the Information Age, that means that we have a duty to make college accessible to every man or woman who has the potential to succeed in a reformed system of higher education where even vocational track students receive the basic information necessary to fulfill their duties as citizens and voters.

Jefferson believed this to be so important that he had inscribed on his gravestone what he regarded as his major accomplishment and embodiment of his dream for America: 'Here lies the Founder and first President of the University of Virginia.' This was the first public university founded in the United States and one that awarded scholarships to any child who could pass entrance examinations. We can and must see that Jefferson’s dream is realized.

A twenty-first century system of education should include civics classes that include study of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and their relevance to modern Americans. Civics texts would not be chosen by political and religious fundamentalists who want to rewrite American history in a manner similar to the Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution, but exulting fascism rather than communism.

Children of self-identified conservatives can talk with children of self-identified liberals and together seek common meaning in the words of these great documents for themselves. Such promotion of independent thinking and open discussion about the meaning of democracy at such a young age would result in an informed electorate. As they grow and mature, this generation will be unafraid to defend its political positions in fear of being victimized by ignorant elders stuck in the old way of thinking that corporate control of government, the media and education is the natural order of society. They will instead be prepared to assume the responsibilities of the next generation of citizens and citizen-leaders who will mold their own destinies and the destiny of our nation.

It is possible to provide universal education through college if the American People want and demand it. Once the Constitutional amendment abolishing corporate personhood is introduced, it will become a litmus test for candidates seeking the office of Senator. I don’t fancy the chances of success for those willing to demonstrate their loyalty to corporations by refusing to support it. Together, self-styled liberals and their conservative counterparts can take back America for their children’s sake.

Once we have a government working for the People instead of corporations we can have whatever government services we are willing to pay for. The Freedom Fry-supporting corporate media like to paint the French as socialists because they didn’t jump on the fascist bandwagon when Bush sounded the call to war for corporate profit. The truth is that France’s more self-contained economy and effective social safety net allowed them to whether the storms of our recent financial crisis much better than the US, which is based on a system of corporate welfare. In France, unions thrive, middle class workers and small businesses continue to prosper and no one is worrying about whether they can send their kids to college or go bankrupt trying to pay medical bills. These are considered essential services by the French for reasons that should now be apparent to all Americans.

If we want our children and grandchildren to grow up healthy, wealthy and wise we will ensure that they have the right to a college education including in the health care professions, should they choose to do so. To provide services in a universal health care system we will need to expand medical and nursing education and pay nursing educators well enough to entice them from working to teach new generations of the nurses we depend on to keep our loved ones safe in times of medical crisis.

Every child with a normal brain is a potential genius. If we can design an educational system that supports the individual strengths of our children, we can produce what we are supposed to produce as loving parents: Children who will surpass our achievements at creating a more perfect society. Such a society is one in which everyone enjoys equal protection under the law and each has the same opportunity to succeed as the most economically fortunate among them.

 

Co-signers Suffer too: How many Mr. Reachs are out there?

I wonder how many mothers and fathers, grandmothers and granfathers are facing something similar to this fellow who lost his home after co-signing on loans for his four kids. I'll never forget Rep. Cohen's question wherein he wondered out loud about the actual number of co-signers on private student loans at a hearing over a year ago in D.C. He seemed overwhelmed by the question itself. It was, conveniently, at the end of the hearing (one that came at a very pointless time, and really had no bearing on anything  for student loan debtors. That's to say, nothing was done).

I bet that $850 billion record of federal and private loans is a conservative estimate, if you think about all the Mr. Reachs out there who co-signed on student loans for their kids or grand-kids.

An angry Mother vents: "College has become just a business to feed the ones at the top of the food chain."

This mother is an amazing support to her struggling son. While he is lucky to have a nurturing and gentle parent, it's not enough for this man's daily troubles as an indentured educated citizen. That's why we must radically restructure the system, so that young people (as well as everyone else) don't have to face insurmountable student loan debts. As for this particular story, the young man's hopes - let's call him R - were dashed recently. He will never be able to be of service to the U.S. as a meteorologist. He was told not to bother by an Air Force Squadron Commander who came to visit him at his lousy job as a sack boy at a grocery store. Why will he never have the opportunity to pursue this career, a career he spent years studying for in college? Well, he can thank his student loan sharks and that brutal, predatory system. So he spent all this time in school and for nothing.

Here's what R's mother wrote:

Cryn: 

I had to email you today. I feel helpless, but I need to chat and only you understand.

You will remember my son, who has the degree in meteorology. We have been trying since his graduation in 2007 to find him a job. If you recall, the United States Air Force turned him away (although he got a 98 on his entrance exam, and he would have entered as an officer because of his degree) because of his student loan debt.

Well today a friend of my son's (who is also a meteorologist) had his Air Force Squadron Commander look him up at his grocery store job. R said he was very nice, but very honest too. He told R that he can quit applying for anything related to meteorology jobs in the Air Force, even as a civilian. Incidentally, meteorology jobs all are linked to the Air Force. Because he will be taken out of the list of possibles every time. Why is this the case? He has too much student loan debt.

I am so hurt for him, saddened, and furious, all at the same time. I don't know whom to turn, what to do, what to say . . . I am a mess. R worked so hard for his degree. There was frustration and doubt, worry and fears that he wouldn't get through it. But he did, and he proudly walked across that stage to received that worthless piece of paper. I know with this recent personal visit [from the Air Force Squadron Commander] that R will give up. He will see this as the final horrible truth the he will have to live with.  And I don't know

if he is strong enough to do that.  

He has gastroparesis and ulcers of the stomach now. He barely eats and has very few friends. He does go to a gym a couple of days a week. And maybe he will go to a bar and watch football, but otherwise my 27 year old is always home and hibernating in his basement apartment (our house). I am sorry. I just needed to vent.  

This United States of America is a free country all right. Free to crush your fellow man. Free to make the rules up as you go. Free to treat the poor like paupers, the rich like royalty, and the middle class like slaves. Slavery didn't cease to exist, it only switched to a different class of people. The future is not good. Our children and grandchildren will be slaves to the rich. 


This will never stop unless we die or can't take anymore and kill ourselves. I see the country as money driven and on a spiral to complete destruction, and it won't be but another 25-30 years before the only people existing will be the royalty and its slaves.  College has become just a business to feed the ones at the top of the food chain. And feed them well. 

I was concerned about R's devastation and his mothers concerns about what might happen to him after this conversation. Immediately I wrote her back and told her that if R were contemplating suicide to seek medical help (I've written on the topic of suicide before, and that post continues to receive responses from people). R's mother replied reassuringly:

I don't think R would ever do anything to harm himself. He lives with us and I am constantly monitoring his mood. Here nothing really gets past me because R wears his feelings  on his shoulders.

Thanks for being there for me, Cryn. And thanks for all you have done and are still doing.  I don't know if you realize how important your work is for some of us. Your work has become that miracle that we are all hoping and praying for. And I do pray for you. I pray that God will give you courage for the mission, strength for each day and restful nights for your body, mind and soul.  I pray that your husband and family understand and support your efforts too.  You are my friend, whom I have not met, but that I love very much.

I pray for R and R's mother, too. In fact, I pray for all of you, and I hope that my mission will result in a good outcome for every single indentured educated soul. I want you to know that your suffering is not in vain. Your suffering has not gone unnoticed, and it is my duty as a public servant to carry this burden and to fight for your rights. Let's thank R's mother for having the courage to share her story. Let's thank God for good mothers like her. Keep your son close.

 

 

Representative George Miller's Labor and Education Committee Staff Responds

I've been sending George Miller's Labor and Education Committee Staffer(s) tweets for well over 6 months (their handle is@edlabordems), and until last week, my tweets that had called for immediate action to help the indentured educated class had gone unanswered. By the way, I think Twitter is an enormously powerful tool for us, so I urge you to get involved politically with me on Twitter. You can follow me @cjohanns.

You would be helping out tremendously if you were to send tweets to political offices, like Rep. Miller's, 2-3 times a day.

Those of you who think it was a generic response will be proven wrong. I demanded that they respond to our cries for help, and I succeeded in receiving substantive replies.

At first @edlabordems tweeted this generic reply:

More than $250 Million in Federal Funding To Be Released Today to Help Students Graduate #College. http://go.usa.gov/xeO

So I tweeted back: 

It's great to see you helping students graduate, but what about student debtors?!? Do you not care about us? #studentloans

That's how we ended up with this string of interaction: 

@cjohanns We've done a lot to make college more affordable, including income-based repayment of student loans. 

@edlabordems I know, and that's great. But that's not enough.

@edlabordems IBR helps a small percentage of people. I'd also like to know what plans you have to help those in #default.

@cjohanns For millions of students, IBR, which was expanded under SAFRA, is a critical step forward that wasn't available before.

@edlabordems I have applauded IBR, and have connections to TICAS.org (I know they are behind this prgm). However . . . when you consider

@edlabordems that student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt rates, and is nearing $900 billion, this is simply not enough.

@edlabordems As the saying goes, we live in extraordinary times, and that means we must take drastic measure to help Americans.

@edlabordems As it stands, I don't see that being the case when it comes to student loan debtors. I would know firsthand.

@edlabordems I am in touch with thousands of debtors, and they are struggling greatly. They feel betrayed.

@edlabordems If the #dems implement positive measures, I am always quick to applaud your efforts.

@edlabordems So far, there has been NOTHING done to help those in #default. That bothers me greatly.

Then there was suddenly a break through!

@cjohanns We’re glad you’re doing this work. We also plan to keep working to make college and student loans more affordable and manageable.

@edlabordems I can tell you that on behalf of the indentured educated class this statement means a great deal to us, and we wish to meet w/u

I also asked them about their plans to help those in default again. Here's what they had to say about that:

@cjohanns We can’t share specific future plans right now, but we’re listening to what you have to say.

They also corrected their earlier statement about IBR when I asked for evidence of it helping millions of people already. They tweeted:

@cjohanns Maybe shld have said IBR “can be” a step forward for millions. WH est 1.2 mil would qualify for expanded IBR. 

The real responses, the acknowledgment of our existence, and the fact that I was told that my work is appreciated by them, all of these things are huge. We've finally gotten noticed, and I am confident that this is only the beginning. Someone is finally getting it inside the Beltway, and I think we should all 
send Rep. Miller's office a big thanks for these responses. 

It is my hope that they will share their ideas on their plans to help those in default with me. I'd be happy to provide them with feedback and suggestions. As I told them, I am in touch with thousands and thousands of debtors. I understand this crisis at the macro- and micro-level. It is my hope that my research, my support of the indentured educated class, and so forth will be of use to Rep. Miller's office and others in D.C. That's why I am doing all this work, to be of service to my country and to raise awareness about the suffering that so many of you are enduring. You are suffering simply because you wanted to obtain a degree. That's not America to me. That doesn't represent American ideals in my view. That doesn't speak of opportunity. 

Indeed, higher education has been co-opted by a financial system that is destroying its importance and crushing students. Granted if one assesses the lending structure from a historical perspective, it made sense at one time. But that was long ago, and it's since been sorely corrupted. If we allow this, as Americans, to continue, the repercussions will be devastating to the economic vitality of the United States of America. Furthermore, any claims that we are educating too many people is absurd. There are plenty of countries (I'm living in one) who educate more of their population than we do. In fact, over 60% of South Koreans are college educated. Moreover, these students and their families in this country aren't overwhelmed with crushing debt after the fact ,and they have some highly reputable institutions of higher learning. That's why we must look beyond our borders, and at countries in which higher education is not such a financial drain on its citizens and taxpayers. It is possible to educate a large percentage of the population  at a reasonable cost. We must radically rethink the way we finance higher education. If we do not, eventual competitors, like South Korea, could run us into the ground. 

Hopefully, for the hope of our economic growth and standing in the world, the era of the indentured educate citizen will soon come to an end.

        

Mr. J's Testimonial: "It's like I bought a house, but never moved in."

What does the American dream mean to you? This question has been answered by numerous American (and non-American) thinkers, writers, and historians for decades. None of the answers are the same because the American dream has changed over time.

David Kamp's article, "Rethinking the American Dream," which was published in Vanity Fair in April of 2009, offers brilliant analysis about this concept. It should come as no surprise to most of my readers that my understanding of this unique American ideal derives, at least in good measure, from the writings and speeches of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. Roosevelt's ambitious New Deal sought to turn this dream into a reality for millions of Americans. Kamp adds, "The Social Security Act of 1935 put this theory into practice." I think it's quite clear what MLK Jr.'s beliefs were when it came to the American Dream. Sadly, the notion has become corrupted, just as the operators of the machinery behind financing higher education have seized these systems for their own selfish gains. The operators are tucked away in so many nooks and crannies of this rusty old system, and some of them have even fooled themselves that they are doing good things for students, when in reality they are only providing oil for the worst of the machine runners. Not only are the machine operators destroying the entire higher education factory, they are eroding and devastating the dream of a proper education. Students who were once vital parts in this system have since become cogs. Until we band together and smash its structural flaws, more students will be crushed by it.

Mr. J. is one of those students who was treated like a cog. Here's what he had to say about education and the American dream.

CCJ: Where did you go to school? Why did you want to go to school?    

Mr. J: I went for undergrad  to Florida International University and received my B.S. in Psychology.  I wanted to go to school because I thought that I would never be able to make anything of my life without an education.  After I graduated, I went on to get my Master’s in counseling at St. Thomas University. If I knew then what I know now, I might have become a plumber or something more practical.  I had no idea that all of that education would be a ticket to debt, misery and uncertainty.  I am VERY disillusioned, and in so many ways.

CCJ: Are you the first person in your family who went to school? Tell us about your family's education background.

Mr. J: No. My father is an attorney and my siblings are all college graduates. 

CCJ: How much did you originally take out in loans? Do you only have federal loans?

Mr. J: Over  the course of seven years, I took out a total of approximately $189,000.  I went to a private graduate school, so it cost a lot more, and I thought it would mean something. As far as I know, I have only subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. I believe they are all federal.  Honestly, I do not even remember who the original lenders were, as the banks have changed so many times. Moreover, I graduated with my Master's in 1995.  I cannot seem to find an accurate, accountable paper trail going back to the original loans I took out. The loans have more than doubled due to interest and my inability to pay them.  Thank God, I am not in default.

CCJ: What is your profession?  Do you regret going to school to become what you are today?  

Mr. J: I am a licensed psychotherapist. I do not regret being what I am, as I do good work and help a lot of people.  But it has become increasingly difficult to make a decent living due to the recession. If I could go back in time, I would make different choices. Life has simply become too hard and burdensome.

CCJ: How does this debt affect your mood on a daily basis? 

Mr. J: I am not sure. I have become very adept at being in denial, but the human brain is a funny thing. I cannot allow myself to really grasp the enormity of the amount I owe at this point.  The way I cope with it is staying in deferment or forbearance for as long as possible and LOTS OF DENIAL!

CCJ: I think it's a shame that you have to rely upon the powerful tool of denial, just because you wished to pursue a degree to help others. That said, why do we need professionals like you? 

Mr. J: Americans are hurting. Life has become increasingly complex, and substance abuse rates are skyrocketing as a result of that. Therapists, in general, are caring, nurturing people who want to make a difference. We did not get into this field to become rich. We also did not get into this profession to become poverty-stricken and riddled with student loan debt. 

CCJ: I am intrigued by this comment you made about education. You said to me, 'it's like I bought a house but never moved in,' could you elaborate on this point? I think you're alluding to the American Dream, correct?

Mr. J: Well, with the amount that my loans have ballooned into, I could have bought a large home- perhaps a mansion. All I got was a piece of paper that allows me to say: 'I have a graduate degree.' The American dream is a fallacy and has become a nightmare. That ship has sailed. We cannot, uh, let's say, 'un-ring' the bell.  I think the American dream was a nice concept in theory but most people that I know have no idea what it really means now.

CCJ: That's a great point, and that's why I think we must reclaim the term, American dream, and define it according to a different set of principles. To dig deeper on this point, what is the meaning of the American Dream to you, and how is it connected to education?

 Mr. J: The American Dream is an old concept that no longer applies to things as they are today.  Clearly, the old adage that 'an education is your ticket to a happy life' was not only a lie, but a complete distortion of reality. I suppose this is more of a subjective idea-given one’s background and history. 

Mr. J. and others deserve to achieve the American Dream, and that's why we must radically restructure the way in which higher education is financed. Moreover, we must help those who are burdened with debt today. We are through waiting. If we wait, all of America will lose out. 

 A prosperous America, means that people are living and growing, loving and nurturing one another within the walls of American homes. Without inhabitants in homes, the American Dream will dissolve, as will the hallowed ideals of the United States of America.

 

  

 

 

What does the American dream mean to you? This question has been answered by numerous American (and non-American) thinkers, writers, and historians for decades. None of the answers are the same because the American dream has changed over time.

David Kamp's article, "Rethinking the American Dream," which was published in Vanity Fair in April of 2009, offers brilliant analysis about this concept. It should come as no surprise to most of my readers that my understanding of this unique American ideal derives, at least in good measure, from the writings and speeches of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. Roosevelt's ambitious New Deal sought to turn this dream into a reality for millions of Americans. Kamp adds, "The Social Security Act of 1935 put this theory into practice." I think it's quite clear what MLK Jr.'s beliefs were when it came to the American Dream. Sadly, the notion has become corrupted, just as the operators of the machinery behind financing higher education have seized these systems for their own selfish gains. The operators are tucked away in so many nooks and crannies of this rusty old system, and some of them have even fooled themselves that they are doing good things for students, when in reality they are only providing oil for the worst of the machine runners. Not only are the machine operators destroying the entire higher education factory, they are eroding and devastating the dream of a proper education. Students who were once vital parts in this system have since become cogs. Until we band together and smash its structural flaws, more students will be crushed by it.

Mr. J. is one of those students who was treated like a cog. Here's what he had to say about education and the American dream.

CCJ: Where did you go to school? Why did you want to go to school?    

Mr. J: I went for undergrad  to Florida International University and received my B.S. in Psychology.  I wanted to go to school because I thought that I would never be able to make anything of my life without an education.  After I graduated, I went on to get my Master’s in counseling at St. Thomas University. If I knew then what I know now, I might have become a plumber or something more practical.  I had no idea that all of that education would be a ticket to debt, misery and uncertainty.  I am VERY disillusioned, and in so many ways.

CCJ: Are you the first person in your family who went to school? Tell us about your family's education background.

Mr. J: No. My father is an attorney and my siblings are all college graduates. 

CCJ: How much did you originally take out in loans? Do you only have federal loans?

Mr. J: Over  the course of seven years, I took out a total of approximately $189,000.  I went to a private graduate school, so it cost a lot more, and I thought it would mean something. As far as I know, I have only subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. I believe they are all federal.  Honestly, I do not even remember who the original lenders were, as the banks have changed so many times. Moreover, I graduated with my Master's in 1995.  I cannot seem to find an accurate, accountable paper trail going back to the original loans I took out. The loans have more than doubled due to interest and my inability to pay them.  Thank God, I am not in default.

CCJ: What is your profession?  Do you regret going to school to become what you are today?  

Mr. J: I am a licensed psychotherapist. I do not regret being what I am, as I do good work and help a lot of people.  But it has become increasingly difficult to make a decent living due to the recession. If I could go back in time, I would make different choices. Life has simply become too hard and burdensome.

CCJ: How does this debt affect your mood on a daily basis? 

Mr. J: I am not sure. I have become very adept at being in denial, but the human brain is a funny thing. I cannot allow myself to really grasp the enormity of the amount I owe at this point.  The way I cope with it is staying in deferment or forbearance for as long as possible and LOTS OF DENIAL!

CCJ: I think it's a shame that you have to rely upon the powerful tool of denial, just because you wished to pursue a degree to help others. That said, why do we need professionals like you? 

Mr. J: Americans are hurting. Life has become increasingly complex, and substance abuse rates are skyrocketing as a result of that. Therapists, in general, are caring, nurturing people who want to make a difference. We did not get into this field to become rich. We also did not get into this profession to become poverty-stricken and riddled with student loan debt. 

CCJ: I am intrigued by this comment you made about education. You said to me, 'it's like I bought a house but never moved in,' could you elaborate on this point? I think you're alluding to the American Dream, correct?

Mr. J: Well, with the amount that my loans have ballooned into, I could have bought a large home- perhaps a mansion. All I got was a piece of paper that allows me to say: 'I have a graduate degree.' The American dream is a fallacy and has become a nightmare. That ship has sailed. We cannot, uh, let's say, 'un-ring' the bell.  I think the American dream was a nice concept in theory but most people that I know have no idea what it really means now.

CCJ: That's a great point, and that's why I think we must reclaim the term, American dream, and define it according to a different set of principles. To dig deeper on this point, what is the meaning of the American Dream to you, and how is it connected to education?

 Mr. J: The American Dream is an old concept that no longer applies to things as they are today.  Clearly, the old adage that 'an education is your ticket to a happy life' was not only a lie, but a complete distortion of reality. I suppose this is more of a subjective idea-given one’s background and history. 

Mr. J. and others deserve to achieve the American Dream, and that's why we must radically restructure the way in which higher education is financed. Moreover, we must help those who are burdened with debt today. We are through waiting. If we wait, all of America will lose out. 

 A prosperous America, means that people are living and growing, loving and nurturing one another within the walls of American homes. Without inhabitants in homes, the American Dream will dissolve, as will the hallowed ideals of the United States of America.

 

  

 

 

Be warned: the for-profits have pulled out their big weapons

They are threatened by Harkin, Franken, et al. They have found Education Matters, too. That's great news for us! But their guns are big, and they are ready to shoot out rounds and rounds of their 'objective' bullets and their statistical grenades. We are supposedly the ones who are wrong. We are the ones who don't understand the "basics" of this "complex situation." Well, I beg to differ. Folks, I've done my research, and I am writing a book that includes testimonials from the indentured educated class. No one can suggest I haven't fully investigated this subject. I've collected stories from thousands and thousands of debtors, and those narratives tell the truth about this broken system.

As I told one of their lobbying groups via Twitter, I plan on crushing them. I want to run them out of D.C. I want to turn them into the tobacco industry. It's possible. I'm ready, and that's thanks to an army of volunteers.

 Your big guns don't intimidate me.