Thursday, May 01, 2008
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What About a "Debt" of Gratitude?
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Posted by:
Carol Platt Liebau at
10:20 PM
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For some time, Michelle Obama has been wont to complain about the crushing debts she and her husband incurred for their educations (at Princeton/Harvard Law School and Columbia/Harvard Law School, respectively).
Set aside for a minute the fact that the type of elite schools the Obamas attended have long had "need blind admissions" -- that is, the schools accept students without regard to ability to pay, and commit to helping them find a way to afford to attend. That fact alone speaks volumes about the commitment to meritocracy and equality in this country.
Even so, Michelle Obama has neglected to mention some very relevant changes affecting bright young students like she and Barack were. Since 2001, her alma mater, Princeton, has had a no-loan policy -- that is, the educations of those who can't pay are subsidized entirely by grants, so that they incur no debt upon graduation. Similarly, Harvard Law School (of which both Obamas are alums) has recently announced that it will waive the third-year tuition ENTIRELY for students who pledge to work in nonprofit jobs for five years after graduation. Other elite universities are following suit.
Given the increasingly generous assistance that students at Ivy League universities are receiving -- and the remarkable efforts Princeton and Harvard have made -- it's a little ungracious and a little disingenuous for Mrs. Obama to continue to bemoan the debts being shouldered by young graduates pining for public service work, like she and her husband once were. (Incidentally, it's also interesting -- and perhaps revealing -- that undergirding her complaints is the assumption that everyone should be entitled to attend the best universities in the country without paying.)
Finally, it's worth considering for a moment some of what enables the universities to be so generous. Has Mrs. Obama ever appreciated the role that annual giving (donations, in large part, by the rich white males routinely derided by the radical chic on elite campuses) has played in making her life -- and the lives of those coming after her -- so much easier?
Strikes me that, rather than complaining, Mrs. Obama owes more than a few debts of gratitude -- and they're apparently in arrears.
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And the winner is?
Carol entered the ring, confident and in shape, hitting with hard right jabs to the face and midsection, bloodying her opponent by the first bell. Michelle looked angry from the outset, covering her face and hesitancy with slabs of liberal baloney but was unable to score any punches.
Fight called after the first round when Michelle ran from the ring ranting about the usual leftist claptrap--Nazis, oil lies and drywall Hannity. Carol walked the ring in triumph, arms extended above her head, chanting, "Wright is wrong! Wright is wrong!"
Announcer: Carol was gracious enough to not even mention that the Obamas' tax returns showed they contributed more to charity in 2007 than in the previous 7 years combined! Now, why is that? Anyway, great fight ladies, even if it was a bad mismatch.
Carol by a TKO!
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God, you people are so desperate! This stupid article is the best you've got against Obama?
This man will make a WONDERFUL President! |
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What is the truth about these loans? Obama's wife has been quoted as whining about student loans having been paid off only within the past few years.
It's 2008. She graduated from law school in the late 1980s. My student loans from the same period had a 10-year term. Assuming her loans had a term of 10 years too, her loans were paid off in the late 1990s--10 years ago. That's a few years?
Obama graduated from law school in 1993. Again, using the 10-year term assumption, his loans were paid off in 2003. Closer to "a few years ago," but my vocabulary has "couple" defined as "two," "few" defined as "three," and "several" defined as "anything over three and under, say, five." Beyond that, "many" and "numerous" should be used.
At any rate, what's the truth? I don't buy the "few years ago" argument for his loans, and I definitely don't buy it for her loans.
Links please. |
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Why the long faces? This article is just illustrating how far Americas' learning institutions have advanced to help the underprivileged. Isn't that what you libs are all about? Where's the love? If Michelle and Barack would have donated some of the money they gave to rev Wrights church to their Alma maters they could have helped more underprivileged to enjoy the successful status the Obama's achieved. Instead they contributed towards a 10,000sq foot mansion for good ole rev wright. |
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Hello is this mike on? Kimber You Seem confused on several things. First of all I am not a McCain supporter and if I'm not mistaken GW is not running this election year. I simply pointed out how the underprivileged can profit by the generous policies of American universities. I's a good ,thing try to smile! So I reiterate where's the love? |
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