Arkansas Blog

It is interesting to see the evolution of political discourse in America. Thirty years ago,
we debated free milk for school children. Now, it has snowballed into free higher education for Illegal aliens. Only a University education will do, community college would be a slap in the face.

With a portion of their electorate in denial, pandering politicians continue to dole out our tax dollars, and create debt to be paid by future generations. We have record tax burdens, record budget deficits, a record public debt, record trade deficits, a dollar at an all time low. We are engaged in a War, no country on earth could afford.

Our economy is a house of cards, propped up my an over generous Federal Reserve, and recycled
trade dollars from Communist China.

Yes, we can afford free milk for our children. And, my favorite, free lunches for all school children. Free University education for Illegals? Get Real.

If I had my way a college education would be free to everyone who was willing to work for it...or, at least, financially accessible to ALL people. But the reality is that there are only so many pieces of the tax-funded education pie, and I want my C-student son to go ahead of an illegal who happens to be an A student. We take care of family before the neighbors.

If we are going to give an illegal resident a discounted or free education, shouldn't we at least require this person to expend the effort to start the process of becoming a legal citizen?

Zelda-

I agree 100% with you.

"Huckabee said students who had met high academic standards are worthy of scholarships."
I have no argument with this stance -- as much as I hate to agree with Mike Huckabee. Nor do I have a problem with allowing those immigrant students to pay in-state tuition fees if they otherwise qualify.
This amounts to a stake in the future, not only for the student, but also for the rest of us. A college educated person is likely to earn more throughout his or her life than one who is not. That translates to a greater ability to care for himself or herself and perhaps to help care for elderly parents in the future. That college grad also will likely pay far more taxes in the future than one who is not as well educated.
Now if they only resist the temptation to give their children everything as many of us have done over the past 30 or 40 years, our future might be a bit brighter than I think it will be if we continue on our present course.
The rest of us who have children or grandchildren still at home need to kick their little butts every day that they bring home a C, or a D or an F -- and maybe even a B, and insist they do better. If a kid from an immigrant home (legal or not) where English is barely spoken, can excel in school, so can the kiddies who don't enter school with that obstacle.

In the end, just as the original GI Bill (not the anemic one we have now) returned $7 for every dollar spent to the economy, there is no downside to helping anyone who meets the requirements to attend.
It is not like they will then run back to county if origin (unless we kick them out) after they get said degree.
Most will stay here, spend money, buy homes, raise families and pay taxes.....

Huckabee video at my name.

Max said: "a Pew study released yesterday shows English fluency does indeed increase among succeeding generations of immigrants,"

Are you sure that statistic applies to descendants of immigrants who attend schools in the Delta?