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The document summarizes arguments against President Obama's proposal for two years of free community college. It notes that the estimated $60 billion cost over 10 years would require tax increases and reduce savings incentives. Studies also show community college does not significantly boost earnings and many students drop out. Instead of simply paying tuition, the funds would be better spent improving schools and increasing capacity so more can enroll in quality programs.

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32 views

Editingsample 3

The document summarizes arguments against President Obama's proposal for two years of free community college. It notes that the estimated $60 billion cost over 10 years would require tax increases and reduce savings incentives. Studies also show community college does not significantly boost earnings and many students drop out. Instead of simply paying tuition, the funds would be better spent improving schools and increasing capacity so more can enroll in quality programs.

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© © All Rights Reserved
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James 1

Taxpayer Community College


Andrew James
In his most recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama proposed that the
United States government offer two free years of community college for all citizens who meet
certain requirements. He reasoned that education is the best way for lower-income citizens to
climb the economic ladder and join the middle class of America. With over three hundred
million lower-income citizens, many of whom want to attend college, such a proposal would
come at an abundant cost to the federal government, directly affecting United States citizens
economically. Studies also show that two-year community colleges do not offer much of an
economic boost for graduates, contrary to what is expected by the President. While the notion is

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 1:58 PM


Deleted: unlike

admirable, research suggests that the few potential benefits of free community college would not

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:00 PM


Deleted: community college should not be
paid for by the United States government
because

be worth the time, effort, and money put into the program by the United States government.
The estimated cost is 60 billion dollars over a ten-year period, meaning that in order to
avoid debt, the government will have to raise taxes to acquire the funds. The Presidents plan

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:01 PM


Deleted: through raising taxes

will tax the 529 plans, which are savings accounts for U.S. citizens that are tax-free so far as the

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:02 PM


Deleted: special savings fund, called the

funds are used for college payments such as tuition, room, and board (SEC). In other words,

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:02 PM


Deleted: . 529 plans

President Obama will tax those who are saving for college to pay for those who are not. This will

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:02 PM


Deleted: which

make it more difficult for middle-class citizens who diligently save money to afford college and

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Deleted: ,

could cause graduation rates among this group to decrease. Those hard-working people will

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Deleted: ,

unwillingly pay for students who are more likely to drop out of college without obtaining any

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:05 PM


Deleted: Graduation rates will decrease, and
it will be

degree.
An unfortunate assumption made by the Obama Administration is that these college
students will stay in school, especially since the government is paying their tuition. Even

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:06 PM


Deleted: are saving
Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:08 PM
Deleted: for
Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:09 PM
Deleted: will most

James 2
students who are paying their own tuition and who are more motivated to stay in school drop out

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Deleted: ,

in astronomical numbers. In 2010 and 2011, a study in Washington and Virginia showed that a
quarter of the students enrolled in the fall semester do not return in the spring. Of those who are
remaining in the spring semester, one-fifth do not return the following year (CCRC). This trend
will not change with students attending college free of charge, and might actually become worse.
This plan is not designed to improve our colleges, but merely to pay for tuition. It seems
more effective to spend money on improving schools and increasing their capacity so that more

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Deleted: ,

people can attend and receive a quality education. Community colleges across the United States

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are overcrowded and have seen a decrease in enrollment due to a lack of funding. The state of
California, for example, cut funding to community colleges by $809 million for the fall of 2012,
and saw a 17 percent drop in enrollment as a result (Anson). The allocation of funds for

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Deleted: likewise

education is important and necessary, but that money must be used in the correct ways, or no
improvements will take place.
President Obama and his administration may have announced the plan before completing
necessary analysis of its ramifications. After a major defeat in the 2014 congressional elections

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:15 PM


Deleted: It seems that
Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:15 PM
Deleted: logically analyzing the idea

for the Democratic Party, President Obama desperately needed to show his strength and
influence as President during his State of the Union address. He did this by mentioning a plan to
reform higher education in the United States, and make it possible for millions of Americans to
attend community college free of charge. Undoubtedly, this notion was received well by many,
yet it lacks the structure to make a positive difference in American lives. Such plans, if not
completely thought out, should not be addressed to the American people without viable proof
that they will work properly.

Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:17 PM


Comment: This sounds a little biased
against Obama, and I think we want to keep it
more neutral. Can you tweak your wording
here a little?

James 3
Community colleges are a great thing, and our President is dignified in wanting to extend
that opportunity to more people. However, simply paying tuition will not ensure quality and
retention in these schools. With all the money the United States government would spend on this
project, a greater change could take place if the funds were allocated into the proper areas. The
millions of students who would attend community college free of charge would be grateful, and
many of them may actually take advantage of such an opportunity. Nonetheless, this plan will
simply pay for tuition, and not improve quality. It will also come at a great cost to millions of
middle-class Americans through increased taxes, who are struggling to pay for college as it is. It
is logical that high-quality education be made available to all people, yet this plan holds no

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Deleted: clearly

guarantee of fulfilling that ideal.

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Deleted: should
Amber Dalton 3/15/15 2:19 PM
Deleted: does not
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Deleted: in any way

James 4

Works Cited
"Community College FAQs." Community College Research Center. Teachers College, Columbia
University. Web. 25 Jan. 2015. <http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Community-CollegeFAQs.html>.
Horn, Michael B. "Obama, Free Community College May Not Work." CNN 21 Jan. 2015. Web.
<http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/20/opinion/horn-community-college/>.
Shackford, Scott. "Let's Pay for 'Free' Community College by Taxing College
Savings!"Reason.com. 19 Jan. 2015. Web. <http://reason.com/blog/2015/01/19/lets-payfor-free-community-college-by-t>.
Anson, Matthew Grant. "California Community Colleges Facing Overcrowding." California
Forward. 4 Sept. 2012. Web. <http://www.cafwd.org/reporting/entry/californiacommunity-colleges-facing-overcrowding>.
"An Introduction to 529 Plans." U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Web.
<http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/intro529.htm>.

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