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How To Stop Students From Falling Prey To Socialism

By Mike Huckabee

July 7, 2022
|

I got a comment from a reader arguing that one reason young people fall prey to socialism (aside from being brainwashed by their teachers) is that they feel the capitalist system is failing them. They were told they had to get college degrees if they wanted good jobs, and encouraged to take out huge student loans. Now, they’re saddled with crippling debt, and those degrees aren’t opening the doors to jobs that pay enough to ever get out of the hole.

I admit that’s a serious problem, but electing people who will expand the very policies that raise taxes, kill jobs and wages, and make college ridiculously expensive and degrees useless (is anyone other than George Soros hiring people who studied how to overthrow the US government?) is not going to help.

And promises to pay off everyone’s student loans are just a bait-and-switch. Your student loan debt might disappear, but your tax bill will double or triple. Will that solve your problem? And talk about redistributing wealth from the poor to the rich! People who never attended college will pay higher taxes to pay off the college loan debts of lawyers and others at higher income levels.

We need action on a number of fronts for young people to be able to access the American dream. First, we do need to restructure student loans, so that rates are lowered and terms easier to handle. Government policies need to be aimed at helping grow the economy and encourage private sector expansion, so that jobs are plentiful and wages keep rising. And future generations need to be taught to be more judicious in choosing majors, or that maybe college isn’t the only alternative. There are many good-paying jobs in skilled trades that employers desperately need to fill (just ask Mike Rowe.) There’s dignity in all work, and it’s a heck of a lot better to be a busy, well-paid plumber or mechanic than an angry, unemployed poli-sci or gender studies major (they obviously have way too much free time on their hands these days.)

Besides, as many of our recent political leaders have proven beyond a doubt, having an Ivy League degree is no guarantee of superior intelligence, ability or even basic competence. It might just mean that your parents bought the school a gym. Academic credentials are fine, but they don’t mean as much to me as native intelligence, a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn.

Before I entered politics, I worked with a fellow named Gary Underwood to build a community TV station on a shoestring budget. Gary had no formal education in television production, but he figured out things, like how to make work lights from Sam’s Club do as studio lights, and how to run lights and a camera off a car battery so we could do remotes. If he’d had formal training, he might’ve told me it was impossible on our budget and given up. But since he wasn’t a "trained expert," he found ways to do the impossible. Later on, he ran media operations for the Arkansas Governor’s Office for me.

There are people with more education than others, and who certainly think they’re smarter than the rest of us. But you’d be hard pressed to find people with more “smarts” than someone like Gary. Have you ever heard it said that someone was “educated beyond their intelligence”? We’ve got plenty of people like that. Washington is crawling with so many Harvard and Yale alums that if they could all get a tuition refund, they could probably pay off the national debt. And frankly, many of them should demand a refund.

As both a Governor and a business owner, I’ve hired a lot of employees over the years. Some would figure out how to get something done, while others would spend more time explaining why it couldn’t be done than it would’ve taken to do it! Give me a smart person with a can-do attitude any day over one with an expensive education who lacks the resourcefulness to solve problems with whatever is available.

Remember the story of the eminent scientist who proved through incontrovertible laws of physics, gravity and aerodynamics that it was impossible for a bumblebee to fly? The bumblebee ignored all his arguments about how flying was impossible and flew anyway. The moral: If you want to succeed, be like a bumblebee and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t fly.

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Permalink: https://www.mikehuckabee.com/2022/7/how-to-stop-students-from-falling-prey-to-socialism

More Stories

Essays

The problem with Socialism

Mar 25, 2024
The great pipedream of socialists like Bernie Sanders is that the government will take over medical care and it will be “free” to everyone.

Comments 26-43 of 43

  • Philip Verratti

    09/07/2020 08:44 PM

    Thank you Governor for all you do and say to help average Americans. I am a teacher in public education teaching students in the area of skilled trades. Everyday I meet employers who pay huge taxes that ca not find qualified workers. God Bless on your work.

  • Lynn Weston

    09/07/2020 08:23 PM

    Your description of the can-do guy reminds me of President Trump.

  • George W. Kaelin

    09/07/2020 06:58 PM

    Well put Mike, my thoughts in a cogent form. All schools should teach skills w/o the B.S.
    How to learn not just listen.

  • Tim Zahn

    09/07/2020 06:51 PM

    There is a group which holds no telethons and gains no national recognition for raising money to support children's hospital and clinics. They are a fraternal organization called the Masons and Shrine. To be a Shriner you have to be a Mason and as a Mason I am quite aware of the out of pocket expenses covered by Masons. The Square and Compass hospitals are for children in need of medical attention whose parents have no insurance nor finances to cover their children's medical expenses. At Masonic children's hospitals where ever there is a need there is NO bill. The Shrine have their burn centers plus their "Cloth A Child" at Christmas taking needy children to stores to buy clothes and shoes for them. The Scottish Rite bodies, also a Masonic organization has learning clinics for children with learning disabilities. Very few people know about the Masonic charities which are all supported by Masons and their donations all year long.

  • Allen Hare

    09/07/2020 05:02 PM

    The more "privileged kids" who are just getting out of college should be told that if Socialists (Democrats) are elected to office in Washington , the ones who have lots of money or little money will have no money eventually. How could ANYONE want that mess in our Country?

  • Dick Sanders

    09/07/2020 04:02 PM

    I remember when I was in high school in Savannah, GA (1959-62) a course called distributive education (DE) was offered for students who were not college bound. Basic classes (English, math, history, etc.) were offered in the morning and students enrolled in an internship program in a trade of their choice for the afternoon. Most of those students were hired by the company for which they interned and made a living wage doing what they liked. Too bad that this isn’t available to students today.

  • Jerry McIntyre

    09/07/2020 01:10 PM

    You said that we need to re-structure the Student Loan program. I would like to eliminate the program entirely. Today, the better education is found at the smaller state universities than at the Ivy League Universities. At these schools the student learns more useful knowledge that they do at the ILU schools.

  • don kottwitz

    09/07/2020 01:05 PM

    I'm 81 now, so maybe this isn't still true, but when I was young, I learned that farmers are dumb. They are so dumb that they don't know they 'can't do it'. When a farmer was facing a task that was impossible to deal with, he (or she) would just scratch his head and figure out how to do it. Then he would leavbe the educated idiots in the dust.

  • Leland Logan

    09/07/2020 01:01 PM

    Good article. I do not have a degree but because I have always tried to figure it out. I've always had a job and never been out of work. I've always taken on the thing nobody else wanted to do and learned how to do it well. It's worked for me.

  • Carol Jolin

    09/07/2020 12:52 PM

    My father lost the use of his right arm in a motorcycle accident when he was in early 20's. He went on to build a restaurant/bar/dance hall business in a tiny town that was very successful. Into his success a few years, the local banker was asking for my Dad's advice on money matters! Bumblebee story personified!!

  • James Johnson

    09/07/2020 12:33 PM

    Governor Huckabee,
    I was among the first generation availed of a college education for working-class offspring during the 1960s. I worked my way through by loading and unloading 50 lb. bags of cement, erecting billboards along interstate highways, and any other job I could get. I lived off-campus because I found cheaper accommodations in low-rent neighborhoods. I bought my books used instead of new books. It took me five years to get a four-year degree, but I succeeded.

    When I got into the "college-educated" workforce, I performed every menial job I was given, and with every ounce of vigor I could muster. I rose through the ranks rapidly. I found, within me, the ability to utilize my education to make small changes to manufacturing techniques, which improved yields and throughput. I worked hard. I was promoted, and I advanced continually.

    I earned a wage that allowed me to put my children through college without them having to be saddled with a great deal of debt after graduation. Today, one of my sons works for a fast-food restaurant chain delivering meals, and the other works as a machinist. I'm proud of both of them, but I am not proud of the system, which has placed them in these predicaments.

    We might ask ourselves if the evolution of our colleges and universities was worth the cost when we see the results. Also, is it wise for the young to attend these institutions if, after graduation, they are now forced into a job, which I only worked to pay my way through college?

    I don't mean to belittle these jobs or the people who work them. I am only asking, why are many college graduates today forced to accept these jobs for which they are over-qualified? There seem to be too many graduates entering the workforce for the number of positions available. To that, we add every year, foreign workers entering our country with special work visas, and that limits those positions even further.

    I know my complaints seem many, but they all boil down to one central issue. Overpaid professors and administrators in Liberal institutions, a Liberal congress opening our borders to foreign workers through legislation, and a push in our Liberal school systems to shame all students into going to college with promises of financial successes in the workplace.

    Could I have shortened this tirade into one word? Liberal? I guess, but then I would not feel so good right now.

    James

  • Jan Lowder

    09/07/2020 12:08 PM

    Please ask pastors to
    Organize a phone blitz of all members of their
    Church. Break Dow the list in small pieces and ask deacons and SS teachers to call and encourage all to vote. They need to ask if the person is registered and if not sent them a registration form. Also find out if they need transportation. Of course no one should suggest HOW they should vote. Perhaps the number of Christian voters could be increased. Thanks.


  • Carol MacMillan Godsey

    09/07/2020 11:21 AM

    Amen, Governor - just watched an old movie called "Spare Parts" - a true story that confirms exactly what you say. You might want to interview one of those young people on your show.

  • Catherine Volk

    09/07/2020 10:29 AM

    Thanks so much for speaking the truth about this situation. I have to wonder if this wasn’t another planned consequence in the Left’s efforts to plant socialism as the best solution to cure all the problems facing our youth within our country. It seems that the majority of those in that age bracket that have any common sense are those that did not attend college. I finally went back to college to finish my associates degree at age 50 in 2010, and was horrified by the blatant indoctrination in my Humanities class at the Northwest Florida State College. After I received my degree, I wrote a letter complaining about the teacher to the college, but was dismayed to note that he was still teaching the class years later.

  • Greg Schafer

    09/07/2020 10:19 AM

    Mike, always love reading your columns because you bring common sense and sanity to the issues we face. You also provide solutions. My comment is (and I learned this from an outstanding leadership group) we teach kids in reverse. We tell them to decide what they want to do, go to college and learn how to do it, then that will define their lifestyle. Why don't we teach the young generation to define what they want their lifestyle to be, learn from someone who has that lifestyle, then go do the work to have that lifestyle. Capitalism has "let the young generation down" because they're not learning from the people who have the results they want.

  • Don Griffin

    09/07/2020 09:53 AM

    Student loans are both good and bad but the policies applied and administrators responsible for the management of the student loan program are doing more harm than good. Here's a piece that I wrote several years ago on the subject. The only change I can see is that the program has gotten worse. There's a total absence of common sense and Congress, for the most part, is responsible.

    CHAPTER 13 – WHAT? STUDENT LOANS HAVE TO BE PAID BACK?

    If you are fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a decent education then you’re smart enough to know if you have one that you must pay back student loans. Outstanding student loan debt is about $1.2 trillion, of which $150 billion is past due or in default. The percentage in default has consistently been on the rise since 2003. The kids who majored in the ‘History of European Catapults’ are having a tough time finding employment. In addition, the government’s collection procedures for loans in default have always been less than effective.

    Several years ago a neighbor of mine stated one night at a party after several glasses of liquor that he never paid back his student loans and never intended to. At the time he was making about $250,000 a year as a stockbroker, owned a nice home, and had a couple of new cars. How was he ducking his responsibility to pay off the loan? As I just stated, the collection procedures fall way short of being effective.

    Here’s the solution. As soon as a person is in arrears on in default on a student loan, the IRS is notified along with the Social Security Administration. The annual student loan payment due plus any past due amounts gets added to the individual’s tax obligation and becomes subject to the interest rates and penalties of a normal tax obligation plus all collection options for anything that’s in arrears. These interest rates and penalties are much higher than the normal student loan interest rates so it’s in the individual’s best interest to never go into default. The Social Security Administration is notified as well. Each quarter the individual is in default on a student loan and is employed and not paying to reduce the loan, that quarter does not qualify toward the minimum 40 quarters required for eligibility payments upon retirement. While in default the individual will not be eligible for any other government entitlements or subsistence payments.

    Harsh? Effective? You bet. It’s a tough world out there. Get used to it. And as a side note, if the individual is in default, his children are also deemed ineligible until the loan is paid. “Gee, Dad, instead of buying that case of beer maybe you should start paying off your student loan.”

    The Obama Administration seized the opportunity to exploit the massive student debt crisis and offered relief to millions of graduates with the Obama Student Loan Forgiveness Program. The name came about when President Obama reformed part of the Direct Loan program in 2009 in his Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Remember, the Democratic Party strategy is to never let a crisis go to waste as Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former Chief of Staff used to say. Students in debt were ecstatic that relief was on the way. Now I've already admitted I'm a cynic but two things are apparent with Obama's magnanimous gesture to assist millions of young people. First of all, this new program falls directly on the back of taxpayers since the principal amounts - not to mention interest and fees - will never be collected. For some debtors at the end of 20 or 25 years - Pooofff! - the entire loan and obligation disappear. Second of all, the relief offered by the Democrats has a non-binding quid pro quo. If you placed a wager on the next election results, would you expect these giddy young people to vote Democrat or Republican?

    And finally, I know this is way too logical for Congress to act on, but student loans could be used to move students in a better direction to fill needed jobs in America. For example, if we need more engineers, computer science majors, and doctors, make the loan interest rates more attractive for these disciplines. Deny students who want to study the ‘Impact of Cheerios on a Shrimp’s Treadmill Stamina’ access to student loans. Come to think of it, deny them access to any loan or college campus. They’re the ones that will probably go berserk and shoot up the campus cafeteria when they learn that shrimp only need enough strength to hump other shrimp. And how many million taxpayer dollars have we spent on shrimp treadmills? Seriously, folks!

  • Gail Hobson

    09/07/2020 09:42 AM

    I debated about sending this but decided we all need a smile during this craziness. I walk around the lake with a friend on Saturday mornings and met a lady walking her dog. In talking with this lady learned she is Ex-Military and is working for the VA. She said "I know how to stop the violent protesters in a non-violent way. Take a large tanker truck with a large nozzle fill it with (excuse me) poop. I'm sure you can see where this is going. As they are looting/destroying property/hurting people spray them down. I don't know to many or any people who would hang around soaked. SO there again is good ole American creativity in problem solving.

  • Marion D Watson

    09/07/2020 09:38 AM

    As a retired teacher I have to admit for years I helped push the idea of a college education-- the studies proved it!! Then I "awoke" to the realization that the universities were the ones who did the studies! I then began to tell students to go to work and escape the debt.
    A good way to get rid of the socialists in the universities is to do away with the Pell Grants, student loans, etc. Then the colleges/unies. would lower tuition and get rid of the dead weight socialists. All would be better with the world!!! dale

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    Essays

    How To Stop Students From Falling Prey To Socialism

    By Mike Huckabee

    July 7, 2022
    |

    I got a comment from a reader arguing that one reason young people fall prey to socialism (aside from being brainwashed by their teachers) is that they feel the capitalist system is failing them. They were told they had to get college degrees if they wanted good jobs, and encouraged to take out huge student loans. Now, they’re saddled with crippling debt, and those degrees aren’t opening the doors to jobs that pay enough to ever get out of the hole.

    I admit that’s a serious problem, but electing people who will expand the very policies that raise taxes, kill jobs and wages, and make college ridiculously expensive and degrees useless (is anyone other than George Soros hiring people who studied how to overthrow the US government?) is not going to help.

    And promises to pay off everyone’s student loans are just a bait-and-switch. Your student loan debt might disappear, but your tax bill will double or triple. Will that solve your problem? And talk about redistributing wealth from the poor to the rich! People who never attended college will pay higher taxes to pay off the college loan debts of lawyers and others at higher income levels.

    We need action on a number of fronts for young people to be able to access the American dream. First, we do need to restructure student loans, so that rates are lowered and terms easier to handle. Government policies need to be aimed at helping grow the economy and encourage private sector expansion, so that jobs are plentiful and wages keep rising. And future generations need to be taught to be more judicious in choosing majors, or that maybe college isn’t the only alternative. There are many good-paying jobs in skilled trades that employers desperately need to fill (just ask Mike Rowe.) There’s dignity in all work, and it’s a heck of a lot better to be a busy, well-paid plumber or mechanic than an angry, unemployed poli-sci or gender studies major (they obviously have way too much free time on their hands these days.)

    Besides, as many of our recent political leaders have proven beyond a doubt, having an Ivy League degree is no guarantee of superior intelligence, ability or even basic competence. It might just mean that your parents bought the school a gym. Academic credentials are fine, but they don’t mean as much to me as native intelligence, a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn.

    Before I entered politics, I worked with a fellow named Gary Underwood to build a community TV station on a shoestring budget. Gary had no formal education in television production, but he figured out things, like how to make work lights from Sam’s Club do as studio lights, and how to run lights and a camera off a car battery so we could do remotes. If he’d had formal training, he might’ve told me it was impossible on our budget and given up. But since he wasn’t a "trained expert," he found ways to do the impossible. Later on, he ran media operations for the Arkansas Governor’s Office for me.

    There are people with more education than others, and who certainly think they’re smarter than the rest of us. But you’d be hard pressed to find people with more “smarts” than someone like Gary. Have you ever heard it said that someone was “educated beyond their intelligence”? We’ve got plenty of people like that. Washington is crawling with so many Harvard and Yale alums that if they could all get a tuition refund, they could probably pay off the national debt. And frankly, many of them should demand a refund.

    As both a Governor and a business owner, I’ve hired a lot of employees over the years. Some would figure out how to get something done, while others would spend more time explaining why it couldn’t be done than it would’ve taken to do it! Give me a smart person with a can-do attitude any day over one with an expensive education who lacks the resourcefulness to solve problems with whatever is available.

    Remember the story of the eminent scientist who proved through incontrovertible laws of physics, gravity and aerodynamics that it was impossible for a bumblebee to fly? The bumblebee ignored all his arguments about how flying was impossible and flew anyway. The moral: If you want to succeed, be like a bumblebee and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t fly.

    Leave a Comment

    Note: Fields marked with an * are required.

    Your Information
    Your Comment
    BBML accepted!
    Captcha

    Permalink: https://www.mikehuckabee.com/2022/7/how-to-stop-students-from-falling-prey-to-socialism

    More Stories

    Essays

    The problem with Socialism

    Mar 25, 2024
    The great pipedream of socialists like Bernie Sanders is that the government will take over medical care and it will be “free” to everyone.

    Comments 26-43 of 43

    • Philip Verratti

      09/07/2020 08:44 PM

      Thank you Governor for all you do and say to help average Americans. I am a teacher in public education teaching students in the area of skilled trades. Everyday I meet employers who pay huge taxes that ca not find qualified workers. God Bless on your work.

    • Lynn Weston

      09/07/2020 08:23 PM

      Your description of the can-do guy reminds me of President Trump.

    • George W. Kaelin

      09/07/2020 06:58 PM

      Well put Mike, my thoughts in a cogent form. All schools should teach skills w/o the B.S.
      How to learn not just listen.

    • Tim Zahn

      09/07/2020 06:51 PM

      There is a group which holds no telethons and gains no national recognition for raising money to support children's hospital and clinics. They are a fraternal organization called the Masons and Shrine. To be a Shriner you have to be a Mason and as a Mason I am quite aware of the out of pocket expenses covered by Masons. The Square and Compass hospitals are for children in need of medical attention whose parents have no insurance nor finances to cover their children's medical expenses. At Masonic children's hospitals where ever there is a need there is NO bill. The Shrine have their burn centers plus their "Cloth A Child" at Christmas taking needy children to stores to buy clothes and shoes for them. The Scottish Rite bodies, also a Masonic organization has learning clinics for children with learning disabilities. Very few people know about the Masonic charities which are all supported by Masons and their donations all year long.

    • Allen Hare

      09/07/2020 05:02 PM

      The more "privileged kids" who are just getting out of college should be told that if Socialists (Democrats) are elected to office in Washington , the ones who have lots of money or little money will have no money eventually. How could ANYONE want that mess in our Country?

    • Dick Sanders

      09/07/2020 04:02 PM

      I remember when I was in high school in Savannah, GA (1959-62) a course called distributive education (DE) was offered for students who were not college bound. Basic classes (English, math, history, etc.) were offered in the morning and students enrolled in an internship program in a trade of their choice for the afternoon. Most of those students were hired by the company for which they interned and made a living wage doing what they liked. Too bad that this isn’t available to students today.

    • Jerry McIntyre

      09/07/2020 01:10 PM

      You said that we need to re-structure the Student Loan program. I would like to eliminate the program entirely. Today, the better education is found at the smaller state universities than at the Ivy League Universities. At these schools the student learns more useful knowledge that they do at the ILU schools.

    • don kottwitz

      09/07/2020 01:05 PM

      I'm 81 now, so maybe this isn't still true, but when I was young, I learned that farmers are dumb. They are so dumb that they don't know they 'can't do it'. When a farmer was facing a task that was impossible to deal with, he (or she) would just scratch his head and figure out how to do it. Then he would leavbe the educated idiots in the dust.

    • Leland Logan

      09/07/2020 01:01 PM

      Good article. I do not have a degree but because I have always tried to figure it out. I've always had a job and never been out of work. I've always taken on the thing nobody else wanted to do and learned how to do it well. It's worked for me.

    • Carol Jolin

      09/07/2020 12:52 PM

      My father lost the use of his right arm in a motorcycle accident when he was in early 20's. He went on to build a restaurant/bar/dance hall business in a tiny town that was very successful. Into his success a few years, the local banker was asking for my Dad's advice on money matters! Bumblebee story personified!!

    • James Johnson

      09/07/2020 12:33 PM

      Governor Huckabee,
      I was among the first generation availed of a college education for working-class offspring during the 1960s. I worked my way through by loading and unloading 50 lb. bags of cement, erecting billboards along interstate highways, and any other job I could get. I lived off-campus because I found cheaper accommodations in low-rent neighborhoods. I bought my books used instead of new books. It took me five years to get a four-year degree, but I succeeded.

      When I got into the "college-educated" workforce, I performed every menial job I was given, and with every ounce of vigor I could muster. I rose through the ranks rapidly. I found, within me, the ability to utilize my education to make small changes to manufacturing techniques, which improved yields and throughput. I worked hard. I was promoted, and I advanced continually.

      I earned a wage that allowed me to put my children through college without them having to be saddled with a great deal of debt after graduation. Today, one of my sons works for a fast-food restaurant chain delivering meals, and the other works as a machinist. I'm proud of both of them, but I am not proud of the system, which has placed them in these predicaments.

      We might ask ourselves if the evolution of our colleges and universities was worth the cost when we see the results. Also, is it wise for the young to attend these institutions if, after graduation, they are now forced into a job, which I only worked to pay my way through college?

      I don't mean to belittle these jobs or the people who work them. I am only asking, why are many college graduates today forced to accept these jobs for which they are over-qualified? There seem to be too many graduates entering the workforce for the number of positions available. To that, we add every year, foreign workers entering our country with special work visas, and that limits those positions even further.

      I know my complaints seem many, but they all boil down to one central issue. Overpaid professors and administrators in Liberal institutions, a Liberal congress opening our borders to foreign workers through legislation, and a push in our Liberal school systems to shame all students into going to college with promises of financial successes in the workplace.

      Could I have shortened this tirade into one word? Liberal? I guess, but then I would not feel so good right now.

      James

    • Jan Lowder

      09/07/2020 12:08 PM

      Please ask pastors to
      Organize a phone blitz of all members of their
      Church. Break Dow the list in small pieces and ask deacons and SS teachers to call and encourage all to vote. They need to ask if the person is registered and if not sent them a registration form. Also find out if they need transportation. Of course no one should suggest HOW they should vote. Perhaps the number of Christian voters could be increased. Thanks.


    • Carol MacMillan Godsey

      09/07/2020 11:21 AM

      Amen, Governor - just watched an old movie called "Spare Parts" - a true story that confirms exactly what you say. You might want to interview one of those young people on your show.

    • Catherine Volk

      09/07/2020 10:29 AM

      Thanks so much for speaking the truth about this situation. I have to wonder if this wasn’t another planned consequence in the Left’s efforts to plant socialism as the best solution to cure all the problems facing our youth within our country. It seems that the majority of those in that age bracket that have any common sense are those that did not attend college. I finally went back to college to finish my associates degree at age 50 in 2010, and was horrified by the blatant indoctrination in my Humanities class at the Northwest Florida State College. After I received my degree, I wrote a letter complaining about the teacher to the college, but was dismayed to note that he was still teaching the class years later.

    • Greg Schafer

      09/07/2020 10:19 AM

      Mike, always love reading your columns because you bring common sense and sanity to the issues we face. You also provide solutions. My comment is (and I learned this from an outstanding leadership group) we teach kids in reverse. We tell them to decide what they want to do, go to college and learn how to do it, then that will define their lifestyle. Why don't we teach the young generation to define what they want their lifestyle to be, learn from someone who has that lifestyle, then go do the work to have that lifestyle. Capitalism has "let the young generation down" because they're not learning from the people who have the results they want.

    • Don Griffin

      09/07/2020 09:53 AM

      Student loans are both good and bad but the policies applied and administrators responsible for the management of the student loan program are doing more harm than good. Here's a piece that I wrote several years ago on the subject. The only change I can see is that the program has gotten worse. There's a total absence of common sense and Congress, for the most part, is responsible.

      CHAPTER 13 – WHAT? STUDENT LOANS HAVE TO BE PAID BACK?

      If you are fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a decent education then you’re smart enough to know if you have one that you must pay back student loans. Outstanding student loan debt is about $1.2 trillion, of which $150 billion is past due or in default. The percentage in default has consistently been on the rise since 2003. The kids who majored in the ‘History of European Catapults’ are having a tough time finding employment. In addition, the government’s collection procedures for loans in default have always been less than effective.

      Several years ago a neighbor of mine stated one night at a party after several glasses of liquor that he never paid back his student loans and never intended to. At the time he was making about $250,000 a year as a stockbroker, owned a nice home, and had a couple of new cars. How was he ducking his responsibility to pay off the loan? As I just stated, the collection procedures fall way short of being effective.

      Here’s the solution. As soon as a person is in arrears on in default on a student loan, the IRS is notified along with the Social Security Administration. The annual student loan payment due plus any past due amounts gets added to the individual’s tax obligation and becomes subject to the interest rates and penalties of a normal tax obligation plus all collection options for anything that’s in arrears. These interest rates and penalties are much higher than the normal student loan interest rates so it’s in the individual’s best interest to never go into default. The Social Security Administration is notified as well. Each quarter the individual is in default on a student loan and is employed and not paying to reduce the loan, that quarter does not qualify toward the minimum 40 quarters required for eligibility payments upon retirement. While in default the individual will not be eligible for any other government entitlements or subsistence payments.

      Harsh? Effective? You bet. It’s a tough world out there. Get used to it. And as a side note, if the individual is in default, his children are also deemed ineligible until the loan is paid. “Gee, Dad, instead of buying that case of beer maybe you should start paying off your student loan.”

      The Obama Administration seized the opportunity to exploit the massive student debt crisis and offered relief to millions of graduates with the Obama Student Loan Forgiveness Program. The name came about when President Obama reformed part of the Direct Loan program in 2009 in his Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Remember, the Democratic Party strategy is to never let a crisis go to waste as Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former Chief of Staff used to say. Students in debt were ecstatic that relief was on the way. Now I've already admitted I'm a cynic but two things are apparent with Obama's magnanimous gesture to assist millions of young people. First of all, this new program falls directly on the back of taxpayers since the principal amounts - not to mention interest and fees - will never be collected. For some debtors at the end of 20 or 25 years - Pooofff! - the entire loan and obligation disappear. Second of all, the relief offered by the Democrats has a non-binding quid pro quo. If you placed a wager on the next election results, would you expect these giddy young people to vote Democrat or Republican?

      And finally, I know this is way too logical for Congress to act on, but student loans could be used to move students in a better direction to fill needed jobs in America. For example, if we need more engineers, computer science majors, and doctors, make the loan interest rates more attractive for these disciplines. Deny students who want to study the ‘Impact of Cheerios on a Shrimp’s Treadmill Stamina’ access to student loans. Come to think of it, deny them access to any loan or college campus. They’re the ones that will probably go berserk and shoot up the campus cafeteria when they learn that shrimp only need enough strength to hump other shrimp. And how many million taxpayer dollars have we spent on shrimp treadmills? Seriously, folks!

    • Gail Hobson

      09/07/2020 09:42 AM

      I debated about sending this but decided we all need a smile during this craziness. I walk around the lake with a friend on Saturday mornings and met a lady walking her dog. In talking with this lady learned she is Ex-Military and is working for the VA. She said "I know how to stop the violent protesters in a non-violent way. Take a large tanker truck with a large nozzle fill it with (excuse me) poop. I'm sure you can see where this is going. As they are looting/destroying property/hurting people spray them down. I don't know to many or any people who would hang around soaked. SO there again is good ole American creativity in problem solving.

    • Marion D Watson

      09/07/2020 09:38 AM

      As a retired teacher I have to admit for years I helped push the idea of a college education-- the studies proved it!! Then I "awoke" to the realization that the universities were the ones who did the studies! I then began to tell students to go to work and escape the debt.
      A good way to get rid of the socialists in the universities is to do away with the Pell Grants, student loans, etc. Then the colleges/unies. would lower tuition and get rid of the dead weight socialists. All would be better with the world!!! dale

    Trump Indictment News

    Essays

    How To Stop Students From Falling Prey To Socialism

    By Mike Huckabee

    July 7, 2022
    |

    I got a comment from a reader arguing that one reason young people fall prey to socialism (aside from being brainwashed by their teachers) is that they feel the capitalist system is failing them. They were told they had to get college degrees if they wanted good jobs, and encouraged to take out huge student loans. Now, they’re saddled with crippling debt, and those degrees aren’t opening the doors to jobs that pay enough to ever get out of the hole.

    I admit that’s a serious problem, but electing people who will expand the very policies that raise taxes, kill jobs and wages, and make college ridiculously expensive and degrees useless (is anyone other than George Soros hiring people who studied how to overthrow the US government?) is not going to help.

    And promises to pay off everyone’s student loans are just a bait-and-switch. Your student loan debt might disappear, but your tax bill will double or triple. Will that solve your problem? And talk about redistributing wealth from the poor to the rich! People who never attended college will pay higher taxes to pay off the college loan debts of lawyers and others at higher income levels.

    We need action on a number of fronts for young people to be able to access the American dream. First, we do need to restructure student loans, so that rates are lowered and terms easier to handle. Government policies need to be aimed at helping grow the economy and encourage private sector expansion, so that jobs are plentiful and wages keep rising. And future generations need to be taught to be more judicious in choosing majors, or that maybe college isn’t the only alternative. There are many good-paying jobs in skilled trades that employers desperately need to fill (just ask Mike Rowe.) There’s dignity in all work, and it’s a heck of a lot better to be a busy, well-paid plumber or mechanic than an angry, unemployed poli-sci or gender studies major (they obviously have way too much free time on their hands these days.)

    Besides, as many of our recent political leaders have proven beyond a doubt, having an Ivy League degree is no guarantee of superior intelligence, ability or even basic competence. It might just mean that your parents bought the school a gym. Academic credentials are fine, but they don’t mean as much to me as native intelligence, a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn.

    Before I entered politics, I worked with a fellow named Gary Underwood to build a community TV station on a shoestring budget. Gary had no formal education in television production, but he figured out things, like how to make work lights from Sam’s Club do as studio lights, and how to run lights and a camera off a car battery so we could do remotes. If he’d had formal training, he might’ve told me it was impossible on our budget and given up. But since he wasn’t a "trained expert," he found ways to do the impossible. Later on, he ran media operations for the Arkansas Governor’s Office for me.

    There are people with more education than others, and who certainly think they’re smarter than the rest of us. But you’d be hard pressed to find people with more “smarts” than someone like Gary. Have you ever heard it said that someone was “educated beyond their intelligence”? We’ve got plenty of people like that. Washington is crawling with so many Harvard and Yale alums that if they could all get a tuition refund, they could probably pay off the national debt. And frankly, many of them should demand a refund.

    As both a Governor and a business owner, I’ve hired a lot of employees over the years. Some would figure out how to get something done, while others would spend more time explaining why it couldn’t be done than it would’ve taken to do it! Give me a smart person with a can-do attitude any day over one with an expensive education who lacks the resourcefulness to solve problems with whatever is available.

    Remember the story of the eminent scientist who proved through incontrovertible laws of physics, gravity and aerodynamics that it was impossible for a bumblebee to fly? The bumblebee ignored all his arguments about how flying was impossible and flew anyway. The moral: If you want to succeed, be like a bumblebee and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t fly.

    Leave a Comment

    Note: Fields marked with an * are required.

    Your Information
    Your Comment
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    Permalink: https://www.mikehuckabee.com/2022/7/how-to-stop-students-from-falling-prey-to-socialism

    More Stories

    Essays

    The problem with Socialism

    Mar 25, 2024
    The great pipedream of socialists like Bernie Sanders is that the government will take over medical care and it will be “free” to everyone.

    Comments 26-43 of 43

    • Philip Verratti

      09/07/2020 08:44 PM

      Thank you Governor for all you do and say to help average Americans. I am a teacher in public education teaching students in the area of skilled trades. Everyday I meet employers who pay huge taxes that ca not find qualified workers. God Bless on your work.

    • Lynn Weston

      09/07/2020 08:23 PM

      Your description of the can-do guy reminds me of President Trump.

    • George W. Kaelin

      09/07/2020 06:58 PM

      Well put Mike, my thoughts in a cogent form. All schools should teach skills w/o the B.S.
      How to learn not just listen.

    • Tim Zahn

      09/07/2020 06:51 PM

      There is a group which holds no telethons and gains no national recognition for raising money to support children's hospital and clinics. They are a fraternal organization called the Masons and Shrine. To be a Shriner you have to be a Mason and as a Mason I am quite aware of the out of pocket expenses covered by Masons. The Square and Compass hospitals are for children in need of medical attention whose parents have no insurance nor finances to cover their children's medical expenses. At Masonic children's hospitals where ever there is a need there is NO bill. The Shrine have their burn centers plus their "Cloth A Child" at Christmas taking needy children to stores to buy clothes and shoes for them. The Scottish Rite bodies, also a Masonic organization has learning clinics for children with learning disabilities. Very few people know about the Masonic charities which are all supported by Masons and their donations all year long.

    • Allen Hare

      09/07/2020 05:02 PM

      The more "privileged kids" who are just getting out of college should be told that if Socialists (Democrats) are elected to office in Washington , the ones who have lots of money or little money will have no money eventually. How could ANYONE want that mess in our Country?

    • Dick Sanders

      09/07/2020 04:02 PM

      I remember when I was in high school in Savannah, GA (1959-62) a course called distributive education (DE) was offered for students who were not college bound. Basic classes (English, math, history, etc.) were offered in the morning and students enrolled in an internship program in a trade of their choice for the afternoon. Most of those students were hired by the company for which they interned and made a living wage doing what they liked. Too bad that this isn’t available to students today.

    • Jerry McIntyre

      09/07/2020 01:10 PM

      You said that we need to re-structure the Student Loan program. I would like to eliminate the program entirely. Today, the better education is found at the smaller state universities than at the Ivy League Universities. At these schools the student learns more useful knowledge that they do at the ILU schools.

    • don kottwitz

      09/07/2020 01:05 PM

      I'm 81 now, so maybe this isn't still true, but when I was young, I learned that farmers are dumb. They are so dumb that they don't know they 'can't do it'. When a farmer was facing a task that was impossible to deal with, he (or she) would just scratch his head and figure out how to do it. Then he would leavbe the educated idiots in the dust.

    • Leland Logan

      09/07/2020 01:01 PM

      Good article. I do not have a degree but because I have always tried to figure it out. I've always had a job and never been out of work. I've always taken on the thing nobody else wanted to do and learned how to do it well. It's worked for me.

    • Carol Jolin

      09/07/2020 12:52 PM

      My father lost the use of his right arm in a motorcycle accident when he was in early 20's. He went on to build a restaurant/bar/dance hall business in a tiny town that was very successful. Into his success a few years, the local banker was asking for my Dad's advice on money matters! Bumblebee story personified!!

    • James Johnson

      09/07/2020 12:33 PM

      Governor Huckabee,
      I was among the first generation availed of a college education for working-class offspring during the 1960s. I worked my way through by loading and unloading 50 lb. bags of cement, erecting billboards along interstate highways, and any other job I could get. I lived off-campus because I found cheaper accommodations in low-rent neighborhoods. I bought my books used instead of new books. It took me five years to get a four-year degree, but I succeeded.

      When I got into the "college-educated" workforce, I performed every menial job I was given, and with every ounce of vigor I could muster. I rose through the ranks rapidly. I found, within me, the ability to utilize my education to make small changes to manufacturing techniques, which improved yields and throughput. I worked hard. I was promoted, and I advanced continually.

      I earned a wage that allowed me to put my children through college without them having to be saddled with a great deal of debt after graduation. Today, one of my sons works for a fast-food restaurant chain delivering meals, and the other works as a machinist. I'm proud of both of them, but I am not proud of the system, which has placed them in these predicaments.

      We might ask ourselves if the evolution of our colleges and universities was worth the cost when we see the results. Also, is it wise for the young to attend these institutions if, after graduation, they are now forced into a job, which I only worked to pay my way through college?

      I don't mean to belittle these jobs or the people who work them. I am only asking, why are many college graduates today forced to accept these jobs for which they are over-qualified? There seem to be too many graduates entering the workforce for the number of positions available. To that, we add every year, foreign workers entering our country with special work visas, and that limits those positions even further.

      I know my complaints seem many, but they all boil down to one central issue. Overpaid professors and administrators in Liberal institutions, a Liberal congress opening our borders to foreign workers through legislation, and a push in our Liberal school systems to shame all students into going to college with promises of financial successes in the workplace.

      Could I have shortened this tirade into one word? Liberal? I guess, but then I would not feel so good right now.

      James

    • Jan Lowder

      09/07/2020 12:08 PM

      Please ask pastors to
      Organize a phone blitz of all members of their
      Church. Break Dow the list in small pieces and ask deacons and SS teachers to call and encourage all to vote. They need to ask if the person is registered and if not sent them a registration form. Also find out if they need transportation. Of course no one should suggest HOW they should vote. Perhaps the number of Christian voters could be increased. Thanks.


    • Carol MacMillan Godsey

      09/07/2020 11:21 AM

      Amen, Governor - just watched an old movie called "Spare Parts" - a true story that confirms exactly what you say. You might want to interview one of those young people on your show.

    • Catherine Volk

      09/07/2020 10:29 AM

      Thanks so much for speaking the truth about this situation. I have to wonder if this wasn’t another planned consequence in the Left’s efforts to plant socialism as the best solution to cure all the problems facing our youth within our country. It seems that the majority of those in that age bracket that have any common sense are those that did not attend college. I finally went back to college to finish my associates degree at age 50 in 2010, and was horrified by the blatant indoctrination in my Humanities class at the Northwest Florida State College. After I received my degree, I wrote a letter complaining about the teacher to the college, but was dismayed to note that he was still teaching the class years later.

    • Greg Schafer

      09/07/2020 10:19 AM

      Mike, always love reading your columns because you bring common sense and sanity to the issues we face. You also provide solutions. My comment is (and I learned this from an outstanding leadership group) we teach kids in reverse. We tell them to decide what they want to do, go to college and learn how to do it, then that will define their lifestyle. Why don't we teach the young generation to define what they want their lifestyle to be, learn from someone who has that lifestyle, then go do the work to have that lifestyle. Capitalism has "let the young generation down" because they're not learning from the people who have the results they want.

    • Don Griffin

      09/07/2020 09:53 AM

      Student loans are both good and bad but the policies applied and administrators responsible for the management of the student loan program are doing more harm than good. Here's a piece that I wrote several years ago on the subject. The only change I can see is that the program has gotten worse. There's a total absence of common sense and Congress, for the most part, is responsible.

      CHAPTER 13 – WHAT? STUDENT LOANS HAVE TO BE PAID BACK?

      If you are fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a decent education then you’re smart enough to know if you have one that you must pay back student loans. Outstanding student loan debt is about $1.2 trillion, of which $150 billion is past due or in default. The percentage in default has consistently been on the rise since 2003. The kids who majored in the ‘History of European Catapults’ are having a tough time finding employment. In addition, the government’s collection procedures for loans in default have always been less than effective.

      Several years ago a neighbor of mine stated one night at a party after several glasses of liquor that he never paid back his student loans and never intended to. At the time he was making about $250,000 a year as a stockbroker, owned a nice home, and had a couple of new cars. How was he ducking his responsibility to pay off the loan? As I just stated, the collection procedures fall way short of being effective.

      Here’s the solution. As soon as a person is in arrears on in default on a student loan, the IRS is notified along with the Social Security Administration. The annual student loan payment due plus any past due amounts gets added to the individual’s tax obligation and becomes subject to the interest rates and penalties of a normal tax obligation plus all collection options for anything that’s in arrears. These interest rates and penalties are much higher than the normal student loan interest rates so it’s in the individual’s best interest to never go into default. The Social Security Administration is notified as well. Each quarter the individual is in default on a student loan and is employed and not paying to reduce the loan, that quarter does not qualify toward the minimum 40 quarters required for eligibility payments upon retirement. While in default the individual will not be eligible for any other government entitlements or subsistence payments.

      Harsh? Effective? You bet. It’s a tough world out there. Get used to it. And as a side note, if the individual is in default, his children are also deemed ineligible until the loan is paid. “Gee, Dad, instead of buying that case of beer maybe you should start paying off your student loan.”

      The Obama Administration seized the opportunity to exploit the massive student debt crisis and offered relief to millions of graduates with the Obama Student Loan Forgiveness Program. The name came about when President Obama reformed part of the Direct Loan program in 2009 in his Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Remember, the Democratic Party strategy is to never let a crisis go to waste as Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former Chief of Staff used to say. Students in debt were ecstatic that relief was on the way. Now I've already admitted I'm a cynic but two things are apparent with Obama's magnanimous gesture to assist millions of young people. First of all, this new program falls directly on the back of taxpayers since the principal amounts - not to mention interest and fees - will never be collected. For some debtors at the end of 20 or 25 years - Pooofff! - the entire loan and obligation disappear. Second of all, the relief offered by the Democrats has a non-binding quid pro quo. If you placed a wager on the next election results, would you expect these giddy young people to vote Democrat or Republican?

      And finally, I know this is way too logical for Congress to act on, but student loans could be used to move students in a better direction to fill needed jobs in America. For example, if we need more engineers, computer science majors, and doctors, make the loan interest rates more attractive for these disciplines. Deny students who want to study the ‘Impact of Cheerios on a Shrimp’s Treadmill Stamina’ access to student loans. Come to think of it, deny them access to any loan or college campus. They’re the ones that will probably go berserk and shoot up the campus cafeteria when they learn that shrimp only need enough strength to hump other shrimp. And how many million taxpayer dollars have we spent on shrimp treadmills? Seriously, folks!

    • Gail Hobson

      09/07/2020 09:42 AM

      I debated about sending this but decided we all need a smile during this craziness. I walk around the lake with a friend on Saturday mornings and met a lady walking her dog. In talking with this lady learned she is Ex-Military and is working for the VA. She said "I know how to stop the violent protesters in a non-violent way. Take a large tanker truck with a large nozzle fill it with (excuse me) poop. I'm sure you can see where this is going. As they are looting/destroying property/hurting people spray them down. I don't know to many or any people who would hang around soaked. SO there again is good ole American creativity in problem solving.

    • Marion D Watson

      09/07/2020 09:38 AM

      As a retired teacher I have to admit for years I helped push the idea of a college education-- the studies proved it!! Then I "awoke" to the realization that the universities were the ones who did the studies! I then began to tell students to go to work and escape the debt.
      A good way to get rid of the socialists in the universities is to do away with the Pell Grants, student loans, etc. Then the colleges/unies. would lower tuition and get rid of the dead weight socialists. All would be better with the world!!! dale

    Election 2024 Coverage

    Essays

    How To Stop Students From Falling Prey To Socialism

    By Mike Huckabee

    July 7, 2022
    |

    I got a comment from a reader arguing that one reason young people fall prey to socialism (aside from being brainwashed by their teachers) is that they feel the capitalist system is failing them. They were told they had to get college degrees if they wanted good jobs, and encouraged to take out huge student loans. Now, they’re saddled with crippling debt, and those degrees aren’t opening the doors to jobs that pay enough to ever get out of the hole.

    I admit that’s a serious problem, but electing people who will expand the very policies that raise taxes, kill jobs and wages, and make college ridiculously expensive and degrees useless (is anyone other than George Soros hiring people who studied how to overthrow the US government?) is not going to help.

    And promises to pay off everyone’s student loans are just a bait-and-switch. Your student loan debt might disappear, but your tax bill will double or triple. Will that solve your problem? And talk about redistributing wealth from the poor to the rich! People who never attended college will pay higher taxes to pay off the college loan debts of lawyers and others at higher income levels.

    We need action on a number of fronts for young people to be able to access the American dream. First, we do need to restructure student loans, so that rates are lowered and terms easier to handle. Government policies need to be aimed at helping grow the economy and encourage private sector expansion, so that jobs are plentiful and wages keep rising. And future generations need to be taught to be more judicious in choosing majors, or that maybe college isn’t the only alternative. There are many good-paying jobs in skilled trades that employers desperately need to fill (just ask Mike Rowe.) There’s dignity in all work, and it’s a heck of a lot better to be a busy, well-paid plumber or mechanic than an angry, unemployed poli-sci or gender studies major (they obviously have way too much free time on their hands these days.)

    Besides, as many of our recent political leaders have proven beyond a doubt, having an Ivy League degree is no guarantee of superior intelligence, ability or even basic competence. It might just mean that your parents bought the school a gym. Academic credentials are fine, but they don’t mean as much to me as native intelligence, a strong work ethic and an eagerness to learn.

    Before I entered politics, I worked with a fellow named Gary Underwood to build a community TV station on a shoestring budget. Gary had no formal education in television production, but he figured out things, like how to make work lights from Sam’s Club do as studio lights, and how to run lights and a camera off a car battery so we could do remotes. If he’d had formal training, he might’ve told me it was impossible on our budget and given up. But since he wasn’t a "trained expert," he found ways to do the impossible. Later on, he ran media operations for the Arkansas Governor’s Office for me.

    There are people with more education than others, and who certainly think they’re smarter than the rest of us. But you’d be hard pressed to find people with more “smarts” than someone like Gary. Have you ever heard it said that someone was “educated beyond their intelligence”? We’ve got plenty of people like that. Washington is crawling with so many Harvard and Yale alums that if they could all get a tuition refund, they could probably pay off the national debt. And frankly, many of them should demand a refund.

    As both a Governor and a business owner, I’ve hired a lot of employees over the years. Some would figure out how to get something done, while others would spend more time explaining why it couldn’t be done than it would’ve taken to do it! Give me a smart person with a can-do attitude any day over one with an expensive education who lacks the resourcefulness to solve problems with whatever is available.

    Remember the story of the eminent scientist who proved through incontrovertible laws of physics, gravity and aerodynamics that it was impossible for a bumblebee to fly? The bumblebee ignored all his arguments about how flying was impossible and flew anyway. The moral: If you want to succeed, be like a bumblebee and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t fly.

    Leave a Comment

    Note: Fields marked with an * are required.

    Your Information
    Your Comment
    BBML accepted!
    Captcha

    Permalink: https://www.mikehuckabee.com/2022/7/how-to-stop-students-from-falling-prey-to-socialism

    More Stories

    Essays

    The problem with Socialism

    Mar 25, 2024
    The great pipedream of socialists like Bernie Sanders is that the government will take over medical care and it will be “free” to everyone.

    Comments 26-43 of 43

    • Philip Verratti

      09/07/2020 08:44 PM

      Thank you Governor for all you do and say to help average Americans. I am a teacher in public education teaching students in the area of skilled trades. Everyday I meet employers who pay huge taxes that ca not find qualified workers. God Bless on your work.

    • Lynn Weston

      09/07/2020 08:23 PM

      Your description of the can-do guy reminds me of President Trump.

    • George W. Kaelin

      09/07/2020 06:58 PM

      Well put Mike, my thoughts in a cogent form. All schools should teach skills w/o the B.S.
      How to learn not just listen.

    • Tim Zahn

      09/07/2020 06:51 PM

      There is a group which holds no telethons and gains no national recognition for raising money to support children's hospital and clinics. They are a fraternal organization called the Masons and Shrine. To be a Shriner you have to be a Mason and as a Mason I am quite aware of the out of pocket expenses covered by Masons. The Square and Compass hospitals are for children in need of medical attention whose parents have no insurance nor finances to cover their children's medical expenses. At Masonic children's hospitals where ever there is a need there is NO bill. The Shrine have their burn centers plus their "Cloth A Child" at Christmas taking needy children to stores to buy clothes and shoes for them. The Scottish Rite bodies, also a Masonic organization has learning clinics for children with learning disabilities. Very few people know about the Masonic charities which are all supported by Masons and their donations all year long.

    • Allen Hare

      09/07/2020 05:02 PM

      The more "privileged kids" who are just getting out of college should be told that if Socialists (Democrats) are elected to office in Washington , the ones who have lots of money or little money will have no money eventually. How could ANYONE want that mess in our Country?

    • Dick Sanders

      09/07/2020 04:02 PM

      I remember when I was in high school in Savannah, GA (1959-62) a course called distributive education (DE) was offered for students who were not college bound. Basic classes (English, math, history, etc.) were offered in the morning and students enrolled in an internship program in a trade of their choice for the afternoon. Most of those students were hired by the company for which they interned and made a living wage doing what they liked. Too bad that this isn’t available to students today.

    • Jerry McIntyre

      09/07/2020 01:10 PM

      You said that we need to re-structure the Student Loan program. I would like to eliminate the program entirely. Today, the better education is found at the smaller state universities than at the Ivy League Universities. At these schools the student learns more useful knowledge that they do at the ILU schools.

    • don kottwitz

      09/07/2020 01:05 PM

      I'm 81 now, so maybe this isn't still true, but when I was young, I learned that farmers are dumb. They are so dumb that they don't know they 'can't do it'. When a farmer was facing a task that was impossible to deal with, he (or she) would just scratch his head and figure out how to do it. Then he would leavbe the educated idiots in the dust.

    • Leland Logan

      09/07/2020 01:01 PM

      Good article. I do not have a degree but because I have always tried to figure it out. I've always had a job and never been out of work. I've always taken on the thing nobody else wanted to do and learned how to do it well. It's worked for me.

    • Carol Jolin

      09/07/2020 12:52 PM

      My father lost the use of his right arm in a motorcycle accident when he was in early 20's. He went on to build a restaurant/bar/dance hall business in a tiny town that was very successful. Into his success a few years, the local banker was asking for my Dad's advice on money matters! Bumblebee story personified!!

    • James Johnson

      09/07/2020 12:33 PM

      Governor Huckabee,
      I was among the first generation availed of a college education for working-class offspring during the 1960s. I worked my way through by loading and unloading 50 lb. bags of cement, erecting billboards along interstate highways, and any other job I could get. I lived off-campus because I found cheaper accommodations in low-rent neighborhoods. I bought my books used instead of new books. It took me five years to get a four-year degree, but I succeeded.

      When I got into the "college-educated" workforce, I performed every menial job I was given, and with every ounce of vigor I could muster. I rose through the ranks rapidly. I found, within me, the ability to utilize my education to make small changes to manufacturing techniques, which improved yields and throughput. I worked hard. I was promoted, and I advanced continually.

      I earned a wage that allowed me to put my children through college without them having to be saddled with a great deal of debt after graduation. Today, one of my sons works for a fast-food restaurant chain delivering meals, and the other works as a machinist. I'm proud of both of them, but I am not proud of the system, which has placed them in these predicaments.

      We might ask ourselves if the evolution of our colleges and universities was worth the cost when we see the results. Also, is it wise for the young to attend these institutions if, after graduation, they are now forced into a job, which I only worked to pay my way through college?

      I don't mean to belittle these jobs or the people who work them. I am only asking, why are many college graduates today forced to accept these jobs for which they are over-qualified? There seem to be too many graduates entering the workforce for the number of positions available. To that, we add every year, foreign workers entering our country with special work visas, and that limits those positions even further.

      I know my complaints seem many, but they all boil down to one central issue. Overpaid professors and administrators in Liberal institutions, a Liberal congress opening our borders to foreign workers through legislation, and a push in our Liberal school systems to shame all students into going to college with promises of financial successes in the workplace.

      Could I have shortened this tirade into one word? Liberal? I guess, but then I would not feel so good right now.

      James

    • Jan Lowder

      09/07/2020 12:08 PM

      Please ask pastors to
      Organize a phone blitz of all members of their
      Church. Break Dow the list in small pieces and ask deacons and SS teachers to call and encourage all to vote. They need to ask if the person is registered and if not sent them a registration form. Also find out if they need transportation. Of course no one should suggest HOW they should vote. Perhaps the number of Christian voters could be increased. Thanks.


    • Carol MacMillan Godsey

      09/07/2020 11:21 AM

      Amen, Governor - just watched an old movie called "Spare Parts" - a true story that confirms exactly what you say. You might want to interview one of those young people on your show.

    • Catherine Volk

      09/07/2020 10:29 AM

      Thanks so much for speaking the truth about this situation. I have to wonder if this wasn’t another planned consequence in the Left’s efforts to plant socialism as the best solution to cure all the problems facing our youth within our country. It seems that the majority of those in that age bracket that have any common sense are those that did not attend college. I finally went back to college to finish my associates degree at age 50 in 2010, and was horrified by the blatant indoctrination in my Humanities class at the Northwest Florida State College. After I received my degree, I wrote a letter complaining about the teacher to the college, but was dismayed to note that he was still teaching the class years later.

    • Greg Schafer

      09/07/2020 10:19 AM

      Mike, always love reading your columns because you bring common sense and sanity to the issues we face. You also provide solutions. My comment is (and I learned this from an outstanding leadership group) we teach kids in reverse. We tell them to decide what they want to do, go to college and learn how to do it, then that will define their lifestyle. Why don't we teach the young generation to define what they want their lifestyle to be, learn from someone who has that lifestyle, then go do the work to have that lifestyle. Capitalism has "let the young generation down" because they're not learning from the people who have the results they want.

    • Don Griffin

      09/07/2020 09:53 AM

      Student loans are both good and bad but the policies applied and administrators responsible for the management of the student loan program are doing more harm than good. Here's a piece that I wrote several years ago on the subject. The only change I can see is that the program has gotten worse. There's a total absence of common sense and Congress, for the most part, is responsible.

      CHAPTER 13 – WHAT? STUDENT LOANS HAVE TO BE PAID BACK?

      If you are fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a decent education then you’re smart enough to know if you have one that you must pay back student loans. Outstanding student loan debt is about $1.2 trillion, of which $150 billion is past due or in default. The percentage in default has consistently been on the rise since 2003. The kids who majored in the ‘History of European Catapults’ are having a tough time finding employment. In addition, the government’s collection procedures for loans in default have always been less than effective.

      Several years ago a neighbor of mine stated one night at a party after several glasses of liquor that he never paid back his student loans and never intended to. At the time he was making about $250,000 a year as a stockbroker, owned a nice home, and had a couple of new cars. How was he ducking his responsibility to pay off the loan? As I just stated, the collection procedures fall way short of being effective.

      Here’s the solution. As soon as a person is in arrears on in default on a student loan, the IRS is notified along with the Social Security Administration. The annual student loan payment due plus any past due amounts gets added to the individual’s tax obligation and becomes subject to the interest rates and penalties of a normal tax obligation plus all collection options for anything that’s in arrears. These interest rates and penalties are much higher than the normal student loan interest rates so it’s in the individual’s best interest to never go into default. The Social Security Administration is notified as well. Each quarter the individual is in default on a student loan and is employed and not paying to reduce the loan, that quarter does not qualify toward the minimum 40 quarters required for eligibility payments upon retirement. While in default the individual will not be eligible for any other government entitlements or subsistence payments.

      Harsh? Effective? You bet. It’s a tough world out there. Get used to it. And as a side note, if the individual is in default, his children are also deemed ineligible until the loan is paid. “Gee, Dad, instead of buying that case of beer maybe you should start paying off your student loan.”

      The Obama Administration seized the opportunity to exploit the massive student debt crisis and offered relief to millions of graduates with the Obama Student Loan Forgiveness Program. The name came about when President Obama reformed part of the Direct Loan program in 2009 in his Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Remember, the Democratic Party strategy is to never let a crisis go to waste as Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former Chief of Staff used to say. Students in debt were ecstatic that relief was on the way. Now I've already admitted I'm a cynic but two things are apparent with Obama's magnanimous gesture to assist millions of young people. First of all, this new program falls directly on the back of taxpayers since the principal amounts - not to mention interest and fees - will never be collected. For some debtors at the end of 20 or 25 years - Pooofff! - the entire loan and obligation disappear. Second of all, the relief offered by the Democrats has a non-binding quid pro quo. If you placed a wager on the next election results, would you expect these giddy young people to vote Democrat or Republican?

      And finally, I know this is way too logical for Congress to act on, but student loans could be used to move students in a better direction to fill needed jobs in America. For example, if we need more engineers, computer science majors, and doctors, make the loan interest rates more attractive for these disciplines. Deny students who want to study the ‘Impact of Cheerios on a Shrimp’s Treadmill Stamina’ access to student loans. Come to think of it, deny them access to any loan or college campus. They’re the ones that will probably go berserk and shoot up the campus cafeteria when they learn that shrimp only need enough strength to hump other shrimp. And how many million taxpayer dollars have we spent on shrimp treadmills? Seriously, folks!

    • Gail Hobson

      09/07/2020 09:42 AM

      I debated about sending this but decided we all need a smile during this craziness. I walk around the lake with a friend on Saturday mornings and met a lady walking her dog. In talking with this lady learned she is Ex-Military and is working for the VA. She said "I know how to stop the violent protesters in a non-violent way. Take a large tanker truck with a large nozzle fill it with (excuse me) poop. I'm sure you can see where this is going. As they are looting/destroying property/hurting people spray them down. I don't know to many or any people who would hang around soaked. SO there again is good ole American creativity in problem solving.

    • Marion D Watson

      09/07/2020 09:38 AM

      As a retired teacher I have to admit for years I helped push the idea of a college education-- the studies proved it!! Then I "awoke" to the realization that the universities were the ones who did the studies! I then began to tell students to go to work and escape the debt.
      A good way to get rid of the socialists in the universities is to do away with the Pell Grants, student loans, etc. Then the colleges/unies. would lower tuition and get rid of the dead weight socialists. All would be better with the world!!! dale

    Mike Huckabee

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