America is turning into a lottery society
Public officials have taken the idea of affordable college from something everyone should have to a luxury item only for the super-rich and super lucky
Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Chuck Schumer have spent months asking Joe Biden to use his authority to eliminate or reduce crushing student debt. Biden promised to do so, and all he has to do is sign this piece of paper. But he has refused, despite new Roosevelt Institute research showing that educational debt relief “would provide more benefits to those with fewer economic resources and could play a critical role in addressing the racial wealth gap and building the Black middle class”.
As student debt crushes the elderly and people of color, into this vacuum comes a rescue … for a lucky few. Public officials have taken the idea of affordable college from something the world’s wealthiest nation should be able to provide to everyone, and converted it into an expensive luxury item only for the super-rich, those unfortunate enough to be the victim of a terrorist attack, or those lucky enough to win the lottery.
State officials in Colorado, New York and Ohio are holding out the grand prize of affordable public education to a handful of lucky kids who are entered into a lottery when they get their Covid-19 vaccine. New York is giving out 50 full, free ride-scholarships; Ohio is offering five full-ride scholarships; and Colorado will give out 25 scholarships each worth $50,000. The New York and Ohio tickets would help people go to public colleges and universities, which are supposed to be affordable but aren’t.
