2016 Postmortem

assistants and nurses often, maybe even usually, have degrees, at least two-year degrees.

Gardeners don't get paid much.

I studied music. Granted some musicians and cooks don't study their field, but many, maybe most, do.

Yes. Middle-aged people n eed free college tuition too. That's because what with our trade agreements and the constantly changing job market demands, a lot of middle-aged people have to retrain. And just at the time when they are supposed to have the money to pay for their children's education.

Who do you think makes up that 5% of people of working age who are not counted as unemployed but are unemployed? Not all, but a lot of them are middle-aged.

Lots of jobs have just disappeared.

There is only so much demand for carpenters and the like. I know a man now in his 60s who became a master carpenter when he was very young. His father was a wonderful carpenter, but the young man I know was never able to earn his living as a carpenter. Depends on where you live, but in many areas of the country, there is not much demand for carpenters. And the furniture factories have for the most part been moved lock, stock and barrel to China.

94% of the 180+ people who answered this poll voted in favor of free tuition at state schools and colleges. May I suggest that perhaps the time as come whether wealthy people like it or not, that students be able to go to state colleges and universities tuition-free.

Watch Bernie's speeches on YouTube. The crowds cheer louder than ever when he talks about free tuition at state colleges and universities (and I assume that would include state trade tech schools).

Employers don't pay for it although it would be great if they did. So we need to make them pay for it by the tax on certain Wall Street trades. It's a good idea. Apparently nearly everyone on DU agrees with it.

Think back. Who paid for your education? Did you get student loans?

I didn't need them when I was young because states imposed taxes and paid for the colleges and universities in part out of those taxes. The tuition was not free but it was close to it even if you were out of state.

Later, when I went back to school, I had to borrow. I still owe on my loans, like most people in my class I suppose. It has been over 20 years since I went back. The payments come out of my Social Security checks. I had no choice but to go back to school. People refused to hire me. An influential person in our community told me that I would be bored at the job his company had. I had no choice but to go back to school.