Campaigning Sen. Amy Klobuchar admitted that there is currently no way to pay for everybody in the nation to go to college for free, even if we tax billionaires until they cry. At a town hall in New Hampshire, Klobuchar drew applause merely for offering to “tell the truth” on the issue. Expect memes (and already the t-shirts) that say “I’ve got to tell the truth” to follow Klobuchar’s admission-slash-boast. (Much in the same way “And nevertheless she persisted” t-shirts popped up not too long ago.)
Asked about “free college for all,” Amy Klobuchar put a lid on the pie-in-the-sky idea — perhaps because as graduate of Yale and the University of Chicago Law School she knows how higher education works and how much it costs.
“I am not for free four-year college for all, no,” Klobuchar said. “[If] I was a magic genie and could give that to everyone and we could afford it, I would. I’m just trying to find a mix of incentives and make sure kids that are in need — that’s why I talked about expanding Pell Grants — can go to college.” A nervy thing to say on a college campus, where the meeting took place? Moderator Don Lemon pushed Klobuchar, reminding her where she was. “I know that [I’m on a college campus] but I’ve got to tell the truth. ”
Note: A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Students can receive nearly $6,000 a year in a max Pell Grant, a help but still a long way from eliminating soaring college tuition.
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