NEW: @JoeBiden 's campaign announces that in addition to endorsing

[William769]

Link to tweet

[George II]

1. That's the way to do it. We don't need to pay the tuition debt of rich people who send...

...their children to Harvard or Yale.

And if there's an interest in forgiving outstanding debt, it should be done with an agreement by the student to do a certain amount of public service.

[DURHAM D]

2. Amen to this. nt

[emmaverybo]

4. Good! sensible and progressive plan. No we don't need to pay for the rich.

[William769]

5. ...

[sheshe2]

9. Dayum. I like this!

[pnwmom]

17. Correct. And many of those schools already don't give loans to people from families at that level.

They just give them grants.

[mcar]

40. This!

As HRC said, why should taxpayers pay for Bill Gates' kids to go to college?*

*before anyone replies to say that rich kids don't go to public college, look at the high-profile folks who are facing jail time for that college admissions scam. Many were getting their kids into public colleges. Also, I live in Florida. My husband teaches at our local IB school. Most of these kids could get into Ivy League schools but they want UF - and many of those kids have parents who could afford any school for their kids.

[blm]

3. Biden adopting Warren's plans is S M A R T.

Sounds like Warren is STILL finding the way to get shut done! That’s what authentic progressive DOers do.

Biden needed to make this embrace of solid progressive ideas from Warren and Sanders.

Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sanders endorses him after the debate.

[Cha]

6. KR!! TY, William!

And, Joe Biden!

[andym]

7. That's how it's done: adopt the best, most popular plans from your opponents (like Warren/Sanders)

to grow/unify support and make a better America. I'm particularly happy about the college plan because more Americans should have the opportunity.

[William769]

8. are you having a sad?

Cheer up, it's on to November!

[andym]

12. No. I'm happy!

the better the policies the better our lives.

[forgotmylogin]

31. In an optimal world, that's what I think we were all hoping I45 would do.

Be the figurehead, but have good people on the job. You'd think he'd be good at that, having had a TV show and all...

...but then again I guess he's used to firing everyone who works for him one by one.

[andym]

33. Adopting the best plans no matter the origin is a sign of leadership

Biden is showing impressive leadership by adopting versions of Warren's plans that also resonate with Sander's ideas. Biden does not suffer from the "not invented here" syndrome, which characterizes other politicians.

Trump on the other hand is a complete partisan hack who really had no plans but plays to his Fox News hypnotized audience of which he is a member.

[Hav]

10. That is great

I was at first wondering how it can be implemented until I saw it's for public colleges and universities. Realistically, that is the only way government can make affordable and free college possible. You just cannot cover any sum that private institutions would demand.
I'm not sure about the fees for public colleges/universities, but even above 125k families might have problems paying for their kids' education. But it would be a great change and a step towards the right direction without a doubt. That is progress.

[sheshe2]

11. I love this!

Reality based.

[Mr.Bill]

13. Wouldn't it be ironic

if Bernie asked him how he was going to pay for it?

[bucolic_frolic]

14. Free is bad

$3-500 a month as a co-pay is doable. Make it affordable.

[NurseJackie]

15. Simple!

It's also an incentive to buckle-down and study.

If it's free-free, will students just coast through and not worry about failing... only to try again and again (at no cost) until they get it right?

Will there still be an admissions standards... or will any kid with a "diploma" who was pushed through with social promotions and advancement be allowed to attend?

These are valid questions.

[bucolic_frolic]

18. Diplomas can be earned without knowledge or skills

Mine was.

I suspect the effect of all this free will be a further bifurcated education system. Private colleges vs public colleges, 2 year vs 4 year.

We have more educated people who never realize their potential than anywhere else, I suspect.

It's all about specific skills that employers will value and careers that motivate or matter.

[patphil]

26. I remember how much work it was to get through 4 years of college.

Not many kids are going to do that for a free-free.
It's a huge investment in time.
But, it will take the financial worry out of the equation.
And,I don't think admission standards will be lowered. Colleges always get paid, it's just the source of the money that could change.
What does the college care if the money comes from the government, a financial institution, or parents?

[NurseJackie]

37. Depending on the college/university...

... I guess some care about their reputation and status and prestige.

And,I don't think admission standards will be lowered.

I hope not.

[Hav]

16. Even 300-500 is a lot

if you don't have a job which is the case for many students. I'd suppose very few students have a job that pays for this fee, rent and food. And they shouldn't really, they should be full time students.
But once they are finished, they'll hopefully pay it back for the next generation with their taxes.

[bucolic_frolic]

24. They'll be lobbying for the next freebee

Tired of hearing how they should get it all free so they can get on with their lives, which means consumerism, SUV, McMansion, vacations.

It wasn't free for me. I would have gotten a good education if it had been. I don't want to sound like a Republican, but enabling people to use the government for free big ticket items that enrich their lives is a lot like Corporate Socialism.

Nothing is free. Someone pays for everything. Behind these free education ideas is the labor of non-college educated workers who pay taxes and will reject these proposals. They might like it free for their kids, but many are older, or have small or no family.

Taxpayers already pay for K-12. Now we're gonna go for 13-16? How about 16-18, and 19-22?

[Hav]

38. Like you said, it won't be free

It's just that they'll pay for it with a delay once they have a job thanks to the education they received. It's an investment by the country in its citizens who will ideally pay back that goodwill.
You are right, some will pay for it who don't benefit directly from it. That could be said for pretty much all tax expenditures. With these kind programs, you can always point out a degree of unfairness when something is geared towards an advantage for the society as a whole that might never reach the individual.

I still think it's a good thing to make higher education accessible to as many as possible but the way it's done is certainly a matter where opinions differ.

[comradebillyboy]

41. I worked all through college and

if I wasn't making adequate progress to graduate in four years I would have been drafted. Oh well I got drafted right after I graduated.

[paleotn]

30. Ask the Danes about that.

They'll probably disagree with you.

[degage]

19. In a way, Bernie is winning.

For all the Sanders supporters, you can think of these moves as one way Bernie is winning. He is successfully pushing the agenda to the left. I hope that will help more Sanders supporters get on board with Biden if he becomes the nominee.

[William769]

20. If you say so. Welcome to DU

[degage]

25. I'm trying to be positive and upbeat.

We need unity. The single most important thing on Nov 3 is to beat Trump AND McConnell.

[William769]

27. I'm all for unity, but there's also going a bit far with the truth.

I'm still not seeing any unity from the Sanders side.

[zonkers]

22. Very true.

[bullwinkle428]

34. I said several months ago, that in a way, Bernie is a victim of his own success.

[LizBeth]

36. It has been the Democratic plan for a long time.

[patphil]

21. Joe's looking to gather in the whole party.

I like what he's doing here.

[PatrickforO]

23. Bringing in the base!

Good job, Joe. We all have to work together.

[FM123]

28. This is why Elizabeth Warren supporters like me are voting for Biden.

[calimary]

39. Thank you, FM123!

Happy to hear that!

[FM123]

43. No thanks necessary, we are all in this together!

[Politicub]

29. Go go Joe!!

[paleotn]

32. Wonderful....

The economic impact of improving access to post secondary education is enormous. On factor that drove the post WWII boom was the GI bill.

[ramen]

35. I can easily get behind this. For all the folks who asserted I don't live in the real world for

thinking that socialized college tuition for the lower and middle class was possible in this country, is now the part where you say you had always thought it was possible and just didn't mention it? Or is this the part where if Sanders/Warren are not the ones putting the plan forward then we don't need to analyze how to pay for it and we can just take it on faith?

Here's to the result either way..

[warmfeet]

42. Well,

he had my vote before. He still has my vote. Vote for Joe, defeat the schmo.