MA Legislature fails to approve MA Iraqi War Vets Tuition Waivers

[Reckoner]

Text


Quite a pathetic showing by the Massachusetts Legislature. Although, it's good to hear that at least some of the schools are honoring the waivers anyways. This is yet another example where our politicians fail the honorable people who serve this nation.

 

[Strk]

Yeah, our legislature blows

 

[amish]

Originally posted by: Strk
Yeah, our legislature blows

yeah, i couldn't believe that they voted on illegal alien tuition waivers but not for Vets.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

but! we did manage to declare Basketball as the official sport of the state! thats just as important!

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Uh, shouldn't it be the responsibility of the military to provide funding for college? Isn't that why many young people enroll in the first place?

?One of the main reasons I joined the Army was to get money to go to college,? said David Cowing, 23, of Rockland, an Iraq war veteran who is taking out at least $3,500 in loans to cover tuition for his first year at UMass-Boston because his benefits won?t kick in in time to pay the first bills.
?I went and fought in Iraq. I shouldn?t have to worry about tuition. I should be able to go wherever I want.?

I have nothing against MA choosing to subsidize college tuition for military vets but that's not the same thing as saying MA has a responsibility to subsidize college tuition for military vets. Why exactly would Mr. Cowing be more deserving of a tuition waiver than a cop or teacher?

 

[senseamp]

Looks like Romney wrote some checks he couldn't cash. $3500 per year in loans isn't bad though.
Maybe the federal government should take over this function, like it did with GI Bill.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc
Uh, shouldn't it be the responsibility of the military to provide funding for college? Isn't that why many young people enroll in the first place?

?One of the main reasons I joined the Army was to get money to go to college,? said David Cowing, 23, of Rockland, an Iraq war veteran who is taking out at least $3,500 in loans to cover tuition for his first year at UMass-Boston because his benefits won?t kick in in time to pay the first bills.
?I went and fought in Iraq. I shouldn?t have to worry about tuition. I should be able to go wherever I want.?

I have nothing against MA choosing to subsidize college tuition for military vets but that's not the same thing as saying MA has a responsibility to subsidize college tuition for military vets. Why exactly would Mr. Cowing be more deserving of a tuition waiver than a cop or teacher?

The story doesnt sound complete. But my guess is these are national guard troops and thus under the jurisdiction of the state they are from. And these waivers I am not sure who issued them and how they apply to them? Do the feds or the state issue these waivers? If the feds issue it, then yeah, I agree, it is hard for the state to always pickup the tab, but I think the illegal immigration thing is a slap in the face of these vets, but the feds should maybe step in and pickup the waiver costs if they issued it. If the state issues them and doesnt hold up their end of the deal, that is even worse imo.

 

[daniel49]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc
Uh, shouldn't it be the responsibility of the military to provide funding for college? Isn't that why many young people enroll in the first place?

?One of the main reasons I joined the Army was to get money to go to college,? said David Cowing, 23, of Rockland, an Iraq war veteran who is taking out at least $3,500 in loans to cover tuition for his first year at UMass-Boston because his benefits won?t kick in in time to pay the first bills.
?I went and fought in Iraq. I shouldn?t have to worry about tuition. I should be able to go wherever I want.?

I have nothing against MA choosing to subsidize college tuition for military vets but that's not the same thing as saying MA has a responsibility to subsidize college tuition for military vets. Why exactly would Mr. Cowing be more deserving of a tuition waiver than a cop or teacher?

The story doesnt sound complete. But my guess is these are national guard troops and thus under the jurisdiction of the state they are from. And these waivers I am not sure who issued them and how they apply to them? Do the feds or the state issue these waivers? If the feds issue it, then yeah, I agree, it is hard for the state to always pickup the tab, but I think the illegal immigration thing is a slap in the face of these vets, but the feds should maybe step in and pickup the waiver costs if they issued it. If the state issues them and doesnt hold up their end of the deal, that is even worse imo.

the story states that they are national Guard and the waviers were the Govoner's idea.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Why exactly would Mr. Cowing be more deserving of a tuition waiver than a cop or teacher?

Cops and teachers aren't pulled from their normal lives and thrust into warzones, away from home, for months on end.

Granted, I think cops and teachers deserve better benefits then they currently receive...and soldiers especially deserve a hell of a lot more then what our country currently gives them.

 

[LEDominator]

Originally posted by: amish

Originally posted by: Strk
Yeah, our legislature blows

yeah, i couldn't believe that they voted on illegal alien tuition waivers but not for Vets.

Welcome to the Democratic Party!

 

[episodic]

I'm with everyone else. How dare they vote to let illegals get college assistance - but not our own soldiers. This is farking insane!

 

[Moonbeam]

This crap keeps up and someday the politicians will announce another war and nobody will come.

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: episodic
I'm with everyone else. How dare they vote to let illegals get college assistance - but not our own soldiers. This is farking insane!

It really truly is.. how do we stop these lunatics.. Why should we provide free money to people who are destroying the wage market for legal citizens?

Why do I hate politicians.. ^^^ fine example^^^ They give themselves raises and then steal more of your money...

 

[PELarson]

Originally posted by: episodic
I'm with everyone else. How dare they vote to let illegals get college assistance - but not our own soldiers. This is farking insane!

Not providing tution for the NG Iraqi vets is bad but so isthe sound bite trick of Lt. Gov. Healey.

The bill in question. Which is being read as allowing college assistance to illegal aliens.

"AN ACT RELATIVE TO IN-STATE TUITION RATES AND FEES AT PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 9 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as most recently amended by section 52 of chapter 26 of the Acts of 2003, is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the purpose of determining eligibility for in-state tuition rates and fees at public institutions of higher education, except the University of Massachusetts Medical School, any individual, other than a non-immigrant alien within the meaning of paragraph 15 of subsection (a) of Section 1101 of Title 8 of the United States Code, who has attended high school in the commonwealth for 3 or more years and has achieved graduation from a high school in the commonwealth or attained the equivalent thereof, shall be eligible for in-state tuition rates and fees at the University of Massachusetts, or any state or community college. No person qualified for in-state tuition rates and fees under this chapter shall be denied such in-state tuition and fees as a result of the granting of eligibility under this paragraph. In the case of an individual who is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, the individual shall provide the University of Massachusetts, or the state or community college with an affidavit stating that the individual has filed an application to become a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or shall file an application at the earliest opportunity the individual is eligible to do so."