Free Tuition For Calif. Serviceman And Women Under Mimi Walters Bill
Posted by: Jubal | 05/17/2007 2:19 PM
An alert reader sent me a link to this News 10 (Sacramento) story about Assemblywoman Mimi Walters' bill to give California servicemen and women free state college tuition:
State Soldiers May Get Free College Tuition
California servicemen and women would be entitled to free tuition at state colleges under legislation moving through the State Capitol. Assembly Bill 767 would allow the state to waive fees at public colleges for honorably discharged members of the military and National Guard members once they exhausted all their GI bill benefits.
"It's the least that we can do," said bill author, Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Niguel. "We need to be sure that we're supporting the men and women who are protecting us."
California benefits to National Guard troops lag behind the resources offered by other states. Guard members in New York and Texas already receive free tuition at their state colleges.
California National Guard officials say the disparity in benefits is making it more difficult to recruit and retain troops in this state. They say California has the lowest number of National Guard troops per capita than any other state in the nation.
Walters' legislation would apply to Californians who are honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces and California National Guard members on active duty or full-time federal duty.
The measure went before the Assembly Appropriations Committee today where members voted to put it on the suspense file. That means lawmakers will take it up at a later date as part of a bigger budget discussion. The bill author estimates the legislation would cost about $1 million a year.
Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
Good for Mimi. And props also to Lou Correa whose SB 983 will provide tuition waivers for our Natinoal Guard troops.
It's a disgrace that California is the only state that doesn't provide tuition assistance to the men and women in the National Guard.
Here's what Steven Greenhut has just recently posted on this on the OC Register Orange Punch - food for thought:
"Mimi Walters' taxpayer giveaway
From Steven Greenhut:
Here's more evidence that Republicans are just as free-wheeling in spending tax dollars on welfare-state giveaways as Democrats. OCBlog links to a news story about Assemblywoman Mimi Walters' proposal to give away free tuition "for honorably discharged members of the military and National Guard members once they exhausted all their GI bill benefits."
The only difference between GOP big-spenders such as Walters and Democratic big-spenders is who they lavish taxpayer-funded benefits upon and where they spend the money. Obviously, the Republican Party at the national level has no problem spending $700 billion on a foreign war, but now we see the California Republicans willing to lavish benefits on members of the military.
This really is a cheap political stunt, given that they already qualify for federal tuition benefits, and Walters' knows that no one would dare speak out against spending tax dollars on military members. Her explanation: "It's the least that we can do." If that's so, and since it's only taxpayer dollars, then why not do the most we can do? How about free houses, free everything?
Walters has been a good friend of property rights and good fiscal conservative on other issues, but this really is a bad idea."
Sorry, but I think that Greenhut is right on with his comments, and he clearly sees through this Mimi Walters political ploy.
Thanks Greenhut for voicing conservative taxpayer concerns and values on what is really going on here.
YAY!!!
This is a great use of my tax dollars. If you give your time, maybe even risk your life for me, I owe you more than a paycheck. A free ride at improving yourself at any state college you can get into seems only fair.
p.s. Does anyone know if a similar program exists for widows/widowers/orphans of those who die in service, and if not, why not?
How about citizenship for immigrants in our armed forces?
Greenhut is a self avowed devotee of Ms. Rand. And as such you can count on him despising anything that might actually smack of being concerned for others. Especially those who have chosen to serve causes and interests that are larger than life.
I doubt he or those like him have any concern for military personnel serving our country. I bet he just writes them off the same way Dana Rohrbacher did several months back when he asked a protestor if their son "volunteered" to protect our nation. Something neither Dana or Steve did when they were of military age.
Full speed ahead Mimi. Art, you ask a great question. Google Jose Garibay and see the contributions some immigrants are making to defending our nation.
Just to set the record straight ... Although I like a lot of Rand's writing, I am no devotee of hers. I am not an Objectivist, do not agree with her attacks on altruism, and, as an Eastern Orthodox Christian, do not subscribe to her atheism. I do enjoy how she described those who use government force to achieve their aims.
Steve,
Thank you for your personal bio. You have admitted that you are influenced by Rand in your thought process. Rand's world view was formed as a reaction to her experiences in the early years of the Soviet Union. Parts of it are very relevant, however she (and most Rand enthusiasts) ignore the absolutely horrible conditions brought about by unchecked capitalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. You can't build a political philosophy without considering that part of our history.
While I agree that military are volunteers, I have no problem with Walter's legislation. I can honor the warrior without honoring the war. I agree with you on that the war in Iraq is a debacle with no good solution. But I respect those who have chosen to serve their country. I can state unequivocally I would have never gone to college had it not been for the G.I. Bill. I was drafted towards the end of the Vietnam War. While I didn't serve overseas the ability to attend college certainly changed my future and that of my children. While I don't agree with the size and scope of government I can't bash the bad things done by government without considering the good it has done as well.
As an immigrant, I chose to serve my country after borrowing and working my way through college. And after waiting for nine years before becoming a U.S. citizen. I received $100/month for beer money and so did most of my fellow Marine officers who were commissioned via OCS. The G.I. Bill was huge for the WW II generation and maybe the Vietnam generation but it needs to be seriously revamped. There has been a movement for a while to get veterans to remain in California after their stints are up. A free education is one of the ways. I support Mimi Walters, my next Senator for the 33rd SD, and her bill to support our troops.
Additionally, Governor Arnold was supportive last year along with my friend, retired MGen Mike Myatt. See this article, http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/speech/246/
The other issue is that many veterans are coming back from the war with missing limbs and other physical and mental problems. The U.S. is their employer and owes them a chance to get back on their feet.
Furthermore, it is common for employers to help retrain their employees when they are no longer needed. Sooner or later we will be out of Iraq. Many soldiers will retire. We owe them a chance to learn how to do something else for a living.
As Orange County's leading conservative commentator, Pete Fundy believes our troops deserve much more than some crappy diploma from some crummy state college.
Which is why Pete Fundy is proud to announce "Operation Panty Drop", the first privately-funded effort to supply our boys in Iraq with the horizontal refreshment that they so desperately need. We are currently in negotiations with several Nevada brothels, so if you're not willing to lend a hand -- that includes you, Mimi "Look at Me!" Walters -- then wish us luck.
Warmly yours,
Pete Fundy
Senior Editorial Writer
OCLegend.Com