We used to have free college tuition, so we already know that it is possible

[eridani]

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/33473-why-tuition-free-college-makes-sense

Actually, until fairly recently, the United States had a free or virtually free system of public higher education. In 1862, to provide educational opportunity for the "sons of toil," the U.S. Congress passed the Morrill Act, establishing land-grant public colleges and universities on a tuition-free basis. For roughly a century thereafter, many American public colleges and universities either charged no tuition or a nominal fee for attendance. The State University of New York (SUNY) system - the largest in the nation - remained tuition-free until 1963. The University of California system, established in 1868, had free tuition until the 1980s.

[LiberalElite]

1. I attended college at night in the CUNY (City University of New York)

system in the '70s-'80s after they started charging tuition. I was still able to get a degree without a loan despite not making much money at my full-time job.

[tk2kewl]

2. history only dates back to Reagan

What are you some sort of paleontologist?

[MisterP]

7. that was very carefully orchestrated with the 1994 Gingrich takeover

until then Reagan was seen as quite the embarrassment, nearly tanking the party and getting that inconsequential RINO wally in charge 1988, while the Weicker faction kept trying to take over (until both CT parties backed Lieberman); now the Buchananites were in charge like since 1978, and that "peace dividend" wasn't gonna go nowhere

much of this was sparked by NAFTA

[Cleita]

3. I was one of the students who benefitted from the California

State College system.

Also, we have single payer medical. It's known as Medicare which takes care of seniors. So all of Bernie's promises are possible because they've been done before or are being done in the present.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Reagan was the one who ended that for CA ...

starting a lot earlier than the 80s.

[bernbabe]

5. Yes, state U's in CA used to be really cheap

[malokvale77]

6. Your right, it wasn't that long ago.

If it wasn't for the "Reagan Democrats" it would still be so.

Now the "Clinton Democrats" (same thing) want to strip more of our tax dollars from the public good.