on at least two occasions this user was basically trying to make arguments on behalf of other people and interpret their own posts for them
On at least those two occasions, others had first posted their interpretations or misinterpretations of what had been shared... I replied to these interpretations/misinterpretations with my own understanding of the posts. Why would it be fine for some to interpret/misinterpret... and inappropriate for other users to share their understanding of what was posted? This sounds like a double-standard. Possibly you (and others) may take offense at simple statement of disagreement.
Board Rules do allow for disagreement.
One can say "bloviate much?" and then play victim of bullying only after having severed their own self-awareness.
Dude, please note that
"Bloviate, much 
" is not an attack and does not violate
Board Rules. Nor does it change the tone or justify subsequent personal attacks. Possibly you (and others) may take offense at simple statement of disagreement.
Board Rules do allow for disagreement.
...regress of vacuous quotes
For some, the links/quotes may help provide context, as complications can occur in following conversations on a forum due to timing, chronological order, and number of participants.
demand punishing sacrifice from the poor to self-support
This may be a gross misinterpretation of posts. Would you please kindly link to posts and quote the words which indicate to you that anyone on this thread has
demanded punishing sacrifice from the poor to self-support? Possibly this is a
strawman, misrepresenting an opposing view to make it easier to discredit.
essentially a troll on threads like this one
Possibly you (and others) may take offense at simple statement of disagreement.
Board Rules do allow for disagreement. Meanwhile, it appears that the purpose of your post is to vilify, malign, calumniate, traduce... veering off-topic to coalesce a group against those who may express an opposing view.
I see it more as a
pathology than as a system of beliefs, because it's basically a philosophy of, "Screw you, I got mine!"
...
people who espouse this don't even recognize how much help they got along the way of allegedly doing it all on their own.
Dude, possibly this is a
strawman, misrepresenting an opposing view to make it easier to discredit.
As for the topic at hand, fundamentally, unwillingness to even consider some role for public financing of post-secondary education—where merit and need support it—boils down to prejudice and a naked desire to subvert those who are vulnerable for self-aggrandizement.
Please do not ignore that there already exists "
some role for public financing (US taxpayer support) of post-secondary education-where merit and need support it".
Regarding the cost of college:- Price generally moves based on supply and demand. There has been and increased demand for college. This may be based largely on statistics which showed that in the past several decades, in general, those with degrees earned more, in the economy which existed at that time. (Notable exceptions: Gates, Jobs, Zuckerberg.)
- Some have argued for college as a means to become upwardly mobile, therefore a benefit to the individual.
- Some have argued from the perspective of societal need - what level of skill and training is required to be workforce ready, and employed in the economy of the future.
- Several have made unfounded assertions that more jobs of the future will require college degrees. Do you have a source which informs this view?
- With technology replacing many US job functions, some may believe that fewer jobs will require a degree. The
US Bureau of Labor Statistics offers projections,
analysis, reports, including required
education levels.
1) Less than high school - 27%
2) High school diploma or equivalent - 39%
3) Some college, no degree - 1%
4) Postsecondary, non-degree award - 6%
5) Associate's degree
-- note: 79% of jobs do not require a 4-year degree or higher
6) Bachelor's degree - 18%
7) Master's degree - 2%
8) Doctoral or professional degree - 3%Whether to pursue a degree, what to study, where to go, and how to pay remain individual choices.
For some, only an ivy or top-tier college will be satisfactory. These may provide a full ride scholarship based on need (not merit, as all students accepted into the highly selective colleges are considered academically meritorious).
For others, a public university may work. Addressing the causes of steep increases in tuition may be more effective in the long run, as compared to shifting greater tuition payment responsibility to US taxpayers... which may actually increase the rate of the rising cost spiral.
