If you want good advice on how to accrue wealth, it’s a pretty good idea to listen to those who succeed at it. If you want good advice on how to remain stuck on government handouts, don’t take consumer advice from a man who peddles subsidy programs to the masses. That’s the lesson one learns over the stink Barack Obama raised last week, months after Mitt Romney offered this advice to a prospective university student:
Obama chided Romney for telling Ohio college students in April that they should “borrow money if you have to from your parents” to get a head start in life and telling a high school student in March that he should “shop around” for the best deal on colleges.
“He didn’t say a word about community colleges or how important higher education is to America’s future, he said the best thing you can do is shop around,” Obama said. “The best thing I can do for you is to tell you to shop around. That’s it, that’s his plan. That’s his answer to young people who are trying to figure out how to go to college and make sure they don’t have a mountain of debt.”
Shop around? That advice sounded pretty familiar to Jeryl Bier, who finally recalled where he’d heard it before:
Third, there’s going to be more competition so that consumers can shop around for the best rates. Right now, some underwater homeowners have no choice but to refinance with their original lender — and some lenders, frankly, just refuse to refinance. So these changes are going to encourage other lenders to compete for that business by offering better terms and rates, and eligible homeowners are going to be able to shop around for the best rates and the best terms.
Who said that? Why, none other than Barack Obama — speaking directly on lending issues, no less. So unless housing and mortgage commitment are somehow less important than college educations, why not shop around for both, especially since competition might allow students to end up with less debt in the end? Jeryl wonders, too, and notes that Obama and the campaign have already begun retreating:
Granted, in each case, these statements are accompanied by explanations of why government must be heavily involved in housing, medical care, and health insurance to ensure fair competition and affordability. But when it comes to higher education, not only must the government be heavily involved (you can’t expect the students themselves or their families to handle it, after all,) but price is no object. As I wrote about earlier this week, even the Obama campaign seemed to realize perhaps they overdid it on their endorsement of educational extravagance. But apparently in this case, they were unable to contain their disgust for that Walmartian-sounding advice “shop around.” Puh-lease.
Besides … it took Obama four months to come up with a rebuttal, and that was the best he could do?
Shopping around is pretty good advice … especially in politics.
It’s time once again to show our support for Day By Day and its artist-publisher, Chris Muir. Chris holds an annual fundraiser to keep the adventures of Sam, Zed, Jan, and Damon coming. Chris, whose artwork has enhanced the OOTD feature since its inception for Hot Air readers, uses the funds raised for only the continuance of DBD. As always, the fundraiser has many fabulous gifts available at whatever level one chooses to donate. If you’re thinking about donating at the Jan/Damon level or above, you’ll get a Last Supper Red vs Blue magnet, which has depictions of personalities from New Media — myself included. Donating at the Anatoly Level will get you a 9×15 print of the artwork. Dig deep and be part of supporting the one of the best New Media cartoonists in the biz!
And if you want something really cool …
Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at [email protected] with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.
