I paid for my education, my wife's attempt at a master's degree, and set aside money for two kids in college. I can't afford to pay anyone else's education expenses, thank you very much. Raising taxes on me because I was the one who took responsibility and planned ahead punishes behavior we should be encouraging. It's not a question of pride. I am too old for pride - and I am too tired to keep paying for others' poor planning. Nothing costs more than a free program. Do we really want our students protesting like they do in Europe because a nation can no longer afford cradle-to-grave education and has the nerve to ask the students to pay a direct portion of their tuition?

No, anyone who needs to go to college should find a way to pay for it through conventional sources. It will give them a greater opportunity to have the "pride" you mentioned.

Asking taxpayers to foot even more bills is bad politics in light of the 2010 election results.