Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Dumbing Down of WI!

By Jeff Simpson

 Glenn Grothman: "I was a little bit appalled when you say education is a wise investment."

We remember recently that Graeme Zielinski, communications director for the Democratic party, had a couple tweets that many didnt like and members of both parties and the media both jumped on the fire graeme bandwagon and the Democratic party obliged(they demoted and suspended him). 

The media flat out ignored things as or more egregious said by many others on the right and were happy to continue to kick Graeme while he was down.   Apparently the only person whose words matter in this state are those that the Democratic party communications director "tweets".  

It happened again last week.   The Wisconsin media went M.I.A!  Glenn Grothman was in full force last week and no one from the mainstream media has even mentioned it!   

Let's take a look.   Joint Finance Committee hearings on the next budget(where Glenn Grothman is actually a member) and Kevin Reilly, the President of the University of Wisconsin System, was testifying.  

H/T Rebecca Kemble for sitting through this debacle and really putting out the best reporting in the state!  

Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, asked Reilly how he could justify potentially raising tuition with what he called a 6 percent increase in state funding, saying he was “stunned” about the possibility despite the state’s “generous” investment.

Grothman also told Reilly to “broaden your reading” of the public’s view of four-year degrees, calling it a “devastating investment.”

“For average kids today, it is not a wise investment except for some select majors,” Grothman said.



This is where the media disappeared.    Let's help draw them out from hiding!

1.  College grads make significantly more money throughout their career than high school grads! 




College Graduate vs. Non-Graduate Earnings

The Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) analyzes employee earnings data biennially, according to education level. Findings indicate that workers with a college degree earn significantly more than those without. Since the mid-1980s, education has played a large part in potential wages, with bachelor's degree holders taking home an average of 38% more than those with only a high school diploma. While college-educated workers' wages have increased over the past two decades, those with only a high school education have seen decreases in annual salaries in the same time period (nces.ed.gov).

The Cost of a Degree vs. the Potential Payoff

Considering the high cost of a college education, potential students may question whether the expected earnings after graduation outweigh the possible debt incurred from student loans. In 2002, the Education Resources Information Center projected lifetime earnings of employees with a bachelor's degree and those without based on U.S. census information. Non-degree holders could expect a lifetime average of $1.2 million, while those with a bachelor's degree could expect to earn $2.1 million, or nearly double (www.eric.ed.gov).

Types of Degrees vs. Annual Salaries

The NCES Digest of Education Statistics differentiates between median employee income based on level of education. As with the data above, 4-year college graduates took home higher gross salaries than those with a high school education. However, the type of college degree and gender of the degree holder also impacted earnings, as shown in the table below:
Type of DegreeAnnual SalaryGenderNumber Employed
High school diploma $39,010 Men 16,195
High school diploma $28,380 Women 10,851
College with no degree $45,820 Men 9,515
College with no degree $32,630 Women 7,456
Associate degree $50,150 Men 5,020
Associate degree $36,760 Women 4,995
Bachelor's degree $65,800 Men 12,609
Bachelor's degree $47,030 Women 9,856
Master's degree $80,960 Men 4,709
Master's degree $57,510 Women 4,176
Professional degree $100,000 Men 1,388
Professional degree $71,300 Women 753
Doctorate degree $100,000 Men 1,119
Doctorate degree $74,030 Women 550

2.  At UW- Madison alone, brings in over $12.4 Billion dollars a year to our state.  For every $1 of state tax investment to the university, there is $21.05 in economic activity in the state. On top of that, there are 12 other four year state institutions and 13, 2 year colleges throughout WI.   The UW system employes approximately 39,000 faculty and staff statewide and use just $1.1 Billion in state funding.  

3.  While there are a long list of established alumnae from these fine institutions, one thing is certain, success comes from all different majors

4.  Our University system ranks very well nationally!

Lets sum this up:

Here we have a senior Senator from the party that is in COMPLETE control, in a state that is desperate for jobs, and a senior senator from the most powerful committee in our legislature, says that investing in the main cog that creates jobs in Wisconsin, is a "devastating investment" and there is no coverage of this? 

Remember this, the next time that someone allows the Wisconsin republican party to be taken seriously when talking about "job creation", the reporter should lose their job.  

And people really cared that Graeme was not "professional"?  

 


8 comments:

  1. Consider that the media ignored this story because it is not news when Glenn Grothman says something unbelievably ignorant.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yet they fawn over Republican praise of Cathy Stepp? That is news, Anonymous? No, it is the media ignoring the rants of the uninformed Republicans who populate the legislature and it is disgraceful.

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  3. Notice the lower pay for women in all categories, at all levels of education. Grothman should have pointed out that choosing to be female is a really bad investment decision, and the Republicans are the ones who will stop that fiscal recklessness!

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    Replies
    1. Jerry,

      Women have lower pay because they are child abusing single mothers. Men don't become mothers so they are not child abusers. Women are at fault so they pay the price. Please place the blame where it belongs.

      Excuse me. Mother is calling.

      Delete
  4. Did anyone ask for Glenn's hand on the Summer for Marriage Tour? Does Mother have to give her consent?

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  5. But isn't college tuition a devastating investment for families? I'm about to send a kid to college (UW) and it will not just eliminate our savings, but will put him in debt for a decade or more. And unless he leaves with a degree that allows him to find a well-paying job quickly, which isn't happening much now, it's increasingly difficult to justify for many middle-class families. Tuition hikes are significant. Isn't that what Grothman was saying?

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  6. While college tuition is too high, what are we supposed to do. Is it worth educating your child? Especially knowing that all research says they will double their income and get a job easier with a college education than without one.

    The problem is it takes a lot of money to run a world class institution and no one wants to pay for it.

    So if we could get the republican obstrictionists to worry about creating jobs, and funding our institutions, then the problem would be solved.

    Me personally, I would advocate that anyone who wants to go to college can and gets it paid for by the government as long as they give back in terms of community service!

    The problem is not getting more education, the problem is our incredibly ignorant legislators!

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  7. Why would Glenn be talking at a marriage summit? Isn't he an old bachelor who lives with his elderly mother? How does he have any credibility on anything?

    ReplyDelete