Fuzzy math, Fuzzy memories,

[wouldsman]

I wrote a response to this diary:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1280143483
My response it buried down in comment 90. I rarely start a thread (this might be my first?) But I thought it might be worthy of a new thread alone.
I really believe in reality based politics. People need to be challenged when they are just flat out provably mistaken. The thread above was a great take down of this diary;
http://www.democraticunderground.com/110770202
JDPriestly does a great take down, the comment section is full of great takedowns. I think JD's thread is a great read and just want to give this (my) response a larger audience:

I think if we want to talk about the "good old days" and how we pulled our selves up by the bootstraps we should at least be honest about it. This paragraph (in the article you linked to in OP) bothered me:
"We believe in a strong work ethic. We worked our way through college back when minimum wage was 90 cents an hour and tuition was 1200 a year not counting books and fees. Our children worked their way though with a little help from us and we expect the same for our grand daughters. I am all for making college more affordable and capping the interest rate on student loans, however, should either one of our grand daughters take out loans, we expect them to pay those back in good faith. If it takes them six years instead of four years to graduate then so be it. We don't believe that in our late 60's and early 70's that we are responsible for others' college tuition."

The last time minimum wage was under one dollar it was at .75$ in 1955. From 1956-60 it was $1.00. So let's just say there is a little fuzzy memory here and what the writer meant was $1.00, not "90 cents an hour". Which means that for 1200 hours of labor one could work themselves through college. SO if you worked 40 hour weeks through your summer (640 hours) and 15.5 hours a week through the school year you were gonna end up without debt (for tuition anyhow).
Today, per Bureau of Labor,
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76
tuition is around $35,000 (2012-2013). Minimum wage is $7.25. Which means you would have to work 4,827 hours per year to graduate without debt (for tuition anyhow). So this statement "If it takes them six years instead of four years to graduate then so be it.", really F'ing chaps my hide. I am sorry fuzzy math people, but 4800 is 4 times 1200. It would take 16 years to graduate under the same work load. Meaning you are 34 when you enter the full time work force rather than 22. You think 12 more years stuck in school, putting off marriage and starting a family, buying a house, etc., is ok??????

Well, maybe you do, because you are actually 78. Not late 60's and early 70's. If you went to school when minimum wage was 1$ or less you are 78. Or older. More fuzzy math? or fuzzy memories?

So on behalf of all of the young folks out there who are "Feelin the Bern" and don't want to take 16 years of their life to work their way through college, I would just like to say @%@#$$^#@$#@#@@!!!!!!!!!! to the fuzzy math crowd.

edit to add:
http://money.cnn.com/interactive/economy/minimum-wage-since-1938/

[wouldsman]

1. And mind you,

this isn't an anti Hillary rant alone, it is a rant to anyone who uses fuzzy math/memories/info to base policy on.
No, the Iraq war didn't pay for itself.
Yes, global warming is happening.
Yes, we can afford to take care of our veterans and retirees.

[truebluegreen]

2. Kicking'

Excellent response and clarification to that dreadful post.

[Mbrow]

3. k&R Thank for posting