Tom: Glad to hear you are putting time into studying the situation before attempting to act. At first, your criticism of President Obama's plan WITHOUT a suggested alternative sounded alarming -- like just another irresponsible Tea Party "Let's Destroy the USA" Bomb -- but now I see you want to dig deeper, and INDEED, something must be done about this very real problem, and ALL ideas must be weighed for merit.

But here is a question I have had for a long time: How does Mexico's government guarantee (and follow through by actually doing it) that students who maintain high grades get free education up to and THROUGH advanced university degrees when Mexico is a "Third World Country"? -- and I might add that they have maintained an enviable growing economy through out the continuing worldwide Recession, their tourism industry (reliant on foreigners from suffering countries) being the one segment there that HAS suffered.

In the United States, students come out saddled in debt that NO ONE should have to begin their adult life with. Of course in THIS country -- and especially North Carolina -- my Kenan Family's Charitable Trusts have done much to REDUCE education costs to both students and government.

Perhaps you could talk to the Board at one of the largest and oldest of of the Kenan Charities -- the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust, reported to be the 4th largest Charitable Organization in North Carolina and with many, many years of experience partnering with universities, government , and private industry, actually in many areas BEYOND education as well (check out the Kenan Institute Asia, which partners with government in SEVEN countries basically in the Mekong Delta to develop socially responsible, sustainable businesses -- a sort of amends for what our government did to that region during the Vietnam War and a proven antidote to our government's reputation abroad as imperialistic and war-mongering).

They are certain to have MANY PROVEN PRACTICAL IDEAS -- and as you know, the Kenan Family was a PRIME supporter of the Republican Party until the Tea Party Types decided it was in their best interest to destroy education and prevent the non-rich from getting much education.

I'd suggest you contact Dr. Richard Krasno, the Executive Director. He's at the Trust's headquarters in Chapel Hill -- not too far from your Raleigh legislative workplace. See info on Kenan Institute Asia: http://www.kiasia.org/web/ as well as here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenan_Institute_Asia .

Just an idea . . .

Thanks,
Scott Kenan
Wilmington