Comments war: UC students and non-UC students discuss the student fee hike

It seems the recent decision by the University of California Board of Regents to increase student fees by 32% has caused not only a "students vs. regents" demonstration at UCLA's campus today, but also a "students vs. non-students" quarrel in our comments sections.

The fee hike that everyone is arguing about (justifiably so) will come in two steps by fall 2010. Basic UC education fees will rise then to about $10,300, plus another $1,000 for campus-based charges and an estimated additional $16,000 for room, board and books.

No wonder there is such a heated comments war in our blogs: With the raise, the cost of a UC education will be triple what it was a decade ago. Compared to other U.S. four-year public colleges, which have raised tuition and fees by an average 6.5% to $7,020 a year, a 32% fee hike is pretty notable.

On the L.A. Now blog, the battle rages on with two parties: non-UC students -- who seem to be a mixture of out-of-college adults, community college students and general California residents -- and current UC students. The former argue that current students are being unreasonably demanding.

Balancing the budget is never easy, is it?

Here is what the non-UC students have had to say so far:

Pablo defends his own interests against the fee hike protestors: Listen up, UC students. I'm about to lose my job and I'm close to losing my house. Do you want me to sell my 10-year old car so that I can pay for your incredibly cheap tuition?

He also said: Who taught these people that they were entitled to free (or unreasonably cheap) stuff in life?

Duken4evr believes UC students should explore other means available to pay for their education: They can always go to community college like the rest of us. Screw those spoiled brat UCLA students. Hit up your rich mommies and daddies for the difference. Cry me a river. What a bunch of useless losers.

SoCalReality presents a parent’s point of view: This state is bankrupt! Your FREE education ended at High School. You want to be treated like an adult, act like one and PAY YOUR OWN WAY. The UC system already subsidizes your education with fees below their cost. What you want is continuing "Student Welfare" on the backs of us Tax Payers; go to a cheaper collage or to a Cal State like my kids. But NO, you want caviar education paid by others. GROW UP!

And Reality takes a stand about the actual educational material: IF UC wants to save some money...get rid of the worthless soft-science degrees such as gender and ethnic studies and make those profesors get real jobs instead of pusing their anti-American rants on the tax payer dime!

Then UC students took a stand (after the jump):

Shouldn't students be able to get a bailout?

While huge banks, homeowners and automakers have received billions of federal dollars in bailouts, David Lazarus wonders why students -- the future of this country -- don't get the same treatment.

Like many recent college grads, Los Angeles resident Steven Lee finds himself unemployed in one of the roughest job markets in decades and saddled with a big pile of debt. He owes about $84,000 in student loans for undergrad and grad-school costs.

But what Lee's angry about isn't the slings and arrows of an outrageous economy, and it isn't the idea that he owes a ton of money for all the learning he's received.

It's the interest rates on his government-backed student loans, which range from 6.8% to a whopping 8.5%.

"That's just ridiculous," Lee, 35, told me. "The rate for a 30-year mortgage is around 5%. Why should anyone have to pay 8.5%?"

Read Lazarus' piece here and watch the video above, and when you're done feel free to chime in below  with an answer to the question: Shouldn't students also receive a bailout? Their fees and tuition have skyrocketed over the last decade -- suppose we give them a hand?

-- Tony Pierce

Obama ponders Afghanistan action

President Barack Obama met this morning with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to mainly discuss Afghanistan. Currently, the U.S. has authorized 68,000 troops and NATO about 40,000. U.S. military commanders have indicated that as many as 40,000 more troops will be needed.

But Europe is wary of sending more troops, as are some members of the Obama administration. Obama has announced he is weighing the future of U.S. policy on Afghanistan, whether to consider it primarily a military mission or a state-building one. That process could take weeks.

"This is not an American battle, this is a NATO mission as well," Obama told reporters this morning. "And we are working actively and diligently to consult with NATO at every step of the way."

Of course, our main focus today has been our cooperation in Afghanistan," the secretary-general said.  "I say 'our' focus deliberately because our operation in Afghanistan is not America's responsibility or burden alone.  It is and it will remain a team effort."

The pair also discussed relations with Russia and the recent cancellation of a missile shield for eastern Europe.

For a primer on Afghanistan, see: http://bit.ly/F0Ghj

After the jump, check out the latest Twitter updates from Michael Muskal, and your comments.

South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson yells 'You lie!' to the president

It was a perfect storm of hot buttons that evoked an utterance of such negativity that it turned heads. President Barack Obama was giving a speech to Congress and he started talking about healthcare and illegal immigrants and money, and unexpectedly, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina spoke up.

"You lie!" the Republican congressman blurted out on the floor of the House immediately after the president said: "the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."

It was Rep. Wilson who had been reinforcing the belief that the healthcare reform would include the so-called Death Panels. He called it an "end-of-life counseling program, which has been correctly highlighted by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a program which could lead to seniors being encouraged to seek less care in order to protect the government´s bottom line."

Minutes before Wilson's wail, the president had debunked the theory that grandma's plug would be pulled in order to save federal dollars. "It's a lie, plain and simple," he said, which brought most of the attendees to their feet.

After the speech, the criticism for Wilson was bipartisan. "I've never seen anything like that before," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) "We do not invite the president of the United States into the House of Representatives and hurl insults."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said the outburst was "totally disrespectful" and demanded that Rep. Wilson apologize to the president. "No place for it in that setting or any other, and he should apologize for it immediately," McCain told Larry King on CNN.

Wilson apologized shortly after the speech for how he acted out: “This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the president’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the healthcare bill. While I disagree with the president’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”

So how did you feel about the speech, the outburst, and/or the apology? Blurt out your comments in the field below. 

-- Tony Pierce

Photo: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouts "You lie!" as President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on Wednesday. Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Related:

Rep. Joe Wilson's response to Obama's speech: 'You lie!'

Text of Obama's speech: Now is the season for action

A losing gamble: Luck runs out in Vegas

In the second part of a look at how the recession has hit Sin City, reporters Michael A. Hiltzik and Ashley Powers write:

The Strip's business model for the 21st century, which was to tap into an ever-expanding supply of free-spending visitors clamoring for first-class hotel rooms, four-star restaurant fare and high-priced shows, has been shattered by its worst recession in decades.

Vegas' ability to weather previous declines made it seem recession-proof. No longer. The carnage left by the economic downturn that began last year is unlike anything this town has seen.

Does this ring true for you? Have you been to Vegas recently? If so, share your finds here.

Photo: A man looks for recyclables on the Strip.

Credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times

Steve Lopez and the Glenn Beck fan club

Recently Times columnist Steve Lopez went in search of fans of Glenn Beck, the Fox News personality who has garnered a large viewership since moving from CNN but has lost dozens of sponsors after he called President Obama a racist.

Lopez found a Santa Clarita group on the Internet that claimed to have 82 members, most of whom were united through Beck's TV program, which served as a rallying call against the Obama administration. Of that group was a 20-year-old woman who promised that they "will win this fight against radicalism."

Another woman wrote on the group's website, "I love my God, family and country and want to save this country from ruin."

Lopez met a man named Jason Hole, the Beck meet-up group's organizer. Hole has his differences with the Beck, but is more concerned with what he feels the Obama administration has in store for conservatives like himself. "I'm a hard-working American guy that wants to be able to worship Jesus Christ, go shooting, say what I want and enjoy life," Hole wrote.  He added: "Our government is preparing for civil unrest right now. I've seen documentation that states people will be considered terrorists if they wear blue jeans and talk excessively about the constitution. You're thinking I'm a kook, right? Look it up and you'll find it to be true."

So are you thinking that Hole and the Santa Clarita members of the meet-up group are kooks? Do you think, as Hole's uncle believes, that America is on the road to socialism? And if you are a Beck fan, do you think the people interviewed in Lopez's column reflect your beliefs?

Also, what do you think of Beck? Do you think that this is all an act for TV ratings? Or do you think he truly believes that the mixed-race president is a racist who has "a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture"?

Use your freedom of speech in the comment box below, but keep it clean; we can't accept anything here that they couldn't air on Fox.

-- Tony Pierce

Photo: Glenn Beck. Credit: Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

Villaraigosa's remarks on paying for Michael Jackson's memorial service anger readers

Michael Jackson's extravagant memorial service drew criticism last week from city officials who were concerned over the event's estimated $1.4-million price tag. 

However, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced this morning that he would not be attempting to recoup any of the cost, arguing that it was the city's responsibility to oversee the event.  According to L.A. Now, he even criticized a donation website that had been set up by his staff.

“I thought it was ridiculous,” the mayor told reporters during a visit to Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. 

Villaraigosa said Los Angeles is a large metropolitan city where major events occur routinely, and that the city is obligated to protect public safety. He added that no one would have expected New York or Chicago to ask others to donate for basic city services during a major event, and he said he is not going to ask AEG, the owner of the Staples Center, to either pay or raise money to offset the city’s expenses.

Many readers believe that Villaraigosa's comments are inappropriate considering the city's financial troubles.

"Given the budget Mr. Mayor, just why should the tax payers pay funeral expenses fpr a private citizen when librarys, parks, hospitals & schools are facing shortened hours/closures, city employees are facing layoffs & furloughs? Oh, wait I know ... it's just another part of your political platform of kising up to the rich & famous," said kgoddess.

Proposed $2-million Lakers parade draws controversy

Sunday night's Lakers victory was well received in a city that hasn't had much to celebrate as of late.  Even though Game 5 was held in Orlando, millions of Lakers fans gathered at homes and bars to watch the game unfold on television. After the buzzer sounded, crowds poured into the streets as Lakers fans from across Los Angeles came together in a grand display of pride and unity that quickly devolved into destructive rioting.

After setting a few police cars on fire and doing a bit of looting, the crowds dispersed and the revelers went home.     

The rioting, which caused significant monetary damage, has had quite an effect on the growing debate over Wednesday's proposed $2-million Laker parade. Many feel that the parade -- for which the city would pay half -- is inappropriate at a time when the city is struggling to resolve severe budget shortfalls.  Sunday night's rioting only added to the list of concerns held by many Los Angeles residents. 

"The Lakes deserve every recognition winning the championship. However, in these difficult times for the city and Laker fans, a parade/rally is insensitive and hurtful; I'll send the organization an e-card instead. If the city can afford a parade, the taxpayers of Los Angeles are then obviously being lied to by civic leaders regarding a fiscal crisis," said ELizabeth.

"Does that fee include the cost to clean up after all these hoodlums who have already rioted and caused damage throughout the city, including injuries to eight police officers? Huge huge HUGE waste of money," added MB.

More after the jump...