Walker fast tracks unaffordable UW colleges, blocking upward mobility of middle class in state.

Again, missing in action, the immediate Democratic response to another outrageous cut to the UW, this time to the tune of $300 million. Pathetic.

The reason we fund public education is to spread the cost to each and every citizen, so families with children don’t end up paying the full amount themselves, and everyone in society benefits. Well, not anymore. And at a time when college is a basic necessity, pricing the lower and middle class out of education is mind boggling. This idea only sets up another huge problem for future generations to deal with. 

Scott Walker is looking to “renege” on public funding so he can pass a few more of those "on his way to the White House" tax cuts. Remember the word “renege?” The only reason Walker wrongly accused the federal government of reneging on Medicaid payments is because he actually planned to do that himself, for real. It’s called projection. 

And Walker's purely political election year tuition tax freezes?  That savings will disappear fast. It'll be a nice way for families to spend their GOP tax cuts. 

And with Republicans in charge of congress, the interest on student loans will go through the roof too, a “free market” giveaway to the banks. It's a perfect storm. This isn't the first time Walker tried to trash education, along with the constitution:   

jsonline-Jason Stein: A portion of a law giving Gov. Scott Walker veto powers over rules written by the state schools superintendent was struck down ... Circuit Judge Amy Smith ruled that the law violated the state constitution by giving Walker that power over the state Department of Public Instruction. 

It's no surprise that the loss of the UW's large cash reserves, the focus the legislatures phony outrage during the last budget, is now coming back to haunt us, big time. jsonline:

UWM Chancellor Mark Mone on Friday told faculty of the College of Letters & Science that the … large cuts … would be more painful than previous trims because "we don't have the (cash) reserves we had then, and we don't have the flexibility because of tuition freezes going forward at least two years."

It now appears the enemy of public education, Sen. Steve Nass, is sounding sane in this stunning press release:

Even Rep. Robin Vos seemed a little surprised:

“As a former regent, I have concerns about a cut of this magnitude without granting flexibilities to the UW System. It appears that a significant amount of flexibility would be necessary in order to manage such a large decrease off the base budget. This is a decision that’s not to be taken lightly.”

Here's what our state constitution lays out for public colleges:

State university; support. SECTION 6. Provision shall be made by law for the establishment of a state university at or near the seat of state government, and for connecting with the same, from time to time, such colleges in different parts of the state as the interests of education may require. The proceeds of all lands that have been or may hereafter be granted by the United States to the state for the support of a university shall be and remain a perpetual fund to be called “the university fund,” the interest of which shall be appropriated to the support of the state university, and no sectarian instruction shall be allowed in such university.