Sticky Fingers

Millions of people have bought into pre-paid state college funds in order to lock in today's price for college, even if it's 18 years or so until their child will, hopefully, be attending college. I had looked at these at one point, as there are some sure benefits to them, but the thing that held me back was very simple, I would have to entrust that money to a Government overseen account, and trust politicians to keep their grubby hands off of it. For very good reasons, this was not something I felt I could do.

Now, with 8.8 Billion Dollars in the pre-paid college trust fund here in Florida, and a budget shortfall looming, the State Legislature is drooling over that money. These politicians seem unfazed by the fact that this isn't their money to mess around with. It is there for one purpose, and one purpose only, to pay for college for the kids whose parents have put the money into this system. Oh sure, they say they will pay it back, but how will they do that? Where will the money come from the pay it back? If they are such terrible money managers that they can't balance the State Budget now, how the heck are they going to balance the budget and pay this money back down the road? Of course they can't. They will either have to raise taxes at that point, or turn this into another Government run Ponzi scheme where there is only the illusion of security in the system.

What the Florida Legislature is considering here amounts to theft. Think about it. If I sneak into my neighbors house and take a thousand dollars from under his mattress (I'm not claiming my neighbor keeps money under his mattress, I have no idea) no matter how much I swear I'll pay it back in time for him to use it, I would be a thief. What we are talking about is really that simple. Because the State Government, like most Governments, is out of control and can't effectively manage what they have, they intend to steal from others, with the empty promise that they will stand good for it. Well, dummy, if you can stand good for it down the road, how come you can't pay your bills now?

The answer is simple of course, if you don't have the money for something, do without it, don't steal from people so that you can have whatever you want, just learn to live on less than you make.