The solution to right-wing fake news: college for all

The key to any successful democracy is an informed public. Democracies empower their citizens to influence their government in ways other types of societies, such as dictatorships, do not. However, with this power comes great responsibility. It is imperative that America makes education as accessible as possible to as many people as possible to ensure the public cannot be fooled by conspiracy theories and fake news which played a significant role in the election of Donald Trump.

Conspiracy theories and fake news duped Trump voters

One of the first things one learns in college is how to form logical arguments based upon facts and evidence. Another thing college teaches a person is how to discern credible sources from suspect ones. Unfortunately, the lack of these two abilities allowed many people to fall for far-fetched right-wing conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton. It also allowed for Trump to spew his nonsense assertions without any evidence, all the while his followers believed every word he said. The problem is so serious and unprecedented that the FBI has decided to investigate possible links between far-right fake news websites, such as Breitbart, and the Trump presidential campaign.

Stop the problem at the root

Although investigating the role of fake news and disinformation in the recent election is essential, it is also important to tackle the root of the problem, which is a lack of knowledge. One bill currently in the the House and Senate aims to address the root of the problem by making sure every American has the right to attend college. The College for All Act of 2017 was first introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) in the Senate and then by fellow progressive Representative Jayapal Pramila (D-WA) in the House.

College for everybody

The bill aims to make community colleges tuition free for everybody. It would also make four-year universities free for those students who are from families earning $125,000 or less annually. Also, those who are still living with student debt would be given the ability to refinance their student loans.

How would free college be funded?

Paying for college for all sounds like a challenging task financially, however it is quite doable. The bill would raise funds for the program by charging an investment tax on Wall Street which is already making record profits while everyday Americans are facing stagnant wages and an unaffordable housing market. 

Who supports college for all?

The only thing left to make college for all a reality is the political will to do so. The proposed legislation has been co-sponsored by seven Democratic Senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. The bill has been co-sponsored by 32 Democrats in Congress including Tulsi Gabbard, Ro Khanna and Raul Grijalva. Currently no Republicans have co-sponsored.

If you want to fight against the GOP war on knowledge and right-wing fake news, then you should contact your representatives in Congress and the Senate and demand they support the College for All Act of 2017. This bill could save the American democracy experiment.