While we’re all watching the drama surrounding the Charlie Hedbo massacre unfold in France, on Friday Obama will visit Pellisssippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee, to propose dropping another sop to gullible young adults.

It is anticipated that he will announce a plan “to Make Community College Free for Responsible Students for 2 Years,” as is headlined on the White House blog and in a video message on Facebook, complete with the hashtag #FreeCommunityCollege. The requirements as listed by the WH are as follows:

“What students have to do: Students must attend community college at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and make steady progress toward completing their program.

What community colleges have to do: Community colleges will be expected to offer programs that are either 1) academic programs that fully transfer credits to local public four-year colleges and universities, or 2) occupational training programs with high graduation rates and lead to in-demand degrees and certificates. Community colleges must also adopt promising and evidence-based institutional reforms to improve student outcomes.

What the federal government has to do: Federal funding will cover three-quarters of the average cost of community college. Participating states will be expected to contribute the remaining funds necessary to eliminate the tuition for eligible students.”

Obama chose a community college in Tennessee to make his big announcement, as that state sponsors a program called the “Tennessee Promise” in which students can attend community college free of charge. That program is largely bankrolled by lottery funds, and is supported by TN Republican governor Bill Haslam. 

As usual with anything proposed by Obama for federal government implementation, the devil is in the details — and this devil has one big-ass pitchfork with some mighty sharp tines.

No one is quite sure how much this will cost, but the New York Times claimed that it is “bound to be expensive,” while also noting that White House officials declined to discuss its price tag. Bloomberg reported that Obama didn’t specify how much it would cost (hmm, ‘Affordable’ Health Care, anyone?), but a person “briefed” on the proposal stated it would run about $5 billion.

There’s also the question of total federalization of community colleges, which are mostly run at state and local levels. What sort of control will the already too-powerful federal government exercise over those states that take the 75% funding (and how many states will resist that carrot)? Does “Common Core” ring an alarm?

Furthermore, what responsibility is required of students who accept this freebie, other than to attend at least half-time and maintain a C+ average? The five United States service academies — the US Military Academy, the US Naval Academy, the US Air Force Academy, the US Coast Guard Academy, and the US Merchant Marine Academy — all require a minimum five years commitment of active duty as an officer in return for their ‘full ride.’ And let’s face it — the students who attend those institutions are of top order, with 90% of them found in the top 20% of their high school classes. The same cannot be said for all students who would receive Obama’s proposed freebie. What skin will they have in this?

Naturally, this proposal sounds really good to teenagers and their families. As the news and media outlet News.Mic  breathlessly exclaimed, “Obama Just Did For Young People What No President Before Him Has Done,” adding at its Facebook page, “This could be a godsend for millions of young Americans.”

Actually, Obama has indeed done something for young people that no previous president has done, and that’s to saddle them with more federal debt than any of his predecessors. But who cares? Just as long as naive young adults keep voting big government liberals and socialists into office, then that end certainly justifies any means.