Marianne Williamson: Free College so Young People Can ‘Stimulate the Economy’

Democrat 2020 contender Marianne Williamson elaborated on her plan of how free college for all would help “stimulate the economy” during the Democrat debate Tuesday night in Detroit.

The CNN debate moderator asked Williamson: “You are proposing to make college free for all qualified students? Should the government pay for children from wealthier families to go to college?”

“I think all domestic and international policies should be based on the idea that anything we do to help people thrive is a stimulation to our economy,” she said. “That’s how you stimulate your economy.”

Williamson seemed to dismiss the implied problem of children from wealthier families gaining free access to college along with those of lower income families under her plan:

So, if a few people take advantage, but there are four or five people who are going to take the money that they then have in the bank, when you look at this $1.5 trillion college debt – this is why I agree with Bernie – or … okay, why don’t we swap it? We had a $2 trillion tax cut, where 83 cents of every dollar goes to the very, very richest among us. That does not stimulate the economy!

Williamson said that without college debt, young people would have significant “discretionary spending.”

“They’ll be able to start their business! The best thing you could do to stimulate the U.S. economy is to get rid of this debt!”

Williamson then called out her fellow Democrats on the stage.

“This is not just about a plan to do it, but a philosophy of governing!” she scolded. “And I’ve heard some people here tonight – and I wonder why you’re Democrats! You seem to think there’s something wrong about using the instruments of government to help people! That is what government should do. All policies should help people thrive!