Over the last few decades, we've created our modern version of these Helots -- millions of indebted young Americans with little prospect of finding permanent well-paying work, servicing their enormous college debts or reaping commensurate financial returns on their costly educations...

The trap Republicans face is that Obama can promise to have the government pay for any meritorious good – green cars, condoms, books, laptops, free public transportation, virtually anything – and paint those who oppose as miserly ogres who do not want to help...

Tyler Cowen's latest blog post is rich with assertions. This one stood out: Postwar higher education has proven one of America's most effective subsidies, and it has paid for itself many times over...