The left and their college obsession

The left thinks it’s found Gov. Scott Walker’s Achilles heel and they are locked in on the target like a laser beam. Howard Dean was leading the charge telling MSNBC, “the issue is how well educated is this guy and that’s a problem.” A problem for Howard Dean and the college snobs but, let’s face it, Howard Dean has a degree from Yale and most Americans think he’s a buffoon.

Howard Dean doing his now-famous
'college cheer' that sunk his
presidential campaign.

It’s important, however, that the left has brought this subject to the forefront. This is a discussion we need to have. President Obama has led a movement in this country that pretty much says if you don’t have a college education you’re worthless. What he and the left haven’t calculated is that less than 40 percent of the population even has a two-year associate degree. That leaves 60 percent of the people out there potentially offended by this assault on Gov. Walker.

The problem is Scott Walker has been wildly successful as the governor of Wisconsin. He’s overcome huge opposition and a recall election and his success dwarfs that of Howard Dean’s tenure as governor of Vermont. Yes, there’s an element of jealousy involved in the attacks but it mostly stems from fear. Some of the most successful people in the country lack a college degree and if Scott Walker starts a trend of presidential candidates who run on their track record rather than what they did before the age of 22 then the liberals are in big trouble.

The bigger issue is how people without college degrees are treated. I had a friend once tell me that he’d rather his daughter be a lesbian than not finish college. Of course, if she goes to one of these exclusive liberal arts schools he just might get his wish. Greg Gutfeld from Fox News had a great point. He said about college, “You no longer learn how to think, you are told what to think.” That’s absolutely the truth. I spend half my time trying to counter what my two oldest are picking up at college rather than engaging in thoughtful discussion about all the wonderful things they’re learning.

Gutfeld made the very candid point that many people go to college as a delay tactic, because they haven’t figured out what they want to do with their lives. He counted himself in that number. That’s certainly not to say that people should be discouraged from going to college. It’s only to say that people who choose another path shouldn’t be looked down upon.

For me, the proof is in what you did with your life after the age of 22. I could take up this entire column space with successful people who either didn’t attend college or didn’t finish. Names like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison of Oracle and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame. Michael Dell of Dell Computers never finished college nor did Brian Dunn who started Best Buy, John Mackey of Whole Foods or Anna Wintour of Vogue. Ditto for Ralph Lauren and Ted Turner.

Ironically, Obama’s senior advisor, David Plouffe, dropped out of college to run political campaigns. He only completed his degree in 2010, an afterthought to his political success. Karl Rove, derided by liberals as “Bush’s Brain” didn’t finish college but certainly finished two successful presidential campaigns. You can add Faulkner and Cronkite and Twain and Fitzgerald to that illustrious list.

I guess a degree from one of the Poison Ivy League schools might get you a job as a community organizer. Or, maybe, you can leave early and be a successful governor.

Phil Valentine is the host of the award-winning, nationally syndicated talk radio show, The Phil Valentine Show.