Along with the Savings, Consider the Costs

If Trump got his way, the Department of Education would vanish. And how much money would that save us? No small sum -- $268 billion dollars. 

For the slash-and-gash fans, that goes a reasonable distance in solving our deficit woes. Somebody has suggested we shouldn't be spending more than we make, right?

But as important as gaining control of our spending is, other things are all so important. Let me float you a host of questions.

What of the student loan programs? More than half of our undergraduates receive federal loans to help pay for their college educations.

What of the jobs that will be lost if student loans are axed? Each college in the nation has a crew that administers the loans. Perhaps at some of these colleges, the role of dibbing out the loans might be a side task - I don't know. I do know it is a full-time assignment at many colleges. That is a lot of people heading for the unemployment line.

Speaking of people hitting the unemployment line, about 4,400 are employed by the Department of Education itself?

How about the people teaching special education? How many are there? Will they, too, lose their jobs, or will state and local funding be found?

How about those in DEI functions at our schools scattered across the U.S. Trump clearly would like to do away with these positions, but how many of them are there that we should be setting them up for unemployment?

Will the quality of education suffer? Federal spending soared in the '50s through the '70s as we sought to stay ahead of the Soviet Union in education. Is that no longer important?

How much time should state and local entities have to prepare for assuming the functions and expenses now carried by the DOE?

Will some children be left behind? Some state and local governments might take on all the functions, but others will choose not to -- or be unable to financially.

Don't just slash and burn, Mr. President. Along with considering the savings, consider the costs.