Law Student Bummed About Obama

Law student asks Obama whether the American Dream is dead for his/my generation.

I gotta stand up for Obama on this one. It isn't Obama's job to ensure that everyone gets a tony legal job out of law school. I fail to see how a guy who attends college at Princeton and then chooses to go to Law School and take out a tremendous amount of debt feels like he's entitled to the government help him achieve the "American Dream." Let's get real - this guy isn't interested in the American Dream. He wants to make a lot of money and have stability and the admiration of his peers and family and to drive a BMW. No one is or should be guaranteed a BMW and ski vacations. That isn't the American Dream. The American Dream is about having the freedom to pursue happiness. There is no promise of it. There is no promise that if you study hard and memorize all the answers to the test that you will get paid. No way. There is promise that if make and own something that it is yours and no one can take it from you. That you have the freedom to choose your own path. If this guy just wanted to be a lawyer - and that's all he ever wanted - there are ways to do it, I'm sure, without taking massive debt. State schools. Schools with financial aid packages. Or help from family. Or work during school. Or convince a company to help pay for you to attend school. And there are more than ample opportunities for law student grads - just like any other field. And obviously not everyone makes it. Who looks around anyway and says, jeez, I think we need more lawyers? We don't need more lawyers. We can always use more GOOD lawyers, of course. But I don't get the vibe off this interview at least, that this guy cares all that much about being a GOOD LAWYER. I certainly would not hire him for legal advice, if I needed it. So who the hell else would?

If I hear one more lawyer complain about not getting a six figure job out of law school, I'm going to puke.