Free tuition not such a radical idea

Michael Hiltzik writes in today's L.A. Times:

"...let's reinvigorate the notion of a free UC education.  The chief objection to this idea isn't hard to predict: "We can't afford it!" Yet it's odd how eliminating in-state tuition is regarded today as completely out of the bounds of good sense, while proposals with far greater fiscal impact are floated routinely and given sober consideration. Eliminating all in-state tuition at UC would cost less than $3 billion a year. (That comes from the university's report on its core operating budget for 2011-12.) During her ill-starred run for governor in 2010, Meg Whitman proposed eliminating the state tax on capital gains, which brings in about $11 billion in a good year."