In a preview of his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced on Friday a proposal to give all "responsible students" two years of free community college. Many doubt the proposal will make it past Congress, but in trying to drum up support, the president pointed to similar programs at the state and city level backed by both Republicans and Democrats. Regardless of the proposal's outcome, the announcement has spurred a national debate on the effects free community college could have on students and higher education across America.