Why should any community college be free???

On January 8, President Obama announced a proposal to make the first two years of community college “free for everybody who is willing to work for it,” with states providing a quarter of the funding and the remaining cost covered by the federal government. Can anybody tell me how is offering free community college is going to close the gap the US has with other countries like China, India, and Japan.  The last time I checked there are ways to get a free college education...isn't it called scholarships, grants, and work study.  When I was in high school with dreams of going to college, I had every opportunity to apply for scholarships to go to college for free.  Now I did not take advantage of the opportunity I had to get all the free money that was available.  That was on me and I have never complained about the choices I made.  Supposedly, this plan is suppose to help the middle class with access to higher education.  There is not a middle class family I know who pushes their children to go to community college.  Once again the President is coming up with these policies that does not benefit anybody.  Plus race pimp Al is back in the news wanting to call a meeting to address all white Oscar nominees, Mike Huckabee wants to criticize the Obamas for letting their children listed to Beyonce and there are several stories I have read about liberals continuing to sissify the US.