Opinion: Student loan...

[Septua]

..relief is a bad idea all the way around.

#1...Repugs are already labeling it as a socialistic move, giving the debtors a free ride at the expense of the rest of us.

#2...It will be (maybe is) viewed as a political ploy to get student debtors vote....

#3...It may well result in lost votes for Dems.

#4...People need to take responsibility for their debts.

As I read the summary, the relief will apply to earners making less than $125K...which would suggests someone making $110K can't afford the monthly payment ($400. ). Gimme' a break.

Sure, there are exceptions but if the Government wants to help someone out, renegotiate the loan at zero interest or give them 10 additional years to pay off the balance.

I await the criticism...

https://thecollegeinvestor.com/33643/average-student-loan-monthly-payment/#:~:text=Median%20student%20loan%20debt%3A%20%2419%2C281,with%20growing%20loan%20balances%3A%2047.5%25

[brush]

1. Terms on student loans are particularly onerous. Bankruptcy can't...

even be declared, relief available to most others overwhelmed by crippling debt.

IMO it'll tap into the pool of younger voters and get more votes than it loses.

[MichMan]

21. If you could declare bankruptcy on a student loan, you keep all the benefits of the education

If I buy a Porsche and hold a mortgage on a house, I dont get to declare bankruptcy, while getting to keep both the car and the house debt free.

[brush]

24. What exactly are you saying?

Are you equating having an educated public is the same as a Porsche and a mortgage?

You do know that educated voters tend to vote Democratic as they are not fooled by republican talking points, right?

[MichMan]

28. I'm saying that it would make financial sense for someone to declare bankruptcy

on their student loan while a young adult, discharge all the debt and then use the degree for a lifetime of earnings paid for by everyone else.

It wasn't just Republicans that passed the bankruptcy laws.

[brush]

39. I still don't get you. Are you for Biden's move?

He can't just make bankruptcy suddenly available to those overwhelmed by student loan debt. Congress has to do that.

[MichMan]

47. I'm not sure a president can spend $300 billion by EO without congressional approval either

This is certain to be challenged in the courts.

As someone who went to college at night part time after working 50 hours per week and paying back the loans I took out, no I'm not in favor of blanket forgiveness that is just getting added to the debt.

The bankruptcy legislation that excluded student loans passed 74-25 in the Senate and 302-126 in the House.

[brush]

50. Hasn't he already done it. Again, are you for...

relief to those overwhelmed by student loan debt or not?

[brush]

63. Get serious. Where'd you pull that imaginary example from?

Just say you're selfish and don't want the many who are in deep debt to get relief.

It's not that hard to hit those particular keystrokes.

[MichMan]

79. If it was targeted to those who needed relief from deep debt that would be one thing.

It gives $10 k in forgiveness to anyone making under $125k, including my example, regardless of total debt or ability to pay.

I consider anyone making that much to be pretty well off as I never come close to it during my working life.

[Jack the Greater]

96. I totally agree with you. This is going to make some people very happy

But a lot more people are going to be put off by it. I don't see it as being good for the general election bottom line.

[Bettie]

112. You do realize that under 125k means

that it applies to very low income people as well, right?

Or is this just an "I want more for ME!" complaint?

[inthewind21]

33. EXACTLY

[liberal_mama]

64. Maybe with luxury items, but the vast majority of people who file for bankruptcy can keep their

house and car and household goods.

[MichMan]

95. If the mortgage and car loans are discharged in bankruptcy, you can keep both and never have to pay?

If I buy a car on a 6 year loan, declare bankruptcy after 2 years and stop making payments, the bank just forgives the remaining 4 years and let's me keep it free and clear ?

[Celerity]

94. So, if you ever go bankrupt with massive heart transplant bills, can we repo your ticker?

Or are you just getting that huge benefit whilst dodging a ruinous debt?

[Johnny2X2X]

2. Rethugs whine about everything

Let them whine.

The new repayment rules that are part of this effectively end the student loan crisis and those would have done so without any forgiveness. The forgiveness was a campaign promise, Biden followed through.

The government subsidizes all sorts of things our Democracy values. In fact, one of the biggest subsidies is tax credits for breeding. So all of us childless people subsidize the people who want to reproduce. Our democracy has decided child rearing is admirable and handed out massive tax breaks to incentivize it. Our Democracy also values higher education and our economy absolutely cannot keep up without an educated populace, this is another subsidy to support that calue.

[4Q2u2]

3. Lots of People

On both sides are pissed off. So as the old saying in deal making goes. If everyone is not happy then it it probably a good deal for everyone.

[Claustrum]

4. I've argued the same thing for a while and it usually was ignored or argued against.

I rather they cap interest rate and prepare a repayment plan that works according to the person's financial situation (salary) rather than a flat out 50k forgiveness for everyone that people want. If you graduate from Harvard Law School with 400k debt and earning 180k as first year attorney, you are able to pay that off. Same with other professions like engineers and doctors. Save the money to help toward the people that needed it most, people that has 100k debt but earning 40-60k a year, forgive those.

[W_HAMILTON]

6. They did that as well.

The part about creating another new repayment plan that makes it even easier on borrowers to repay their student loans without it costing them an arm and a leg to do so.

[brush]

9. Owing 400k but making 180k...that'll take decades...

to pay off because life has many other expenses. One is not only paying that off. We subsidize many other debts that we value, why not education? Student loans, btw, can't even be relieved by bankruptcy.

[Johnny2X2X]

11. That Harvard Law student isn't eligible

There are income caps on this relief.

And the new repayment plans do just that, they help people who can't afford their payments. And those have income caps too to be eligible.

The doctors and lawyers of the world are not going to see much help from this plan. The teachers, administrators, and lower level engineers are going to see a lot of help.

[Claustrum]

34. Right. My argument is against those who favor 50k for everyone.

The current Biden plan is actually pretty much in line with what I laid out.

[Johnny2X2X]

42. Agree then

That's the thing, Biden hid the more significant part of this, the 10% income based repayment moving to 5% with the $10K forgiveness. All people will talk about is the forgiveness, but the changes to the repayment option are a bigger deal for most borrowers who owe a lot.

[Act_of_Reparation]

19. Been working the same job your whole life, have you?

Fascinating.

[Skittles]

100. great

perhaps you could pony up a few bucks for DU?

[Act_of_Reparation]

103. Yeah, cool story.

But you are familiar with the concepts of "promotion" and "career progression", yes?

[Johnny2X2X]

20. Not really how it works though

People aim for degrees that pay well, but often end up with a different degree. Sure, people need to make better decisions about how much they take out, but now there are going to be better and more reasonable payment options for everyone.

And state universities are now $30,000 to $40,000 a year. So a whole lot of students are graduating with that much debt now.

[Ms. Toad]

57. $40K/year x 40 years of work,

Even without taking inflation into account is $1,600,000.

The absolute numbers are different, but my college costs were about $20,000 for a job with a starting salary of $10,000/year. We didn't take out that much in loans - but the proportions are similar.

The comparison isn't between total tuition and starting salary, but between total tuition and a reasonable number of years of income. I got 11 years from my first degree, with a salary of rougly 30,000/year by the time I left.

And there are reasons beyond income generation to choose a particular school. My bachelor's degree was from a private liberal arts college - and was one of the best educational decisions I made - for reasons unrelated to the income it generated. Educationally, it had to give me a practical degree (the ability to become certified to teach in public schools) and had to have solid programs in math and physics (the two majors I was seeking). Beyond that, it needed to be a place away from some of the tumult caused by my brother, away from small town extremely conservative politics (near the end of the Vietnam war). I needed a place where I was not so isolated all of the time - after being one of two folks in my graduating class opposed to the Vietnam war. The college I chose gave me that.

Beyond by bachelor's degree, my 2nd and 3rd degrees were from public universities - they were purely for employment reasons. Each was paid for as I acquired it. The first was paid from the income from that job I acquired on the strength of the bachelor's degree I apparently overpaid for.

[JI7]

59. It's about status, bragging rights

Think at that time. Students aren't talking about going to schools based on what job they will get after.

It's about going to certain schools based on how those schools are seen by others.

[meadowlander]

80. Earning a degree in something doesn't guarantee you a job in it

particularly if you're not a white man.

Also most people at 18 don't know absolutely what they want to do with the rest of their lives. You can't know absolutely if you're suited to a job until you do it for a while. And life happens.

Maybe someone racks up $200,000 in debt for veterinary school because they thought it was their life's passion and then finds out it mostly involves putting animals down and develops clinical depression and can't keep working. So they end up running a no-kill shelter for $40,000 a year.

Maybe the plan was to borrow $60,000 for a marine biology degree which you would have been able to pay off if you hadn't accidentally gotten pregnant with a baby you chose to keep or had to take care of suddenly ill parents or other family members. By the time you reenter the work force your degree is seen as out of date and you're competing with new grads with no strings attached.

Maybe you borrowed $100,000 for a computer science degree on the basis of reports of high starting salaries and then found out all the jobs are going to H-1B visa holders or that it's impossible to find a company that will hire you for more than a 3 months contract and you spend half of every year job searching or you're expected to work 80 hours a week for your "high" salary and you burn out and can't keep doing it.

Why would someone borrow more than a google search tells them is easily repayable on the average salary (assuming that all degrees correlate easily into jobs with predictable starting salaries)? Because people can't see into the future. Obviously. And because they are subject to forces (racism, sexism, offshoring, exploitation, mental health issues) which are beyond their control and which you have left out of your equation.

[qazplm135]

29. If you are earning 180K you get zero loan relief

so your example isn't relevant at all.

[Claustrum]

32. My argument is against those with the plan of forgiving 50k for everyone, not the current Biden plan

Actually, the Biden plan is pretty much in line with what I laid out.

[qazplm135]

37. well that plan isn't on the table

so it's a non sequitur.

Even if 50K did pass, it almost assuredly would pass with income caps of some sort as well.

[Claustrum]

41. There are people who thinks Biden's plan doesn't go far enough.

They want the 50k for everyone. That's why it's still relevant to talk about it.

[qazplm135]

43. not today

when the thing on the table is what is actually well on the table. Not some possible future bill that has yet to be written.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

48. Not necessarily true

The cap is $250k for dual income or head of household.

[W_HAMILTON]

5. College today should be like high school from yesteryear.

I.e., it should be seen as a necessary investment in our people to make our country competitive on today's world stage.

Instead of looking it at from a selfish point of view, look at it as a step -- PROGRESS -- towards achieving the very worthy goal of making higher education free for all.

[MichMan]

7. I am not sure $300 billion can be added to the debt by EO.

The courts will likely rule on this

[CentralMass]

8. Your opinion is valid. So are other opinions favoring the $10k

Or full loan forgiveness.
There are a lot of people struggling to keep their heads above water and or drowning financially. Student Loan relief can help. Personally I don't think the $10k will put a dent in it but it is a nice start/gesture.

I wouldn't worry about losing votes on the issues. Student loan debt affecst people in both parties.
However the problems is what happens moving forward regarding the high cost of a college education. I lobbied my 3 to consider state schools that would have been much less expensive. I lost the argument to their teachers and other influences who told them that they were much too smart to go to those schools and to aim high.

Today I would recommend that any young person considering college should attend a community College for at least the first two years and then transfer to a more costly school only if necessary.
Or I would recommend trade school to thise interested and skip college altogether. It has become prohibitively expensive in today's economy.

[MichMan]

15. We constantly attack Big Oil and Big Pharmaceutical for gouging and greed

Yet, Big College gets a pass.

Instead we allow colleges to charge whatever they like, and allow students to borrow exorbitant amounts regardless of their ability to pay while the colleges rack up huge $$$

[inthewind21]

52. I have always wondered

If there was some kind of super secret super special version of Algebra or Trig or English being taught at the super special high dollar private colleges as well as the also out of control state colleges and that's why they were worth soooooooo much more in tuition than us lowly folks were being taught in community college.

Disclaimer, I am quite aware the answer to that question is a resounding no. I took everything I possibly could in community college and the rest was through a bridge program with a state school. College cost is out of control. But then again, so are CC and any other type of loan you can think of.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

17. Great post n/t

[eissa]

10. If we can bail out corporations

like the auto industry and Wall Street, we can bail out a generation crippled by predatory student loans they were forced to take in order to pay exorbitant tuitions that have skyrocketed. Most borrowers will never be able to pay off their debt thanks to high interest rates that ensure a lifetime of debt.

Most western democracies have long recognized the value of an educated society and have extended free education to include college. It's way past time we did the same. Until then, we'll keep pushing to cancel student loans. Let the republicans whine all they want.

[phylny]

27. Perfectly stated.

[USALiberal]

30. Give the 10,000 also to the people that paid it already!

[BSdetect]

44. Exactly, and there is no convincing argument against this. None.

[Voltaire2]

87. Nah you just get a t-shirt.

And it’s an ugly one too.

[inthewind21]

53. No one

was FORCED to do anything. Those with student loans were no more forced to take the loan anymore than homeowners were forced to take out mortgages. Do you think all mortgages should be outright cancelled as well?

[eissa]

60. An education shouldn't be a mortgage

Education used to be a path out of poverty, not a lifelong debt sentence. And yes, many are forced. It's either pay up or find a career that doesn't require a college degree, and those options are few. I'm not talking about an Ivy League education, but state universities where the cost for a 4-year degree is about $40,000.

[Fiendish Thingy]

13. It's a great idea, doesn't go far enough, and will net an increase in Dem votes.

If this is the only ammo the GOP has against the Dems, we’re in good shape.

The IRA just passed
Gas prices continue to fall
Dobbs has increased registration of women voters significantly
J6 hearings continue

[SickOfTheOnePct]

14. I agree with you 100%

Not a popular opinion here, but I’m with you.

Take the interest rate to 0%? Perfect, no issue.
Formulate workable payment plans? Again, with you 100%.

But forgive it? Nope, I’m not there.

Maybe since my ex-wife and I scrimped and saved and short-changed our retirement savings so that our two daughters could go to public universities and graduate without debt, we could ask for $10k each to be deposited into our 401(k) accounts.

[USALiberal]

31. +1000

[qazplm135]

35. how much did your daughters pay for college

versus now?

If you wanna talk about fair, make sure you include how fair the skyrocketing college prices are. How fair the explosion in sham online and other bogus universities is. How fair the increase in interest rates is.

It's almost impossible to go to even a "public university" simply through "scrimping and saving" and MOST people have nothing in retirement savings yet still have kids that need to go to college...a lot of them minority kids.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

45. They graduated

In 2016 and 2018.

They both attended out of state public universities, and between the two, full bill (room, board, books, etc.), it was ~$240k.

We started saving for college before they were even born, and when were both enlisted military members. Obviously, we saved more as we made more, and by the time they started college in 2012 and 2014, we were at the point where we could cover from current earnings what savings didn’t cover.

But had we not saved all of those years, there is no way in hell we could have paid “out of pocket” at the time they went to college.

[qazplm135]

58. which is tons more than you or I paid for college

heck, it's TWICE what I paid for law school!

And if you don't think a whole lot of people cannot afford to start saving for college before their kids are born, much less after, I don't know what to tell you.

[eissa]

65. We started college funds when our kids were conceived

We didn't earn much in those early years, but we put away every month what we could. We did the math and put in what should have been enough by the time they were 18 to cover 4-years of state tuition.

Fast-forward 18 years later and it wasn't even close. Not by a mile. Tuition had skyrocketed and our college fund wasn't enough to even make a dent. We decided we'd cover their undergrad studies while they stayed home and went to our local state university and save what we had for grad school. This worked out great for my daughter as she's attending the same school for her Master's. Not so for my son, as the field he's in required him to leave home. He wanted a state school, but they are so impacted now because that's where everyone wants to enroll due to cost. He had no choice but to attend a private school and take out a loan. Our college fund will help a little with payments, but not much. This cancellation is a big help.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

67. I don't think the president can set interest rates.

Many of the flaws in this policy are because of what the president can actually do. He can (maybe) forgive loans or parts of loans. But he can't set interest rates, cap tuition, give money to those who already paid back their loans, or do anything fundamental to rein in the cost of college. All of those would require Congress to act, and Congress clearly isn't going to.

This may or may not be the best thing Biden can do given the law. But I understand why it seems unfair to some and feels like it doesn't solve the root problem to just about everyone else.

[EYESORE 9001]

16. I'd offer my opinion as counterpoint

but it’d probably get hidden.

[Renaissance Man]

18. I'll bite.

The federal government bailed out Wall Street from a financial crisis it helped to create in 2008.

The federal government bailed out the auto industry in 2008.

The federal government infused $3 trillion into the stock market at the beginning of the pandemic after the largest one day drop in history.

The federal government also forgave most PPP loan recipients (on average $95,700 in forgiveness), even those who were multi-millionaires.

... and the federal government did all of this while companies like Amazon were paying a 0% effective tax rate on their corporate taxes.

I'm sure every student loan borrower looking at this pearl clutching by anyone (Democrat or Republican) is fresh out of fucks to give. Sorry.

[qazplm135]

36. boom

exactly.

All these prior bailouts, no one said, not fair, why do I have to pay for this...but a small bailout and folks lose their minds over it.

[eissa]

55. You win!

I'm so copying and sharing this.

For those who paid off their loans - awesome job. Instead of being bitter that others might suffer less than you did, try being happier that others will now have the opportunity to live with slightly less debt than before.

[inthewind21]

61. Well then

I also want all mortgage loans cancelled, all cc debts cancelled and oh, what the hell, just cancel every single debt of the American public. You'd agree with that yes? And since the 2008 crisis caused a bunch of financial issues for folks before a lot of you howling about student loans were even in college, well, they get to move to the front of the line. Sound fair to you?

[Renaissance Man]

66. Whose side are you on?

You do get the difference between providing $10,000 in student loan debt RELIEF (with an American public that has student loan debt that averages between $20,000 to $25,00) and providing trillions of dollars in bailouts (and tax free existence) to investment houses and corporations, right?

You do get the difference between a $2 trillion tax cut package passed by the federal government that benefited very wealthy individuals, while providing little to no tax relief for middle and working class people?

... and the people who benefit from a class of educated Americans who are consistently in wage slavery due to student loan debt are not the same people with whom you rub elbows.

[mike_c]

90. people need to get off their high horse about mortgages

Home ownership is the main builder of middle class wealth in this country. Every time we make a mortgage payment we gain wealth as the owned value of that asset increases. At the end, our wealth has increased to the full value of the real property. Mortgage payments make us richer, not poorer. I can sell you my house, but I cannot sell you my education.

[BlueCheeseAgain]

69. I agree with most of your points.

I suppose the counterarguments, not all of which I agree with, would be the following:

1. All of those bailouts were not mainly to save those industries, but to help the economy as a whole. The Wall Street bailout was to prevent a deeper recession. The auto industry employs a gazillion people. The PPP loans were to keep small businesses and their employees afloat.

2. All of those were also authorized by Congress. Congress, theoretically acting as our representatives, passed most of those by large margins. The forgiveness of PPP loans was baked into the law itself. This is an order by the president. Who is also our representative, of course, but it feels a little weird that he can make a $300 billion decision by himself.

I'm not saying I agree with those two points. But I think that's what some others might say.

[leftstreet]

71. +1

nicely stated

[Voltaire2]

88. This.

[mike_c]

89. this

[obnoxiousdrunk]

99. +1.n/t

[kcr]

111. No response from

[womanofthehills]

22. I think Biden needs to do it - he needs to keep his promise

One of the schools I went to when I was a student was $1000. a yr - now it’s over $50,000 a yr.

A good friend, got a divorce, moved into a trailer park, went back to finish college. Now she has $40,000 in student loans - got Covid - was too sick to finish last semester - too late to get $900 back that the class cost, etc. People’s lives are hard and $10,000 is a big deal for some. The Republicans will never drop “socialist” - it’s their term.

A Republican friend who goes on about food stamps and socialism - just had his daughter, boyfriend and baby move into his house because they lost their place and now he seems to have no problem with them getting food stamps.

[Zeitghost]

23. Nothing but a $300 Billion giveaway

to largely middle class and upper middle class people who are already living a comfortable lifestyle.

Why not spend those funds on those who truly need help?

[live love laugh]

75. Sure. Maybe also give it to the poor banks and corporations again that nobody complained about.

[KPN]

26. The whole federally backed student loan program has devolved in

the past 50 years into a radically profiteering industry not unlike health care in which all the financial benefit goes to those who don’t even need to borrow money for basics like higher education, health care, housing. This action is a minuscule step toward returning some of the wealth that has consistently been raked upward via lobby infested law and policy-making into fewer and fewer hands back to the clads of people from which it was basically and immorally stolen.

Yeah, a lot of us won’t directly benefit. But I frankly don’t give a fuck. It’s about time the 50+ year trend reverses. I’m happy for those who will benefit.

As for labeling it socialism, big fucking deal. We are already labeled socialists and communists and have been for decades. It’s about time the public sees the fictional horrors that don’t and won’t exist with socially oriented economic policies and programs. Maybe that experience will cause some of the fear to evaporate.

Re: impact on votes, 43 million young people (ages 25-50) will benefit. You don’t think they vote? This will encourage and win far more votes for a Democratic agenda than it loses. The fear of losing votes is what has always set our party back. I say, grow some gumption and get over it.

[Septua]

101. Potential 43 million voters for the Democratic Party

I just hope you are right and they outnumber the Republican and Independent votes we need and might not get.

[RANDYWILDMAN]

38. Disagree

repubs complain about everything.

college $$$ is now put more costs on students then ever, we need to help...this is a win for the democratic party no matter how a corporate media spins it !!!!

[aocommunalpunch]

40. Googled, "how do I know if I qualify for student loan forgiveness"

Went to https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation| and the page has a spinning circle. Sez, "Please wait. StudentAid.gov is experiencing high volumes of visitors. You will be able to proceed to the site momentarily. Thanks for your patience!"

I'm guessing a number of folks in November will be happier to support folks (Dems!) that make their lives better. I appreciate Biden doing this. Good work.

[Shrek]

46. The way it's being done doesn't make much sense

It's like a lightning strike. If you paid off your loan last month, or sign up for one next semester, you're out of luck. But if you happen to have some pre-existing debt as of today, you win.

Nothing about this action does anything to provide a long-term solution to the problem of paying for higher education.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

49. Exactly n/t

[Johnny2X2X]

51. Not true at all

The action includes changes to repayment options that effectively solve this crisis permanently.

They're more than halving the payments of those who owe the most, but don't make enough to afford their payments.

[Raine]

92. Exactly nt

[Fiendish Thingy]

54. The more I read about it, the more I like it.

Great summary here:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/8/24/2118485/-Biden-announces-student-debt-relief-package-that-will-change-millions-of-lives#comment_84354491

This is going to benefit something like 43 million people, a significant number of whom are BIPOC.

Other than wishing the amount forgiven was higher, I can’t find much to complain about.

Note:
I paid my grad school loans years ago, put my daughter through her undergraduate studies (including dorm living), and now a portion of her post graduate (teacher credentialing) loans will be forgiven.

I’m cool with that.

[roamer65]

62. Forgiven debt is taxable income.

Unless this forgiveness is under a special exemption it will be taxable income, due April 2023.

Keep that in mind and budget appropriately.

[MissB]

70. apparently not true in this case if on income based plan

[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217078685|

[roamer65]

72. I would make sure on it.

The IRS is the last agency anyone wants delving into their finances.

Hopefully the IRS issues guidance on it.

[MissB]

76. of course!

(no dog in this fight. Mine are long since paid off and my kids got academic full rides)

[SickOfTheOnePct]

84. Should be

But probably won’t be

[dsc]

108. Congress changed the rules for any debt relief between 2021 and 2025

[roamer65]

109. +1000

[bif]

68. They're whining like crazy on IG about it.

Typical "Why should I have to pay for your college" bullshit.

[Brainfodder]

73. But can't get fair healthcare for all huh?

[Alhena]

74. I agree, choosing a comparatively fortunate part of society for a benefit to be paid by less

fortunate parts of the population doesn't seem like great policy for me.

This isn't a gift being conjured up out of thin air- taxpayers will pay for it. Many of them blue collar workers who never dreamed of being able to go to college.

[Renaissance Man]

77. Sounds Like Trickle Down Economics

This sounds like supply side economics and consistently providing tax advantages to insanely wealthy people and corporations at the expense of people who are barely making ends meet.

[GumboYaYa]

78. My daughter had given up on going to grad school because she did not want more debt.

She started looking at grad school applications today. I am sure lots of other young adults did the same. I am happy for her and everyone else who benefits from the decision today.

[librechik]

81. Monthly $400? Hah, my loan started at 2300

And my fancy new college job got me 2300 at the time. Total.
Being a girl and so forth. Working at non profits etc. Never made much more than that.

It was not what I was expecting. They told me my degree would earn me six figures. I WISH!!

[roamer65]

82. I'm neutral on it.

We have bigger fish to fry in November.

I am also a strong believer of Voltaire’s statement of fact, especially with WW3 staring us in the face.

“All paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value…zero.”

In a few years, 10k USD will hardly fill your average shopping cart with climate change getting far worse day by day.

[PBC_Democrat]

83. I've Been Saying This the Idea Was First Floated.

Imagine college kids partying in Mexico saying Uncle Joe paid off my loan.
or
A medical or law student saying that next year I'll be making big money.
or
A farm boy saying that if I'd known I wouldn't have to pay it back ...
or
A college kid saying they'll probably do this next year.

It doesn't have to be true ... just interesting and damaging.

I dream of the day the President forgives my mortgage debt and transfers it to the national debt. Who cares if everyone else's taxes go up.

[meadowlander]

85. It's not a level playing field.

People take out student debt because they don't have parents who can just pay the cost of university for them.

So yes "people need to take responsibility for their debts" but society needs to take responsibility for why some people need to start their working lives $80K in debt, deferring being able to start a family or buy a house to pay off that debt, when other people start out debt free, can get free money from their parents to start a business venture or buy a car or get a house straight away so they don't lose money on rent.

Also 50 years ago you could get a college degree based on how much you could earn with a summer job without having to go into debt. You could raise a family on one person's salary.

Why should young people face massive college debt and higher housing costs and lower salaries and higher health care and insurance costs and later retirement and higher gas prices and higher everything prices due to the end of cheap fossil fuels and no ability to earn interest on savings just because the generations before them sucked up all the cheap land and gave themselves subsidies on health care and got rid of pensions, busted unions, and relentlessly drove down labor costs and benefits and used up all the non-renewable resources?

And then have to listen to self-righteous bullshit about how "people need to take responsibility for their debts" from exactly the same people who have been benefiting from a tilted playing field their whole lives.

[radicalleft]

107. Righteous rant!

Well stated!

[Voltaire2]

86. All education ought to be free for everyone.

It’s a public good. The more educated we are as a population the better off we are. We can afford free public education just like we can afford free public healthcare. We just have to decide to do it.

[Raine]

91. I agree nt

[Celerity]

93. de rec

[KPN]

102. Says it all in a nutshell. Well done. And btw,

I’m with you.

[Autumn]

97. Fuck the republicans and what they decide to call it. Did they call the PPP loans

that came to over 800 billion dollars and were given to people like the Kardashians and the fucking Trumps and then FORGIVEN socialism? Nah, they didn't so fuck them and what they are going to call it and anybody else who wants to complain about it.

[BannonsLiver]

98. At least two of those points are probably being made on Truth Social right now

So you've got that going for you.

[AntivaxHunters]

104. Those who whine the most about student loans

likely never had massive student loan debt to begin with.

And some of the loudest voices are coming from incredibly wealthy people who attended private college.

In the year 2022, it's very easy to be a selfish asshole.

[Demsrule86]

105. You got it wrong...you deserve the criticism. Seriously petty.

[GuppyGal]

106. This does absolutely nothing to solve the real problem here.

[kcr]

110. Wish I could downvote

your clickbait

[Septua]

113. For the record...

..I don't mind my taxes helping pay for some student's loan forgiveness. Much rather it go towards that than Kevin McCarthy's salary.