Student loan cancellation
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From Mike Rowe on FB.
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I work hard on this page, (not as hard as I could, perhaps, but pretty hard), to avoid the politics of the moment, and comment only on topics that impact the foundation I’m proud to run – a foundation that awards work-ethic scholarships to individuals who choose to forego an expensive, four-year education in favor of a skilled trade. When I do weigh in, I try to acknowledge both sides of the argument, and make my points with as much respect as I can muster. Today, however, I can see only one side. Today, I can find nothing to respect in the President’s decision to transfer billions of dollars in outstanding student loans onto the backs of those people my foundation tries to assist - the same people I’ve spent the last twenty years profiling on Dirty Jobs.
With that in mind, I’m not going to write the piece I just sat down to write. Instead, I’m going to share the attached article from Charlie Cooke, who writes better than I do, and shares my disdain for what just happened. If you share our disdain, then please, share this post as well. It is without question, the biggest pre-Labor Day slap in the face I've ever seen.
BIDEN'S STUDENT-DEBT BONFIRE IS A CLASSIST MESSAGE TO THE UNCREDENTIALED: SCREW 'EM
By Charlie CookeA few moments before I sat down to write this piece, I opened the door to six guys in blue shirts who had come to my house to replace our air-conditioning units. The Florida weather being what it is, I’ve seen some of these guys work on our air conditioners before, and they’re as skilled and knowledgeable and conscientious and hard-working as you might expect. The company they work for, which is local to North Florida, was started by a guy who chose to forgo college in favor of taking out a small-business loan to strike out on his own. Most of the technicians who work for him didn’t go to college, either. They took a different path. And, well . . . what absolute chumps the president has just made of them for that!
Squirm if you like, but that’s the truth of the matter: As of today, the six air-conditioning technicians in my house are on the hook for college loans that were signed for, spent, and enjoyed by other people. Confirming the measure today, President Biden announced that any American who has both college debt they vowed to repay and an individual yearly income under $125,000 (or a family yearly income under $250,000) will be given up to $20,000 by the Treasury — which means by you, and by me, and by everyone else who pays taxes in America.
Why? Well, that’s the question.
The answer can’t be, “because that’s what the relevant law anticipates or requires.” As of yet, Congress has provided no authorization for the executive branch to arbitrarily write off some of the money that borrowers owe to taxpayers. As of yet, Congress has passed no rules that allow down-on-their-luck presidents to throw money at people for political gain. As of yet, Congress has given no instruction that if the president’s friends might like a little more cash, he can raid the Treasury to give it to them. Certainly, Congress has set up a loan program. But the deal there is rather simple, all told: First you borrow, and then you pay back what you borrowed. There is no mention of “forgiveness” days or of “help” or of rolling Chekhovian jubilees, and by pretending otherwise, President Biden is making a mockery of his oath to uphold the Constitution.
Another answer that won’t fly is, “To lower the cost of education.” As President Biden made clear today, this is a one-time deal, a lottery, a lightning strike. People who paid off their loans last week aren’t covered. People who will take out new loans after the policy has run its course aren’t covered. The problems in the system aren’t addressed. The colleges, and their endowments, are left unmolested. American culture’s increasingly credentialist presumptions aren’t altered. Within four years, overall debt will return to its present level. With the stroke of a pen, the already-fake deficit savings within the Inflation Reduction Act will be wiped out. This isn’t a reform. It’s not even pretending to be reform. It’s a contemptuous, abusive, unbelievably expensive shot in the dark — the net effect of which will be that fewer people correctly calibrate whether college is worth it, fewer colleges change their offerings to meet market demand, and, because this sort of executive giveaway will now loom large as a possibility, fewer people feel the need to save for college.
It seems so arbitrary. Why does Biden not want to do the same thing for loans on trucks owned by plumbers? Why not for mortgages — which, given how heavily it subsidizes them, the federal government clearly thinks are worthwhile? Why not for credit cards or auto payments or mom-and-pop credit lines? The answer, I’m afraid to say, is disgustingly classist: Because Joe Biden and his party believe that college students are better than everyone else. Because Joe Biden and his party believe that college students are of a finer cut. Because Joe Biden and his party prefer college students to you, and they think that those students ought to be rewarded for that by being handed enormous gobs of your money.
Electricians, store managers, deli workers, landscapers, waitresses, mechanics, entrepreneurs? Screw ’em. Sure, college graduates make more money than non-graduates, and their unemployment rate is lower, too. But non-graduates don’t have access to the president, so they don’t matter. They’re tradesmen, the riff-raff, the great unwashed. They’re background noise, dirty-handed types, second-classers. They don’t deserve $10,000 in debt reduction. What would they even do with it? Go hunting? Give it to their church? Their role is to subsidize the superior people, and the superior people go to college.
Why did Joe Biden do all this? That’s why. Why was this what Joe Biden chose to break his oath to achieve? That’s why. When it came down to it, good ol’ Scranton Joe sent cash from the sort of people he cynically pretends to care about to the sort of people he actually cares about: the privileged, accredited, self-dealing clerisy that his ever-dwindling political party now calls its base.
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From Mike Rowe on FB.
…..
I work hard on this page, (not as hard as I could, perhaps, but pretty hard), to avoid the politics of the moment, and comment only on topics that impact the foundation I’m proud to run – a foundation that awards work-ethic scholarships to individuals who choose to forego an expensive, four-year education in favor of a skilled trade. When I do weigh in, I try to acknowledge both sides of the argument, and make my points with as much respect as I can muster. Today, however, I can see only one side. Today, I can find nothing to respect in the President’s decision to transfer billions of dollars in outstanding student loans onto the backs of those people my foundation tries to assist - the same people I’ve spent the last twenty years profiling on Dirty Jobs.
With that in mind, I’m not going to write the piece I just sat down to write. Instead, I’m going to share the attached article from Charlie Cooke, who writes better than I do, and shares my disdain for what just happened. If you share our disdain, then please, share this post as well. It is without question, the biggest pre-Labor Day slap in the face I've ever seen.
BIDEN'S STUDENT-DEBT BONFIRE IS A CLASSIST MESSAGE TO THE UNCREDENTIALED: SCREW 'EM
By Charlie CookeA few moments before I sat down to write this piece, I opened the door to six guys in blue shirts who had come to my house to replace our air-conditioning units. The Florida weather being what it is, I’ve seen some of these guys work on our air conditioners before, and they’re as skilled and knowledgeable and conscientious and hard-working as you might expect. The company they work for, which is local to North Florida, was started by a guy who chose to forgo college in favor of taking out a small-business loan to strike out on his own. Most of the technicians who work for him didn’t go to college, either. They took a different path. And, well . . . what absolute chumps the president has just made of them for that!
Squirm if you like, but that’s the truth of the matter: As of today, the six air-conditioning technicians in my house are on the hook for college loans that were signed for, spent, and enjoyed by other people. Confirming the measure today, President Biden announced that any American who has both college debt they vowed to repay and an individual yearly income under $125,000 (or a family yearly income under $250,000) will be given up to $20,000 by the Treasury — which means by you, and by me, and by everyone else who pays taxes in America.
Why? Well, that’s the question.
The answer can’t be, “because that’s what the relevant law anticipates or requires.” As of yet, Congress has provided no authorization for the executive branch to arbitrarily write off some of the money that borrowers owe to taxpayers. As of yet, Congress has passed no rules that allow down-on-their-luck presidents to throw money at people for political gain. As of yet, Congress has given no instruction that if the president’s friends might like a little more cash, he can raid the Treasury to give it to them. Certainly, Congress has set up a loan program. But the deal there is rather simple, all told: First you borrow, and then you pay back what you borrowed. There is no mention of “forgiveness” days or of “help” or of rolling Chekhovian jubilees, and by pretending otherwise, President Biden is making a mockery of his oath to uphold the Constitution.
Another answer that won’t fly is, “To lower the cost of education.” As President Biden made clear today, this is a one-time deal, a lottery, a lightning strike. People who paid off their loans last week aren’t covered. People who will take out new loans after the policy has run its course aren’t covered. The problems in the system aren’t addressed. The colleges, and their endowments, are left unmolested. American culture’s increasingly credentialist presumptions aren’t altered. Within four years, overall debt will return to its present level. With the stroke of a pen, the already-fake deficit savings within the Inflation Reduction Act will be wiped out. This isn’t a reform. It’s not even pretending to be reform. It’s a contemptuous, abusive, unbelievably expensive shot in the dark — the net effect of which will be that fewer people correctly calibrate whether college is worth it, fewer colleges change their offerings to meet market demand, and, because this sort of executive giveaway will now loom large as a possibility, fewer people feel the need to save for college.
It seems so arbitrary. Why does Biden not want to do the same thing for loans on trucks owned by plumbers? Why not for mortgages — which, given how heavily it subsidizes them, the federal government clearly thinks are worthwhile? Why not for credit cards or auto payments or mom-and-pop credit lines? The answer, I’m afraid to say, is disgustingly classist: Because Joe Biden and his party believe that college students are better than everyone else. Because Joe Biden and his party believe that college students are of a finer cut. Because Joe Biden and his party prefer college students to you, and they think that those students ought to be rewarded for that by being handed enormous gobs of your money.
Electricians, store managers, deli workers, landscapers, waitresses, mechanics, entrepreneurs? Screw ’em. Sure, college graduates make more money than non-graduates, and their unemployment rate is lower, too. But non-graduates don’t have access to the president, so they don’t matter. They’re tradesmen, the riff-raff, the great unwashed. They’re background noise, dirty-handed types, second-classers. They don’t deserve $10,000 in debt reduction. What would they even do with it? Go hunting? Give it to their church? Their role is to subsidize the superior people, and the superior people go to college.
Why did Joe Biden do all this? That’s why. Why was this what Joe Biden chose to break his oath to achieve? That’s why. When it came down to it, good ol’ Scranton Joe sent cash from the sort of people he cynically pretends to care about to the sort of people he actually cares about: the privileged, accredited, self-dealing clerisy that his ever-dwindling political party now calls its base.
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@Mik said in Student loan cancellation:
Buying votes don't come cheap. Well, cheap to him, I suppose.
He bought no votes. He lost votes. And at a point that he was starting to get some upward momentum. This is staggeringly idiotic. Georgia and PA senate seats were strongly leaning D, I’ll bet you that turns quickly.
“Never underestimate Joe’s ability to ———— things up!”
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@Mik said in Student loan cancellation:
Buying votes don't come cheap. Well, cheap to him, I suppose.
He bought no votes. He lost votes. And at a point that he was starting to get some upward momentum. This is staggeringly idiotic. Georgia and PA senate seats were strongly leaning D, I’ll bet you that turns quickly.
“Never underestimate Joe’s ability to ———— things up!”
@LuFins-Dad said in Student loan cancellation:
@Mik said in Student loan cancellation:
Buying votes don't come cheap. Well, cheap to him, I suppose.
He bought no votes. He lost votes. And at a point that he was starting to get some upward momentum. This is staggeringly idiotic. Georgia and PA senate seats were strongly leaning D, I’ll bet you that turns quickly.
“Never underestimate Joe’s ability to ———— things up!”
Agreed, and this is a relatively easy topic to understand, as well as to digest who/how pays the student's bill. Good point... will not get any new votes, will only lose votes.
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@LuFins-Dad said in Student loan cancellation:
@Mik said in Student loan cancellation:
Buying votes don't come cheap. Well, cheap to him, I suppose.
He bought no votes. He lost votes. And at a point that he was starting to get some upward momentum. This is staggeringly idiotic. Georgia and PA senate seats were strongly leaning D, I’ll bet you that turns quickly.
“Never underestimate Joe’s ability to ———— things up!”
Agreed, and this is a relatively easy topic to understand, as well as to digest who/how pays the student's bill. Good point... will not get any new votes, will only lose votes.
@89th said in Student loan cancellation:
@LuFins-Dad said in Student loan cancellation:
@Mik said in Student loan cancellation:
Buying votes don't come cheap. Well, cheap to him, I suppose.
He bought no votes. He lost votes. And at a point that he was starting to get some upward momentum. This is staggeringly idiotic. Georgia and PA senate seats were strongly leaning D, I’ll bet you that turns quickly.
“Never underestimate Joe’s ability to ———— things up!”
Agreed, and this is a relatively easy topic to understand, as well as to digest who/how pays the student's bill. Good point... will not get any new votes, will only lose votes.
I hope you and LD are right.
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Here’s the thing, it’s not going to happen. As soon as he actually signs the Executive Order, Republican Congress Critters are going to file suit, and it will go to the courts where it will inevitably get smacked down.
The questions are:
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How soon? If it’s smacked down too soon, then the anger will subside before the midterms.
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Will any D’s in Congress join the Republican suit? This is usurping Congressional powers and responsibilities. And while that happens on a minor scale all of the time, this is a major boundary he is crossing. Even Pelosi is on record as saying he does not have the authority to do this.
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@Horace said in Student loan cancellation:
Imagine if Trump subverted Congress for some dictatorial conservative policy.
We don’t need to imagine, remembering is sufficient. He got stopped by the courts when he tried to divert defense budget to building his wall.
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Yep.
Wish we had that wall right now...
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@Jolly said in Student loan cancellation:
Yep.
Wish we had that wall right now...
Had Trump convinced Mexico to pay for it like he promised, he wouldn’t have needed to attempt to divert funds from the defense budget, and the court would not have needed to block him on that ground.
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@Jolly said in Student loan cancellation:
Yep.
Wish we had that wall right now...
Had Trump convinced Mexico to pay for it like he promised, he wouldn’t have needed to attempt to divert funds from the defense budget, and the court would not have needed to block him on that ground.
@Axtremus said in Student loan cancellation:
@Jolly said in Student loan cancellation:
Yep.
Wish we had that wall right now...
Had Trump convinced Mexico to pay for it like he promised, he wouldn’t have needed to attempt to divert funds from the defense budget, and the court would not have needed to block him on that ground.
With Mexico suffering under the onslaught of Californians moving there to escape high prices, along with a huge migration of Central Americans through their country - something they aren't entirely happy with - they might be willing to chip in a few pesos.
Like many things Trump, the major opposition to his policies was because Trump. Now, we currently have over two million illegals in this country, thanks to your hero, The Resident. And more coming every day.
Let's kick the less fortunate among us in the economic teeth, in order to achieve political power.We can have unfettered illegal immigration, creating a surplus of unskilled workers willing to work for peanuts. And in the process, taking jobs away from citizens. Creating a lack of opportunity and assuring a continuity of dependence on the government dole.
Which, regardless of The Resident's blather, is part of what is needed to keep his party in power. And a knowledge that they'll have those anchor baby votes eventually.
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Would it be too inconceivable to think that perhaps Prof. Tribe may have many former students outside of Harvard Law School, or that some of his Harvard Law School students may have chosen to go into public service (e.g., public defenders) or non-profit pursuits (e.g., charitable organizations, community organizing) and do not make much money?
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Even Biden knows he can’t do this…
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Would it be too inconceivable to think that perhaps Prof. Tribe may have many former students outside of Harvard Law School, or that some of his Harvard Law School students may have chosen to go into public service (e.g., public defenders) or non-profit pursuits (e.g., charitable organizations, community organizing) and do not make much money?
@Axtremus said in Student loan cancellation:
or that some of his Harvard Law School students may have chosen to go into public service (e.g., public defenders) or non-profit pursuits (e.g., charitable organizations, community organizing) and do not make much money?
You mean they made a strategic choice in life regarding how much money they are fine with making while having debt to pay off?
This move does nothing to address the cost of college, is unfair to many, many students, and gave the GOP a very easy layup during debates in 2022 and 2024.
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@Axtremus said in Student loan cancellation:
or that some of his Harvard Law School students may have chosen to go into public service (e.g., public defenders) or non-profit pursuits (e.g., charitable organizations, community organizing) and do not make much money?
You mean they made a strategic choice in life regarding how much money they are fine with making while having debt to pay off?
This move does nothing to address the cost of college, is unfair to many, many students, and gave the GOP a very easy layup during debates in 2022 and 2024.
