President Joe Biden apparently did not get the memo from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., that the radical left “cannot take no for an answer” when it comes to forgiving $50,000 in student loans.
One thing seems fairly certain, given the ferocity in which they pursue the issue, and that is progressives must hold an awful lot of student debt.
Participating in a townhall on CNN, the network that helped him get elected to office, Biden was asked by an attendee about student loans, being told “at least” $50,000 in debt forgiveness is needed.
“I will not make that happen,” he replied, suggesting the money forgiven would take away from early education for young children from disadvantaged circumstances.
“But here’s what I think, I think everyone — and I have been proposing this for four years — everyone should be able to go to community college for free,” Biden added, to soften the blow.
He also said children from families making under $125,000 should be allowed to go to a state university for free, and suggested $50,000 student debt forgiveness should be available in exchange for volunteer activity, or teaching.
The 78-year-old president rambled on about understanding the impact of the debt, stating it can be “debilitating” and questioning what universities do with the money while talking about giving billions of dollars to HBCUs and other minority-serving universities “because they don’t have the laboratories to be able to bring in those government contracts that can train people in cybersecurity or other future endeavors that pay well.”
“But I do think that, in this moment of economic pain and strain, that we should be eliminating interest on the debts that are accumulated, number one,” he continued. “And, number two, I’m prepared to write off the $10,000 debt, but not $50,000.”
Looking to shift responsibility, the president slipped in that he doesn’t “think I have the authority to do it by signing with a pen.”
Biden told the Washington Post in December it’s “arguable” whether he would have the power as president to do that without the approval of Congress.
“I’m going to get in trouble for saying this, [but] it’s arguable that the president may have the executive power to forgive up to $50,000 in student debt,” Biden said at the time. “Well, I think that’s pretty questionable. I’m unsure of that. I’d be unlikely to do that.”
AOC led the charge in pushing back, disputing the argument about early education.
“We can have both,” the self-described socialist tweeted, adding, “The case against student loan forgiveness is looking shakier by the day.”
She also pointed out that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer supports $50,000 debt forgiveness — this being a ploy to guard against a primary challenge from his left flank.
“We can and should do it. Keep pushing!” AOC urged followers.
The case against student loan forgiveness is looking shakier by the day.
We’ve got the *Senate Majority Leader* on board to forgive $50k. Biden’s holding back, but many of the arguments against it just don’t hold water on close inspection.
We can and should do it. Keep pushing!
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 17, 2021
Here’s a sampling of other responses from the left, to include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who suggested that it’s a racial issue.
We told Black students that college was the surest path to build a future – but for a lot of systemic reasons, they’re getting crushed the worst by student loan debt. Black Americans know: we need President Biden to use his authority to #CancelStudentDebt. https://t.co/lWa8ui3JTq
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 17, 2021
Presidents Obama & Trump used exec. authority to #CancelStudentDebt
The Biden admin has said they’re reviewing options for cancelling up to $50K@SenWarren & I are confident they’ll agree with Obama & Trump standards and experts who say the admin has authority to deliver relief
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 17, 2021
Yes, @POTUS does have the authority to #CancelStudentDebt with the stroke of a pen.
He can and must use it. The people deserve nothing less.
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) February 17, 2021
We need to end student debt if we want the next generation to succeed. #CancelStudentDebt
— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) February 13, 2021
We need to cancel student loan debt.
All. Of. It.
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) February 17, 2021
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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