“Sure,” I said. “And not just me! I mean, Representative Bobby Scott says it’ll ‘be lifechanging for millions of student loan borrowers.’ AFT president Randi Weingarten says the president is determined ‘to remove the shackles of student debt’ in order ‘to improve people’s lives.’”
My driver didn’t seem to share my bliss. “They chose to take these loans, didn’t they?” she asked.
“Well, yes, but—”
“So they could go to college or get those fancy graduate degrees to make more money than us working types, right? Meanwhile, my friends who go to college are using their loans to help pay for rent, internet, smartphones, meals . . . the stuff the rest of us pay for on our own.”
“Yes, but I don’t think you quite understand—”
“Have you ever bought a car or a house?”
“Uh, yeah,” I said. “Why?”
“I pay for this car,” she said. “I paid for community college. These people borrowed money to go to college. They promised to pay it back. Why am I supposed to pay their bills, too?”
“Look, I don’t think you quite get it,” I said. “I mean, ParentsTogether has written about Crystal Payne, who has $80,000 in student loans. Her payments take up ‘a big chunk of her paycheck.’ She says that it’s ‘disheartening’ to have to pay the bill rather than ‘things like play therapy or other enriching activities for her son.’ You see?”
“She borrowed a lot of money for college and doesn’t want to pay it back. So? Trust me, I don’t want to pay my car payment.”
“Don’t you think she deserves a break?” I asked. “She didn’t get what she wanted out of college.”
“Well, then her college can repay the loans,” she said. “They’re the ones who got the $80,000.”
“That’s not how it works,” I said. “MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has pointed out that this is really about Republicans wanting ‘banks to make more money off people who took out loans to go to college.’”
“That’s not true,” she said. “The talk radio people were just saying that the Democrats got the banks out of student lending back when Obama was president. This isn’t about banks; it’s about whether taxpayers have to pay someone else’s loans.”
“That’s not a very sophisticated take,” I said. “After all, the New York Times explains that the president’s plan ‘could help rally support among young voters.’ The people who owe this money really don’t want to pay it back. And this could help Biden beat Trump, a dangerous authoritarian who doesn’t respect the law and wants to use government to reward his friends.”
“But Biden’s ignoring the law and giving away half a trillion dollars to buy votes. Isn’t that just the sort of thing they’re warning that Trump would do? Why is it okay when Biden does it? After all, I remember hearing both Biden and Nancy Pelosi admitting the president didn’t have the power to do this—right up until Biden did it.”
“You’re missing the point,” I said. “A lot of people drop out or pay too much for a graduate degree. They feel like they got ripped off. And, heck, fewer people might go to college if they have to pay for it.”
“So?”
“Well, we want people to go to college,” I said.
“Who does?”
“We do,” I said. “College makes us better citizens and better people.”
“Really? I drive a lot of different people, and I’ve never thought those who went to college are better. They’re just more impressed with themselves. From what my friends tell me, college sounds like it’s mostly about sleeping late, taking easy classes, and scrolling on phones. How is that supposed to make you a better person, anyway?”
“I just don’t think you appreciate the stress these borrowers are under,” I said.
