The White House has approved nearly $144 billion in federal loan forgiveness for about 4 million borrowers in total, according to the administration.
President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the White Househas approved the cancellation of nearly $6 billion in federal student debt for thousands of public service workers.
The 78,000 eligible public service workers include teachers, nurses and firefighters, according to the White House.
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It’s the latest student debt cancellation move through Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs, which allow eligible borrowers to have their remaining debt forgiven if they have made a certain number of payments and are working for approved employers.
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Last year, the Supreme Court invalidated Biden’s more far-reaching student loan debt relief plan, arguing that it was unlawful because Congress did not explicitly approve the move.
Imagine trying to do practically anything but you have some guy in football gear that’s trying to block you from going anywhere or doing anything, even something as simple as replacing a lightbulb becomes difficult.
With the level of obstruction Biden’s administration has faced from Republicans over his term, in the courts and especially their non-functional House of Representatives, I’d say he’s managed to accomplish a hell of a lot when you put that into consideration.
I know you were being metaphorical, but Tommy Tuberville nearly brings your scenario to life. It’d be hilarious if it wasn’t real life.
From Republicans and Democrats alike. Let’s not pretend we didn’t all see what happened with BBB.
I agree that Democrats are part and parcel with the languid bureaucracy, and are no less bought out by business interests. However, only one side is concerned with functioning as a government, compromise, and being accountable to their constituents and it’s not the Republicans.
Compromise with who? This is dem code for giving republicans everything and more. And in some cases (like the recent border security bill), it’s still not enough.
I’d much prefer to see some democrats with a spine, instead of pandering to right wing lunatics, how about they propose and lead with their own policies instead? Dems are still hanging their hats on the Republican healthcare bill that shoveled 25mil Americans right into the pockets of insurance companies, ffs. Is that what accountability to constituents looks like? Because it seems much more like accountability to their donors.
See my other response:
portion of other response
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Don’t get me wrong, Democrats have been sitting on their hands, taking the high road and killing progressive reforms in the name of “compromise” for many years now, and are also funded by rich oligarchs. Biden as a senator voted for the bill preventing student loans being discharged during the same term under W. But the President isn’t King (I will say at least not until November this year), and can’t unilaterally write legislation.
Democratic senators are introducing legilslation, some of them progressive like Sanders’ 32 h work week law. In the house they propose bills but none will get to the floor without Johnson’s approval.
Right, this is kind of my point. Dems are far too acquiescent to Republican framing. The news-media is wholly complicit in this as well, but that’s another matter.
Instead of fear mongering about orange man bad, why not galvanize support behind actual progressive policies (which are extremely popular btw)? Where are the Dems repeatedly and loudly asking republicans about the last time they proposed any legislation at all that would meaningfully improve the lives of their constituents, ideally in those Repugs’ own districts where it would get free local news coverage and be seen by voters? Instead they’re content to play the republican games, and “slam” them on msnbc for repeatedly failing to impeach Biden or some such nonsense. This isn’t reaching voters and won’t do anything to garner independent votes in November. The Dems maintaining the status quo is enough to convince many of us that their true goal is for “nothing to fundamentally change.”
The president isn’t king, thankfully you’re right about that. Monarchists can fuck off. But the president can wield a tremendous amount of power and influence via the bully pulpit. We don’t see that from Biden, and it’s a shame, because we could really benefit from an energetic and engaged leader at this time. Instead it looks like more of a competition to see who can lose the least amount of supporters before November…very disheartening. When can we have leaders who will actually fight for us?
You raise very good questions that I do not have the answers to. As a generation the best I can think of is to fight back both at the ballot box and organize in the streets.
I’ll see you there =]
This isn’t a new program, it’s an extension of a program signed into law by GWB. Go ahead and tell me all about how the republicans are obstructing it though. While you’re at it, go look up who’s responsible for making it impossible to discharge student loan debt through bankruptcy.
It’s pretty obvious to me that no progress has happened with Republicans in Congress hell-bent on not passing helpful legislation as that would upset their dear leader. The only way a President can make good on their promises without them is by executive order, which is expanding, enforcing or interpreting existing signed legislation by Congress from present and previous administrations. That’s how it works. His big bid to give everyone 10 to 20k in forgiveness, using the 2002 HEROES act was overruled by conservative’s favourite Supreme Court, so he is trying any other avenue he can find without predatory loan businesses suing it away again.
Don’t get me wrong, Democrats have been sitting on their hands, taking the high road and killing progressive reforms in the name of “compromise” for many years now, and are also funded by rich oligarchs. Biden as a senator voted for the bill preventing student loans being discharged during the same term under W. But the President isn’t King (I will say at least not until November this year), and can’t unilaterally write legislation.