There are some serious signs that a Trump presidency will mean that higher education reform could take a big step back. As disappointing as no progress being made might be, losing what little we have made under the Obama Administration is simply disastrous. But that is just what the Washington Post has reported may happen.
In a recent article, The Post has questioned whether some key Obama regulations, like those that have offered students income-based repayment plans, could go out the window after Trump is inaugurated on January 20th.
Only time will tell what Trump's occupancy of the White House will hold for us, but it is never too early to contact your local Representative of Senator to voice your concerns about this and many other issues. It is time for us to stop taking a back seat in our democracy and assert ourselves as the decision-makers and not the governed!
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Bernie Sanders isn't Giving up and Neither Should You
Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) was recently interviewed by on "All Thing Considered" on National Public Radio (NPR). Sanders spoke about a number of topics, including the need to continue to fight for a reform of our nation's higher education system:
"Well, what we do now is rally millions of young Americans who are sick and tired of leaving school $30-, $50-, $100,000 in debt, and those who simply cannot afford to go to college, and say that in a competitive global economy, it is absolutely imperative that we make public colleges and universities' tuition free.
"And no matter how you fund it, it should be funded by progressive taxation, making clear that billionaires like Mr. Trump and his friends start paying their fair share of taxes, that large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes. ...
"How you deal with that issue is how you deal with all issues. We are gonna have to raise public consciousness, we're gonna have to, and what the political revolution is about — we've had some really good successes. Yeah, maybe a march on Washington.
It may be bombarding your congressman and your senator with emails, with phone calls to say, 'You know what, in America people have the right to get a higher education regardless of their income. And by the way, maybe there's something wrong when we are the only country on Earth not to guarantee health care to all people as a right.
"'Oh yeah, and while we're on the subject, how come we're the only major country not to provide paid family and medical leave? Oh yeah, and maybe we should deal with climate change because the scientific community tells us if we're not gonna deal with that, then the future of this planet is a very sorry future indeed.' "
If the Senator is not giving up in spite of the future administration's lack of concern for the issue and a legislature dominated by Republicans, I can't think of a reason why anyone else should.
Transcripts of the full interview can be viewed here.
"Well, what we do now is rally millions of young Americans who are sick and tired of leaving school $30-, $50-, $100,000 in debt, and those who simply cannot afford to go to college, and say that in a competitive global economy, it is absolutely imperative that we make public colleges and universities' tuition free.
"And no matter how you fund it, it should be funded by progressive taxation, making clear that billionaires like Mr. Trump and his friends start paying their fair share of taxes, that large corporations start paying their fair share of taxes. ...
"How you deal with that issue is how you deal with all issues. We are gonna have to raise public consciousness, we're gonna have to, and what the political revolution is about — we've had some really good successes. Yeah, maybe a march on Washington.
It may be bombarding your congressman and your senator with emails, with phone calls to say, 'You know what, in America people have the right to get a higher education regardless of their income. And by the way, maybe there's something wrong when we are the only country on Earth not to guarantee health care to all people as a right.
"'Oh yeah, and while we're on the subject, how come we're the only major country not to provide paid family and medical leave? Oh yeah, and maybe we should deal with climate change because the scientific community tells us if we're not gonna deal with that, then the future of this planet is a very sorry future indeed.' "
If the Senator is not giving up in spite of the future administration's lack of concern for the issue and a legislature dominated by Republicans, I can't think of a reason why anyone else should.
Transcripts of the full interview can be viewed here.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
What To Do Now?
I think it's safe to say that last week's election results came as a shock to many of us. More so, this is certainly a big blow to the cause of finding real solutions for the student debt crisis in America.
So where do we go from here? We need to continue to hold our representatives in Congress accountable for their actions in championing our causes. If you have not yet done so, write your local Congresswoman or man and plead with them to press the issue of student debt relief. If you have already contacted them, continue to do so, monthly, until they head your requests.
Many of us have grown to feel left out of our democratic process. We think that voting every two or four years is the only way we can get involved in government. But, we must remember that this government is based around the people holding their legislators responsible and ensuring that their needs are being met by them. If your representatives are not doing so, you must inform them.
We can also look to our local and state governments for real solutions to our struggles with students debt. If the bureaucratic mess that is Washington are unable to meet our needs, we need to the smaller forms of government that represent us for change and relief.
Times certainly seem bleak at this point, but with unification and organization, I believe we can still obtain the results to our woes that we seek.
So where do we go from here? We need to continue to hold our representatives in Congress accountable for their actions in championing our causes. If you have not yet done so, write your local Congresswoman or man and plead with them to press the issue of student debt relief. If you have already contacted them, continue to do so, monthly, until they head your requests.
Many of us have grown to feel left out of our democratic process. We think that voting every two or four years is the only way we can get involved in government. But, we must remember that this government is based around the people holding their legislators responsible and ensuring that their needs are being met by them. If your representatives are not doing so, you must inform them.
We can also look to our local and state governments for real solutions to our struggles with students debt. If the bureaucratic mess that is Washington are unable to meet our needs, we need to the smaller forms of government that represent us for change and relief.
Times certainly seem bleak at this point, but with unification and organization, I believe we can still obtain the results to our woes that we seek.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Higher Education Made Attainable for All
While it is clear that private institutions are more greatly concerned with this issue, a slight majority of public administrators have also identified this as a significant issue. This means the student debt crisis in this country has not only had an impact on students who have attended college and graduated but is also discouraging many future students from pursuing some form of higher education. This is simply unacceptable, especially considering the fact that a skilled, educated workforce is a key factor in enticing U.S. companies to keep their business at home rather than uprooting to a location overseas.
Hillary Clinton has made the issue of debt-free college a pillar of her campaign. She mentioned it just last night in her third and final debate with Donald Trump. And while Mr. Trump promises to create millions of jobs, offering affordable education to our potential workforce has not been discussed as a method to assist with this goal. If debt-free education is something that is important to you, your children, grandchildren, or anyone you know, Mrs. Clinton is clearly the choice this November.
Third Party Candidates
John Oliver lays it out quite perfectly. Voting for a third-party candidate may not be a wasted vote, but voting for either one of these woefully underqualified candidates is a mistake. Hillary Clinton has the experience, temperament,and policy stances to run this country. Best of all, she has a clear and concise plan to make college debt free and help alleviate the burden student debt has created for tens of million Americans
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Trump and Johnson's Plan for Higher Education
GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson may have more in common than one might initially think. They are both businessmen turned politicians who have switched party affiliations during their careers. They have each made decreased government spending a pillar of their campaigns and have trumpeted the argument that Washington is rigged to grant power to the elites.
They have also each made blundering statements at rallies and during media events of late. It is almost impossible to be unaware of the numerous ridiculous and untrue claims and insults made by Trump throughout his lengthy campaign (such as the claim that global warming is a construct of the Chinese government to gain an advantage in the global industrial market and the insinuation that Mexico is shipping hoards of rapists and murderers to the United States). But Johnson too has shown himself to be of questionable competence to take over as Commander in Chief. When asked about his plans for Aleppo, an historical Syrian city in which war has waged on the streets for nearly four years, Johnson made it clear that he could not identify the subject of the question. His encore performance, in which he could not come up with the name of a single current world leader, certainly did not garner anymore confidence in his grasp on foreign policy.
But beyond all of this, Trump and Johnson are similar in their shared belief that the United States should eliminate the Department of Education, a drastic action that would be a huge step backwards in dealing with the student debt crisis in this country. A comprehensive list of the adverse effects such a decision would lead to can be seen here, but allow me to summarize:
The Department of Education awarded $27 billion to 8 million students in Pell Grants in 2015. Upon its dissolution, this debt free money for students would be lost, meaning students would need to rely even more heavily on loans that come with mounting interest rates. The Department of Education also manages some $1.3 trillion in federal student loans - debt that could presumably be sold to private companies that could increase interest rates and eliminate the friendly repayment options offered by the federal government. This could be detrimental to finding solutions for the millions of people suffering with insurmountable amounts of student debt and make it even more difficult for future students to get a high level of education without putting themselves behind the eight ball financially.
If this issue is something that affects you or someone you know, voting for either of these candidates is counter intuitive. Hillary Clinton supports the important work that the Department of Education does and is bringing real solutions for those buried in student debt and future students to the table.
They have also each made blundering statements at rallies and during media events of late. It is almost impossible to be unaware of the numerous ridiculous and untrue claims and insults made by Trump throughout his lengthy campaign (such as the claim that global warming is a construct of the Chinese government to gain an advantage in the global industrial market and the insinuation that Mexico is shipping hoards of rapists and murderers to the United States). But Johnson too has shown himself to be of questionable competence to take over as Commander in Chief. When asked about his plans for Aleppo, an historical Syrian city in which war has waged on the streets for nearly four years, Johnson made it clear that he could not identify the subject of the question. His encore performance, in which he could not come up with the name of a single current world leader, certainly did not garner anymore confidence in his grasp on foreign policy.
But beyond all of this, Trump and Johnson are similar in their shared belief that the United States should eliminate the Department of Education, a drastic action that would be a huge step backwards in dealing with the student debt crisis in this country. A comprehensive list of the adverse effects such a decision would lead to can be seen here, but allow me to summarize:
The Department of Education awarded $27 billion to 8 million students in Pell Grants in 2015. Upon its dissolution, this debt free money for students would be lost, meaning students would need to rely even more heavily on loans that come with mounting interest rates. The Department of Education also manages some $1.3 trillion in federal student loans - debt that could presumably be sold to private companies that could increase interest rates and eliminate the friendly repayment options offered by the federal government. This could be detrimental to finding solutions for the millions of people suffering with insurmountable amounts of student debt and make it even more difficult for future students to get a high level of education without putting themselves behind the eight ball financially.
If this issue is something that affects you or someone you know, voting for either of these candidates is counter intuitive. Hillary Clinton supports the important work that the Department of Education does and is bringing real solutions for those buried in student debt and future students to the table.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Hillary's Plan to Make College a Debt-free Experience!
Right now is the perfect time to think about real solutions for the current mess that is student debt in this country. There are many avenues you can explore, but I for one believe in Hillary Clinton and her plan for this issue.
Under Clinton's plan, by 2021, families with an income of less than $125,000 will be able to send their children to and in-state, four-year, public universities at no cost. Even better, if Hillary is elected, families making $85,000 a year or less will immediately be able to send their kids to an in-state, public university for free! Additionally, all community colleges will offer free tuition and $25 billion will be funded to support historically black colleges and universities, and other minority-serving institutions.
Additionally, Clinton's plan will provide some relief for current students and graduates experiencing difficulty repaying their loans. loan-holders will be able to refinance their loans to the current interest rate. Hillary will also provide loan deferment for up to three years to entrepreneurs - and debt forgiveness of up to $17,500. Clinton will also immediately take executive action to offer a three-month moratorium on student loan payments to all federal loan borrowers - giving borrowers time to consolidate their loans and take advantage of repayments plans that currently exist.
This may not be a perfect plan, but is certainly a step in the right direction. Conversely, Donald Trump has offered no clear plan for alleviating student debt in this country, save for stating that he will create jobs that "can get five times what the minimum wage is". However, Trump does not support increasing the federal minimum wage, and while these hypothetical jobs wants to creates may or may not pay more, this solution only benefits those individuals who can obtain high paying jobs. The solution to this problem is to benefit all borrowers to lower the barrier of entry to higher education.
CLinton is the best candidate for mutiple reasons, but none less important than her plan to assist borrowers with this serious issue.
Under Clinton's plan, by 2021, families with an income of less than $125,000 will be able to send their children to and in-state, four-year, public universities at no cost. Even better, if Hillary is elected, families making $85,000 a year or less will immediately be able to send their kids to an in-state, public university for free! Additionally, all community colleges will offer free tuition and $25 billion will be funded to support historically black colleges and universities, and other minority-serving institutions.
Additionally, Clinton's plan will provide some relief for current students and graduates experiencing difficulty repaying their loans. loan-holders will be able to refinance their loans to the current interest rate. Hillary will also provide loan deferment for up to three years to entrepreneurs - and debt forgiveness of up to $17,500. Clinton will also immediately take executive action to offer a three-month moratorium on student loan payments to all federal loan borrowers - giving borrowers time to consolidate their loans and take advantage of repayments plans that currently exist.
This may not be a perfect plan, but is certainly a step in the right direction. Conversely, Donald Trump has offered no clear plan for alleviating student debt in this country, save for stating that he will create jobs that "can get five times what the minimum wage is". However, Trump does not support increasing the federal minimum wage, and while these hypothetical jobs wants to creates may or may not pay more, this solution only benefits those individuals who can obtain high paying jobs. The solution to this problem is to benefit all borrowers to lower the barrier of entry to higher education.
CLinton is the best candidate for mutiple reasons, but none less important than her plan to assist borrowers with this serious issue.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
A Call to Action!
Student loans have been offered to high school graduates as a reasonable way to afford a college education (something that has become almost a necessity in today's professional world). While the basic premise of these loans seems innocent enough, the rising cost of tuition, books, school supplies, and room and board has left millions of college graduates with an unmanageable amount of school debt. Those individuals who are unable to make their payments are left with few options, especially considering that these loans are not wiped in bankruptcy. Clearly, some legislative reform is necessary in order to minimize the ill effects of these practices.
Luckily, there is already a push by our current leadership to reform the mess that student loans have created. President Obama has already signed into law regulations that will limit repayment of loans to 10% of the graduate's income, doubles funding for Pell Grants - money that does not have to be repaid, and regulates special-interest private lending companies. Help spread the about these initial steps here by sending a letter to your local paper.
As important as this legislation is, we cannot content ourselves with this progress. It is important that our representatives in Washington hear our concerns and disappointments regarding the student loan crisis. Contact your Senator or Representative and call for action to assist those struggling to manage their debt now and assist future students even further!
Luckily, there is already a push by our current leadership to reform the mess that student loans have created. President Obama has already signed into law regulations that will limit repayment of loans to 10% of the graduate's income, doubles funding for Pell Grants - money that does not have to be repaid, and regulates special-interest private lending companies. Help spread the about these initial steps here by sending a letter to your local paper.
As important as this legislation is, we cannot content ourselves with this progress. It is important that our representatives in Washington hear our concerns and disappointments regarding the student loan crisis. Contact your Senator or Representative and call for action to assist those struggling to manage their debt now and assist future students even further!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)