By Regina A. Smith
I grew up in a small Alabama town. My parents, a service station operator and a textile worker, had 8th-grade educations. I was the first in my family to go to college and thought we were middle class. Actually, we weren’t that well off, as I later learned in a college sociology class!
I was able to go to teachers’ college close to home in 1967 because I had a National Defense Student Loan and some work study support. After graduating, I was able eventually to pay back that loan by working in public service and writing off a percentage of the loan balance annually.
After 10 years of work with the developmentally disabled, I owed no more money. Being free from that debt allowed my husband and me (he also borrowed money for college and paid his back) to purchase our first home when we were in our early 30s. My having no loan responsibilities was the catalyst that put us on the track toward afinancially comfortable life, and we were able to send our daughter to UGA without her borrowing a penny. I have a 74-year-old friend who is still paying off her student loans.
Too many Americans now struggle to get ahead and start families or even afford a house. I never begrudged anyone for getting a break on college loans, and enthusiastically applauded the Biden administration for trying to help today’s young people get the same help I did so long ago. In the past 4 years he has worked hard to make college more affordable for anyone who wants to attend. Cancelling $138 billion in student debt and helping more than 3.9 million citizens is a huge win for America. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court shot down plans to help even more people, but give credit where credit is due.
He has still managed to cancel more student debt than any previous administration. Biden recently ignored naysayers in our countrywho don’t want to help anyone succeed and is helpingcommunity college and other low-income borrowers get relief from debt up to $12,000. This is a good thing for our economy. When some people complain that President Biden hasn’t done much to help the middle class, just remember the real facts. He has, and he will continue to do so.
Regina A. Smith resides in Athens
Joe Biden is no ally to the middle class. Pure BS
I have a prtoblem agreeing with the idea that giving people money is aiding the moiddle class. Most of the people with large student loans owe alot because graduate schools are expensive. However, if you are borrowing money to become a doctor, lawyer or nurse you will probably earn more money than most Americans. Forgiving loans is the same thing as giving away money. Why should I subsidize a future doctor who will probably make more money in one year than I ever made in 12? We owe 34 billion dollars as a country in a couple of years we will spend more money on interest than on National Defense, Social Security,m or any other budget item. Our deficit s…
Regina, you paid your loans. I paid my loans. My daughter paid her loans for college and Med School. Why do you think that we should pay the student debt for other people? Biden is doing nothing more than buying votes with our money. " Cancelling $138 billion in student debt and helping more than 3.9 million citizens is a huge win for America." No, it just more debt for the daughter whose college you paid for.
If college were really useful it might be a different matter. But as someone with an MBA and ABD (and MENSA member) let me point out again that just having a college degree doesn't make you more skilled at asking, "Would you lik…
Hahaha…this is delusion at its finest 😂
You folks like to pretend we aren’t out here buying gas, renting homes, buying groceries etc…That’s a nice bubble you’re living in!
FYI..."low income buyers" aren't middle class. Middle class families are funding that relief.