We're fighting over crumbs. The meaningful wealth transfer in this country hasn't gone to the subpopulation with student debt, but to those well above them. I'd be equally supportive of dramatic action which benefits people who did not attend college.
But do you believe me when I say that?
Lots of people who were the intended beneficiaries of Obamacare think it wasn't for them.
> Reading comments like this on HN (and other places with similar demographics) makes me realize how utterly socially disconnected as a society we are.
Right back at you.
> It's downright scary at this point.
Agreed. But it's been scary for out-groups since forever.
For example, I eat healthy and exercise every day. I could complain that virtually nobody else does yet I'm effectively stuck in the same insurance pool as them. And I could use this to forever resent a single-payer system as well. But that's just silly.
Or something like "Ugh, I didn't eat pizzas every night because I had no health insurance. It's unfair if everyone gets healthcare for free! Think of all those pizzas I missed out on!"
Since this proposal is debt-specific and retroactive, the analogy would be something like: "It's unfair if everyone gets all debt for prior health expenses repaid. Not their actual health expenses (however they were paid for), nor a reasonable health expense, but instead, whatever part of their health expenses are currently outstanding as debt."
What about folks who couldn't afford college because they actually had to work to make money? The ones who were busting their ass 60 hours/week while their better off (and less financially responsible) peers partied on cheap government money in college? If you don't think there is already a huge amount of resentment in a sizable minority of the "working underclass" on this point you are mistaken.
As one of those guys who had to forego college in favor of starting a career I'd be absolutely livid. A relatively spoon-feed population gets yet another handout? The below market rate debt that you could only get due to taxpayer guarantee wasn't enough? That's what the optics will look like to the vast majority of the country. Most of the country will never have the privilege that a kid with a 4 year college degree already has had in their life - debt or not.
Talk about creating winners and losers. Reading comments like this on HN (and other places with similar demographics) makes me realize how utterly socially disconnected as a society we are. It's downright scary at this point.