4 ms·

If only Gen Y/Millenials turned out in decent numbers.

ryandrake 11y ago
Which candidate(s) have an actual realistic plan that will make college education affordable and reduce the burden of existing student debt, as opposed to "Affordable education for all!" as a hollow platform piece?
- Someone1234 11y ago
  Yeah, and it is a hard problem to solve. Colleges could literally spend as much as they're provided. A lot of money right now seems to go towards adding shiny new things to attract more students (e.g. newer buildings, more tech, nicer chairs, etc). The only thing stopping them from charging more is competition, but so few students even check the cost of their education that it isn't working well, and many are geographically restricted. Community college is where people go if they actually care at all about the costs. Or at least they get 2/3rds of their education done at a CC. If I was in charge I'd attack this problem as follows: - College loans are now provided by the US Government only at an interest rate DESIGNED to break even (i.e. no longer for-profit). - Loans are repaid as a tax (for people who remain in the US, like a debt for people abroad). - No repayment is required under a certain threshold (e.g. $30K single, 50K family, in 2015 dollars). - Repayment schedules scale similar to income tax (e.g. you MUST repay faster the more you make). - Loans are not subject to bankruptcy and are treated like a tax for inheritance purposes (i.e. paid back first). - Under certain circumstances interest can be frozen (e.g. documented medical issues, natural disasters, continued education, etc). This means that unemployment or illness isn't as damaging. People who leave college and get low paying jobs aren't hurt as badly day to day (although might technically have an outstanding loan for the rest of their life).
  - derekp7 11y ago
    How about this: set tuition caps on any government guaranteed loan. Or maybe expand the role of community colleges so that you can get a BA or Masters at CC pricing.
  - xyzzy123 11y ago
    You just described exactly how student loans work in New Zealand. You have a special tax code "addon" SL, which means you pay a little bit of extra tax, which goes towards your loans. Only major difference is, death & bankruptcy release you from the loan in NZ...
- rconti 11y ago
  Also, even 18 year olds (minimum voting age in the US) are unlikely to be impacted by the college plan of any President they elect. It's the parents of younger kids who should be paying attention.
- derekp7 11y ago
  It really doesn't matter if they have a plan now -- what matters is the demographic that put them in office. So if they want to get re-elected, they know they have to work hard enough to keep those that voted for them (and can vote them out) happy.
ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
If you want the Democratic Party to run progressive candidates who will do more than give lip service to student loan debt, people need to 1. Vote in primaries and 2. Vote for Democrats (esp left leaning ones) in primaries and general elections. That's the only way the party will move closer to the left. I'm excluding Republicans since their base believes that government intervention to alleviate student loan debt will be the equivalent of Judas kissing Jesus and Road to Serfdom and all that shit. And it goes without saying the quixotic brand of Silicon Valley libertarianism is not fertile ground for this sort of thinking.
- unimpressive 11y ago
  Well you don't even necessarily need to relieve student loan debt, you could start by making it forgivable. Right now student loan debt can't be discharged through bankruptcy, and it creates a perverse market incentive for college tuition. Not to mention this attack ad is right on the website for the Washington State Republican Party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOYX3TBZEM8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOYX3TBZEM8
  - ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
    That ad has nothing to do with student loan debt per se, and is a standard attack ad, the veracity of which I'm quick to doubt for being a 30 second sound bite.
    - unimpressive 11y ago
      It's in the overton window, is what I mean. Obviously attack ads are not to be trusted.
  - Mz 11y ago
    In some cases, they can be discharged: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation#discharge-in https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancell...
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

Which candidate(s) have an actual realistic plan that will make college education affordable and reduce the burden of existing student debt, as opposed to "Affordable education for all!" as a hollow platform piece?

Someone1234 11y ago
Yeah, and it is a hard problem to solve. Colleges could literally spend as much as they're provided. A lot of money right now seems to go towards adding shiny new things to attract more students (e.g. newer buildings, more tech, nicer chairs, etc). The only thing stopping them from charging more is competition, but so few students even check the cost of their education that it isn't working well, and many are geographically restricted. Community college is where people go if they actually care at all about the costs. Or at least they get 2/3rds of their education done at a CC. If I was in charge I'd attack this problem as follows: - College loans are now provided by the US Government only at an interest rate DESIGNED to break even (i.e. no longer for-profit). - Loans are repaid as a tax (for people who remain in the US, like a debt for people abroad). - No repayment is required under a certain threshold (e.g. $30K single, 50K family, in 2015 dollars). - Repayment schedules scale similar to income tax (e.g. you MUST repay faster the more you make). - Loans are not subject to bankruptcy and are treated like a tax for inheritance purposes (i.e. paid back first). - Under certain circumstances interest can be frozen (e.g. documented medical issues, natural disasters, continued education, etc). This means that unemployment or illness isn't as damaging. People who leave college and get low paying jobs aren't hurt as badly day to day (although might technically have an outstanding loan for the rest of their life).
- derekp7 11y ago
  How about this: set tuition caps on any government guaranteed loan. Or maybe expand the role of community colleges so that you can get a BA or Masters at CC pricing.
- xyzzy123 11y ago
  You just described exactly how student loans work in New Zealand. You have a special tax code "addon" SL, which means you pay a little bit of extra tax, which goes towards your loans. Only major difference is, death & bankruptcy release you from the loan in NZ...
rconti 11y ago
Also, even 18 year olds (minimum voting age in the US) are unlikely to be impacted by the college plan of any President they elect. It's the parents of younger kids who should be paying attention.
derekp7 11y ago
It really doesn't matter if they have a plan now -- what matters is the demographic that put them in office. So if they want to get re-elected, they know they have to work hard enough to keep those that voted for them (and can vote them out) happy.

ZanyProgrammer 11y ago

If you want the Democratic Party to run progressive candidates who will do more than give lip service to student loan debt, people need to 1. Vote in primaries and 2. Vote for Democrats (esp left leaning ones) in primaries and general elections. That's the only way the party will move closer to the left. I'm excluding Republicans since their base believes that government intervention to alleviate student loan debt will be the equivalent of Judas kissing Jesus and Road to Serfdom and all that shit. And it goes without saying the quixotic brand of Silicon Valley libertarianism is not fertile ground for this sort of thinking.

unimpressive 11y ago
Well you don't even necessarily need to relieve student loan debt, you could start by making it forgivable. Right now student loan debt can't be discharged through bankruptcy, and it creates a perverse market incentive for college tuition. Not to mention this attack ad is right on the website for the Washington State Republican Party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOYX3TBZEM8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOYX3TBZEM8
- ZanyProgrammer 11y ago
  That ad has nothing to do with student loan debt per se, and is a standard attack ad, the veracity of which I'm quick to doubt for being a 30 second sound bite.
  - unimpressive 11y ago
    It's in the overton window, is what I mean. Obviously attack ads are not to be trusted.
- Mz 11y ago
  In some cases, they can be discharged: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation#discharge-in https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancell...

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]