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This is reality of today's America - death threats against those you disagree with. The person!=policy. We may dislike Pai, but he's merely a pawn in a bigger

This is reality of today's America - death threats against those you disagree with. The person!=policy. We may dislike Pai, but he's merely a pawn in a bigger game of chess. Frankly, I don't think he has the option of not playing

AdmiralAsshat 8y ago
The people getting death threats are not necessarily every member of Trump's cabinet. Primarily they are: - Ajit Pai - Betsy DeVos - Scott Pruitt As far as the first two go, these are not simply people with whom those who make death threats disagree. These are individuals with the unchallenged power to ruin people's lives. People with student loans who have been working for years in low-paying nonprofit or government service jobs under the assumption that their loans may be forgiven are suddenly being told by Betsy DeVos that, nah, we're not going to honor our end of the deal anymore. That can be financially crippling, for life. The internet is a way of life and a necessity for many people in the US. The thought that Pai might cripple the average American's access to it is also an assault on that way of life, if not their livelihood itself. That's why death threats happen. I don't condone them, but you should understand what motivates them. No one likes Rick Perry either, but as far as I know he's not getting death threats or requires a 24-hour security detail, because he's not making decisions that actively threaten people's financial future or livelihoods.
- dexen 8y ago
  Out of curiosity, where did the idea of student debts being likely to be forgiven come from? AFAIK, the students loan were specifically designed to not be easily shed; point in case, they don't get discharged through personal bankruptcy.
  - murph-almighty 8y ago
    There's a government program that forgives federal student loans if you work for long enough in the public sector or for a nonprofit: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancell... The idea is to incentivize work that isn't always profitable but needs to get done- teaching and social work, for example. >they don't get discharged through personal bankruptcy My understanding as to why this happened is that some people basically did the following: 1) Get expensive, hard-to-earn degree in lucrative field (e.g. MD, PhD) 2) Declare bankruptcy prior to working 3) Immediately start work and cash out
  - cr1895 8y ago
    It's referring to Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which after ten years of payments while employed in government or other specific jobs loans the remainder of your loans can be forgiven. A House bill proposed getting rid of it. I'm not sure tbh how that implicates DeVos or what the current status is. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancell... https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/06/house-gop-bill-could-eliminate-student-loan-forgiveness.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/06/house-gop-bill-could-elimina...
    - murph-almighty 8y ago
      Devos supports removal of the program and was likely instrumental in some of the other modifications to education funding from the recent tax reform: https://www.studentdebtrelief.us/forgiveness/trump-student-loan-forgiveness/ https://www.studentdebtrelief.us/forgiveness/trump-student-l...
cfadvan 8y ago
The person is also despicable though, so what then? I’m not supporting death threats, but he’s still a thoroughly objectionable human. He’s a twitchy, dishonest shill for the most loathed companies in the country, and he used to work for them. As a bonus he’s unapologetically the face of a policy designed to help his previous (doubtless future) employers at the direct cost of the rest of us. Death threats are a non-starter, but I understand the frustration and rage.
lovich 8y ago
That seems rather rule lawyery. People in power can completely destroy your life without being "violent". The US was founded on revolt against a government that was being completely legal, so it's not like we can even try and take a moral high ground

AdmiralAsshat 8y ago

The people getting death threats are not necessarily every member of Trump's cabinet. Primarily they are: - Ajit Pai - Betsy DeVos - Scott Pruitt As far as the first two go, these are not simply people with whom those who make death threats disagree. These are individuals with the unchallenged power to ruin people's lives. People with student loans who have been working for years in low-paying nonprofit or government service jobs under the assumption that their loans may be forgiven are suddenly being told by Betsy DeVos that, nah, we're not going to honor our end of the deal anymore. That can be financially crippling, for life. The internet is a way of life and a necessity for many people in the US. The thought that Pai might cripple the average American's access to it is also an assault on that way of life, if not their livelihood itself. That's why death threats happen. I don't condone them, but you should understand what motivates them. No one likes Rick Perry either, but as far as I know he's not getting death threats or requires a 24-hour security detail, because he's not making decisions that actively threaten people's financial future or livelihoods.

dexen 8y ago
Out of curiosity, where did the idea of student debts being likely to be forgiven come from? AFAIK, the students loan were specifically designed to not be easily shed; point in case, they don't get discharged through personal bankruptcy.
- murph-almighty 8y ago
  There's a government program that forgives federal student loans if you work for long enough in the public sector or for a nonprofit: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancell... The idea is to incentivize work that isn't always profitable but needs to get done- teaching and social work, for example. >they don't get discharged through personal bankruptcy My understanding as to why this happened is that some people basically did the following: 1) Get expensive, hard-to-earn degree in lucrative field (e.g. MD, PhD) 2) Declare bankruptcy prior to working 3) Immediately start work and cash out
- cr1895 8y ago
  It's referring to Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which after ten years of payments while employed in government or other specific jobs loans the remainder of your loans can be forgiven. A House bill proposed getting rid of it. I'm not sure tbh how that implicates DeVos or what the current status is. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancell... https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/06/house-gop-bill-could-eliminate-student-loan-forgiveness.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/06/house-gop-bill-could-elimina...
  - murph-almighty 8y ago
    Devos supports removal of the program and was likely instrumental in some of the other modifications to education funding from the recent tax reform: https://www.studentdebtrelief.us/forgiveness/trump-student-loan-forgiveness/ https://www.studentdebtrelief.us/forgiveness/trump-student-l...

cfadvan 8y ago

The person is also despicable though, so what then? I’m not supporting death threats, but he’s still a thoroughly objectionable human. He’s a twitchy, dishonest shill for the most loathed companies in the country, and he used to work for them. As a bonus he’s unapologetically the face of a policy designed to help his previous (doubtless future) employers at the direct cost of the rest of us. Death threats are a non-starter, but I understand the frustration and rage.

lovich 8y ago

That seems rather rule lawyery. People in power can completely destroy your life without being "violent". The US was founded on revolt against a government that was being completely legal, so it's not like we can even try and take a moral high ground