I think you're making GPs point. We see this exact argument being used against more urban types? "If they didn't want to be saddled with crippling student loans

I think you're making GPs point. We see this exact argument being used against more urban types? "If they didn't want to be saddled with crippling student loans, they shouldn't have gone to college to get a degree leading to an exciting career of basket weaving". Great, but they did and now they're hosed. Just like in this case, perhaps those ranchers shouldn't have become ranchers and thus caused themselves to go into incredible debt. But they did and now they're hosed. One can choose whether or not that we the people should help them out when in this situation, but we should apply that with more quality.