Warren writes: "Last year, I introduced a bill that would allow people getting crushed with student loan debt to refinance their loans down to today's lower interest rates. More than 700,000 people signed petitions in support of the plan. Every Democrat, every Independent, and three Republicans voted to move the bill forward. But the rest of the Republicans filibustered the bill, so it didn't pass."
Senator Elizabeth Warren thinks student loan debt is hurting an entire generation of Americans. (photo AP)
Republicans Are Sinking the Hopes of an Entire Generation
22 March 15
ast year, I introduced a bill that would allow people getting crushed with student loan debt to refinance their loans down to today�s lower interest rates.
More than 700,000 people signed petitions in support of the plan. Every Democrat, every Independent, and three Republicans voted to move the bill forward. But the rest of the Republicans filibustered the bill, so it didn�t pass.
Since last year, nearly a million more borrowers have fallen behind on their payments. Altogether, students are now struggling with $100 billion MORE debt than they were a year ago.
Student loan debt was an economic emergency last year � and now that emergency is getting worse. That�s why I�m reintroducing the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act. Join me in telling the Senate Republicans: Student loan refinancing can�t wait another year.
Our proposal is simple: Refinance outstanding student loans down to 3.9% for undergraduates, and a little higher for graduates and PLUS loans. This single change would give borrowers across the country a chance to save hundreds � and for some, thousands � of dollars a year.
That�s real money that these borrowers could put toward paying down the balance on their debt, saving for a home, buying a car, starting a small business � money they can put toward building a solid future.
We should have done this a year ago, but Republicans said no. They refused to even debate the bill. They said there were other, better ways to tackle student debt � but then the Republicans did nothing � nothing except filibuster the only student loans bill on the table.
I don�t kid myself: Refinancing loans won�t fix everything that�s wrong in our higher education system. We need to cut the price of college, to reinvest in public universities, to shore up federal financial aid, to crack down on for-profit colleges, and to provide better protections on student loans.
But let�s start with the $1.3 trillion in outstanding student loan debt. Let�s start by cutting back on the interest payments that are sinking young people and holding back this economy. Tell the GOP: Let�s start with Bank on Students.
The Republicans can�t just close their eyes and pretend this isn�t happening. By refusing to act, they are sinking the hopes of an entire generation.
It�s time for Congress to step up and fix this problem, before it drags down another million Americans, and another, and another. It�s time to refinance student loan debt.
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http://www.swedenversusassange.com/
And our "free enterprise" system blocks even donations from going to WikiLeaks.
Assange, like Anwar al-Awlaki, has committed the unforgivable sin of being effective.
Probably a disaster for him personally, but really shows in high relief what contempt the establishment is worthy of.
Wonder how long before the CIA arrange for him to disappears in an extraordinary rendition (otherwise known in every law as 'Kidnapping')?
May the future be kind to them
He said that one of the rationales was, essentially, that nobody tells the U.S. what to do or controls U.S. policy decisions and actions except us.
Regardless of logic or law, these authoritarians are going to do what they want, they, and they alone, decide.
F everyone else.
Before Assange stupidly gave himself up to the UK authorities, he could have easily left the country & ran off to various nations which do not jump through America's hoops. One of those countries is Iceland.
Assange had to have known the danger he was putting himself into by giving himself up to the UK authorities. He could've saved himself & his organization so much money by leaving the UK as well preserving his freedom.
What I don't understand is why his attys don't speak truth to power, to say the obvious, to tell the world that the UK court system is as corrupt & as rotten as the U.S Court system, that they're more like Kangaroo courts than courts of justice, that the people & the judges running the UK Court system have become mere puppets to the demands of their govt and the U.S.
Assange's attys were stupid to even try going thru the UK court system. They should've immediately went to the European Court of Human Rights.
We all stop buying Swedish