When it comes to education, we should encourage diversification
Steve Pociask
September 11, 2024
OPINION:
President Biden is trying again to implement a widespread student loan cancellation package, and again the administration has run into a pesky obstacle—the Constitution. In April, the Biden-Harris administration announced its second attempt to “fix the student loan system” and forgive millions of student borrowers’ debt. And again, the plan has been blocked by federal courts.
While the administration’s efforts remain in legal limbo, the practical, real-life implications are clear: this misguided mainstay of President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’ education platform would incentivize colleges to raise tuition costs, diminish the value of a post-secondary degree, and set the stage for continued undoing and redoing as future administrations assume office all creating real uncertainty for students. Not to mention, the unilateral action—which the Supreme Court has already ruled violates the Separation of Powers principle—would saddle everyday taxpayers with the enormous cost of subsidizing the education of the wealthy and highly educated.
Sadly, putting ideology ahead of practicality has become a hallmark of the Biden-Harris administration. The president and his advisors seem to care more about symbolic victories than the impact its policies have on students and their families, employers, and taxpayers, as well as those who choose not to attend college or instead choose to attend vocational training and trade schools.
