(02-18-2021 12:09 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-18-2021 11:55 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(02-18-2021 07:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  progressives condemn Biden

"Who cares what school someone went to?" Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted on Wednesday. "Entire generations of working class kids were encouraged to go into more debt under the guise of elitism. This is wrong... The case against student loan forgiveness is looking shakier by the day."

The case AGAINST is shaky? What planet does she live on?

The case against such an unprincipled bailout can rest solidly on the fact that the case FOR seems non-existent. I have not seen anyone cogently explain why people who did not incur college debt should bail out people who did. Sure, it's a boon for the debtors. But every giveaway is a boon for the recipients; that doesn't make it a good idea for the public.

It's part of the general Democratic principle of money for votes. "Vote for us, we'll cancel your debts that you incurred at our urging."

My question, if canceling $10K is good, why is canceling $50K bad?

Kind of like my question on the minimum wage: If raising it to $15 is good, why not raise it to $25 or $30 or more?

$15 is a starting point to try and keep up with inflation and afford someone who is working and contributing the ability to provide themselves with the bare necessities and not have to rely on government programs for their basic needs - higher rates start pushing you out of that category.

$15 x 2,000 hrs/yr = $30,000 per year / $2,500 per month, pre taxes

Average rent in Houston is around $1,000 per month, and Houston is considered a relatively inexpensive city to live. So you can afford rent and other expenses, but it would still be a struggle, but not such a struggle that you would have to rely on government programs.

Would you rather the minimum wage remain depressed and have the government step in to provide the necessities people require to live instead? Or if the government doesn't step in, that people who have a full-time minimum wage job go without some basic necessities because they can only afford so much?

The minimum wage hasn't been raised in over a decade, but inflation exists and cost of living continues to rise. A better question is why not raise the minimum wage?

Furthermore, an elevated minimum wage would likely allow people to move about the economy more freely, if they knew that there were jobs paying sufficiently to have their basic needs met.