LETTER: There he goes again

Last Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced that his administration was once again canceling federal student loans for 153,000 borrowers.

As he stated, “Folks, I’m happy to have been able to forgive these loans because when we realize and relieve Americans of their student debt, they’re free to chase their dreams.”

While the intention behind such initiatives may be noble, it is important to consider the broader implications and potential unfairness associated with them.

First, the Supreme Court, in June 2023, ruled 6-3 that the president overstepped his authority in forgiving student loans.

Second, the program appears to overlook the individuals who diligently paid off their student loans through hard work and sacrifice.

Moreover, it is unfair to ask these individuals, who may have struggled financially or taken on debt to establish their businesses, to now bear the burden of paying off the student loans of others.

Additionally, college students typically earn significantly higher salaries.

Studies have shown that the wage gap between college graduates and non-graduates ranges from 60 percent to 90 percent.

The program effectively transfers wealth from those with lower incomes to those with higher incomes.

In conclusion, President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program raises valid concerns regarding legality, fairness and equity.

It is crucial for policymakers to carefully evaluate the impact of such initiatives on all individuals affected, while minimizing unintended consequences.

Only then will the rest of us be able to “chase our dreams.”

Eric Mahnerd

Sequim

More in Opinion

PAT NEAL: The day after the election

THERE’S NOTHING QUITE like tent camping in the rain forest during the… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The Halloween hunt for Bigfoot

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE a hard day’s writing to make me glad I’m… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Predicting the coming winter

IT WAS ANOTHER tough week in the news. The National Oceanic and… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The autumn menu

AUTUMN IS A time of plenty on the Olympic Peninsula. The salmon… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: It’s apple picking time

IT WAS DAYLIGHT at the homestead, but I was more than a… Continue reading

Marc Abshire
POINT OF VIEW: Vote yes on both PASD propositions

MUCH IS AT stake in the upcoming elections. In Clallam County, which… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The composting chronicles

IT MIGHT HAVE been the American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who was… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Disaster preparedness month

SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL Disaster Preparedness Month. It’s time to raise awareness about… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: A good time on the Peninsula

1890 WAS A good time to be on the Olympic Peninsula. That… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: Heed the wilderness warnings

IT WAS ANOTHER tough week in the news. We almost didn’t need… Continue reading

Jim Hargrove
POINT OF VIEW: Managed forests critical to healthy, resilient forestlands

AS FORMER STATE legislators, we’ve been on the front lines of the… Continue reading

PAT NEAL: The season of harvest

SEPTEMBER IS THE season of harvest, when we gather the fruits of… Continue reading