Concerns mount over higher rates on student loans(Anger at * and Congress)

[RamboLiberal]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/06/MNGICHJ8391.DTL

The Republican-led Congress and President Bush are facing growing anger on college campuses as students and their parents prepare to pay higher borrowing costs because of new changes to federal student loan programs.

Congress narrowly passed a deficit-reduction bill last month that cut $12 billion from student loan programs, which was signed by the president. The new law will slash subsidies to lenders and raise interest rates on loans taken out by parents.

<snip>

Jessica Pierce, a senior at UC Santa Cruz who has Stafford loans, said she was outraged by the changes approved by Congress.

"They're trying to balance the budget on the backs of students," said Pierce, who chairs the university's student union assembly.

[MadMaddie]

1. Compassionate Conservatism....penalize college students for

going to college...:sarcasm:

[RamboLiberal]

2. I'm wondering if it will cut attendance at Young Repuke Meetings

eom

[Bigmack]

6. Those Young College Republicans...

can always earn money for college in the military.

Young College Republicans.... those words just don't fit together somehow.... like Old Redneck Poets, or Hip-Hop Cellists

[roguevalley]

19. is there anyone out there they HAVEN'T pissed off?

[central scrutinizer]

3. Bush's real base (the have mores) doesn't need student loans

They have plenty of cash on hand so this doesn't affect them at all. Their little darlings may actually do better in college without all of those motivated poor kids fucking up the curve by studying.

[NanceGreggs]

5. There are plenty of middle-class GOP voters out there ...

... who are going to be affected by this, too. Not every Republican voter is wealthy.

Every time the Repubs do something like this (and they're doing a LOT of this shit lately), they lose support from their own.

Think of how many students this will affect, then multiply that number by parents/grandparents who want their children to have a college education. Nation-wide, that represents hundreds of thousands of people who WON'T be voting GOP in the next election, based on this outrage alone.

Add in the number of former Bush supporters who have turned against the war, can't afford to heat their homes or put gas in the car, have lost access to vital prescription drugs due to the Medicare debacle -- that's a LOT OF PEOPLE who are pissed-off enough to vote against the Republicans, or simply stay home and not vote at all.

[lonestarnot]

4. Well geeeeeee..... people are now surprised when the first

fucking thing he did when he took office was cut PELL Grant by thousands of people and threw them off eligibility lists!

[liberal N proud]

7. Tell Jessica they are not trying to balance the budget

They are just trying to bust middle class, Break the parents who are trying to fund the kids college, and keep the middle class kids from advancing them selves by cutting education.

[lovuian]

8. Its pretty obvious they want poor people to stay uneducated...

Lets look at the actions of the prez and not his words...

He trys to destroy Social Security
Medicaid cuts
Medicare cuts
and last but not least cut student loans

Meanwhile Big Business gets tax breaks and cuts

[liveoaktx]

9. Video compilation clip I made of this

Off topic but listen to how GROSS Bush is when he sucks back a loogie while talking-the audience laughed-yik!

Editing to add: I saw Letterman reply the part from Manhattan Kansas where Bush did this, and I THOUGHT LETTERMAN HAD EDITED IN THE SUCK. Then, when I was listening to this again, I saw it was actual footage and I had missed it the first time.

What kind of person in the public eye DOES THIS?

[lonestarnot]

10. grrreeeeeeooooos.... think I'll pass! Just wookin @ him bad enough!

[RubyDuby in GA]

11. Of course they don't want kids going to college, they need them

for cannon fodder.

[brer cat]

17. You've got that right, RubyDuby. My daughter is at North Georgia

College/University (convoluted-named thing we have here in GA. lol) Military recruiters are constantly contacting her. A single mother of 2 preschoolers! Guess that's a gimme...get her and her "orphans" will be forced to follow suit.

What utter sickness. Don't let the bright ones advance...they might figure out what their government is all about.

[QC]

12. Once they have turned America into a banana republic,

where a few people are fabulously rich and the rest desperately poor, this country will not need an educated population.

[daleo]

13. These higher interest rates on student loans can pay for bombs and bullets

That way, everyone can feel like they are doing their bit in the imperialist wars for oil.

[coalition_unwilling]

14. Aww, the poor middle class Repuke voters now are having to

pay the piper. Just imagine their reaction when the crime family brings back the draft.

[area51]

15. "They're trying to balance the budget on the backs of students"

Actually, they're trying to balance the budget (if even that) on the back of anyone who isn't super-rich.

[jbnow]

18. Yes, I wish she had added to the quote.

It is so much more then students. This is a heavy burden on students and families, especially with the job market they'll be entering.

But many of the other cuts are on the most vulnerable, reducing their eligibility for services, slashing the services.

You're right that the benefit is all for the ultra-rich and corporations.

Reverse Robin Hood, reverse Jesus..

[0007]

16. They're trying to balance the budget on the backs of students

and senior citizens. When are the people gonna say enough is enough?