ABC News is reporting that Congress is set to take up a student loan fix, but it’s difficult to fix a problem you have yet to define–much less understand. But when has that ever stopped Congress before?
What is the “student loan problem” to be fixed? The immediate issue is that the interest rate for new federally subsidized loans is set to double on July 1, from 3.4% to 6.8%. Republicans are offering a plan that would keep rates from going up as much in the short-term, but could potentially increase several years down the road (assuming Congress wouldn’t step in to stop it then…as they’re trying to now). Democrats, on the other hand, simply want to extend the current 3.4% rate…ostensibly for just two years, while working on a long-term fix (a familiar tune). Democrats believe that, by keeping the price of student loans artificially low, they are helping the average person or family better afford college.
And this is the point where economic reality (and the real student loan problem) is promptly ignored. Continue reading “Misguided Student Loan "Solutions"”