Should America Forgive Student Debt?
Topics: Education, Law, Culture
Debate Date: March 25, 2021
Facing growing discontent over the rising student loan repayments in the middle of a Pandemic, many prominent Democrats – and some Republicans – are calling on Washington to cancel much of the $1.7 trillion that Americans owe. They say it would help level the playing field, stimulate the economy, unbridle graduates to pursue what they want, and offer a life-line amidst the largest health crisis the world has seen in decades. But others argue that it would balloon the federal deficit, waste taxpayer money, and benefit wealthy borrowers who don’t need their student loans cancelled.
In this especially timely debate, we ask: Should America forgive student debt?
ARGUING YES:
Ashley Harrington: Federal Advocacy Director and Senior Counsel, Center for Responsible Lending
Dalié Jiménez: Student Loan Law Initiative Director and Professor, University of California, Irvine School of Law
ARGUING NO:
Nick Gillespie: Editor-at-Large, Reason
Beth Akers: Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
MODERATOR:
John Donvan: Emmy award-winning journalist