• FinnFooted@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The student loan problem (and general debt problem) in the US is such a huge issue that any long term thinking politician would want to take drastic measured to reduce it, whether it’s fair or not. The US put a lot of effort putting it’s population into debt with each side of the political aisle having two very different mindsets:

    1: Giving people money now will help them leverage themselves out of poverty. Their good investments will help them repay the loan and then make more than they previously could have.

    2: Putting people in debt will make them unable to retaliate against anything that would inhibit their ability to make money to pay off debt (as in, no striking or protesting or anything like that because were all too financially insecure to get away with it). Those who do act out due to poverty can go to prison and be cheap labor there instead.

    Not only was the second mindset more correct, the ultra wealthy also won out because, as people defaulted on their debt and markets collapsed, the ultra wealthy with extra liquid cash during recessions scooped up all the cheapened assets.

    However, with a financial crisis based around student debt, there’s no asset to even scoop up. You can’t just take peoples degrees as they refuse to pay their student loans. This ones going to cause a global recession (because the global currency is realistically the dollar) for no real gain for even the ultra wealthy. People will have no money to spend on their products and there will be no assets to scoop. Anyone thinking ahead at all would really want to prevent this one from occurring no matter what.

    • Warfle99@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      We own a home because of the student loan pause. They sure as hell can take that. There is plenty left for the rich to scoop up. The student loan pause allowed me and many others to move forward in life.

      • FinnFooted@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Sure, they can try to come after your assets. My point is:

        1. Having student loan debt doesnt guarantee you have assets like having a home loan does. You have a home. Many with student loans do not.

        2. Because the debt is not linked to an asset, the failure of people to pay back student loans en masse will not inherently lower the demand and thus value of an asset.

        3. Cheap homes have already been taken by cooperations. people with student loans selling their house probably won’t degrade the housing market. Something else will probably tho cos that’s also a shit show right now.