Entitlements
On the brink of our president announcing some kind of student loan-debt relief, I’m seeing the conservative viewpoints being plastered all over social media. Many of these folks are true conservatives of the old Republican Party, because the new version doesn’t have any problem creating the highest debt of any administration before it, it just cries foul in a game of them versus me. The game is to blast the current administration for doing what it does by putting people first and addressing a problem that hasn’t been addressed for many terms that both sides of the aisle share in fault. It’s a Band-Aid on the real systemic problem, the education system in general. The non-competitive loan situation that the government controls, and the unregulated rising costs of higher education are also a problem.
The demand for degree experienced employees, has made it essential for people to go to college just to have a competitive chance in earning enough to live outside of Mom and Dad’s house. In a day where student loan debt has an impact on a couple earning over $100,000, but not being able to buy a house commensurate with their income is almost laughable. A job like a school principal having to get a Master’s degree, increasing their debt in the process, just to be competitive for a job earning $80,000 a year is ridiculous. The solution for one of my kids was to select a thirty-year payback to reduce his payment to a point that made a small impact on his family’s livability. Is that the solution, allow everyone to deal with the education system rise in cost and interest by being provided a solution that forces you to pay to retirement to complete your burden? It is a solution and speaks to the government and its backwards way of thinking.
I also hear my military brothers talk about having served this country and for that, there should be a justification that they are owed, as well as their children, a free education. Should that have been reserved only for the disabled military veteran? The current benefits weren’t always the case, but over time the rules have been rewritten to allow anyone retiring from the military the benefit of no educational burden for themselves or children. I champion their choice and the sacrifice made, but is that justification enough for an advantage to have something no one else has? What about a doctor that serves a community for a lifetime and benefits the community many times over what most military really have in impact on? What about the fact that they have debt that is more than some of the smaller states GDP. Some get some debt relief as a matter of employment from a company paying their debt. This happens in the law fields as well. Do they deserve this? Maybe, but is partially to blame for rising medical and legal costs, but we don’t fault the hospital corporation or law firm as long as it provides for the best care or representation. These companies do this to relieve the burden of stress, allowing for employees to do their job at the highest level possible. Could that logic not be utilized in response to the government relieving some debt to allow for a more productive person that can spend that same money in the marketplace enhancing the mom-and-pop local store owner with money that might not have been spent without the debt relief? Maybe it allows that person to buy groceries without food stamps or from having to visit a food shelter. Maybe it just allows for the reduced stress that will make that person more productive at work.
I spent 37 1/2 years serving my country, both military and through civil service. I retired, still never having gotten a degree. I had 7 ½ years military and the only benefit I received was the experience gained to justify a comparative year versus education. If I left the military today however, I would have never been hired by the Federal Government as I wouldn’t have qualified for the job that I made a career out of and was paid handsomely for. What would my future have looked like today? I would have been 30 years old instead of 26 starting a new job. I doubt I would have had the fortune of raising three kids with them getting most everything they needed or giving them a better life than the average child. It certainly wouldn’t have allowed me to retire at 57 and have enough money to enjoy my retirement conservatively worry free. Although, I’m still helping some of my children with their school debt and will after the debt forgiveness. In fact, if you took the entire snapshot of student debt just for my kids and their spouses, this family would have a total debt over $300K. Because several make too much money, good for them by the way, they won’t be eligible for the government debt relief. But let’s say, this family receives $30K to $50K in relief. We are still paying back a huge amount of money with interest.
People commenting about others being required to pay back loans because I had to pay back my debts, are just bitter. I get it and understand, but the flip-side is to be happy for someone getting some help instead of bitter that they got something you didn’t. Especially if you received a free education yourself. “I’m paying off my house, so you should have to pay off your school loan”. “True I was in the military, but I served and should get back something like a free education for myself and my kids”. These are comments from friends on social media. Even if you are military disabled, that notion has been made less meaningful as I’ve seen too many people playing a game out of military disabilities. When someone says I’m only 75% percent disabled, but I’m shooting for a 100%, something is wrong with their logic. Military, like police officers, fireman, lawyers, doctors, hair stylist, deli man, stay at home mom with a daycare business, a government employee at any level of government, nurse, veterinarian, secretary, builder, insurance man, hospice, plumber, electrician, bus driver, and many others have all served us well and are all due a little free education if the military deserves it. The only military I put on a pedestal are those that can’t function in society due to their time served or if they died for our country. This money is not a gift, it is an investment in people and their lifestyle possibilities. That is why many Democrats have asked for a higher amount be forgiven. Maybe we just use the Republican train of thought, it will have a trickle-down effect or we use the Democrat train of thought, it will make for more productive people with less burden. Either way, maybe the debt relief is a good thing.
No one is entitled over another. The majority of people are worthy of benefits. Pick a benefit and you’ll find those that are a stain on society due to misuse, but if we go back to giving a hand up and not out, we all benefit in the end and just write-off the small minority bad seeds. Personally, if Jen and I get a little of our education loans paid off, it still won’t touch the increase in our taxes from five years ago. Maybe it would be better to just say “Hooray” for someone getting some help instead of bitching about someone getting something free that you are not, especially when you have, more than likely, received your share of free in other ways!
Well my liberal ass obviously thinks college should be free, or at the very least affordable to all. But I do have to say i believe all military should get their school paid for. They have signed up for a job many wouldn’t do and for that it is a way our country can take care of them for taking care of us.