Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Kristy Puchko | Politics | April 22, 2019
Elizabeth Warren has sparked excitement among liberals with her proposal to create a wealth tax to expunge student loan debt and make public 2-4 year colleges free. Dustin broke down some of the ways this could be a wonderful game-changer for the US economy. Now, for the conservative counterpoint, we turn to executive editor of the Washington Examiner, Philip Klein.
New post: "Elizabeth Warren's plan to cancel student loan debt would be a slap in the face to all those who struggled to pay off their loans" https://t.co/4g6No2MRVm
— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) April 22, 2019
The above is a quote from the Klein-penned op-ed, in which he suggests Warren's plan is a naked plea to attract Millenial voters. He writes:
Right now, more than a third of millennials have student loan debt, and studies have shown that the debt is leading them to delay major life decisions including purchasing a house, saving for retirement, and even getting married and having kids. Total student loan debt is now at $1.6 trillion in the United States, making the money owed high [sic] than auto loans and credit card debt and trailing only mortgages in terms of the value of various forms of consumer credit. Unlike other forms of debt that are spread across the whole population, student loan debt is concentrated mostly among younger Americans.
Klein deftly establishes how student loans are prohibiting Millenials for participating in the economy like those who came before them have. He notes Warren's plan would potentially help "42 million people, or 95% of those with debt." Nonetheless, he derides Warren's plan as "the worst sort of pander from an increasingly desperate politician." The crux of his argument against this proposal is "it will be a slap in the face to those who have already struggled to pay off their student loans without government assistance."
K. Well, that's the "slap" comment heard 'round the world wide web. And Twitter was quick to clap back.
Passing bans on lawn darts is a slap in the face to everyone who went through life with a dart in their skull. https://t.co/ylVLoTBmVV
— Max O'Connell (@maxboconnell) April 22, 2019
Passing seatbelt laws is a slap in the face to everyone who survived a car accident.
— Wes Burdine (@MnNiceFC) April 22, 2019
"Cure cancer? Think of all those who died of the disease, don't they count?"
— Peter Ramsey (@pramsey342) April 22, 2019
Antibiotics and vaccines are a slap in the face to everyone who had to die of contagious diseases in the past.
— Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) April 22, 2019
Democracy is a slap in the face to all those who had to live under feudalism.
The invention of the wheel is a slap in the face to everyone who had to walk. https://t.co/ZliFWwsyiu
Eradicating homelessness is a slap in the face to everyone who's struggled through homelessness
— Tatiana 🄠(@turtlesmyrtle) April 22, 2019
Abraham Lincoln's plan to end slavery would be a slap in the face to all those who struggled to buy their freedom. https://t.co/ZPEtnU2Xwq
— Anil Singh🌹 (@anil_a_singh) April 22, 2019
PASSING BASIC EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS LEGISLATION IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO EVERYONE I LET DIE IN THE MINES!! https://t.co/V7AbRQNQ3Y
— Nat, I guess (@z_eph_yr) April 22, 2019
"Indoor plumbing is a slap in the face to everyone who ever had to shit outdoors in the middle of the night." https://t.co/b1wszTaN7J
— George (@WishartG1981) April 22, 2019
Plans to regulate food would be a slap in the face to all those who died of salmonella
— Sam Sykes (@SamSykesSwears) April 22, 2019
Yes by all means let's never solve any social problem ever again.
— Lisa Simpson's REAL Magic Bear-Repelling Rock (@FERALROBOTS) April 22, 2019
This argument ("it was hard for me, so it should never be easier for anyone else") never ceases to amaze. All right then, so give up your running water and your electricity, and for that matter I expect you to go homestead in a swamp. No anaesthesia ever for you!
— Miranda Meyer (@MirandaWMeyer) April 22, 2019
The baffling part of the "I did it so you should have to, too" argument is that it *blatantly* ignores the fact that college is exponentially more expensive now and our economy is inherently more fucked.
— DÄ°SCØSPÄ°DΞR 🔞 (@turgidchub) April 22, 2019
Love it when white men complain about fairness when the world has been rigged to be unfair in their favor FOR ALL TIME!!!!!
— Alicia Lutes (@alicialutes) April 22, 2019
TRY AGAIN, SIR.
xo,
another dumb millennial
White privilege is a slap in the face to everyone not born to it, but whatever
— Steve (@steveintransit) April 22, 2019
But beyond schooling Klein for his astoundingly poor argument, Twitter users also voiced how their own experiences with student loans impacted their thoughts on Warren's plan.
Coming from a household where we are a couple years out from paying off our loans and would not personally benefit, not it would not be a slap in the face. We would be thrilled that others would not face similar financial hardship. We want to see an educated middle class thrive.
— Ratclika (@ratclika) April 22, 2019
As someone who's finally gonna pay off student debt this year and won't get to benefit from such a future plan, I nevertheless FULLY endorse it. The argument of "I suffered through X so others should suffer through X" is narcissistic wankery
— Seth Becomes Her (@LuvSpackle) April 22, 2019
Wow, that's a bad take. I don't want my kids and grandkids to be saddled with insane debt that prevents them from becoming adults and contributing to our economy.
— RedMenace (@maurinsky) April 22, 2019
I paid off my student loans 13 years ago, and I am 100% OK with my tax money being used to erase the debt of other students. We could set everyone free for the cost of a couple of aircraft carriers, and the economic benefit to everyone would be gigantic. https://t.co/xLrY48Odmq
— MZS (@mattzollerseitz) April 22, 2019
I paid off my grad and a significant portion of my undergrad this year and don't have much left and also co-sign this. Too many of my friends are struggling and I'm super worried about my kid's costs.
— Casey Cipriani (@CaseyCip) April 22, 2019
100% agree with MZS on this.
— Cassandra S. (@casimmel) April 22, 2019
If people only wanted to pay taxes for things that directly benefit them, then our society as a whole would be in trouble. Taxes, ideally, are for the greater benefit of society. They aren't individually itemized for each person's own needs.
In summation, Mr. Klein:
— Abigail Pfeiffer (@AbigailPfeiffer) April 22, 2019
