Martell Spy Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 Americans stress over ‘unshakeable burden’ of student loan payments Borrowers are awaiting relief from the Biden administration while the pause on federal student loan repayment is set to expire 30 September https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/may/30/us-student-loan-payments-pandemic Quote Michelle Kajikawa of Portland and her husband currently owe more than $150,000 in student loans from his law degree and her social work and teaching degrees, obtained between 1995 and 2003. She is an elementary school teacher, and her husband works as a public defender, while caring for two children. “The yoke of student debt has completely overshadowed every aspect of our finances,” said Kajikawa. “We have always lived paycheck to paycheck, even as our salaries grew.” The couple relied on assistance from family to buy a home, because their debt-to-income ratio prevented them from qualifying for a mortgage. Their credit suffers regularly when hit with unexpected bills, mostly for medical care. Now the couple is starting to worry about putting their two children through college while wondering how they will be able to afford to eventually retire, especially when their federal student loan payments have to start being paid again after the Covid-19 pause on federal student loan payments expires on 30 September. “There is a psychological cost to this unshakable burden. We are facing having to put our own children through college, and eventually our own retirement, all with the burden of $1,500 to $2,000 payments every month, seemingly forever. We internalize a feeling of failure, even though we have accomplished a lot, personally and professionally,” added Kajikawa. “I am dreading the point at which we will start paying again.” Student loan borrowers are awaiting relief from the Biden administration amid calls to cancel $50,000 in federal student loan debt from Democratic members of Congress, though Biden has only expressed support for $10,000 in student debt forgiveness. His administration also omitted student debt cancellation from the annual White House budget while awaiting a report from the US Department of Justice and US Department of Education reviewing Biden’s legal authority to cancel student loans through executive action. For many Americans hit by student debt the lack of immediate action from Biden has been a serious blow, especially as payments on those loans are set to start again for many people. “It is a catastrophically failed lending system at this point by any rational metric you can come up with,” said Alan Collinge, founder and organizer with Student Loan Justice, which has circulated a petition with more than 1m signatures calling on Biden to cancel all federal student loans and grant bankruptcy rights for private student loans. “This pandemic is the nail in the coffin,” added Collinge. “Almost nobody has been paying on their loans for the past year and whenever the repayment suspension is lifted, if you think many people are going to resume, you’re wrong. It’s not going to happen – people have gotten used to seeing the extra money in their bank account at the end of every month and they’re done.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMC Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 Haven't seen this mentioned here yet. Remember all the controversy over Neera Tanden? Two months after she withdrew her nomination, Biden simply hired her as a Senior Advisor. Meaning she may well be more powerful than if she got the OMB job. Way to go Manchin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse Named Stranger Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 You are so screwed if they succeed. I don't think there's a positive spin there. @DMC Any last words, other than. Murica, it was a good run... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueMetis Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 So uh, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/28/arizona-gas-chamber-executions-documents Arizona is refurbishing its gas chambers for executions. First off, Arizona has fucking gas chambers? Second, no seriously they have fucking gas chambers for hydrogen cyanide built after WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 "Texas Democrats Stymie G.O.P. Voting Bill, for Now Republicans hit a significant stumbling block in their push to enact some of the strictest voting laws in the nation. But they could yet pass the measures through a special session of the Legislature." https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/31/us/politics/texas-voting-bill.html Quote Democrats in the Texas Legislature staged a dramatic, late-night walkout on Sunday night to force the failure of a sweeping Republican overhaul of state election laws. The move, which deprived the session of the minimum number of lawmakers required for a vote before a midnight deadline, was a stunning setback for state Republicans who had made a new voting law one of their top priorities. The effort is not entirely dead, however. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, indicated that he would call a special session of the Legislature, which could start as early as June 1, or Tuesday, to restart the process. The governor has said that he strongly supported an election bill, and in a statement he called the failure to reach one on Sunday “deeply disappointing.” He was widely expected to sign whatever measure Republicans passed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkerX Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 1 hour ago, Zorral said: "Texas Democrats Stymie G.O.P. Voting Bill, for Now Republicans hit a significant stumbling block in their push to enact some of the strictest voting laws in the nation. But they could yet pass the measures through a special session of the Legislature." https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/31/us/politics/texas-voting-bill.html even if it passes (likely) I suspect this legislation has the potential to blow up big time in the faces of those voting for it. no provision that it only republicans can challenge election results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martell Spy Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Former Trump advisor Michael Flynn said the US should have a coup like Myanmar, where the military overthrew the democratically elected government https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-flynn-said-us-should-have-a-coup-like-myanmar-2021-5 Quote Michael Flynn, who served as President Donald Trump's national security adviser, told a crowd at a QAnon conference in Dallas, Texas, this weekend that the US should have a coup like the one in Myanmar. On February 1, Myanmar's military overthrew its democratically elected government and arrested its leaders. The coup immediately sparked protests across the country, prompting the junta to launch a campaign against its own citizens. Upwards of 800 Burmese people, including at least 40 children, have been killed, according to Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. More than 4,000 people have been arrested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireWolfSpirit Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 1 hour ago, Martell Spy said: Former Trump advisor Michael Flynn said the US should have a coup like Myanmar, where the military overthrew the democratically elected government https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-flynn-said-us-should-have-a-coup-like-myanmar-2021-5 There should be a steep price to pay for such brazen bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkerX Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 1 hour ago, DireWolfSpirit said: There should be a steep price to pay for such brazen bullshit. Flynn will claim 'freedom of speech,' 'not to be taken seriously,' 'it's sarcasm.' If prosecuted he'll scream about 'oppression.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueMetis Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, ThinkerX said: Flynn will claim 'freedom of speech,' 'not to be taken seriously,' 'it's sarcasm.' If prosecuted he'll scream about 'oppression.' Yeah well hopefully the US Army will counter with "court martial." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireWolfSpirit Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Yeah whatever happened to conduct unbecoming of an officer? He should be stripped of his pension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 1 hour ago, DireWolfSpirit said: There should be a steep price to pay for such brazen bullshit. Sometimes I wonder if this man is braindead. First of all, any coup led by him would probably fail, and even if he did succeed, he would be the first one led up to the chopping block as the other conspirators would soon realize he is a fucking moron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireWolfSpirit Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 And yet our former CIC thought he was perfect to serve as his Nat. Sec. Advisor........no terrible judgement there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywin et al. Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 27 minutes ago, maarsen said: Sometimes I wonder if this man is braindead. First of all, any coup led by him would probably fail, and even if he did succeed, he would be the first one led up to the chopping block as the other conspirators would soon realize he is a fucking moron. Braindead may be a step too far considering Flynn's service, but it is clear he can no longer speak with any authority backed up by his military experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Considering how the navy captain Brett Crozier of the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier as removed for requesting medical assistance when covid-19 was raging through his ship, and FBI McCabe was fired just prior to retirement -- losing pension -- Flynn really does need to be removed and lose his pension and other benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 2 hours ago, Tywin et al. said: Braindead may be a step too far considering Flynn's service, but it is clear he can no longer speak with any authority backed up by his military experience. I have a brother in the Canadian military. Military people are not always the best or the brightest. My brother's CO turned out to be a serial killer. And then there are the other people he works with who regularly fail to impress. Such as a general who ordered troops dispatched to a desert location to wear long pants during the day so his soldiers would look more military even though the temp was above 100 F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanteGabriel Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 Flynn was appointed by Obama to be Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2012. In 2014, after feedback that Flynn was insubordinate and unreliable, his term was not extended. That's why Flynn got so salty about Obama in the first place. I can't imagine why people might have thought Flynn was a bad choice to run the DIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tywin et al. Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 1 hour ago, maarsen said: I have a brother in the Canadian military. Military people are not always the best or the brightest. My brother's CO turned out to be a serial killer. And then there are the other people he works with who regularly fail to impress. Such as a general who ordered troops dispatched to a desert location to wear long pants during the day so his soldiers would look more military even though the temp was above 100 F. The U.S. Navy almost made me an intelligence officer. I am clever and charming, but far from the best and brightest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jace, Extat Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 1 hour ago, maarsen said: Such as a general who ordered troops dispatched to a desert location to wear long pants during the day so his soldiers would look more military even though the temp was above 100 F. I don't understand what the problem is. Generals order. Soldiers obey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueMetis Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 18 minutes ago, Babblebauble said: I don't understand what the problem is. Generals order. Soldiers obey. What does that have to do with whether the order is fucking stupid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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