Michelle D. Castillo 
There’s a negative aspect to this supposedly positive concept.
Despite his best intentions, Biden’s intentions aren’t good enough. Biden shouldn’t be able to give student loans a monetary relief from New Jersey. While an idea might be popular or simple in comparison to the legislative option, it does not mean it is a good idea. The tax code currently has a terrible job of generating a fair tax levy. The tax code is currently Biden is thinking about a major donation to a lot of Americans without an acknowledgment of linking this generosity with merit or necessity.
What happens to the child who skipped school to get an employment opportunity to help the family pay for its expenses? What about those who borrowed loans from non-federal institutions or relatives? What about those who worked at night, on weekends, and during summer to pay for an education that is debt-free?
Can a surgeon of the future from a wealthy family with a low-paying intern have the same advantages as a major in history who is now a teacher?
What can today’s college students think about financing their college? Should they go with the safe route? or risk a more costly education, and believe that loan forgiveness could be a norm that will eventually help them out?
Debt forgiveness for student loans may be an appealing “feel-good” concept, but it’s a complex concept that makes it difficult to achieve without creating arbitrarily huge inequities.
Alan Mandel
Framingham
Personal accountability should be the main lesson here.
What would you think of having sacrificed and saved for the purpose of paying off the student loan debt, only to discover there are elected leaders in Washington who could decide to forgo most of your college loan debt? It’s possible you’d be annoyed. It could be an opportunity to buy votes to boost polling numbers as we move closer to midterm elections.
The truth is when one applies for a loan, one is aware of the full extent of borrowing money. Most lenders aren’t shady, and the conditions that the lender offers are transparent. You’re borrowing money to increase the chances of your future and committing to repaying it later and with interest.
The millions of taxpayers that end up as cosigners on these uninsured loans, and having them pay for the cost is unjust. Furthermore, as a whole shouldn’t give our resources to people who are still learning to manage their own lives. Being accountable in the form of consequences for choices is an important lesson to be taught at an early age.
Scott Thompson
Bloomington, Ind.
Great change of pace from tax cuts that favor the wealthy
Jeff Jacoby is concerned that granting student loans “would deepen cynicism,” however, I believe he is putting the causality reversed ( “Canceling student debt will make things worse,” Ideas May 1,).
I am aware that granting forgiveness to student loans isn’t an economically sound decision. However, after a huge corporate tax cut that financed $92 billion worth of share buybacks alone in 2018, I am now accustomed to the idea of student loan forgiveness due to my skepticism.
The possibility of granting student loans is an unusual opportunity to assist those who aren’t wealthy, rather than helping the wealthy get more wealthy.
Elliott McNamee
Roslindale
Don’t impose a burden on taxpayers by imposing the cost of this bill.
Jeff Jacoby’s perspective on tuition forgiveness is right on (“Canceling student loans will only increase the burden”). I wish that we could stop the news media from telling people the truth that “the government” is going to help students pay their debts. In the first place, it’s going to be the taxpayers who are left with the burden. And, secondly, why should we be expected to shoulder the cost of loans taken out by someone else?
What would happen the scenario if Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren took care of my debt? I’m retired and have a fixed income.
All student loan forgiveness will result in higher tuition costs and higher wages for some wealthy professors.
Arvin Cook
Hudson
The student loan should be the primary focus
The issue is “Forgiving student loans is a savvy move –and the right thing to do” by Renee Graham and “Canceling student debt will make things worse” by Jeff Jacoby: The problem isn’t about granting student loans. It’s the way to handle student debt.
Students who take out loans for graduate studies already benefit from possessing an undergraduate education. they’re more likely to perform better than students who do not have a college degree. Many who borrow to fund post-high-school education, such as having a bachelor’s, associate’s or occupational training must borrow in order to have the chance of earning an income that is middle-class in today’s competitive labor markets.
Students who need to borrow money to pursue higher education should be targeted towards those who need to borrow money for undergraduate education, not students who are already college-educated.
Jane O’Neil
Charlestown
