Staff Reports
At PJ Media, the recent news brings a victory for taxpayers as federal judges in Kansas and Missouri put the brakes on Joe Biden’s latest attempt to use taxpayer money to erase student loan debt and buy votes. This move comes after the Supreme Court shut down Biden’s initial plan to wipe out $430 billion in student debt last summer, citing the executive branch’s lack of authority to burden the public with such a hefty cost.
Undeterred by the previous setback, the Biden administration revamped its scheme into the SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) program, boasting generous terms, especially for low-income borrowers. With over 8 million borrowers already enrolled and 4.6 million enjoying a $0 monthly payment under SAVE, the administration painted a rosy picture of quick debt relief and interest waivers for participants.
🚨BREAKING: The Court has granted our motion to BLOCK Joe Biden’s illegal student loan plan.
Congress never gave Biden the authority to saddle working Americans with half-a-trillion dollars in other people's debt.
A huge win for the Constitution.
— Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) June 24, 2024
However, seven states rallied behind Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and 11 others backed Kansas AG Kris Kobach to challenge what they see as an overreach by the White House. These states argued that Biden’s SAVE plan essentially turns loans into grants without proper congressional approval, estimating a whopping $475 billion cost to taxpayers.
The recent rulings by U.S. District Judges in Kansas and Missouri have dealt a blow to Biden’s grand plans, with both judges highlighting that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona overstepped the boundaries set by Congress in student loan laws. By acknowledging the Department of Education’s authority to structure repayment plans but not to shift debt onto uninvolved Americans, the judges have halted Biden’s redistributionist agenda, at least temporarily.
Missouri AG Bailey celebrated the court’s decision to block Biden’s “illegal student loan cancellation scheme,” emphasizing the unconstitutionality and exorbitant cost it would bring upon Americans. Kansas AG Kobach echoed this sentiment, stressing that only Congress should have the power to decide on forgiving billions in student debt, not the Biden administration attempting to bypass legislative authority.
As these legal battles unfold, Biden’s attempts to curry favor with voters through student loan debt forgiveness are put on hold. With the hope for a more rational administration in the future, let’s trust that such wasteful spending and executive overreach will become a thing of the past.
