Up Next: Federal Student Loan Bailouts?

I worked my way through college.

I held jobs while attending community college, and I worked full-time after I transferred to Fresno State. When I entered graduate school I had no student debt. And I continued working my first year of the Ph.D. program at a local Chevron station, turning down thousands of dollars in federal student loans that were available. I wanted to be careful. During my last couple of years in grad school, I borrowed to finance my dissertation research, which meant I could write full time instead of conduct TA seminars at the university. I've already paid off one of my student loans, and on two big loans outstanding, I pay less than five hundred a month. For a professor, that's manageable.

Basically, I did what most people do, or at least that's what I think most people do, or should do ... be responsible. I'm proud of my achievement in that sense. That just seems like the American way.

So readers can see how I might be a little turned off by Allahpundit's receptiveness to growing demands for a TARP-style federal bailout of student loan debtors: "Stimulus idea: How about massive forgiveness of student loans?"

Read the essay at the link.

The guy at Retake Education pretty much captures my sense (outrage?) at all of this:

Screw you Allahpundit. Is this what the supposed Right has come to? Hey, we’re throwing tons of money at the problem at rewarding people who acted irresponsibly at the expense of those who didn’t, why not throw some more cash on the fire while we’re at it? Screw people who were too stupid to jump on the federal gravy train when they were in college, or who stupidly paid back their loans as promised by sacrificing in the short term. What a bunch of losers they are! And all those folks who worked their asses off while they were in school so that they wouldn’t have to take out loans? Screw ‘em. And, ahem, people who are working full time jobs while going to school at night so that they can better themselves? Screw ‘em!

What a moronic, insulting idea. Allahpundit and Hot Air should be ashamed to even be thinking this.

See also, "Asking for Student Loan Forgiveness," via Memeorandum.