Welcome to this throwback edition of the award-winning Best of the Left Podcast

where we remember the past and choose to repeat it. Today's episode was

originally published on September 14, 2022, and I'm playing it today as the

Biden administration, after a setback by the Supreme Court, continues to make efforts to

cancel student debt where it's able.

It's obviously not the system change we need, but it's a step in the right direction,

and actions help keep the debate going and raise questions like,

why would a nation impede its own progress by putting such a massive financial barrier between its people and higher education?

Sources today include Democracy Now, The Intercept, the Tom Hartman Program,

un-Fing the Republic, the majority report, and Now and Then. President Biden's announced plans to cancel as much as $20,000 in student debt per borrower to help as many as 40 million people.

The president outlined his plan during a speech at the White House Wednesday.

If you make under 125,000 dollars, you get $10,000 knocked off your student debt.

If you make under $125,000 a year and you received a Pell Grant,

you'll get an additional $10,000 knocked off that total for a total of $20,000 relief.

95% of the borrowers can benefit from these actions.

That's 43 million people.

Of the 43 million, over 60% are Pell Grant recipients,

that's 27 million people who will get $20,000 in debt relief.

Nearly 45% can have their student debt fully cancel.

That's 20 million people who can start getting on with their lives.

President Biden also announced plans to extend a moratorium on all federal student loan payments

through the end of this year.

...