While most of the nation has been fixated on the Supreme ruling on Obamacare, last week Congress agreed to freeze for one year the interest rate on some student loans. Interest rates on low-cost federal student loan some federal loans had been expected to rise from 3 or 4 percent to nearly twice that amount. The actions by Congress will save the average borrower $7 to $9 dollars a month. Do you think fall elections had anything to do with the outcome? If you’re a student loan borrower you’re probably happy with this announcement. If you’re a taxpayer, you’re not. Once again, Congress showed no willingness to make tough decisions and come to grips with the reality that federal student financial aid programs aren’t a good deal for students or taxpayers. Richard Vedder discusses why in a compelling article, Federal Student Aid and the Law of Unintended Consequences. Is it a coincidence that ever-escalating tuition tracks with the availability of student financial aid? Is it a coincidence that five-year student graduation rates hover around 50 percent? Why — after borrowing thousands of dollars for college — are so many students unemployed burdened by excessive debt? These are all questions Congress should address — but won’t. Get the feds out of the student loan business. Then watch what happens.
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