OPINION

Biden Campaign Strategy—Basements and Bribery

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

President Biden may not be able to win in 2024 based on his record of accomplishments, but he seems to have a plan. Spend as much time in his basement as possible while avoiding any debates. He hopes to secure enough American votes by getting people angry at Republicans for taking away entitlements he had no authority to promise in the first place. 

Even Rep. Nancy Pelosi, in July of 2021, knew the president didn’t have the authority to cancel student loan debt without Congressional approval, “People think that the president of the United States has the power for [student loan] debt forgiveness. He does not.He can postpone. He can delay. But he does not have that power. That has to be an act of Congress.” But why let reality stop you from trying anyway. Bribery just may pay enough to win in 2024.

Former President Donald Trump, commenting on Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan at the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors National Summit in Philadelphia, stated: “[It] would have been very unfair to the millions and millions of people who paid their debt through hard work and diligence…. We have a corrupt president. Very corrupt, but this was a way of trying to buy votes.

Thankfully, in Biden v. Nebraska, the the U.S. Supreme Court justices ruled 6-3 that the loan forgiveness plan violated the Constitution. The Congressional Budget Office had estimated that the cost for the plan would have been $400 billion, but the Wharton School estimated that the actual cost could exceed $1 trillion. In summary, the court found that Biden’s plan violated the HEROES Act, which he had used as a legal authority for taking the action.

But what do you say to the 16 million of 26 million people who had applied for loan forgiveness and who were approved to receive funds that had not yet come? They’ll be hard hit when their payments must now resume. If you are Biden, do you apologize and admit you were wrong? Of course not!

President Biden blamed the Republicans who appointed the conservative justices who made the ruling and called for a “new path.” The president did not give further details but did say the plan was legally sound, based on the Higher Education Act. To ease the blow of resuming payments, Biden also announced an “on-ramp repayment program.” He encouraged all borrowers to make loan payments as scheduled but said the Department of Education would not refer borrowers to credit agencies if payments were not made. 

The message is clear—those evil Republicans are making you pay, but don’t worry. I will make sure you will not experience any negative consequences if you don’t. So, vote Biden and we’ll take care of you whether we have the authority to do it or not. 

Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, praised the Supreme Court decision and asserted, “Biden’s student loan bailout unfairly punished Americans who already paid off their loans, saved for college, or made a different career choice.” Loan forgiveness is not just unconstitutional; it is wrong. Every citizen should be responsible for the loans they secure. Expecting others to pay only makes sense to a president committed to buying votes by making promises he has no authority to make. 

If Biden really wanted to provide for student loan relief, he has had the opportunity to sell his plan when he had a Democrat controlled Senate and House. But why try to sell a plan that you know most taxpayers don’t like and most representatives and senators would not risk supporting? Just make the promise, drag out the process, and hope disappointed students blame Republicans and vote for the big guy—our resident “Candy Man” Biden. 

Thankfully, even many students disappointed by the Supreme Court decision, understand why they ruled as they did. USC Alumna Arianna Shapiro, now a law student at Loyola Law, observed, “I think that it would be nice for all students to get their loans forgiven. However, I understand why the Supreme Court voted against it because in order to forgive everyone’s debt, you need to raise taxes for everyone in America because that’s the only way to get that money.” Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Arianna.

With the delay in having to pay off their student loan, students should have been saving money for when payments would resume. Most probably spent their “savings.” I suggest that if you continue to delay paying that you start saving. His promises are false, his hopes a painful lie.

Democrats like to throw money at problems and label it “caring.” But that is hard-earned taxpayer money they are throwing. Caring for taxpayers doesn’t seem to interest them. Hopefully, by the time the next federal election rolls around, Biden’s strategy will be painfully obvious. Hollow promises funded by other people’s money should never earn you a single vote. Get angry at the right target—President Joe Biden.

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