Molly Gibbs is a freshman journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about politics and the environment for The Maneater.

Many Democratic and Republican politicians reacted critically after President Joe Biden announced a student debt relief plan, when instead they should celebrate for their constituents who benefit from the elimination of debt.

Biden’s plan will eliminate up to $20,000 in student loan debt for those who qualify. Some progressives say it’s not enough, while moderates and conservatives claim the action is unfair to those without student debt. Manufactured outrage from politicians has the power to dilute enthusiasm and stir up more tension in the American political realm.

According to the Aug. 24 announcement, Biden’s plan will require the Department of Education to provide debt cancellation for certain groups. Pell Grant recipients will receive up to $20,000 and non-Pell Grant recipients can get up to $10,000 in debt cancellation. Eligibility is based on income: The borrower must make less than $125,000 annually if they are single or $250,000 if they are married. No individual or household in the top 5% of incomes will receive debt cancellation. This move by the president delivers his campaign promise to “forgive federal student debt relating to the cost of tuition currently held by low-income and middle-class people for undergraduate public colleges and universities.” Biden’s plan also lays the groundwork for future changes to the federal student loan system, Pell Grant maximum and overall cost of college — all aimed at making education affordable for all.

Negative Republican reactions are not shocking considering high tensions between the parties. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota said “it is fundamentally unfair,” to forgive student loans because not all Americans “had the opportunity to go to college.” Currently, about 38% of Americans have a college degree, and 1 in 7 Americans, or 13.5%, have student loan debt as of January 2022. According to 2020 census data, in South Dakota, 116,200 people, or about 13.2% of the population, have outstanding student loan debt. The plan will directly impact a significant portion of Thune’s constituency by eliminating all or some of their student debt, including debt incurred by those who did not complete college. It is true that the other 86.8% of his constituents will not benefit directly; however, it is not very often that economic policies evenly impact everyone in a state or the country. For example, the U.S. spent about $1.82 billion on unemployment benefits in July 2022 alone assisting people who meet state-specific requirements. Not all citizens feel the impact of that economic policy equally, yet it has endured since 1935 as a necessary expenditure to help Americans currently unemployed. The new student debt relief policy aims to help a different group of Americans who attempted to or completed a degree and now have on average $37,667 of debt.

Some Republicans are doing more than just expressing their dislike for the policy and have begun filing lawsuits. John Malcolm of the Heritage Foundation said law firms within their network are looking to file suits against the policy.

Democrats have varying issues with the policy. Some, like Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, agree with Republicans that the policy is unfair and “sends the wrong message to the millions of Ohioans without a degree.” The message sent by the executive order is one of forgiveness. It is a reassurance to the American people, the federal government will help citizens who are struggling, when possible. Additionally, in Ohio about 1,793,400 people, or 15.3% of the population, have some form of student loan debt and will benefit from the relief provided by Biden and the Department of Education.

Others believe the order is not doing enough. Sen. Michael Bennet from Colorado said “immediate relief to families is important,” but believes it “does not solve the underlying problem,” that an education is no longer affordable for many. This assertion is accurate; however, Biden’s plan includes potential solutions to said underlying problems.

One goal of the plan is to increase the value of Pell Grants, which, according to the Federal Student Aid Office, go to students who are in particular financial need, which would make college significantly more affordable for low-income Americans who receive the grant. In addition, Biden can only do so much through an executive order, as evidenced by Republicans preparing lawsuits claiming even this move was a step too far.

The opinions of dissenting politicians do not reflect the feelings of the majority of American citizens who support federal student debt relief. According to recent polling by the Bipartisan Policy Center, 67% of Americans agree the government should forgive all or some student debt. Despite negative reactions from politicians, the move was politically sound for Biden as he considers running for a second term.

Moreover, the plan will provide much-needed relief to Americans who are held back by student loan debt. The use of rhetoric will only create deeper breaks within the two major parties. Politicians on both sides of the aisle must open their eyes to the benefits of the plan and celebrate forgiveness going to their constituencies.

Copy edited by Sterling Sewell and Jacob Richey | Jrichey@themaneater.com