Fox Business host Charles Payne said progressives have “hijacked the pain and suffering” of black people by pushing student loan debt cancellation during a Monday interview on “Fox & Friends.”
“Progressives have hijacked the pain and suffering of black Americans for everything they want to push, and it’s despicable. It must stop now,” Payne said. “I’m going to say something very vulgar to the progressives: stop pimping black people. Okay? Now, here’s the deal, let’s go through this in three ways. First and foremost, why would anybody in this country want to forgive student loan debt?”
The host cited that 71% of those with professional degrees have student loan debt, but make $3.6 million in lifetime earnings. An individual without a high school diploma will only make approximately $900,000 throughout their lifetime. People with doctoral degrees make $3.3 million and masters will receive $2.7 million, Payne said.
“Why the hell would someone who dropped out of high school who only has a high school degree pay the loan of someone who’s going to make $3.6 million in their lifetime? So right then and there, it’s nonsensical, it’s unfair and it’s stupid,” he continued.
Democratic Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in a Saturday tweet that student loan forgiveness is racial, gender, and economic “justice.” Payne pushed back saying 59% of Asian students, 67% Hispanic and 70% of white students have student loan debt, and therefore there is no racial justice in canceling student loan debt. (RELATED: Democrats Are Pushing For Student Loan Forgiveness. Who Would It Benefit?)
“Where’s the racial justice that she is talking about? Let’s go to her district,” he said. “There’s 4.8% of black people in her district. Who is she really helping in her district? Seventy-three percent white, over 60% graduation rate, more than double the national average. It is a gift to her white donors. One more thing … who are her donors?”
“Try Microsoft, her number one donor,” Payne continued. “You know how many black people work for Microsoft? You can go down to the next train station and find more. Three percent are managers. It is one of the largest corporations in the world. … They’re the ones who don’t believe in black people. Microsoft, the people the progressives are protecting. The whole thing is a sham, it must stop.”
Payne called loan forgiveness a “farce” given that a person cannot help people go to college and then say it does not pay for itself. He then noted college tuition inflated when former President Barack Obama’s administration interfered in canceling student loan debt.
He concluded by telling Jayapal to talk to her donors about providing a quality education to students across the country.
“If you ever really want to justify this, I would say to the congresswoman, talk to your donors. Why are they not helping these people in these cities the right way? Talk about the education that leaves these kids unable to get a real, competitive job. And don’t put them in college when A) they’re not prepared for it and B) you’re telling me it doesn’t work anyway.”