Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley delivered an ultimatum on the issue of college loans in an April 12 Twitter post.
“You can’t be anti-racist if you’re anti student debt cancellation,” Pressley wrote, linking to a Washington Post article on people struggling to pay their student loans. According to the Chamber of Commerce, roughly 44.5 million Americans owe a total of $1.5 trillion in debt for post-secondary education.(RELATED: Joe Biden May Use Executive Action To Relieve Student Debt — Here’s What Experts Say Could Happen)
Pressley’s ultimatum prompted backlash online. “You can’t be ‘progressive’ if you support taxpayer-funded bailouts for wealthy people,” Brad Polumbo of the Foundation for Economic Education tweeted.
You can’t be “progressive” if you support taxpayer-funded bailouts for wealthy people.https://t.co/dXTxeo2pfZ
— Brad Polumbo ????????⚽️ ????️???? (@brad_polumbo) April 12, 2021
“You signed the papers, you pay the loans,” another Twitter user posted in response.
“It may have not been wise. But not cancelling is not the same as being a racist,” a third user replied.
People took this debt. It may have not been wise. But not cancelling is not the same as being a racist … prove me wrong.
— Shane Whitaker (@ShanePWhitaker) April 12, 2021
Pressley did get support, including from one Twitter user who said, “As a former university professor I would go further to say that it’s impossible to consider oneself a ‘good person’ if they’re anti-student debt cancellation.”
Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer has called on President Joe Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt. Biden has sought a cap of $10,000, as previously reported.