GOP opposition to debt relief

Re “The hypocrisy of Republicans who got PPP loans,” column, April 17

Michael Hiltzik asks a question on student loan debt relief that is fundamental to the direction of this country and should dominate economic policy in the 2024 election.

For far too long, Republicans have maligned any form of student debt relief under the guise that it costs the taxpayers in order to fund “worthless gender studies degrees.” They have no exposure to the lived realities of 45 million voters drowning under compounding interest and negative amortization on student loans.

Is it hypocritical to have received federal Paycheck Protection Program loans that were forgiven during the COVID-19 pandemic while dying on the hill of opposition against student debt cancellation? Of course it is, but this is from a party that views a collegeeducated electorate as a threat.

A conservative middle ground would be to reinstate the right to have student loan debt discharged as any other unsecured debt in bankruptcy. Yet, people on both sides of the aisle seem to be profiting too handsomely from the largess of the lending industry.

Forty-five million student loan borrowers constitute a massive untethered voting bloc. Both parties should be looking to solve this crisis.

Lisa Ansell Beverly Hills