Washington Examiner, April 2022
The White House is teasing student debt action before the 2022 midterm elections, with press secretary Jen Psaki telling fellow Democrats that President Joe Biden will either extend his federal loan payment moratorium beyond the summer or cancel some debt. But delivering a campaign promise may not drum up the enthusiasm Biden and Democrats need if the party is to hold on to any congressional power next year.
Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder Adam Green described student debt forgiveness as extremely popular. Green cited a Politico/Morning Consult poll this week that found voters endorse some loan relief by a 2-to-1 margin. He said it could “reignite” support for Biden and Democrats before November. “The Democratic coalition depends on rehabilitating support from young voters, and canceling student loan debt would certainly help address that,” Green told the Washington Examiner.
The PCCC also circulated a petition based on Psaki’s Pod Save America podcast student debt forgiveness comments and asked the political action committee’s members for loan-related stories to share with the administration and the news media. “Psaki said, ‘Between now and Aug. 31, [the freeze on payments] is either going to be extended or we’re going to make a decision, as [White House chief of staff] Ron [KLAIN] referenced, about canceling student debt,'” the email read.
