It’s being called Elizabeth Warren’s Joe the Plumber moment.
An angry father who apparently scrimped and saved to send his daughter to college confronted the senator about her student loan debt forgiveness plan at a campaign stop in Grimes, Iowa.
The exchange deserves to be read or heard by everybody who cares about the future of this country. Here it is (thanks to the Examiner):
"I just wanted to ask one question. My daughter is getting out of school. I've saved all my money. She doesn't have any student loans. Am I going to get my money back?" the man in an embroidered leather jacket asked Warren.
"Of course not," the Massachusetts senator, 70, responded.
"So you're going to pay for people who didn't save any money and those of us who did the right thing get screwed," he said.
During the confrontation Monday, Warren protested, communicating that no one would get "screwed."
"Of course we did. My buddy had fun, bought a car, went on vacations. I saved my money," he said. "He made more than I did. But I worked a double shift, worked extra — my daughter worked since she was 10. So, you're laughing."
"No, I'm not," Warren said.
"Yeah, that's exactly what you're doing," he said. "We did the right thing, and we get screwed," he added, before walking away from the photo line without a photo.
"I appreciate your time," Warren said.
And we should all appreciate the father’s impassioned statement.
Warren plans to cancel student loan debt of up to $50,000 if the borrower’s household is making under $100,000. This would help around 95% of borrowers and cancel all student loan debt for 75% of borrowers. She sweetened the pot last week when she vowed to do this through executive action, ignoring Congress.
I can’t add anything to the father’s statement. He nails it.
College debt is a serious hindrance in life for countless Americans. What I wonder is what genius thought it a good idea to allow people in their late teens to undertake serious debt to go to college?
That students would be willing to take on such debt ensured that colleges could spend irresponsibly and that tuition would rise without normal checks.
I can imagine there are a lot of indebted people who would vote for Senator Warren for $50,000.