Even Democrats Oppose Student Loan Bailout; Warren Dodges Fairness Question; Biden and Pelosi Said He Lacked Authority — Then Used It

On 8/28/2022, the student loan bailout faced opposition from within the Democratic Party itself — with Tim Ryan, Catherine Cortez Masto, Michael Bennet, and Sharice Davids all criticizing it. Senator Warren dodged a direct question about whether it was “fair” to people with other types of debt. A compilation showed Biden and Pelosi both saying in 2021 that the president did not have the authority to forgive loans — then doing exactly that. A progressive Democrat called it “terrible policy” that “doesn’t help the people we’re here to help.”

Democrats Against Their Own President

A commentator listed the Democratic defections. “Tim Ryan is in a tough race in Ohio — he can’t stand this idea. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto from Nevada, tough race — she doesn’t like this. Michael Bennet from Colorado — he doesn’t like this,” the commentator said.

“Sharice Davids, one of the more impressive Democrats, the only Democrat in Congress from Kansas — she doesn’t like it,” the commentator continued. “What is my party doing with this?”

A progressive Democrat went further. “I’m a progressive. I want to help folks. But I think this is terrible policy,” the Democrat said. “They’re not helping the people we’re here to help, which is poor people, underprivileged communities. And they’re not helping their politicians who are running.”

Warren Dodges Fairness

Warren was asked directly: “What do you say to Brian and others who say this is really not fair — that student loan debt is just one kind of debt and there are other people who don’t have that but have other struggles that the government isn’t helping them with?”

Warren told a personal story about paying $50 a semester for college and becoming a teacher. “That opportunity is not out there today for any of our kids. That’s not the America we want,” Warren said.

The interviewer pressed. “I’m not sure that relieving this amount of debt changes the cost of college. The cost of college is still exorbitant.”

Warren did not address the fairness question — why student loan holders deserved relief but not those with medical debt, credit card debt, or mortgages.

Biden and Pelosi: “He Does Not Have That Power”

A compilation showed both Biden and Pelosi saying the president lacked authority for broad loan forgiveness.

Biden in 2021: “I’m prepared to write off $10,000 in debt, but not $50,000. I don’t think I have the authority to do it.”

Pelosi in 2021: “People think that the President of the United States has the power for debt forgiveness. He does not. He can postpone. He can delay. But he does not have that power. That would have to be an act of Congress.”

A legal analyst explained the reversal. “Congress acted. The legislation that allowed President Trump and President Biden to delay loan repayment — it’s the same legislation that allows him to forgive $10,000 worth of debt,” the analyst said.

Fetterman’s Health Questions

The video showed Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman campaigning more than three months after his stroke. “Fetterman was on message but often halting in his speech and occasionally dropped words mid-sentence,” a reporter noted. Fetterman stumbled: “What is wrong with demanding for an easy, safe kind of their income, a path to a safe place for them to win — or excuse me, to work?”

Newsom: All New Cars Must Be “Alternative Fuel”

Governor Newsom announced California would require all new cars sold to be “alternative fuel” by 2035. “Two years ago, we took a risk. Tomorrow, California Resources Board is going to codify that. We will be the first jurisdiction in the world,” Newsom said.

Biden: “Two More Senators” to End Filibuster

Biden framed the midterms in explicit terms. “If we elect two more senators, we keep the Democrats — we’re going to get a lot of unfinished business done,” Biden said. He named specific candidates in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

“We get these folks into the United States Senate, we get rid of the filibuster, and then we do the real thing,” Biden said — revealing that ending the filibuster remained the endgame.

Key Takeaways

• Multiple Democrats publicly opposed the student loan bailout — Ryan, Cortez Masto, Bennet, and Davids — with a progressive calling it “terrible policy.”
• Warren dodged a fairness question about why student debt holders deserved relief but not those with other types of debt.
• Both Biden and Pelosi had said in 2021 that the president “does not have the power” for loan forgiveness — then Biden used it.
• Fetterman campaigned three months post-stroke with visible speech difficulties.
• Biden said two more Senate seats would enable ending the filibuster to “do the real thing.”

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

• Tim Ryan can’t stand this. Cortez Masto doesn’t like it. Bennet doesn’t like it. Sharice Davids doesn’t like it. I’m a progressive — this is terrible policy.
• What do you say about fairness? I think about how education debt is different. That opportunity is not out there today.
• People think the President has the power for debt forgiveness. He does not. That would have to be an act of Congress.
• I’m prepared to write off $10,000 but not $50,000. I don’t think I have the authority.
• We get two more senators, we get rid of the filibuster, then we do the real thing.
• What is wrong with demanding for an easy, safe kind of their income — excuse me, to work?

Full transcript: 799 words transcribed via Whisper AI.