On Background: How borrowers became political pawns

Going for everything got us nothing.

What appears here started as part of yesterday’s post on student loan delinquency rates, but that was getting too long and, as many of you know, it’s become rather dangerous to share any perspectives online, let alone ones that are critical of… well, anything. I have no delusions that what I say below will remain among paid subscribers, but then again, I don’t think anything I’m saying here is a secret. Every time I talk to folks in the higher education policy space these days, I hear the same thing.

“We don’t even do policy anymore.”

“Everyone is afraid of the advocates.”

“There haven’t been new ideas in years.”

But you all know me. I’ll say things. I’ll probably never have a job again as a result, but I’ll say stuff. And especially right now, I think it’s time for everyone to be a little more courageous, because everything we’ve built - and everything we’ve taken for granted - is now at risk.

Me and my career.