Student loans, and why and how your voice matters

July 6, 2012

I get e-mail from the White House from time to time (you can, too) (some links added):

The White House, Washington

Good afternoon —

It’s July, and because Congress finally took action, 7.4 million students no longer have to worry about the interest rates on their Stafford loans doubling.

That’s great news, but it was far from certain. Just a few weeks ago, it wasn’t clear that it would happen.

We got this done because of you.

Americans like you spoke up on this issue. You took to Twitter and Facebook. You sent emails and talked to your friends and neighbors. And in the end, your voices made all the difference.

Last week, we sat down with a group of students who were watching this fight closely — because the choice that Congress made would have an impact on each of them. They talked about what this legislation means, and why it was so important to speak out on this issue.

What they had to say was a powerful reminder of how everyday Americans can make their voices resonate in Washington — and it’s the kind of thing that can get you fired up for the fights ahead. Check it out:

Watch the video

Last year, when you spoke out on extending the payroll tax cut, you changed the debate. We saw the exact same thing last week with the fight for student loans.

These were both huge victories for the American middle class that couldn’t have happened without you.

And it’s exactly the kind of effort we’ll need in the weeks and months ahead.

We’re working to make it easier for responsible homeowners to refinance their mortgages. We’re pushing Congress to take action to create jobs and get our economy back on track. We’re working to reward businesses that create jobs here in America instead of the companies that ship jobs overseas.

And we need your voices in every single one of those fights.

We’ll be in touch with more ways you can stand with President Obama to move our country forward. But for now, check out this video to remind yourself of the power you have:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/why-your-voice-matters

Thank you,

David

David Plouffe
Senior Advisor to the President

P.S. — If you’re a homeowner struggling to refinance your home, we want to hear from you. Learn about the President’s plan to help responsible homeowners refinance and share your story:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/refi

Leave a Comment » | Education, Politics, Student Loans | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell

Heads up on student loans

June 20, 2009

Short note from Di Mortui Sunt:

Got student loans?  Did you know that the Federal government is changing the rules on the direct loans they give to students?  The two big changes are debt forgiveness, for those who meet certain guidelines, and new income based repayment plans.  If you’re about to get loans, you might want to wait til after July 10, when the new rules go into effect as the interest rate will be dropping and the size of the Pell Grant will increase.  Overview here and the official site here.

Official information from the U.S. Department of Education here.  You may want to check with the financial aid office at your college, too.  Gather ye lots of information while the gathering is good.

3 Comments | College, Education, Education spending, Financing College, Higher education, Student Loans | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell