#debt forgiveness

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #13

April 5-12 2024

President Biden announced the cancellation of a student loan debt for a further 277,000 Americans. This brings the number of a Americans who had their debt canceled by the Biden administration through different means since the Supreme Court struck down Biden's first place in 2023 to 4.3 million and a total of $153 billion of debt canceled so far. Most of these borrowers were a part of the President's SAVE Plan, a debt repayment program with 8 million enrollees, over 4 million of whom don't have to make monthly repayments and are still on the path to debt forgiveness.

President Biden announced a plan that would cancel student loan debt for 4 million borrowers and bring debt relief to 30 million Americans The plan takes steps like making automatic debt forgiveness through the public service forgiveness so qualified borrowers who don't know to apply will have their debts forgiven. The plan will wipe out the interest on the debt of 23 million Americans. President Biden touted how the plan will help black and Latino borrowers the most who carry the heavily debt burdens. The plan is expected to go into effect this fall ahead of the election.

President Biden and Vice-President Harris announced the closing of the so-called gun show loophole. For years people selling guns outside of traditional stores, such as at gun shows and in the 21st century over the internet have not been required to preform a background check to see if buyers are legally allowed to own a fire arm. Now all sellers of guns, even over the internet, are required to be licensed and preform a background check. This is the largest single expansion of the background check system since its creation.

The EPA published the first ever regulations on PFAS, known as forever chemicals, in drinking water. The new rules would reduce PFAS exposure for 100 million people according to the EPA. The Biden Administration announced along side the EPA regulations it would make available $1 billion dollars for state and local water treatment to help test for and filter out PFAS in line with the new rule. This marks the first time since 1996 that the EPA has passed a drinking water rule for new contaminants.

The Department of Commerce announced a deal with microchip giant TSMC to bring billions in investment and manufacturing to Arizona. The US makes only about 10% of the world's microchips and none of the most advanced chips. Under the CHIPS and Science Act the Biden Administration hopes to expand America's high-tech manufacturing so that 20% of advanced chips are made in America. TSMC makes about 90% of the world's advanced chips. The deal which sees a $6.6 billion dollar grant from the US government in exchange for $65 billion worth of investment by TSMC in 3 high tech manufacturing facilities in Arizona, the first of which will open next year. This represents the single largest foreign investment in Arizona's history and will bring thousands of new jobs to the state and boost America's microchip manufacturing.

The EPA finalized rules strengthening clean air standards around chemical plants. The new rule will lower the risk of cancer in communities near chemical plants by 96% and eliminate 6,200 tons of toxic air pollution each year. The rules target two dangerous cancer causing chemicals, ethylene oxide and chloroprene, the rule will reduce emissions of these chemicals by 80%.

the Department of the Interior announced it had beaten the Biden Administration goals when it comes to new clean energy projects. The Department has now permitted more than 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects on public lands, surpass the Administrations goal for 2025 already. These solar, wind, and hydro projects will power 12 million American homes with totally green power. Currently 10 gigawatts of clean energy are currently being generated on public lands, powering more than 5 million homes across the West. 

The Department of Transportation announced $830 million to support local communities in becoming more climate resilient. The money will go to 80 projects across 37 states, DC, and the US Virgin Islands The projects will help local Infrastructure better stand up to extreme weather causes by climate change.

The Senate confirmed Susan Bazis, Robert White, and Ann Marie McIff Allen to lifetime federal judgeships in Nebraska, Michigan, and Utah respectively. This brings the total number of judges appointed by President Biden to 193

[atfisty]

To any American reading this of voting age. Or will be of voting age for the 2024 election… VOTE! Vote vote vote. Register to vote. Ensure your friends are registered to vote. If it wasn’t clear before the SCOTUS decisions in the last two days have spelled it out clearly.

If you are not an able-bodied cis white heterosexual man, you are at risk. They will strip away your rights, they will do everything they can to make sure you are erased. That you are silenced that you are dead.

And if you think that your vote doesn’t matter. That there is no point. Then they have won. You have already let them win. You have let them control you.

They will come after you. If you are not a cis white male you are a target. You are disposable. And you will eventually lose your basic rights as a human being. Because if you are not a cus white man… to them you are not human. Simple as.

[mysharona1987]

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

HOW CHRISTIANITY SUPPORTS MULTIRACIAL, MULTICULTURAL DEMOCRACY

'The Bible doesn't mention abortion or gay marriage, but it goes on and on about forgiving debt, liberating the poor, and healing the sick' — This pastor perfectly explained how the values expressed in Christianity can support a multiracial, multicultural democracy instead of right-wing extremism (via jamestalarico on TikTok)

#christianity #religion #democracy

[soberscientistlife]

Thank you President Biden

[brmichaels]

The Morning After Series: Chapter 2

Why I'm Mad at Debt Buyers

The second installment of The Morning After Series focuses on the topic of an older episode of John Oliver's Last Week Tonight: Debt Buyers!

Now, not everyone may know what debt buying is, but reading this article is certain to show you why you should be just as mad as me, and give you the solution.

An excerpt:

"I know and love people who require a great deal of healthcare to survive. I have racked up a fair amount of bills in my short lifetime. The idea of medical debt is not new to me and has always been a threat. Debt buyers — strangers who essentially buy the suffering of others and then extort them for profit — made me so mad I didn’t know what to do with myself."

[reality-detective]

What does DJT keep telling us ?

“WE have been together on this journey for SEVEN years” (I might be off on exactly His words…but that’s the gist)

Did the federal reserve note DISAPPEAR from the debt clock on the day of atonement? 🤔

[victusinveritas]

[dejablonde]

So I had a big brain thought this morning. One reason (aside from just general profit and greed) that college in the US is so expensive?

So they can use athletic scholarships as leverage to maintain the enterprise that is college football. If just anybody can get into college, you can't lure your show ponies in with the promise of an education and the idea that they're special.

[loveerran]

Medical Bill Assistance - For Real

I think you will all like this one :)

https://dollarfor.org/

I think most of you are aware that more than half of all U.S. hospitals are nonprofits. Nonprofit hospitals must have charity care programs to keep their tax-exempt status. These programs, also called financial assistance, decrease medical bills for low and middle-income patients. The org linked above will qualify you and make it happen. A high percentage of you qualify and (shockingly) the medical providers aren’t advertising the program.

Don’t have the spoons to face this on your own? They will do this with and for you: https://dollarfor.org/debt-forgiveness/.

What you will need:

About 3 minutes

The name of the hospital, the amount billed, and the approximate date of your most recent bill

Your household's size and annual income

Don’t want someone from a nonprofit helping with your personal medical stuff? Want to do it on your own? They have a walk-through for that: https://dollarfor.org/resources/how-to-apply-for-charity-care/step-one-check-your-eligibility/

You do deserve this!

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #27

July 12-19 2024

President Biden announced the cancellation of $1.2 billion dollars worth of student loan debt. This will cancel the debt of 35,000 public service workers, such as teachers, nurses, and firefighters. This brings the total number of people who've had their student debt relived under the Biden Administration to 4.8 million or one out of every ten people with student loan debt, for a total of $168.5 billion in debt forgiven. This came after the Supreme Court threw out an earlier more wide ranging student debt relief plan forcing the administration to undertake a slower more piecemeal process for forgiving debt. President Biden announced a new plan in the spring that will hopefully be finalized by fall that will forgive an additional 30 million people's student loan debt.

President Biden announced actions to lower housing coasts, make more housing available and called on Congress to prevent rent hikes. President Biden's plan calls for landlords who raise the rent by more than 5% a year to face losing major important tax befits, the average rent has gone up by 21% since 2021. The President has also instructed the federal government, the largest land owner in the country, to examine how unused property can be used for housing. The Bureau of Land Management plans on building 15,000 affordable housing units on public land in southern Nevada, the USPS is examining 8,500 unused properties across America to be repurposed for housing, HHS is finalizing a new rule to make it easier to use federal property to house the homeless, and the Administration is calling on state, local, and tribal governments to use their own unused property for housing, which could create approximately 1.9 million units nationwide.

The Department of Transportation announced $5 billion to replace or restore major bridges across the country. The money will go to 13 significant bridges in 16 states. Some bridges are suffering from years of neglect others are nearly 100 years old and no longer fit for modern demands. Some of the projects include the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River which connects Portland Oregon to Vancouver Washington, replacing the Sagamore Bridge which connects Cape Cod to the mainland built in 1933, replacing the I- 83 South Bridge in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Wilmington, North Carolina, among others.

President Biden signed an Executive Order aimed at boosting Latino college attendance. The order established the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are defined as colleges with 25% or above Hispanic/Latino enrollment, currently 55% of Hispanic college students are enrolled in an HSI. The initiative seeks to stream line the relationship between the federal government and HSIs to allow them to more easily take advantage of federal programs and expand their reach to better serve students and boost Hispanic enrollment nationwide.

HUD announced $325 million in grants for housing and community development in 7 cities. the cities in Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Nevada, New York and New Jersey, have collectively pledged to develop over 6,500 new mixed-income units, including the one-for-one replacement of 2,677 severely distressed public housing units. The 7 collectively will invest $2.65 billion in additional resources within the Choice Neighborhood area – so that every $1 in HUD funds will generate $8.65 in additional resources.

President Biden took extensive new actions on immigration. On June 18th The President announced a new policy that would allow the foreign born spouses and step children of American citizens who don't have legal status to apply for it without having to leave the country, this would effect about half a million spouses and 50,000 children. This week Biden announced that people can start applying on August 19, 2024. Also in June President Biden announced an easing of Visa rules that will allow Dreamers, Americans brought to the country as children without legal status, to finally get work visas to give them legal status and a path way to citizenship. This week the Biden Administration announced a new rule to expand the federal TRIO program to cover Dreamers. TRIO is a program that aims to support low income students and those who would be the first in their families to go to college transition from high school to college, the change would support 50,000 more students each year. The Administration also plans to double the number of free immigration lawyers available to those going through immigration court.

The EPA announced $160 million in grants to support Clean U.S. Manufacturing of Steel and Other Construction Materials. The EPA estimates that the manufacturing of construction materials, such as concrete, asphalt, steel, and glass, accounts for 15% of the  annual global greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA is supporting 38 projects aimed at measuring and combatting the environmental impact of construction materials.

The US announced $203 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Sudan. Sudan's out of control civil war has caused the largest refugee crisis in the world with 11 million Sudanese having fled their homes in the face of violence. The war is also causing the gravest food crisis in the world, with a record setting 25 million people facing acute food insecurity, and fears that nearly a million will face famine in the next months. This aid brings the total aid the US has given Sudan since September 2023 to $1.6 billion, making America the single largest donor to Sudan.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau put forward a new rule that would better regulate popular paycheck advance products. 2/3rds of workers are payed every two weeks or once a month and since 2020 the number of short term loans that allow employees to receive their paycheck days before it’s scheduled to hit their account has grown by 90%. the CFPB says that many of these programs are decided with employers not employees and millions of Americans are paying fees they didn't know about before signing up. The new rule would require lenders to tell costumers up front about any and all fees and charges, as well as cracking down on deceptive "tipping" options.

[thoughtportal]

The Dept Ed was overcharging. this is them fixing a fuck up

[ordinarymothman]

as we enter another American presidential election cycle, i want you all to know i paid off my student loans in early 2020 (with zero help from my family, they don't have money), i earned all of that through normal, boring, legal work, and I think loan forgiveness is great. people who still have student loans should not have to pay them back. people who went to private universities, people who got humanities degrees, all of them. i want my tax dollars to go towards debt relief even though it wouldn't benefit me directly. my name is Nat, i'm in my 20s, currently living in an oppressively expensive region of California. you have my permission to use me as your rhetorical example friend during arguments.

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

J.D.Crowe

* * * *

The Opus Dei court's unmistakable message to college students: you don't share our politics, so screw you. The Supreme Court on Friday struck down President Joe Biden’s signature initiative to cancel student loan debt for more than 40 million Americans. The Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Student Act of 2003 (HEROES) program would have forgiven eligible borrowers of up to $20,000 each, costing some $400 billion overall, but it was blocked by an appeals court in October. The justices were split on the decision 6-3, with the conservative majority saying the president—and his secretary of education—do not have the authority to unilaterally act without congressional approval. “The Secretary asserts that the HEROES Act grants him the authority to cancel $430 billion of student loan principal,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his majority opinion. “It does not. We hold today that the Act allows the Secretary to ‘waive or modify’ existing statutory or regulatory provisions applicable to financial assistance programs under the Education Act, not to rewrite that statute from the ground up.”

In making his case, Roberts cited former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, noting that the California Democrat said in July 2021 that 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 has to be an act of Congress.” The case hinged on one’s particular reading of the HEROES Act, with Republicans largely interpreting the version of the act passed by Congress as not allowing for Biden’s debt relief plan. The majority of Democrats, however, argued that the act clearly gave Biden all the leeway he needed to cancel student debt. “Congress authorized the forgiveness plan (among many other actions); the Secretary put it in place; and the President would have been accountable for its success or failure,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her dissent for the court’s liberal wing. “But this Court today decides that some 40 million Americans will not receive the benefits the plan provides, because (so says the Court) that assistance is too ‘significant.’” Indeed, Kagan argued, “The Court’s first overreach in this case is deciding it at all.” She also noted that there was “nothing personal in the dispute here.”

[The Daily Beast]

[memenewsdotcom]

Biden forgiving more student loans