#CancelStudentDebt Trends on Twitter After Biden Administration Announces Continued Moratorium on Student Loan Payments

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Image: Demetrius Freeman | The Washington Post

Earlier today, the Biden administration announced an extension of the moratorium on student loan payments until May 1st after the Omicron variant continues to present a potential threat to the economy. This means that the pause that has been on paying federal student loans since May 2020 will continue, giving breathing room to graduates with student loans during a difficult time for the economy and job security. However, though this is good news and a step in the right direction, this action caused #CancelStudentDebt to trend on Twitter with over 18,000 thousand tweets and counting as many believe that student debt should be irradicated, not paused.

Twitter’s reaction

Once this announcement was made, there were certainly mixed reactions surfacing. Some were happy to hear this, believing that it would at least be a start in the correct and anticipated direction. According to Biden in his official statement, he understands that “millions of student loan borrowers are still coping with the impacts of the pandemic and need some more time before resuming payments.” But, some people still insist that if payments can be paused, they should be eradicated completely.

https://twitter.com/synth_fetish/status/1473707007379185665?s=20

Some, however, existed on the exact opposite side of the spectrum, believing that payments should not be paused or canceled. In Biden’s statement, he notes the facts regarding our current economic state: “with nearly 6 million jobs added this year, the fewest Americans filing for unemployment in more than 50 years, and overall unemployment at 4.2 percent.” With this being said, some believed the pause on student loans should be removed, making it that borrowers will resume paying their loans and interest will return to normal.

Some believe that if the economy is doing better, people should return their debt. One concerned parent believes that paying back debt will help them learn some responsibility, a common belief within those for repaying student debts. However, some still believe that with college tuition increase over the years and with the unexpected events of the pandemic, the debt should be removed. In fact,  AOC and other senators or members of Congress, joined the conversation revolving around the pause of debts, urging Biden to cancel them entirely.

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As expected, many involved still believed that student loans should not be forgiven, as this conversation is not brought up to other loans like when buying a house or a car. Some believe that it is your personal responsibility, and forgiving it could represent a terrible message.

This conversation, like many when it comes to topics that seem to divide conservatives and liberals, can be difficult to understand pros or cons and what it would mean to forgive all student loans. However, the conversation is important to several people, which is obvious to see after it trends on both sides of the political spectrum.

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