We Americans are totally at home with the concept of borrowing our way to prosperity. Our government does it, so why shouldn’t we? Total U.S. credit card debt is around $604 Trillion, and contrary to popular opinion, we are not paying it down. When it comes to owing money, the number that should concern us even more is the student loan bogey, currently estimated at around $1 Trillion. While higher education is arguably a good investment which pays off in the long term, that money does have to be paid back, and cannot be cancelled by filing bankruptcy. As the Feds get more anxious about their own $17 Trillion debt bill, they will certainly become more assertive in getting their student loan dollars back. What this means for our future is a generation of bright, well-educated, eager young people entering the job market with heavy restrictions on their options and spending power. If we are committed to the importance of education in this country, then we need to get serious about access, quality and cost. Two out of three isn’t good enough.
http://youtu.be/JN2QiRbyD-U