The Obama Administration: Why They Have Failed

A strong supporter of the Obama Adminstration, Deanne Loonin, wrote an excellent piece entitled, "Get Rid of Student Loan Collection Agencies," over at Higher Ed Watch. She too is frustrated by the student lending crisis.

Instead of helping the borrowers, who deserve protection and aid from agencies (like the Department of Education), these institutions have become entangled with corrupt outfits like Sallie Mae and Nelnet. So, they are of no use to anyone and only serve to protect these loan shark lenders. I'll say it again, they are useless; but it shouldn't be that way. I am a big believer in agencies that serve to protect citizens with stringent oversight programs.

In this case, the DoE has turned a blind eye to our pleas. That goes for Congress and the White House too. However, I recently had a good conversation with a great contact at TICAS.org (I have been begging for them to consider policy option that would entail immediate debt relief), and I was heartened by that organization's genuine interest in turning their attention towards debtors. It's high time someone paid attention to the student lending crisis, and I sincerely hope that their concern for our well being will influence the decicions that will be made on the Hill very soon. (Obviously, I hope that they will be able to persuade both the White House and the DoE [read Bob Shireman here] to focus on this disastrous situation). At this point I have some serious questions, and I'd like them answered in some sort of public forum:

-Aren't governmental agencies, like the DoE, supposed to function in a way that benefits citizens and helps to correct wrongs committed against them?

-Why aren't they doing anything for us?

-They could easily set up an 800-number for people who are having difficulty paying their loans and dealing with lenders' absurd and illegal activities. Why hasn't the DoE done something like this for student debtors?

-Why does the DoE as well as most of the politicians to whom we've reached out continue to send us generic form letters? (Moreover, I am presently being ignored by Ms. Michele Brown at the DoE. She has sent many of you the same tired letter that claims the DoE "can't change legislation, blah, blah, blah." I am eager to hear back from her. Why is she no ignoring me?).

-Seriously, why can't we solve this problem now?

At this point I can only conclude that this Administration has FAILED. If the DoE does not end their contracts with collection agencies for student loan debt, they will betray millions of Americans who only wanted to receive an honest education through honest funding. It's a disgusting shame that we've all been duped.