Durbin Grills DeVos About Student Debt Crisis

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin today grilled Education Secretary Betsy DeVos about spending cuts proposed in President Donald Trump’s budget that would worsen the nation’s trillion dollar student debt crisis and give predatory for-profit colleges free rein to continue defrauding vulnerable students.

[@LifeBetweenTheDash]

I feel sick listening to her; so smug and uncaring.

[@luckyladycharm]

JBryant Concierge She just sits there with that smerk, it's so irrating, and all she seems to care about is taxes taxes and being kind to tax payers, acts clueless about the other countless difficulties most people who just happen to be poor face, she should go and knit baby booties for a church bazaar or something and allow this position to go to someone who knows what the hell they're​ doing and who can understand pain, oh man, corruption, corruption

[@cv9624]

She stands to make Millions of dollars.....it's best to just smile and nod.

[@afergie76]

She and her family have MANY MILLIONS at their disposal. They probably never have been in debt. Her kids education was paid for and they don’t have debt. What does she care. She’s getting loads of money for exploiting the educational system and she’s a proud distributor of the Trump Kool-aid. She’s never been to public school, nor has her kids. She’s not and has never been a teacher. Call it like it is. Her family donated I think a few hundred million dollars to the Trump campaign. She bought her position.

[@bodilmariechalland2513]

I totaly agree with you ....its sooooooo frustration listining to her ....it could make me cry ....Poor kids

[@brandomichaelson4094]

Same. She actually makes my stomach churn. It's like listening to pure evil.

[@HulkHulk-fh8uf]

This is a example of why we should not have billionaires and millionaires representing the working class.

[@alaysiakayebutler6299]

no joke!! absolutely right

[@ryanmedlar6217]

Absolutely!

[@denisesurber8176]

I know. They don't understand and probably really don't care what the life of the working taxpayer is like.

[@hrhrae1959]

Is there no one in this administration who understands what it is like to live in a world where the people of the country inhabit?

[@kenmoxley2191]

I think she must have taken this job to try to save her and her family some money... lol she's a billionaire ! Wtf

[@adriannathompson3700]

She doesn't give a damn about students or their debt

[@michaelbillig7955]

Darcy so... college is useless? No you’ve got a point. Let’s provide no incentive for people to go to college and get a degree to do jobs our economy requires. Because fields like architecture, engineering, medicine, etc all don’t matter. The people who choose those degrees are complete twats right? Our economy will surely survive off of those who can barely fucking survive bc of debt. You got a point m8

[@michaelbillig7955]

Darcy I understand that, but there’s virtually no incentive to go university anymore. The student crisis reached over $1 trillion. When you have jobs that rely on an educated populous, something like student debt will drive students to just not go. Yes, it is a choice. Like it’s a choice to do a trade, join the military, or start a business. But that choice is becoming less of one because people can’t afford it. Education isn’t a liberty, it’s a right. And when someone like her wants to slash public education, I’m terrified with what she wants to do with higher education if she gets another four years.

[@kaiserium8551]

@Darcy and it's our choice to go to work everyday. Your point?

[@kaiserium8551]

@Darcy ok..? Not really responding to my sentence. Have you ever went to college? Cause it really seems like you haven't just because you said "Nobody is forcing these twats to go to college just to party." That's just a cliche that you've fallen for. Not sure if you know the reason why many people go to college so here is the best reason, to get a higher chance of getting a good job that you're interested in. Life may never work out and now you're in drowning in debt, desperate to find a job just to pay something that ended up being useless in the long term, which nobody could ever predict would happen. It could be that certain events occur, etc. You're honestly just making yourself sound like an idiot in my opinion. And you also make yourself sound like a Trump/Betsy supporter, and a little heartless at that.

[@firefang1343]

@Ashley so braindead

[@mikehext]

Keep it up, Durbin. Dont let that toolbag slip

[@jwvvvv]

Durbin's plan is to forgive student debt and force the taxpayers to pay it off.

[@vroxxzz]

John Valleau that's not what I heard him say. I heard him talk about reducing interest on the loan , allowing students to pay off debt by working while they study as well as regulating for-profit educational bodies so that they don't exploit students with unpayable debt. y would that b bad?

[@tonykohanek9801]

@@jwvvvv You mean like we pay for billionaires to get tax cuts and then they pocket it for themselves? I'd rather my money go to actual important things

[@swarr5152]

lock her up

[@garyjohnson7626]

Lock her up in a dam classroom 😃

[@dirtydread101]

WTF is she talking about?

[@CosgroveNotts]

dirtydread101: she's another Palin with word salad

[@stephenheyer686]

She has absolutely no idea.

[@lunarmodule6419]

Its all lies. Shes an absolute sellout.

[@melted_cheetah]

Forgive her, she’s day dreaming of eating lobster on one of her yachts

[@FourFish47]

My daughter went in debt to get a teaching degree - something she loved to do. Now she moved out of Illinois and probably won't teach but still has the debt

[@nancymorrison9978]

If she gets a job in early childhood education such as HeadStart, there is 100% loan forgiveness or if she works in a Title 1 school for low-income students she may also qualify for a substantial loan forgiveness program for her federal loans. She can check it out at studentloans.gov. Additionally if she decides not to stay in education career, if she works for a nonprofit, or as a public servant she can still apply for loan forgiveness. I would suggest she get it submitted quickly because Betsy DeVos and her budget are trying to axe those loan forgiveness programs. I wish her the best.🙏

[@MS-df2fk]

"Mr/Mrs thank you for that question.. now let me smile while I don't answer anything you asked me." Her family actually has a company whose sole purpose is to hire workers that maintain their yachts and mansions. They do not live a normal life. I'd love to hear one of the people questioning her ask how much she thinks a carton of milk or a gallon of gas costs.

[@ice319]

This woman makes my skin crawl... she's heartless and uncaring, and Durbin raises some amazing points. She circled around all of that.

[@mikecooper8462]

She provided an excellent word salad - as empty and vapid as she is. Totally useless.

[@s1dest3p]

You are out of your mind. The government is supposed to pay for people to go to college and if they don't that's heartless? Teach your kids that going to college is an important consideration and the path through college should end up at a career goal. Or better yet, they should develop a skill that doesn't require college. And go cry to the schools that are charging ridiculous amounts - tell them to forgive some of what they charged the students.

[@MrMarinus18]

@@s1dest3p Yeah, the government should pay for people to go to collage. It's pretty insulting that you think the US government is too weak and immoral to be able to do that. I'm not just talking about making collage free, I am talking about paying people to go to collage and that everything is provided for them. The whole idea of "personal responsibility" really is just stupid. The US is supposed to be a great nation so it should make collage available for everyone no matter their economic background. Also the founding fathers pushed education hard as the safeguard for democracy and freedom. The idea that the US is incapable of providing this when Poland and Denmark can do it just fine really should be insulting to anyone who considers themselves a patriot.

[@s1dest3p]

@@MrMarinus18 That is an absurd idea and would be an extreme waste of tax payer money. College itself is a joke and most people go with no clear idea what their ultimate career goal is. And employers these days want people with skills and experience, not a college degree that still requires the employer to invest and train the employee on the day to day job for 2+ years. You haven't thought things through.

[@MrMarinus18]

@@s1dest3p So....the US is too poor to do it? I rather have taxpayer money spend on that then the bloated military and oppressive police state. Not to mention increasing taxes on the ultra wealthy is a good thing in itself considering how they are fueling corruption. I have thought things through and the main thing I keep coming back to is that the notion that collage is only worthwhile in service to capitalism is dumb. The economy exists to allow for worthwhile things that aren't productive like arts and the social sciences. The economy is a means to an end, economic growth for the sake of economic growth is stupid.

[@migueldls087]

if only we can purge once a year this will be my second victim my first will be my nosey neighbor

[@trietphan3196]

I have the exact same thoughts but for me I have a longer list until I get to her or my neighbor

[@ice319]

She'd, unfortunately, be protected because she's a member of the government.... fucking sucks.

[@ThunderDog97]

+Mario And she's also got her brother's (Erik Prince) Christian Mercenary Army (formerly: Blackwater).

[@jadem9493]

Her and trump

[@ThunderDog97]

Devos is a member in good standing of the trump crime-family-syndicate. Don't expect her to make things better for anyone but herself and her own interests.

[@TheNaturalust]

The woman was born in a bubble and is incapable of understanding the problems and programs she is now tasked with leading and funding. Not only has she probably never had to do anything more financially complicated than picking new investments I doubt she has ever balanced a checkbook or paid any of her bills personally. So under qualified for this position it is shameful. This woman has ownership in collection agencies for God's sake. She has a plan that allows the banks to get guaranteed repayment at the expense of the students. The exact opposite of "helping" the students through grants. What is the role of the Federal Gov't? They should probably pay for everyone to have free education IMO. There is no better investment in America's future.

[@diversifieddame9682]

I've known people like DeVos. Look into her eyes and you notice the emptiness, she shows absolutely no emotional at all while being called all these horrible things. That's because DeVos is an extreme case sociopath. The only thing that could make her cry real tears is if she felt she was going to face harm herself... She'd just as soon spit on you and me.

[@mikecooper8462]

She has no soul, and lacks any sense of empathy. A shell of a human being.

[@yopotico]

College education should be free. It works in many other countries. Why not here

[@JW-uy2on]

Because that would limit the profit-making opportunities of private investors. Can't have that.

[@amis8900]

thank you Senator! so glad to have you as my rep!

[@biglee3816]

Republicans fought for her. It is a shame.

[@LibrasHP]

This is plain as day corruption, no?

[@yolandathelionessann104]

Thank you for service Durban. Keep it up my friend, your fighting for those kids who wants to succeed and make a life for themselves! ❤❤❤

[@clarkindee]

Keep people ignorant and poor. You are watching the real nuts and bolts here working toward that goal. DeVos is just a smiling puppet stand-in for the real powers who tell her what to do.

[@sobi_ahmed]

If she freezes the Pell Grant, sh*t's going down!!!

[@afergie76]

“We haven’t done a good job”. Betsy, you haven’t done a good job with anything as secretary of education.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

"robust" is the new word politicians and business people like to use when glossing over real life issues or making cutbacks. I guess with "effictivize" got worn out with the failure of new public management. "Robust" invokes a sense of legitimization thorugh the proposed context of some impending or ongoing crisis, that justifies cutbacks and introduces some none-descript factor of "robustness" amidst chaotic forces. The irony of course is that the reality of most "robustness" endeavours is more like removing the masts, sails and rudders from a ship, firing half the crew and halving the rations because a storm is coming. Decisions usually made in some comparatively landbased office.

[@marietorres8134]

JUST MAKING IT HARDER FOR THE REST OF US TO GET AHEAD. I CALL THAT OPPRESSION!

[@amyjamison-casas1851]

THANK YOU, SENATOR DURBIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@reinajenkins2185]

She just doesn't get it. The struggle just isn't real for folks like her.

[@miahleissa9599]

Student loans need to be forgiven. Our educational system needs to be supported by our taxes. Stop putting all this money into defense. Put it into research and education! You people need to stop finding ways to privatize every damn thing to make you and your friends more millions. EDUCATION should be there for ALL Americans.

[@mark-j-adderley]

“Ditzy Devos” is what her boss calls her behind her back. She has no problem with that. 🤪

[@ethicalphytophage]

The slogan "Lock her up" seems very applicable to Betsy Screw the Students Devos. I believe making her personally fund education programs while she lives a lower middle class life would be an excellent moral solution.

[@acs9188]

I made $11,000 last year. That's it. How can I pay my student debt when I can barely afford to support myself? I've been in survival mode since I graduated high school, which was in '07. Tried going to college but I fell through their beuricratic cracks and was left in limbo. So basically I paid a year of college for almost literally nothing and now I'm stuck with a debt that I cannot pay off. It's... disheartening.

[@williamporter7334]

Hey America - you wanted Trump you got Trump! Please next time stop and think for a moment on what it is that you really want or need for America. I'm sure you did not expect this!

[@mikecooper8462]

trump is/was a political experiment that has gone horribly wrong. Unfortunately America needed this time to test the strength of our Constitution. Only Americans can decide the fate of our country - not foreigners being invited to meddle in our elections by trump.

[@j.s.a.6997]

15 year payoff plan..working at minimum wage..yeah...that'll work.

[@rosyball3598]

Thank You Mr. Durbin! Keep fighting for our students and public, not for rich individual like Devos.

[@marymohagheghi4875]

He speaks so clearly and firmly.smart man

[@bustamovehaha]

Seems like all her answers are prefaced with “I’m not sure”

[@bonedar333]

i rely heavily on work study students to keep my lab open and to keep on budget defunding the work study program is a BAD IDEA many of the students on it need the money to survive in school. they are using the money to purchase supplies and Food. this woman has no idea the ramifications of her budget

[@lavernecoleman654]

Girl bye!

[@keithwald5349]

It is difficult to overestimate just how unfit for office the current Education Secretary is.

[@DJcoasttt]

"the budget gives them a new and well defined way to adres their student loans" What the hell is that supposed to mean ??

[@mikecooper8462]

Useless word salad from an empty useless shell of a human. How in the hell did this fuqtard get thru the Senate confirmation hearing?!

[@larryjohnny]

Thank you Mr. Durbin!

[@nonh1]

"...and after 15 years it will pay off"? Are you for real?

[@wagonmaker1171]

He said drain the swamp, but he swamped the drain.

[@therealkbrackson]

thank you Senator it makes me nauseous watching sociopaths like her run programs that affect us all so personally but i am grateful you are asking the real questions to educate us.

[@michaelofsc6021]

Sounds like the Federal Government needs to get out of the student loan business. Colleges charge so much because the federal government is willing to pay for the students. How many students go to school only to receive worthless degrees that even public schools push. We need to eliminate the Department of Education and the Federal Government needs to get out of the banking system for students, that will fix the problems with for the "For Profit Schools".

[@sandywalker2636]

Theee most unqualified person to be overseeing education. No training. No experience. No education. And no heart. Complete disaster. These people should be sued civilly for intentionally doing a bad job and neglecting their duties. Some compensation for the mess that has to be cleaned up after them.

[@DanRobert1]

I can’t believe this is legal. Why aren’t a lot more people talking about this?

[@Planckepoch592]

She just enrages me.

[@zebunker]

Pitchforks and torches is the only way to get rid of corruption like this. Nobody will stand up and fight because nobody wants to risk losing their job or their home to do whats right.

[@mallikadasi]

"whether you are going to police the ranks"... SHE'S NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING! And all we can do is watch this nightmare unfold...... OMG!

[@fersangar14]

Buckle up America!!

[@jamesocon1]

deVoss - Trump. Say no more......

[@mikecooper8462]

This entire administration needs to be cleaned out, and held accountable.

[@Tfontaine209]

@@mikecooper8462 exactly. By trying and convicting each of them.

[@Cjv123]

Why would she care?! If she had to spend 1 month per qtr in struggling schools and 1 month in the top schools, she would be better qualified to perform her job duties. She doesn't give a damn, because she's invested in private, for profit education. Ayn Rand would luv Betsy. Its disgusting that she was given this job as a favor under the current administration.

[@stevejohnson1321]

5:15 "We haven't done a good job" should have concluded any response.

[@22Phantasm]

Did I hear DeVos say that student loans can be repaid in 15 years ??? That's extortion.

[@dennissecret2857]

"Education Secretary". She is some sort of joke.

[@Mekazas]

Everyone simply cease paying education bills...simple!

[@JacquelynNhi]

My wife has a degree in psychology she graduated in 2006 but has not been able to find a job that pays enough for us to make or keep up with the payments. Her loan started off at 35,000 it's now 100,000. At this point it's impossible to pay and pointless to keep throwing money at a bill that never gets any smaller. This is debt we will die with period.

[@hoksipgau]

We taxpayers should not cover the cost of students taking out loans they cannot pay back. I went to community college my first two years, worked part time and paid my self through college, finishing my college at a state college. Dick Durbin blaming DeVos, is nuts. This debacle we are in is because of prior administrations and congressional incompetence.

[@JW-uy2on]

She used to head one of the predatory student loan companies. She is literally the worst pick for Education Secretary imaginable.

[@caz9719]

These poor mugs, obviously intelligent, having to try and make sense and defend to the world at large the actions of a man who is so dangerously out of his depth that it is frightening, are all worthy of an Oscar: each and every one of them trying to keep their jobs..even poor Sean Spicer deserves an Oscar!

[@Saanichian]

I’m surprised that she hasn’t suggested that defrauded students sign up for Amway.

[@phoenix78240]

At this point its best to not do anything about it and let it all crash and burn.

[@melissahaas8323]

Not a Durbin fan but he is so right about this and I like it when anyone challenges DeVos. She should have never been named to this position and confirmed.

[@kyledavis8995]

This is what you get when people can buy their way into a administration!

[@audreyknight2584]

Al green hit it on the nose on another different hearing..he said people don't decide to be poor bc they want to..ppl are doing little with little bc they are poor!

[@timworrell4057]

Unless we unite together on issues.. Nothing will change, so these talks are pointless!

[@michaelvidal1971]

I obviuosly misheard Secretary DeVos as I thought she implied that a student spending 1/8 of thier discretionary spending on student loan repayment was a good thing. This depends on how you calculate discretionary spending.

[@catherinetiernan5888]

She used those words to say bloody nothing. The government said these schools were great,turned out they weren't, so the government needs to do what they said they would and forgive the student debt. No ifs and or buts just do it.

[@brandex2011]

Students used to know what their menu of options were before DeVos took them away. I’m still trying to figure out the meaning of “Hon.” on her placard.

[@Realitysua_]

She's making the loan repayment time shorter but adding more interest so they can get their money sooner and more of it!

[@asifhossain6280]

I don't know much about american politics. It would be great if someone could tell me what benefits do these hearings serve other than broadcasting to the people. I saw some clips on senate hearings with this woman before she was education secretary. It was obvious she did not know a thing about the job and here I see she got selected. My question is, what was the purpose of those hearings then? Does the senate have any power which does not include only questioning!

[@junestreet3705]

I may have more disdain for her than pumpkin head.

[@Astrobrant2]

She's "deeply concerned" about the student loan debt crisis. Let's hope she's not around if someone's house is on fire. She'll holler, "Oh my God! A fire! Quick, somebody get me a can of gasoline!"

[@nikkiela]

DeVos basically just said that there needs to be a national discussion and more of a push toward a trade...if you can't afford college then you can't go...Wow!

[@kennethmitchell6184]

This is why people don't seek higher education because they spend the rest of their lives paying for it . If you are charged interest rates on a daily basis. She acts like 15 years is a short period of time. And getting a job in your field can be difficult depending on demand. a lot of college graduates are working in sells or making robo calls just to keep the rich.

[@patrickeigenmann138]

How could you look at your schoolmodel like: "meeeh after school i will be in dept for 15!!! Years. Sounds good we do this"

[@louisanna30]

Scary!!!!!!!!! Public Service Loan Forgiveness being remove.

[@thisismydiy6520]

That's one squirrelly- faced swamp monster.

[@geordiecanuck2696]

Why has nobody sued her personally based on the horrific lack of education under her watch in Michigan? She has stated numerous times that she never got involved at her state level. .that alone is malfeasance...negligence under that states law...just a thought

[@niksorenson]

I did have a pell grant and work study. I still pay $200 a month for student loans and sometimes I don't have money for things I need and I definitely don't have money for retirement. Luckily my parent helped me with my first 2 years of college or I would have even bigger payments each month. Life seems impossible and I know my parents didn't have these struggles. Things need to be more affordable and people need a decent wage. College needs to mean something too... college made me smarter and I grew up but it didn't get me ahead in life.

[@David-ou8bs]

I doubt if she understands what it is like to be in debt.

[@jordanvictoria5]

After everything he just said her response was I'm not sure what your question was?

[@garbi27]

this budget should not pass, they need to shut this damn gov't down period

[@matthewkopp2391]

Devos: Student debt is a crisis because half of students can't pay it so me and my cronies will get a substantially smaller return in the short term. But in the long term we will still make a lot of money if I keep lying to US citizens and obstruct judicial proceedings that hold private colleges, and loan collectors accountable for their actions.

[@seyit2978]

This is sad to See That People like her rule your schools.. while she never had a Money Problem

[@anotherbutt4chair454]

How in the world could anyone with any decency be on her side?

[@deannad609]

She is an investor in AEA INVESTORS, company invests in these for profit private colleges. Sextant Education Corp/Performant so many others. What a conflict of interest!!

[@zachwaddicor4150]

I have to admit, as a proud Democrat, who had to pay for my undergraduate and graduate degree myself, I don't know why I should be asking for a bailout from the government. I knew what I was signing up for.

[@bryankelsey8179]

She’s basically saying we’re putting to much emphasis on college education. Basically we need more ditch diggers. If you want vocational schools make them more a part of public education

[@carolefranki9755]

The wealthiest country in the world ….and you become a scientist, a doctor ,an accountant…..for free in how many other countries??

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

I only ever saw one person defend and stick up for her and that was Megan (Me-Again) McCain. What a shock. Senator Durbin, please sir, can you watch a show called "The View" for a couple of days and ask youself after you listen to Miss McCain speak "Does this sound like an Ivy League student." The past couple of weeks there has been a huge scandal discvered of the rich getting their non-deserving childrean into top flight colleges. If bet if you did some research I am sure you would find donations and other gifts from the Great Warmonger of the USA John McCain to the college she attended.

[@whaghht]

Well THAT'S a misnomer... the HONOURABLE Betsy Devos

[@ls-uo9go]

SHE DOES NOT CARE!!!!

[@Pops5033]

the problem here is if regular joe can afford college once completed he may start a trend by weighing options rather than take the first job he finds to start whittling away at the crippling debt school has afflicted him with. he also may drastically alter his tax filings for the better. other reg joes may see this and follow suit enhancing their education and financial status, which as we all know would directly and adversely affect the monetary position of the top 1%. they not only can't abide anyone else getting a slice of the pie (the equivalent of the change they drop in the sofa) we're not allowed to even lick the pie plate.

[@willmpet]

Instead of alleviating the problems she is allowing them to become worse. Students have to work harder to pay for working hard in classes. Is this any way to propel our economy, by punishing those who are trying to help it?

[@poeb27]

Money for the Pell Grant could be used for tax breaks for the Koch brothers. They really need the money. LOL.

[@garygagnon9655]

All I heard from her is....I`m corrupt and a lot of that money is kick backs for me.

[@subhabratadas4087]

No loan forgiveness! Can't pay it off, don't take out a loan. Can't afford college, work another job until it is possible. Really want to learn something, google it.

[@LOVABLEGIRL2010]

Her response was the biggest sidestep i have ever seen to a direct question.

[@CapCityMover]

what is she babbling about?

[@friotaiocht101]

Is that my Betsy "brown eye"...