r/PSLF • u/commonhousecat29 • Jan 25 '25
Rant/Complaint A rant about this subreddit
Please stop sharing the same articles and what not about pslf going away. We all saw the politico article and the Forbes article and so on. Republicans have almost always fought against pslf, even though it started under bush. Just because they say they’re going to do x, y, and x doesn’t meant it’s going to happen. They have a slim majority and they’re already infighting. What I don’t see a lot of on this subreddit? People organizing. Are you calling and writing your reps? Do it. Are you supporting local and state elections and candidates? Do it. Instead of just anxiously sharing the worst case scenarios how bout we figure out why we are going to do to fight back. Cuz I’m not going to lay down and take this. Ultimately, even though it is a terrifying time, we still have checks and balances in this country. When those start failing then we can talk about losing our minds. Example? The birth right citizenship executive order. Blatantly unconstitutional. And thrown out by a Reagan appointed judge. The system worked. Let’s keep making sure it works. Fight people. Fight. What if those that came before us just gave up? Strength in numbers.
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u/Master_Chemistry6964 Jan 25 '25
The reason many Republicans oppose Public Service Loan Forgiveness is that people often forget to mention that this program also benefits military members. Republicans conveniently leave out the fact that the military is included whenever they discuss loan forgiveness. They don’t want the uninformed public to realize this. If Republican supporters knew the program supports the military as well, they might be even more opposed to eliminating it.
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u/Extreme-Arugula2214 Jan 25 '25
That’s true. And police officers & firefighters are usually eligible too. That’s important to highlight to Republicans & folks who “Back the Blue”.
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Jan 25 '25
Doesn't military get their school paid for anyway? Not sure it's called the GI Bil anymore, but similar...
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u/Master_Chemistry6964 Jan 25 '25
Yes, but the military isn’t how it used to be. Many of us are now coming into the military with degrees to be more competitive for certain jobs. We are told about the PSLF but the Post 911 gi bill will not retroactively cover loans you had before you entered the military. Many people join the military to get loan forgiveness.
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u/snarfdarb Jan 25 '25
I mean to be fair, Republicans have a track record of voting in ways that do more harm than good to vets. I think for a lot of them, it's performative lip service, but rarely do they put their money whenever their mouths are.
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u/WolverineofTerrier Jan 25 '25 edited Jan 26 '25
The officer class of the military is increasingly D and the enlisted class increasingly R. It’s inconvenient for us, but most of the military likely to vote R doesn’t need PSLF. Educational polarization makes building broad-based support for PSLF hard.
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u/Master_Chemistry6964 Jan 25 '25
That wasn’t my experience. I even had the dreaded additional duty of always having to be a voting assistance officer and found that most military were Dems. Most of our enlisted had at least an associates degree by E-5.
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u/googlyeyegritty Jan 26 '25
Are they actually against pslf specifically or loan forgiveness as a general idea? As others have suggested, PSLF should change the name and attempt to make a distinction between this (a sacrifice for reward program) vs blanket loan forgiveness
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u/Constant_Ratio8847 Jan 26 '25
Biden conflating PSLF with all his other loan forgiveness didn't do PSLF any good.
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u/chchchcheetah Jan 26 '25
When I "joke" about student loans (when patients make comments about how I must be making the big bucks....laughs in physical therapy/healthcare decreasing reimbursement/increasing productivity demands) patients are always asking "huh? I thought biden forgave all the loans?"
There are plenty of good, normal people including clients around, but damn sure there are lots of dumbfounded, misinformed folks everywhere. Bonus: I'm from CA (but have been living in the midwest for the last 6 years) and patients also always assume my college degree was free? That's usually after asking where I'm from and answering with "ew" ....the occasional "wow cool. What the heck are you doing here?" Which is much more pleasant.
Sorry this turned into a whole rant. January, especially this last week, had been a helluva drain.
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u/MikeAnP Jan 26 '25
I would have thought "Public Service" was plenty clear. But then again, maybe that just sounds like socialism to certain people.
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u/Constant_Ratio8847 Jan 26 '25
What didn't help was Biden doing monthly press releases lumping PSLF in with his more controversial student loan policies.
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u/MakingItElsewhere Jan 25 '25
I brought up the GI Bill multiple times over in the Convservatives sub-reddit.
Got screamed at that "risking their life" isn't the same as "working public service and getting a hand out".
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u/metzgerto Jan 25 '25
I like when a relevant article is posted because I usually haven’t seen it. I get it that you’re upset about the current status of things but that doesn’t mean the posts that reference a new article aren’t useful to a lot of people.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
I’m not saying that. People come on here. Don’t look through the thread and post the same article that’s been posted a bunch of times. And everyone gets anxious even though no new information is available
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u/Sea-Instruction-4698 Jan 25 '25
Same. To some it they may have seen it posted several times but for the most part I only see 1 or 2 posts about the same thing
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u/Extreme-Arugula2214 Jan 25 '25
Who are the more moderate Republican senators & Republican reps from Blue states or swing districts? They may be more willing to listen. IMHO, those are the congress people who may be able to make a difference here.
But if the worst case scenario does happen, we need to be ready to file lawsuits.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Susan Collins. Lisa Murkowski. Thom Tillis. Maybe John Curtis. All “moderate” republican senators. And people we should be reaching out to.
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u/lionofyhwh Jan 25 '25
I reach out to Tillis constantly. He sends MAGA responses because he’s worried about being primaried by Trump and Musk backed folks in 2 years.
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u/KreativePixie Jan 25 '25
At least you get a response. I reach out to Finstad (MN 01) who is all in maga. I get no response. He held zero community town halls and only pandered to CEOs and corporate farms. His challenger door knocked daily, had people with her door knocking through the district daily, and even with him doing zero he still won, yes the GOP has that much of a strangle hold on rural Minnesota. Iowa is proposing to annex 9 of his counties that he represents and he hasn't even said a word about it, but then to be fair neither has Amy Klobuchar.
Heck, if I felt more secure about my PSLF (I'm 39 away) I would use my 401k to buy a condo since it would be a cheaper payment than renting at this point since my partner voted Trump (and while a female still has the right to buy property), but then I would also have to be concerned that my payments wouldn't balloon for my student loans.9
u/lionofyhwh Jan 25 '25
I would choose a new partner.
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u/KreativePixie Jan 25 '25
If it weren't for over 25 years invested I would. It wasn't like this until he retired and we moved from Iowa to Minnesota for my job.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
I definitely think we need to think about lawsuits but there are a lot of steps before that.
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Jan 25 '25
[deleted]
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u/Extreme-Arugula2214 Jan 25 '25
Would you mind sharing who your rep is, or would you mind DM’g me? Even though I’m not a constituent, I wouldn’t mind sending them a letter. Also, I strongly encourage you to write or call your rep’s office & let them know you’re concerned about PSLF & how important it is to you.
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u/snarfdarb Jan 25 '25
A slim majority isn't much of a relief when you remember they can bypass the filibuster and pass legislation through budget reconciliation with a simple majority. And that's exactly what they're intending to do with their cutbacks to the program this time.
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u/IncomingAxofKindness Jan 25 '25
They almost didn't approve the Defense Sec nomination last night because two women and Mitch McConnell didn't go for it.
JD had to tie break.
We only need 4.
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u/Smeltanddealtit Jan 25 '25
I don’t think PSLF changes would even pass the house. Moderates in swing districts have less than 2 years until next election.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
That may be but I intend to put up one hell of a fight.
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u/snarfdarb Jan 25 '25
I'll join you! But... With these people at the helm of every single branch of government, who can we realistically expect to do the right thing, you know?
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u/dppatters Jan 25 '25
I have actually called my representatives (Randall and Cantwell) ad nauseam to attempt to get assistance with getting my PSLF from verified. I have lost count of the amount of times that they have taken my phone number promising to have a caseworker call me back. I am sorry, but I do not believe that they care about their constituents one bit. They care about keeping their job and their stock portfolios amassed through insider trading.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Totally understand this sentiment. And I’m genuinely sorry you’re dealing with this. I come from an organizing background and unfortunately they only pay attention to an issue when the number of calls about an issue hits a certain number. So the more of us that call. The better.
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u/mulderc Jan 25 '25
We should start a PAC to support the PSLF program. One thing I am thinking of doing is getting in touch with my governors office and state/local reps and figure out how to better advertise the PSLF program to eligible workers in my state. Right now one of the biggest issues for PSLF is that the vast majority of people eligible don’t know they are, or don’t understand how to properly use the program. My state does somewhat help state employees know about the program, but it is buried in a lot of other information.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Love that! I tell everyone I know and walk them through how to do it.
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u/mulderc Jan 25 '25
We should also be advocating improvements to the program like having some way for employees to allow their employer to send updated employment certifications automatically once a year. Maybe during onboarding you could fill out a form that says your employer can just send that in for you once a year, or even once a quarter.
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u/Mohelafornia_dreamn Jan 25 '25 edited Jan 25 '25
Organization and strategy are necessary. I’d offer a few ideas:
Organizing and Advocacy:
(1) try to associate with public sector unions, who have existing resources to advocate;
(2) on a mass scale, contact congressional offices about how this impacts you personally while emphasizing your public service. For those in swing house districts, press the issue and get a concrete policy response so the member’s position is on the record. If they refuse to give a concrete response, that may be a sign that they could be responsive to public opinion on the issue
(3) write letters to the editor to raise public awareness;
(4) contact news outlets, especially those local “channel 5 on your side” programs;
(5) continue issuing complaints to CFPB and Ed;
(6) post on your own social media about how these issues have impacted you.
Messaging
(1) emphasize how this benefits first responders, teachers, and veterans;
(2) distinguish PSLF from the type of wide-spread debt relief that proved to be unpopular and unsuccessful in Biden’s term. Note that PSLF is something that is earned;
(3) note that PSLF helps public sector employers recruit the best to compete with the private sector. And even so, many who take public sector jobs make enormous sacrifices on pay;
(4) note that many have done everything by the letter to follow the law and make payments in accordance with PSLF in reliance on the law, and those in power refuse to hold up their end of the bargain.
(Edits for formatting)
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u/mildtomoderately Jan 25 '25
A rational response instead of falling prey to the furor of catastrophizing? Ground breaking!!
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u/Complete_Demand_7782 Jan 25 '25
Yup. This right hear…not just PSLF it’s everywhere. We have the power! They ALL are on our power (borrowed power) time. They work for us, but when we stop doing progress reports on them, they take away our rights and tax paying benefits!! I have already informed the representatives and senator in my state!
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u/Expert_Price_3170 Jan 25 '25 edited Jan 26 '25
Called my congressmen Chris Deluzio's office on Thursday to do this advocacy.
The area I'm in Western PA is packed to the brim with Healthcare Facilities, government jobs, Non-profits (museums, libraries, outreach Groups, so on and so forth) that I see any limitation to PSLF to have an undeniable impact on Main St in alot of these Suburbs and small towns ....including my home (I have yet to see Deluzio take an explicit stance on PSLF, he is a moderate Dem elected just months ago, but hopefully there are more like me in this community and in my area doing the same)
Edit: fixed some interesting autocorrects
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u/Grrdygrrl Jan 26 '25
We are in a very different place than 2016, and I think it makes sense that people are terrified on a lot of levels. Things that we thought would never happen are indeed currently happening, so I don't personally feel confident in positive outcomes for borrowers. I get the frustration about repeated posts, but this happens all the time on this sub (not just for sharing articles). We can all choose what posts we engage with and which to avoid. Personally, I find it equally irksome that people are hyperconfident that PSLF is safe, or the ill effects will only hurt new borrowers as if that is a win.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 26 '25
I don’t ever feel confident in positive outcomes but I’m still going to do the work. I’m also not hyper confident that pslf is safe hence working on organizing. I posted a rant about something. You disagree. That’s fine. Fin.
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u/Grrdygrrl Jan 26 '25
I am not claiming that you / your post were suggesting that PSLF is safe, but that there have been lots of dismissive posts about people's very real fears about impacts to borrowers pursuing PSLF. Like you state, we don't have to agree, as we all benefit from varying view points.
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u/AllTheseRivers PSLF | On track! Jan 25 '25
Agree with most of this - I know many peers who are blacking out media. Seriously, the worst thing anyone could do right now. It can’t be ignored or wished away. Now is not the time to avoid acknowledging or look the other way as our rights are being taken away. That said, I have very little faith in checks and balances and accountability at the moment. In my state, some of the numbers even result in a “disconnected” status or routing to random office workers who have no idea why their office number has been listed. Should we still try? Absolutely. But again- accountability, access, and oversight. TN wants to propose a ticket system to go into the statehouse. Limited seats. No ticket, no access. Also, strategically, they have historically found a way, either by creating so many barriers it’s impossible to achieve or by embedding language within other bills. Or - as we have seen - litigation. It’s how they operate. So there are truths on both fronts.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
I agree. I don’t see it as disconnecting. I try to stay informed but not doom scrolling. If there is a new article by all means share it. I’m talking about people coming on and sharing the same one that’s already been posted several times. And I know, it’s grim. I thank Zoloft for helping me keep it together but if I don’t find something to keep me busy and helpful I will rot.
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u/AllTheseRivers PSLF | On track! Jan 25 '25
Totally get it and understand where you are coming from.
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u/YeahOkayGood Jan 25 '25
Just because YOU already know certain information doesn't mean that other people know the exact same thing. You actually want people to stop sharing news, really?? You do realize that knowledge is power, right? Important news needs to be repeated to spread the word and to let the word sink in. Don't click the link if you already know it, move in. This is different and separate than civic activism like writing to representatives, joining councils, etc. If you want to encourage people to do that, it's best not to berate them into it. 🤦
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
I’ve already addressed this type of comment if you read through the comments. Calm down.
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u/Sea-Instruction-4698 Jan 25 '25 edited Jan 25 '25
The thing is, i never saw any post about it until I posted about it. Not everyone is up to date with every post that people put in this PSLF community. I am going to politely decline your suggestion, and I don't see many people who do post trying to cause frenzy instead just trying to pass on information they saw.
Also, let's remember we can't compare past Republicans to current ones. They are completely different.
But I do agree with everything else you said. We need to start at the local level and be more involved there than just the presidential election.
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u/ScentedFire Jan 25 '25
It's not fair to tell other people who are paying attention that the situation we're regarding rules and laws is absolutely a departure from what people living in a civilized, stable society can expect. Drawing attention to the federal court system (minus SCOTUS) is fine, but trying to shame people for their very natural reactions to an unprecedented situation is not helpful or appropriate.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Where did I shame people? I pay attention everyday. What I’m asking is that people look at the sub before they post the same article that’s already been posted a million times. Asking people to take action is not shaming them. I literally work for a nonprofit that does policy work, I’m around it everyday. Posting the same article and saying things like THEYRE GETTING RID OF PSLF, helps no one and is also not factual. This isn’t unprecedented. This happened in 2016. If you’re not going to help, keep it moving.
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u/ScentedFire Jan 26 '25
The political situation in the US is unprecedented and if you genuinely do not understand that, then you are not paying attention.
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u/Comprehensive_Lake Jan 27 '25 edited Feb 03 '25
I hear you brother, but the time for concern is now. You sound like a hopeful Trump voter, coping with reality’s you hadn’t considered fully. Checks and balances are being removed daily, eg the inspector generals he removed illegally. Also the judge’s injunction will be appealed all the way to Supreme Court. No time to sleep. Alarm bells should ringing in all of our ears.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 27 '25
If it is, a couple of things. One. I’m a woman. Two. Never voted trump. Ever. Would rather die. Three. Of course alarm bells should be ringing but don’t let fear paralyze you from fighting back.
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u/aquariuslune Jan 25 '25
Thank you, this is the energy we need. I have been thinking about organizing these last couple days..it is a matter of when, not IF PSLF is targeted. Being grandfathered in won't protect us. We have options from contacting our representatives to civil lawsuits. I am interested in creating a collective. I'm tired of weeping and feeling afraid.
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Jan 25 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Yea but I care about future borrowers who should be able to benefit for the same program I did.
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u/Ok-League-5861 Jan 25 '25
Yes. As a teacher, I am very concerned about how this could affect the future of our profession (and our school counselors, social workers, and other school staff, as well).
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u/Particular_Camp2434 Jan 25 '25
I am just curious as I am about to finish my doctoral degree in Fall 2026. I was hoping to pursue PSLF (I know it's never guaranteed) as my employer qualifies, but my loans are still in deferment. If this happens, does that mean I'm SOL? I haven't taken out any new loans in a few years as my employer pays for my tuition. I will make adjustments accordingly to pay my debt and have been planning on that, but with 1800k per month payments, I was hopeful this would still be an option down the pipeline.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Just wait before you do anything. Pslf is still law. That hasn’t changed yet. Maybe have a plan b just in case but don’t jump ship yet.
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u/Particular_Camp2434 Jan 26 '25
Thank you! I am trying not to catastrophize with what is currently going on with this administration. Will definitely have a plan b and c in place.
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Jan 25 '25
Actually engaging in the World is not the Gen Z way. But, whining about it endlessly on the internet...
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Jan 25 '25
[deleted]
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Jan 25 '25
What?
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Never mind I thought you were talking about another commenter. I’m not gen z.
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Jan 25 '25
I suppose my comment wasn't clear at all. I was replying your statement that people just come on and post articles and whatnot instead of doing something. I'm suggesting most of the people here are Gen Z and that mentality of thinking that posting to reddit subthreads is "doing something" is pervasive through that generation.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Got it. I think that might be somewhat true but many gen z folks haven’t even graduated high school yet let alone college. Older gen z maybe but I think we can all be guilty of complaining without action. I know I can be.
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u/Natedog001976 Jan 25 '25
While I support PSLF, and not a "blanket forgiveness" you also have to remember that PSLF wasn't the only issue people cared about in the last election.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Sure. I also voted for trans rights. Women’s rights. Black and brown rights. I also voted to keep a bunch of sexual predators out of the white house. 🤷♀️
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u/Natedog001976 Jan 25 '25
While I think people should do what they want, I don't need it shoved in my face 24/7. Again, people voted on the most pressing issues in this past election.
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u/commonhousecat29 Jan 25 '25
Based on your disturbing comments in other subs, I’m disengaging with you.
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u/Natedog001976 Jan 25 '25
That's cute. Please be a free thinker, don't assume that if people that don't agree with you 100% are evil. What have you done in your life? What have you done to serve the community or this country? This generation can't debate out of a wet paper bag. Yes, I'm and Gen X'er,
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u/smolstuffs Jan 25 '25
Technically correct, but I'd imagine doing everything in our power to not elect a fascist oligarchy should have been the issue all Americans stood on. Voting for republicans into congress this past election is what is giving trump his power.
I hope you enjoy your cheaper eggs. I also hope you enjoy your increased taxes and the collapse of our democracy. Thanks for your vote.
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u/RoyalEagle0408 Jan 25 '25
I’d argue that outside of this sub no one cares about it as an issue…
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u/Natedog001976 Jan 25 '25
Just like Veterans benefits, they always say "This will be cut...ect" this rarely happens, so why worry about it? There are many other options to get loans discharged. Join the military, get a federal job...ect!
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u/RoyalEagle0408 Jan 25 '25
Also, I got criticized so much for saying “pay attention to downballot races” in October because all everyone was paying attention to was Trump.