(Washington) Joe Biden, who largely won the White House in 2020 thanks to young voters, announced on Wednesday a new measure to erase student debt, congratulating himself on having, in total, canceled the debts of this type for “nearly 4 million Americans”.
“Too many Americans still have to face insurmountable debts in exchange for a university degree,” lamented the American president, candidate for a second term, during a speech in California.
“When Americans are relieved of their student debt, they are free to pursue their dreams,” he said.
Since his arrival at the White House, Joe Biden has, according to his administration’s count, erased a total of $138 billion in loans taken out for their studies by approximately 3.9 million Americans.
The 81-year-old Democrat had promised to do much more, presenting a plan that would have erased several hundred billion dollars of debt for the benefit of middle-class borrowers and former stock marketers.
But the project was rejected by the Supreme Court, with a conservative majority, and the Biden administration had to be content with taking around twenty more modest measures.
The one announced on Wednesday will immediately benefit certain borrowers who have already repaid for ten years and who have borrowed a maximum of $12,000.
The White House has calculated that the measure should cancel $1.2 billion in debts, and benefit 153,000 people, who will be notified of the good news by an email signed by the president.
The Democrat’s campaign team is striving to tout his overall very robust economic and social record to young Americans, who have so far been very unenthusiastic about his candidacy.
On Wednesday, she broadcast a message from young Florida elected official Maxwell Frost, the first representative of “generation Z” in Congress.
“The president’s actions on student debt contrast sharply with Trump […]. President Biden knows that debt cancellation is an important topic for young people,” he commented.
A poll published Wednesday by Quinnipiac University gives Joe Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump neck and neck in the voting intentions of 18-34 year olds (47% for the first, 45% for the second).
The survey also indicates that the Democrat would be even less popular with this age group than his conservative rival: 30% favorable opinions for Joe Biden among young people, and 39% for Donald Trump.