I don’t think they would have to. It’s getting harder and harder to shame Republicans. The Republican Party has also got decades of anti intellectualism on their side, plus the more recent attacks on higher education. They’ve spent years laying the groundwork for a fight just like this one.

A lot of people think that students deserve to be held responsible for legal loans they voluntarily accepted as adults. They don’t think it’s fair for college students to get a bailout when they themselves are struggling to pay their mortgage. I think student loan forgiveness is a sound investment in our country’s future, but unfortunately, it’s not my decision.

Remember, much of the Republican base is selfish, and has significant disdain for younger generations. This fight appeals to their ideas about personal responsibility (for others), justice (unless they’re asking us bend the rules in their own favor), cutting government spending (unless it’s on themselves), and the cruel satisfaction of hurting smartass liberal college brats.