Will Biden end the student debt crisis?

Americans have some of the highest rates of student debt in the world.

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., centre, speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, February 4, 2021, about plans to reintroduce a resolution to call on President Joe Biden to take executive action to cancel up to $50,000 in debt for federal student loan borrowers. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) (AP Photo)

Americans have some of the highest rates of student debt in the world, and 92 percent of it belongs to the US government. That means President Joe Biden could erase the debt with the stroke of a pen, and some activists are going on a “debt strike” to urge him to do so. As Biden takes a victory lap from passing a massive economic stimulus bill, activists and some politicians are ready for the next fight: cancelling student debt.

In this episode:

Thomas Gokey, co-founder of Debt Collective

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Alexandra Locke produced this episode with Patricia Sabga, Negin Owliaei, Ney Alvarez, Dina Kesbeh, Priyanka Tilve, Amy Walters and Malika Bilal.

Alex Roldan is The Take’s sound designer. Steve Lack mixed and edited this episode. Natalia Aldana is the engagement producer. Stacey Samuel is The Take’s executive producer.

Source: Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera and news agencies