on the other hand, I can see the argument that banks got bailed out for making hugely bad decisions at taxpayer expense, and individual people benefitted greatly. It was done to “prop up” the system, as if the system is so weak that if it tries to correct itself, as capitalism is supposed to do, it would break?

I guess you could make the same argument on a micro scale, for individual dumb students, that was made on a macro scale for the nation, for the really dumb (or maybe smart, but at least non risk averse, banks) our system of infinite growth is in peril and we need a “reset”.

maybe it’s no different, at bottom. throwing money at a systemic problem to benefit a few at everyone’s expense to prop up a corrupt and idiotic system.

I had expected to buy my house cheaper, and I’m certain I would have, had the gov not interfered with harp or harp or whatever it was

I mean, I was pretty angry at the time at the I think 7k incentive flat tax credit given to people to buy a house by the fed gov. right after id bought a house and was ineligible for it. it’s just the difference with the student loan thing is that the problem is directly ongoing, like even the day after you cut the check, because people are still borrowing like crazy, with the expectation they’ll get a reset.

at least with Wall Street they took all the money and shut up for a while, at least till the next “emergency”.