This week, leftists were delighted to see “mean tweets” return as the official White House Twitter account blasted Republicans for being critical of President Joe Biden’s student debt amnesty despite taking COVID-era Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans that were also forgiven.
The only problem with that social media strategy is that PPP loans were completely different from college loans. In an obvious way, the new tactic highlights his administration’s incompetence.
On Wednesday, Biden announced that he was enacting massive debt cancellation — paid for in part by millions of Americans who didn’t attend college, nevermind take out student loans. Many GOP officials voiced concern that this was simply a transfer of wealth from the working class to the white-collar class.
Folks like Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and more all made similar comments, saying it was unfair for tradesmen and non-college degree holders to bail out post-grads.
In turn, the White House snarkily responded by posting evidence that those individuals and others had received PPP loans and had their debts forgiven.
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene had $183,504 in PPP loans forgiven.https://t.co/4FoCymt8TB
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 25, 2022
Those tweets weren’t the “own of the century” the 20-something communications staffers thought it was.
PPP loans were created by Congress in the middle of a worldwide pandemic to help struggling businesses stay afloat while local and state governments forced them to close.
Perhaps for the first time ever with a federal bill, the legislation’s name was pretty straightforward.
The loans were given to protect paychecks and employees. It was understood that these loans could be forgiven from the outset.
Did some people take advantage of that plan? Probably, but that is not the same thing as signing onto a student loan, agreeing to pay it back with interest, and then wondering where your bailout is for money that you agreed to take under those conditions.
It should be noted that much of the criticism from the right isn’t even that student loans were forgiven.
The criticism is the mechanism used — a 2003 law intended for 9/11 heroes — to cancel student debts while making taxpayers foot the bill. Biden’s bailout completely lets colleges, who arguably perpetuated a fraud on entire generations of kids, off the hook. Shouldn’t universities be the ones forgiving debts?
Even legendary supply-side economist Stephen Moore agreed that student debt should be forgiven — through a tax on college endowments.
Universities likely have $750 billion in endowments.
Taxpayers shouldn't bail out student loans — endowments should.
— Stephen Moore (@StephenMoore) August 25, 2022
Despite all the evidence and basic understanding of the reality that not all government loans are the same, leftists praised the recently-installed Deputy Director of Platforms for the Office of Digital Strategy Megan Coyne.
“If you’re wondering why the @WhiteHouse account is ROASTING Republicans lately, thank Megan Coyne, who was recently hired as President Biden’s Deputy Director of Platforms for the Office of Digital Strategy. RT TO THANK MEGAN FOR DOING A GREAT JOB AT CALLING OUT REPUBLICANS!” one popular account tweeted
Erielle Davidson, an attorney and conservative writer, succinctly rebutted, “Her latest piece of propaganda was comparing PPP loans to student debt handouts. One was to keep struggling businesses afloat and make payroll during a global pandemic. Another was to make the taxpayer pay another person’s personal debts. But stunning and brave!”
Her latest piece of propaganda was comparing PPP loans to student debt handouts. One was to keep struggling businesses afloat and make payroll during a global pandemic. Another was to make the taxpayer pay another person’s personal debts. But stunning and brave! https://t.co/irbTHSMYVT
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) August 26, 2022
Of course, Biden’s White House is filled with college debt holders. These days, higher education doesn’t exactly teach critical thinking skills or economic literacy. It focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion instead, which could explain why Biden’s team doesn’t understand the difference between the two kinds of loans.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.