*** OPEN INVESTIGATION ***
Lawmakers who don't follow their own party platforms:
What percentage of lawmakers in each political party obey their own party's platform in key higher ed funding legislation? Almost zero, and this threatens to crash the U.S. Dollar if not stopped.
By Gordon Wayne Watts, Editor-in-Chief, The Register | HIGHER EDUCATION
Nat'l Dir., CONTRACT WITH AMERICA: PART II (TM) | Published: Tuesday, 07 June 2022 (Plant City, Fla.) |
| https://GordonWatts.com and https://GordonWayneWatts.com and https://ContractWithAmerica2.com |
After our recent press inquiry to lawmakers[[see below]], asking which of four choices was “best” to address the epic failure in American higher ed lending, which burdens both taxpayers (on the hook) and students (who can no longer afford to go to college like the rest of the free world), we discovered a disturbing phenomenon: Almost zero lawmakers -- of either political party -- even make an attempt to obey their own political party's “official” platform on student loan issues, and so my editor has asked me to open an investigation into this disturbing phenomenon. Our recent press inquiry to lawmakers:
Mirror-1: https://GordonWatts.com/EmailsToLawmakers/Group-6_OPERA_pacific-west-coastLawmakers.pdf
Mirror-2: https://GordonWayneWatts.com/EmailsToLawmakers/Group-6_OPERA_pacific-west-coastLawmakers.pdf
Mirror-3: https://ContractWithAmerica2.com/EmailsToLawmakers/Group-6_OPERA_pacific-west-coastLawmakers.pdf
Archive Today's snapshot: https://Archive.ph/c4BFV The Wayback Machine's cache:
METRICS:
** Republican Lawmakers: First, let's look at the GOP: On page 35 of the Republican Party Platform[[1]], we see the GOP clearly says: “The federal government should not be in the business of originating student loans.”
** Democrat Lawmakers: Next, let's look at the Democrats' official platform: On page 71 of the 2020 Democratic Party Platform[[2]], we see they clearly say that: “Democrats will also empower the CFPB to take action against exploitative lenders and will work with Congress to allow student debt to be discharged during bankruptcy.”
Questions asked: What percentage of GOP lawmakers have attempted to reduce or halt use of Federal tax dollars to originate (make) student loans; and, what percentage of DEMOCRAT lawmakers have attempted to restore bankruptcy to student loans (like it was back when the system worked)?
Answers found: First, as far as this undersigned writer knows, absolutely zero GOP lawmakers, in any recent session of Congress, have filed any legislation to lower or eliminate originating (making) collegiate loans with Federal Taxpayer dollars (unless you count S.323 and H.R.899, which would eliminate the Dept of Ed, but this bill has no realistic chance of passing, and will be addressed later.)
* S.323 - A bill to terminate the Department of Education. 117th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; Zero cosponsors: 1
* H.R.899 - To terminate the Department of Education. 117th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; 19 GOP cosponsors: 20
* S.4979 - A bill to terminate the Department of Education. 116th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; Zero cosponsors: 1
* H.R.899 - To terminate the Department of Education. 116th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; 12 GOP cosponsors: 13
* H.R.899 - To terminate the Department of Education. 115th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; 12 GOP cosponsors: 13
* H.R.620 - A bill to terminate the Department of Education. 99th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; 8 GOP cosponsors: 9
* H.R.714 - A bill to terminate the Department of Education. 98th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; 4 GOP cosponsors: 5
* H.R.2289 - A bill to terminate the Department of Education. 97th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; Zero cosponsors: 1
* H.R.1779 - A bill to terminate the Department of Education. 97th Congress, 1 GOP Sponsor; 19 GOP cosponsors, 2 Democrat cosponsors, 20 GOP total, 2 Democrat total, 22 sum total
Next, there have been a few student loan bankruptcy bills in recent sessions, and these data will be analyzed for compliance of party platform by Democrat lawmakers:
* S.2598 - FRESH START Through Bankruptcy Act 117th Congress, 1 DEM sponsor, 2 GOP cosponsors, 3 total (bipartisan)
Page 1 of 3
OPEN INVESTIGATION: Lawmakers who don't follow their own party platforms: The Register, 6/7/2022
* H.R.4907 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2019, 117th Congress, 1 DEM sponsor, 2 DEM cosponsors, 3 “DEM” total
* H.R.885 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2019, 116th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 4 DEM cosponsors: 15
* S.1414 - Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019, 116th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 20 DEM cosponsors, 1 Independent cosponsor (who caucuses with DEMS), 22 “DEM” total
* H.R.2648 - Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019, 116th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 28 DEM cosponsors, 1 GOP cosponsor, 29 “DEM” total, 30 sum total
* H.R.137 - Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2017, 115th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 3 DEM cosponsors: 4
* H.R.2366 - Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2017, 115th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 37 DEM cosponsors, 1 GOP cosponsor, 38 “DEM” total, 39 sum total
* H.R.2527 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2017, 115th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 23 DEM cosponsors: 24
* H.R.6588 - Student Loan Bankruptcy Act of 2018, 115th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 1 DEM cosponsor: 2
* H.R.100 - Stopping Abusive Student Loan Collection Practices in Bankruptcy Act of 2015, 114th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 2 DEM cosponsors: 3
* H.R.449 - Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy Act of 2015, 114th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 15 DEM cosponsors, 2 GOP cosponsors, 16 “DEM” total, 18 sum total
* H.R.1674 - Private Student Loan Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2015, 114th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; 41 DEM cosponsors: 42
* H.R.3451 - Student Loan Bankruptcy Parity Act of 2015, 114th Congress, 1 DEM Sponsor; Zero cosponsors: 1
RESULTS:
** Basic raw data: For the 117TH CONGRESS, The U.S. House of Representatives has 208 Republicans, 220 Democrats, zero (0) other (such as independents or 3RD party), and 7 vacancies (due to death or resignation), for a total of 435 seats; the U.S. Senate has 48 Democrats, 50 Republicans, and 2 Independents (who caucus with the Democrats), for a total of 100 seats: See below for discussion.
HOUSE: https://PressGallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown
SENATE: https://www.Senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm
** Basic raw data: For the 116TH CONGRESS, The U.S. House of Representatives had 197 Republicans, 235 Democrats, zero (0) other (such as independents or 3RD party), and 3 vacancies (due to death or resignation or, in 1 case, lack of legal certification of the race), for a total of 435 seats; the U.S. Senate has 45 Democrats, 53 Republicans, and 2 Independents (who caucus with the Democrats), for a total of 100 seats: See below for discussion.
SENATE: https://www.Senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm
REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM COMPLIANCE: Even being “very generous” with GOP lawmakers (and taking H.R.899 seriously, tho it has no realistic chances of passing and is more of “making a statement” legislation, not unlike GOP lawmakers hollow promises to repeal the ACA, but failing to do so when taking power), nonetheless, even in the “best” recent session, the 117TH Congress (2021-2022), there were only twenty (20) GOP Members of Congress and one (1) GOP Senator to sponsor/cosponsor such legislation, for a total of twenty-one (21) GOP lawmakers out of a total of 535 total lawmakers (100 senators and 435 members of congress), for a raw “compliance percentage” of 21/535, or 3.93% to 3 significant figures. Even when we do a “sum-weighted” average correction (taking into account that not all lawmakers are GOP), and that the 117TH Congress only has 208 Members of Congress and 50 U.S. Senators who are Republican, we still have only 21/258, or a generous 8.14% compliance rate by GOP lawmakers for a metric on their compliance with their own Republican Party Platform on this key issue. True GOP compliance, in reality, is zero (0.00%) percent, since no realistic legislation to either lower or eliminate Federal tax dollar origination (making of) student loans. (But elimination of the DOE would, technically, do this, plus eliminate a lot of other regulatory functions as well. Theoretically.) A similar effort was made in the 97TH Congress, 1981-1982, when H.R.1779 - A bill to terminate the Department of Education, was filed, and garnered 22 total sponsors/cosponsors, but only twenty (20) of whom were GOP lawmakers; the other 2 were Democrat members of Congress. We aren't counting this as it garnered less support and was a long time ago, especially considering it had no chance of passing.
DEMOCRAT PARTY PLATFORM COMPLIANCE: Even being “very generous” with Democrat lawmakers, and looking at the most successful effort in recent congressional sessions, probably the most successful (albeit failed) attempt by Democrats to obey their party platform on STUDENT LOAN BANKRUPTCY RESTORATION, was S.1414, which had a companion bill, H.R.2648, so let's look at these bills: S.1414 had 1 DEM Sponsor, 20 DEM cosponsors, 1 Independent cosponsor (who caucuses with DEMS), and this constitutes 22 “DEM” senators, total. Its companion bill (identical language needed to pass into law) was
Page 2 of 3
OPEN INVESTIGATION: Lawmakers who don't follow their own party platforms: The Register, 6/7/2022
H.R.2648, which had 1 DEM Sponsor; 28 DEM cosponsors, 1 GOP cosponsor, and thus 29 “DEM” members of congress, total. So, Democrats had fifty-one (51) lawmakers in support of that bill, for a raw “compliance percentage” of 51/535, or 9.53% to 3 significant figures. Even when we do a “sum-weighted” average correction (taking into account that not all lawmakers are DEM), and that the 116TH Congress only had 235 Members of Congress and 47 U.S. Senators who were (or caucus as) Democrat, we still have only 51/282, or a generous 18.1% compliance rate by DEMOCRAT lawmakers for a metric on their compliance with their own Democratic Party Platform on this key issue.
SUMMARY: So, the summary of this investigation is that practically ZERO Republican lawmakers (or maybe 8.14%, when being very generous with the definition of compliance) actually even **attempt** to obey our party's platform (“our,” yes, I'm a far-right Conservative Republican, but I'm honest/unbiased in news-reporting, and call it like I see it) prohibiting federal tax dollars originating (making) student loans. By contrast, roughly 18.1% of all Democrat lawmakers actually even **attempt** to obey their party's platform calling for the restoration of student loan bankruptcy self-defense.
COMMENTS: First, this is quite sad. Secondly, I note with wry irony that the Democrat plank supporting bankruptcy is a manifestation of “Conservative” Free Market forces of bankruptcy to make the Dept of Ed reluctant to lend irresponsibly, as well as comport with Constitutionally-protected bankruptcy uniformity (See Art.I, Sec.8, cl.4). By contrast, our GOP platform's call to prohibit Fed Govt student loan originations is a manifestation of “Liberal” Big Government regulation. However, both planks are morally sound, constitutional, financially responsible, and seem politically viable in some circumstances.
CONCLUSION: What percentage of lawmakers in each political party obey their own party's platform in key higher ed funding legislation Almost zero, and this threatens to crash the U.S. Dollar if not stopped:
Mirror-1: https://GordonWatts.com/#crash
Mirror-2: https://GordonWayneWatts.com/#crash
Archive-1: https://Archive.ph/Wtr0Y#crash
Archive-2: https://Web.Archive.org/web/20220504134218/https://gordonwatts.com/#crash
Only with the threat of bankruptcy to make the Dept of Ed more reluctant to lend out trillions of our dollars will we stop the hemorrhaging bleedout of trillions of our tax dollars, “throwing good money after bad,” enabling colleges to blithely raise tuition to match increased student loan borrowing capacity -- harming students who see unaffordable tuition, and taxpayers who foot the bill. Thus, lawmakers need to join Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Cornyn (R-TX), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and many Democrats on S.2598 and H.R.4907, the necessary Free Market check needed to avoid an all-out crash of the dollar and collapse of the economy. “Crash?” Really? Yes: While college debt (about $2 Trillion) is only about 10% of total U.S. debt, not as large as, say, Defense or Social Security, it's nonetheless, the largest area of “discretionary” (optional) spending that can (should) be cut.
SOURCES:
[[1]] QUOTE: On page 35 of the Republican Party Platform[1], we see the GOP clearly says: “The federal government should not be in the business of originating student loans.” (1ST sentence of last paragraph, near bottom-right of page) [Editor's Note: This is page 42 of 66 of “PDF” page numbers, but the writer labels this as page “35,” since the first 7 pages weren't given regular page numbers.] Source: “REPUBLICAN PLATFORM 2016,” used under Fair Use for commentary, criticism, and research. Editor's Note: This author could not find a more current version, such as 2020 or more recent.
LINK: https://Prod-Cdn-Static.GOP.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL%5B1%5D-ben_1468872234.pdf
Archive-2: https://GordonWatts.com/DRAFT_12_FINAL[1]-ben_1468872234.pdf
Archive-3: https://ContractWithAmerica2.com/DRAFT_12_FINAL[1]-ben_1468872234.pdf
[[2]] QUOTE: On page 71 of the 2020 Democratic Party Platform[14], we see they clearly say that: “Democrats will also empower the CFPB to take action against exploitative lenders and will work with Congress to allow student debt to be discharged during bankruptcy.” (p.72, par.1, sentence 2) [Editor's Note: This is page 72 of 92 of “PDF” page numbers, but the writer labels this as page “71,” since there's a title page that offsets numbering by one.] Source: “2020 Democratic Party Platform,” used under Fair Use for commentary, criticism, and research. Editor's Note: This author could not find a more current version, that this 2020 version:
LINK: https://Democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2020-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf
Archive-2: https://Web.Archive.org/web/20220511165713/https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2020-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf Archive-3: https://ContractWithAmerica2.com/2020-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf
Page 3 of 3