I quickly accounted for 90 out of 92 million persons classified as "out of the workforce" and you are worried about the proverbial "pocket change".... the very little I did not account for.
Sorry, but the Con(trarian)s keep talking about the 92 million "not in the workforce" as if this where some type of economic calamity (see OP), without ever telling you what the number means (probably because they do not know, and as typical with Cons, do not want to know)... tried of people recklessly throwing facts around, I decided to find out for myself (I know, rare in these parts)... the chart I posted earlier accounts for 90 million of 92 million.
Guess what? CONtrary to what the Cons want you to believe, 90 million of this number (and probably more) have legitimate reasons to be "out of the workforce"... yet the Con(trarian)s want you to believe that this 90 million number should be outrage ("90 million people not working") suggesting they are "discouraged" or "deadbeats".... The real outrage is those that use this number to try to "incite" an outcome, such as was done by the OP.
There is nothing outrageous in the number; there is only something outrageous in the disingenuous use of this number by right wing porn sites and the ignoramuses that visit them. I did not account for 2 million people in my quick and dirty view (perhaps you can) as the 2 million were not the point; the 90 million were.
As to student loans, they may be one of the best benefits the government offers. Once upon a time, when we had state universities, we had low tuition (even free tuition in some places)... but since states have universally pulled funding from their university systems, higher education is out of reach for far too many.... while I appreciate the fact that the Cons would prefer to keep "those people" in their place..... history has shown that a society moves forward when their best and brightest have an opportunity to lead. Keeping talent down simply because they can't afford an education is not in the best interests of any forward thinking society (which, is not what America is anymore, I get it)
I, for one, am a beneficiary of student loans. They financed 1/2 my education. I paid back every penny, with interest... and my taxes resulting from my earnings differential post college v not going to college certainly pays for student loans of many, many other kids. Society got a good return on investment from me, as they will from most partaking of student loans.
First, it is almost impossible to get out of paying your student loan as they are not forgiven in a bankruptcy...but, if you have a problem with student loans, we probably should have better regulation of diploma mills that exist solely to get students to apply for student loans and pay the school...without ever expecting the student to succeed in their 4th rate "school"). Maybe not allow colleges or schools to be "for profit"...
Diploma Mills and Accreditation
Students at For-Profit Colleges Are Most Likely to Default on Loans, Report Says - Government - The Chronicle of Higher Education
http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/hr/opm/OPM_Strengthening_Oversight_Diploma_Mills.pdf
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