Monday, July 16, 2007

Regarding the July 12 news story "House Backs Increasing Student Loans; Republicans, Senate Proposal Lean More Toward Grants":

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) claimed that House Democrats' efforts to make higher education more accessible to all by reforming the federal student loan programs rob students of "personal responsibility."

What an absurd comment. It demonstrated either a complete misunderstanding of the underlying purpose of and need for federally subsidized student loans or a knee-jerk reaction to attack Democrats with yet another tired conservative slogan.

The point of student loan programs is to make it easier for people of all incomes to attend college and better themselves, a perfect example of personal responsibility.

We should do everything we can to encourage students of lower- and middle-class backgrounds to go on to higher education so that they can provide better lives for themselves, their children and, in the end, our nation.

RYAN GEE

New York