Pro-banking, anti-student Senator Bob Bennett of Utah authored an op-ed for his hometown paper, criticizing the Obama administration's plan to overhaul the nation's student lending industry by shifting to a direct loan structure.
Sen. Bennett is clearly on the side of big business and the banking industry, at the expense of student borrowers. Check out his bio, contact information and, most tellingly, his campaign's donors here:
http://congress.org/congressorg/bio/id/587
Use this link to find out who's contributing to Sen. Bennett and draw your own conclusions as to why he chooses to side against hard-working, middle class Americans in favor of those who've made billions off the backs of students for decades.
Then send Sen. Bennett a message - Share your stories with him to demonstrate just how woefully out of touch he is with the real state of affairs in the student lending industry!
Read my comment send it to everyone you know Diana D
If you'd read the site and comments from all of us suffering with predatory Lending practices that you and others allow to happen. I am mad and rightly so, I had a $9000.00 loan that I have paid in $11,000.00 on it. I have diagnosis of MS, I had major neck surgery and was out of work thank god and I have a job, telemarketing. and was out of work 5 months, nearly put us in homelessness. Now after things calmed down I received a call from Sallie Mae demanding immediate payment. I was now subject to a repayment current mind you of additional amount of $16,333.00 more for the loan , penalties, fines and compounded interest. Do you not see the justice in this, we can't file bankruptcy how ever if you owe IRS they settle the debt pennies on the dollar, you can file bankruptcy against credit card debt, un-secured as well, but not on a student loan even in disable and unable to pay, they garnish wages, they attach to you SS you have to dead or comatose to get rid of it. I am A Slave to Sallie Mae , an you sir are responsible for it, along with many others. Shame on you you bailed out banks, you bailed out insurances companies that was Bush and it sucks and has not worked and they are still abusing the system you created so man up, look further info and come to our aid educate yourself. I believe you accept lobbyist input in my opinion that also lines your pocket and if you are using them and making statements I read about, Shame on you. Do your state people voters know that, I'd be interested to know if news papers pick info up how would they think about re electing you. "A Slave To
Sallie Mae" By the way were you lobbied by Sallie Mae??
PS I'm currently paying on my loan and doing the best I can, so I'm not a looser just overwhelmed medically, financially, and fed up with senators, reps, congress, and past and present presidents. I wish that you'd all do what you said in campaigning for the job.
Makes you wonder why the good people of Utah would vote for such a scum bag??????
Seriously. I love it when a Republican like Bennet claims that the student lending industry is going to be "nationalized," and fails to mention that 97% of all private loans are federally guaranteed! We should all send this Senator a clear message and let him know that we're not fooled by his remarks - it's all political rhetoric. I'm also glad that Rob pointed out the source of his campaign contributions!
I'd also like to know why he claims that defaults will go up if student loans are "nationalized." He provides no sound evidence for such a claim.
Dear Sen. Bennett:
You got to be kidding me. There are so many things wrong with your claims,
I am not sure where to begin. You have the audacity to claim that the
student lending industry is going to be "nationalized," when it's common
knowledge that 97% of all private loans are federally backed? Are you
serious? It's obvious who lines your pockets, and it certainly isn't
coming from students.
I am the Promotional Writer and Dir. of Social Media Marketing and
Fundraising for the Forgive Student Loan Debt Movement. We have nearly
238,000 supporters, and they know that this type of spin is absurd. We may
not be much of a force yet, but I assure you we will make a point to fight
against your poor education policies in the near future.
Also, if you hate the way things are run in D.C., why are you a part of
it? I am tired of politicians railing against government. If you hate it
so much, then retire! I am sure there are plenty of people who would like
to replace you and actually do their job well, instead of ranting about
how bad the government is . . .
On a final note, it astonishes me that you - as a Republican - claim to
care about fiscal responsibility. Did you forget what YOUR Republican
President did over the past 8 years? He also BAILED out the banks, so you
and your Republican colleagues don't have any right to use that type of
rhetoric. It's no longer yours to use!
Sincerely,
Ms. C. Cryn Johannsen