They didn’t just kill student loan forgiveness—they reached into people’s lives and torched promises that were already in progress. In this episode, we break down how the Big Ugly Bill gutted SAVE, PSLF, and every income-based repayment plan we’ve relied on for decades—and how millions of borrowers are now stuck paying full balances with interest for the rest of their lives.
Then we dive into the so-called Workforce Pell Grant—a bait-and-switch gift to trade school students that sounds generous but excludes nearly 80% of real programs. If you thought the alternative to college was safe, think again. This isn’t reform. It’s punishment—for not being wealthy.
Episode Resources
Note: This is just a small sampling of resources on this Big Ugly Bill. DuckDuckGo is your friend.
~ H.R.1 The Big Beautiful Bill Act
~ Bipartisan Policy Center: Workforce Pell Grant
~ The Brookings Insitute: The Case for Doubling the Pell Grant
~ Financial Times: Millions Face Collections
~ New America: Bad Policy Gotten Worse: Short Term Pells
~ Inside Higher Ed: What's Next
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