Gary Franks: Student loan debt relief? How about service instead?

President Joe Biden’s student loan debt relief plan should have been debated and voted on by Congress. Even Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi once said it could only be done via a vote of Congress. For Biden to just do it is considered noble by some, political by others, appreciated by many and not enough for some.

Democrats, who practice one-party rule of our federal government, should have been forced to make a choice. A half-trillion dollars can go to global climate change, or a half-trillion for student debt relief or hundreds of billions for computer chips, but you simply cannot have it all. Inflation, a recession and higher interest rates curtailing borrowing all loom over us.

Yes, we want our youth and all Americans to be challenged, to have the opportunity to attend the best colleges and universities, where they can receive the highest levels of education and training possible in all fields. But we must also seriously look into why the cost of colleges has risen so much.

There have to be other options to the student loan problem than the following:

1. Paying off student loan debt over decades, or …

2. Destroying your credit by not paying off your student loan debt, resulting in paying higher interest on everything you purchase for decades.

Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan does not include long-lasting solutions. It does not address the fairness issue. It can be perceived as a handout.

We should give all students with student loans the opportunity to work off part of their student loan debt by being an “American helping Americans.”

We give those in our military a break on tuition. No one complains as we deem it deserving. It gives good men and women a dual opportunity to get a college education and serve our nation. Why not learn from that approach for the $10,000 student debt relief plan ?

President John F. Kennedy had the Peace Corps, which allowed Americans to assist in developing countries. They improved America’s favorability rating around the world.

President Bill Clinton tackled some domestic problems with AmeriCorps. Our young people were encouraged to help poor Americans improve their lives.

President Jimmy Carter instituted Habitat for Humanity to build much-needed housing for the indigent.

President George H.W. Bush acknowledged outstanding Americans who gave of themselves to help others with his Points of Light Awards. He also pushed Americans to help those with disabilities.

President George W. Bush encouraged the use of religious-based organizations to help Americans.

President Barack Obama forcefully advocated for the development of more mentors to serve as role models, especially in the Black community.

All these altruistic presidential programs were outstanding. Why not learn from them, build on each and create new, much-needed programs?

While combining all of these past programs and projects, let us allow students to have a portion of their student loans forgiven or exchanged for service in the aforementioned presidential programs, while establishing new ones to meet new issues. This is “Americans helping Americans.”

There is work to be done. We have a crisis in America.

The suicide and murder rates are both at historic levels. Yes, we need to pay more attention to mental health and counseling. Suicides by guns account for far more fatalities than any other gun-related death.

We should strengthen, approve/qualify and monitor nonprofits and foundations that are focused on helping our youth in general and those in need in the areas mentioned above.

We can utilize the talents of our college students and graduates who can commit hours of work that can serve as partial repayment of their student loan obligations. Foundations, nonprofits and religious-based organizations could all expand their services with the added — and free — manpower from these programs.

Increased counseling, mentoring, coaching, tutoring and just being there for folks in a verifiable organized manner would be a huge asset to America.

Plus, I believe God blesses those who help others.

Allowing students to work off a portion of their student loans over time — a few hours a month, for example — can be a good option for many. They would be contributing to the needs of so many Americans at the same time. One’s time has value.

I think we all can agree — being in the military is not the only way to serve our country.