Student-loan debt has been shown to have a relatively modest impact on marriage rates and almost no effect on borrowers’ ability to have children.
The White House is gearing up for another installment of its interminable debate over whether to forgive some student loans. Its self-imposed deadline for a decision is August 31, and some reports suggest the President is considering wiping out up to $10,000 in student-loan balances for those making up to $150,000 a year.
There are numerous ways we could make repaying college loans less burdensome to those who took them out, such as programs that tie repayment to household income. But conservatives should avoid misplaced compassion. Holding a firm line against executive action to cancel student-loan debt is the politically popular and prudent stance to take.
Some conservatives have had their heartstrings pulled too, and are worried that recent college graduates cannot afford to have children or buy homes because of loan debt. The possibility of using executive action to alleviate barriers to marriage or fertility might tempt some to make a populist case for pro-family student-loan forgiveness.
