You may have seen my video regarding the fail of the Emergency Student Loan Refinancing Act yesterday. The more I think about it, the more upset I get. I know that student loan debt easily impacts over 50% of my connections and yet, I only saw one other person make the slightest reference to the Student Loan Bill this week. Let me enumerate (as we are so prone to do these days) the many reasons young adults need to pay attention to what is going on in the world outside of social media. In fact, you can think of this article as 5 reasons you should actually give a Sh!t.

1. No One Cares About Your Best Interest

I realized this sad fact last year when student loan interest rates doubled while congress took their 4th of July vacations. Seriously. While students are struggling through one of the worst economic recessions in history and trying to make their lives better through an education made possible by student loans, congress allowed those rates to double while sipping Mimosas on Myrtle Beach. Most students were none the wiser and I'm sure many took out loans this year not even realizing that the interest rate was twice what it was before. That should show you how much congress cares and how sympathetic they are to the cause. (hint: they're not)

2. If You Don't Fight For Your Fair Share, You Will Get Scraps

All of the resources of our country pretty much go to war and old people. Nothing against old people. In fact, we should strive to be more like them. Senior citizens tend to be attentive to the issues that impact their livelihood and as a result, congress is prepped to listen and respond. They know that there will be consequences if the needs of their constituents are not attended to. When was the last time you let an elected official know your stance on something? Don't worry, I'll wait... dootie doo...EXACTLY. Everyone knows that when it comes to legislation, young adults are sleeping. Therefore, they don't spend time worrying about the issues that affect us. We have to change our reputation from being passive to being a force to be reckoned with. Millennials are the best things since sliced bread (kidding, kinda) and we should demand that our voice be heard.

3. Student Loan Debt is Bankrupting our Future

Student loan debt is poised to become the next mortgage crisis of our generation in the not so distant future. If we do not help our legislators make policies that are fair, make sense and would ease our financial burden, we will all regret it in the long run. Additionally, student loan debt is causing young adults to think twice about sending kids to college. Look what a mess it turned out to be for many of us.

4. Your Family Legacy is Threatened for Generations to Come

Student loan debt is delaying homeownership and generally diminishing the lifetime wealth potential of Millennials. Due to the economy and inflation, jobs do not pay enough to allow us to build wealth as consistently as families of old. Since 76% o American's are not prepared for retirement anyway, this is a retardation that we cannot afford. Literally.

5. If Not You, Then Who

Who exactly are you waiting on to save you? I hate to break it to you this way but there is no one but you, and me, and everyone reading this post. We MUST be more attentive to the policies that are going forth that will impact our future and our children's future. Our parent's generation has much to bestow on us in the way of wisdom. But, when it comes to politics, we must fend and fight for ourselves. Agendas abound and if we are not careful, ours will be relegated to the bottom of the barrel to be dealt with another day. And I don't know about you but I've never seen that day on any calendar.

Ultimately, I want to leave you with an understanding that in a democratic society, the democracy does not work if the every day citizen does not assert their power. You should wonder why banks are worthy of a bailout but you aren't worthy of the slightest bit of help. Use your voice to create the world that you want to live in. There is strength in our numbers.

LK

P.S If you want to sign the petition you will find the link in the summary section of the video! Spread the word!!

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