Reminder: If you aren't taking action, then don't post here.

[Alan]

This board is for discussing actions that you have taken, or are
absolutely committed to taking in the near future, towards convincing
Congress to return standard consumer protections to student loans.
Talking to reporters, legislators, writing articles, Flyering your
neighborhood, staging a protest or demonstration, etc. are all good
examples of actions. Taking steps to deal with your own personal
loans don't constitute action here, dealing with the Department of
Education regarding your personal loans also don't constitute action.
Writing about how unfair the system is also does not constitute
action, even if you post it on a personal blog (being invited to post
on the blog of an independent media organization does count, however,
since these have built in readership, and some editorial control, that
make it more than just a place for "ranting".

There is a place for all other discussion: The discussion (no action)
group listed above. I am again going to be purging this board of posts
that are not related to action you have taken, or are committed to
take in the immediate future. I'm not doing this because I enjoy
moderating multiple newsgroups, alienating members who post in the
wrong groups, or otherwise. Frankly, I don't enjoy moderating even
one board, but the lack of action among the members, and the crosstalk
between those who want to act, and those who have other goals has
proven to be detrimental to action. So this is the solution.

I wish a few more of you would understand that unless we all commit to
doing the things needed to accomplish our collective goal, then we can
expect nothing to happen on this issue. Congress doesn't just see an
injustice through all the chatter, and correct it. Rather, they
react to what they see, hear, and feel.

Currently, they see, hear, and feel an army of student loan lobbyists,
by and large, who are paid extremely well to push their version of
student loan reality on the elected and their staff. These are
hundreds of well educated, well versed, and well spoken employees who
are probably scared shitless about the uncertainty in the student loan
program, and are working harder than they have ever worked to get
their agenda through. Congress also listens to the Department of
Education, who have proven to be far more interested in pushing
programs that serve their interests, not ours.

The only people who can pierce this veil, folks, are us. And to this
point, we have made some progress, but it's been largely a result of
the efforts of perhaps 4 dozen of us. That's less than 1% of our
membership. That's simply not going to get it done. Most of us, I
think, spend countless hours on bureaucratically engineered
treadmills, seeking a solution for our own personal debt situations,
but ultimately not finding one. This causes an array of stresses that
manifest themselves in many ways in our lives. Generally, I see
people worrying about their loans, fuming about the unfairness/
hopelessness of their plight, taking their frustrations out on
individuals and entities who are not the cause of their discomfort,
and living a marginalized existence where it becomes increasingly
convenient to blame "the system" for their misfortune.

Ultimately, all of this expended energy we "count" as effort- a
convenient substitute for meaningful action. Make no mistake: the
lobbyists on the Hill and their bosses love this self-
marginalization. Watching us expend our energy on everything but what
will actually solve the problem- the lack of consumer protections for
student loans, serves them well, and I can't help but think they
actually derive entertainment value from our antics. I think "chumps"
is a good word to describe those of us who are stuck in this mode.


Some do decide to act meaningfully, but then proceed down paths that
make them feel like they are accomplishing something, like planning
all manner of nationwide protests, sit-ins, etc, but they lose
interest when they realize that their plans were too risky, expensive,
complicated, or otherwise not executable. This is not only
unhelpful, but harmful to the group, who spend time and effort
pursuing these "pie in the sky" plans that never had a chance of
succeeding. These high minded, half hearted attempts are
debilitating. Not only do they sap the strength of the individual,
they also demoralize those who make effort to help them, only to
realize that they were going down an unfruitful path.

There also are those who simply refuse to put forth any real effort,
or take any real risk to achieve the groups goals. They are much
happier sitting on the sidelines, and attempt to throw stones, or
direct action from afar without having to get their hands dirty. This
mentality is extremely agitating, and insulting to those in the group
who are in the trenches getting knocked around, their good names
slammed, and other unpleasantries. No one here- least of all me-
should feel that they are somehow excused from doing the arduous,
thankless, difficult, and at times socially embarrassing tasks that
are a part of moving this issue. If you are unwilling to admit
publicly that you are a defaulted borrower, for example, then you
really have no place to give advice, criticize, or direct. My
suggestion is that you either find the courage to come clean about
your situation publicly, and get a taste of the front lines, or that
you remain silent, and find another tangible way to contribute.

I have respect for someone who says, "I’m going to march on Washington
D.C. on this date. If anyone wants to join me, I'll be at this
corner at this time", and then follows through, whether or not anyone
shows up to support him. I have no respect, however, for people who
one day are inspired to orchestrate a grand action that require large
numbers of people, resources, coordination, etc,. , charge headlong
into making it a reality, but then realize midstream that they aren't
able- or what's worse- willing to do what is necessary to make the
plan happen. When these people, lose motivation and give up on their
idea, they ultimately accomplish nothing but wasting their time, and
the time of other members.


Over the past 4-5 years of trial and error, we know, now, what works,
and that is educating yourself about the issues, picking up the phone,
and convincing the media to expose this uniquely predatory industry;
It is something that anyone with a good grasp of our argument can do
(www.studentloanjustice.org/argument.htm ).
It requires little time, and no money. After the press has told our
story well, and Congress finally realizes exactly how predatory
student loans have become, and how large the problem actually is
(about 1 in 3 borrowers default, and student loans comprise about 25%
of all consumer debt, excluding real estate), we will finally have
legislation to fight for, and be able to shift to a full-on lobbying
effort. This may not be very far off, depending on the effectiveness
of our media efforts.

So the media works for sure. I have not found a better return on
effort. If you ask me what is the best thing you can do, this is your
answer. If you decide to try something different, that's fine, but
don't drag other members into a risky undertaking with a significant
probability of your plan not happening- for whatever reason. Go all
in- on your own- regardless of external factors, or do nothing. Don't
announce something, and then let it get kicked around by the group,
and then find reasons to abandon the plan. If you announce it on this
board, then you are committed to it. If you aren't 100% sure, then go
back to the other board, and kick it around some more.

Of course, I would prefer that people stop wasting time trying to
reinvent the wheel, and simply pour themselves into what has proven to
work. This would save significant time and effort, and would surely
cause our goal to be accomplished faster. And quite frankly, it is
pretty rewarding when a story does publish that portrays the problem
accurately. But you will never know if you don't at least get one
story to happen, however small.

One final point I'd like to bring up: This issue is not rocket
science , it is a simple civil rights/consumer rights issue that will
likely be won by the brute power of the citizens, not a sophisticated
"inside the beltway" maneuver supported by highly delicate political
machinations. This simplification is good because it serves as an
equalizer among members, where everyone has all of the information,
rather than a hierarchical and stovepipe system. This may
disappoint some- I know that many of us are highly intelligent, and
are much more at home considering highly complicated problems, in a
hierarchical organizational structure. but it is what it is. Everyone
reading this can take a couple of days to learn the issues, arguments,
and get to a point where they can pick up the phone, call a reporter
or radio station, and convince them to give the issue some airtime.
That's all I do all day long, and its not even hard. In fact it's
pathetically easy! This is the strongest, most unassailable argument
that I have ever found the need to make in my adult life. More of
you...many more...need to catch on to this, and jump in with us...the
water's fine, and our opportunity is this moment, right now. I don't
want to be here 2 years from now, having failed to use this unique and
extraordinary window of opportunity to achieve justice- wondering
what more we could have done to get standard consumer protections
returned to student loans, Do you?

Don't respond in writing to this question. Go out and get something
done instead. Your actions- described by you on this board upon
accomplishment- will speak far, far louder than words.