Part I: A More Formal Critique

Apparently critiques of President Obama are not popular among some of my readers. In previous posts about the President, here's what a few people stated:

Anonymous, "I don't understand Cryn's harsh treatment of Obama. No one to the left of Obama is electable and even he must move to the center for purposes of reelection. If he somehow loses in 2012, the Repubs will run wild."

Liz, "I am just done with hearing all the complaining from Progressives . . .  You ran against your own party. YOU LOST."

Before I list the10 explicit reasons why I criticize the President and believe it is patriotic to do so, I think it is worth mentioning that I've been thinking a lot about the whole cockamamie saying about voting or supporting the "lesser of two evils." I despise this idea. Max Lerner added a good twist to that adage, "When you choose the lesser of two evils, always remember that it is still an evil.” That's just one reason why I hate it and am fed up with people suggesting that my criticism and stances are dangerous or wrong. As for Liz's remarks, she is quite wrong about the way I voted in the last election (we've already discussed it, too). I went out on the streets for President Obama. I called people and urged them to vote for him. I was there in Manassas on the eve before his election. Not only that, I was part of the actual Inaugural events. My name was drawn out of a hat that was filled with thousands and thousands of others, and chosen to be part of the day he was sworn in. On that day, I stood a few feet from the White House, and when the limousines came by us (I was standing with just two other women), soon-to-be President Obama waved at me. That's right. He waved and he smiled. The power of that face-to-face moment still blows me away. But when I think about that profoundly moving moment, as well as the hope I felt in Manassas, those feelings are now coupled with deep anguish. The sense of betrayal keeps me up at night.

Here are the 10 reasons why I criticize President Obama (mind you, it is not just the man  - that is naïve - but the administration behind the man):

(1) Pfc. Bradley Manning. Manning has neither been tried nor convicted, and yet he is being held in solitary confinement 23 hours a day. He has also been forced to sleep naked and stand outside of his cell naked. Check out the Geneva conventions and see how they describe torture and inhumane treatment. Manning is on OUR land. He is in Quantico, VA.

- "PJ Crowley Resigns After Bradley Manning Comments,", Washington Post, March 13, 2011
- "PJ Crowley: Bradley Manning Treatment 'Counterproductive and Stupid,' Huffington Post, March 11, 2011
- "WH Forces Crowley To Resign For Condemning Abuse Of Manning," Salon, March 13, 2011
-"With Crowley's Ouster, Obama Fully Owns The Torture Of Bradley Manning,"  FDL, March 13, 2011

(2) Ah, yes. Change we could all believe in. Change like . . . the continued surveillance on American citizens? But when it comes to national security policy, I am clearly just a nincompoop. Ethics? Pish-posh! As Tony Soprano would say: "Forgettaboutit, Cryn . . . pass me some prosutt and capacol." (Then he'd take his two paws and wrap them around the back of my neck).

(3) Obama's New Executive Order On Guantanamo - Huh. This kinda reminds me of the guy he replaced. What was his name? Oh, yeah . . . Buuuuusch. But I'm probably just thinkin' like some nincompoop again.

(4) Higher Education - In President Obama's first State of the Union Address, he mentioned the issue of student loan debt and the problems we're facing as a country when it comes to financing higher education at least 5-6 times. I credit the continued work of people and organizations like NCLC (Deanne Loonin, et al.), New America Foundation (specifically Higher Education Watch - Steve Burd has and continues to do superb work), SponsorChange.org, EduLender, All Education Matters, the Scambloggers (such as Third Tier Reality, First Tier Toilet, But I Did Everything Right! , Subprime JD, Esquire Painting, Fluster Cucked, The Law School Tuition Bubble, and so forth), etc., etc. for pressuring the administration about helping current borrowers, and raising questions about the absurd nature of why so many graduates are drowning in student loan debt. These efforts come from the ground up, and I have no doubt that all of our hard work - and that includes all the volunteers who help me on a consistent basis - were a reason for the President's remarks. My favorite one? "In the United States of America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college."

Now did President Obama make any mention of student loans or those struggling with student loan debt in his latest SOTU? Nope. He made not a peep. NOT. ONE. WORD. Instead, we still hear the same old tired policy claims, exemplified by Heather Higginbottom's remarks when a woman wrote to her about having a lot of student loan debt. I have news for her and the administration: you cannot use current debtors interchangeably with prospective and current students. Those groups of people ARE NOT THE SAME. Plus, I have yet to hear from Roberto Rodriguez. AEM has carried out countless letter writing campaigns to him. At least 40-70 people have sent letters to him, expressing their concern about the student loan debt crisis. We have implored him to listen to our side of the story. Hell, I've even spoken to Mr. Rodriguez on the phone. That was a year ago, and he failed to respond to my question about how the administration plans to help current debtors. But I know that addressing the issue is toxic, because the administration is filled with people who continually talk about the whole 'moral hazard' issue. You owe it to us, Mr. Rodriguez. We deserve a spot at the table.

(5) Entrenched interests vs. the promise to 'clean up Washington.' In 2007, Obama promised to clean up Washington. Criticizing Presidential opponent Hilary Rodham Clinton, he said she didn't understand the problem. He added, "My argument is not that we're perfect [i.e. politicians of any kind]. I suffer from the same original sin of all politicians, which is we've got to raise money . . . But my argument has been and will continue to be that the disproportionate influence of lobbyists and special interest is a problem in Washington (and) in state capitals." He then promised, "The argument is not that I'm pristine, because I'm swimming in the same muddy water . . . The argument is that I know it's muddy and I want to clean it up." How's the clean up going, Mr. President?


To Be Continued . . . 

What The Protests In Wisconsin, Ohio, And Indiana Mean For The Indentured Educated Class

Class Warfare And Exposing Lies

If you decide to declare class warfare on the poor and the ever-shrinking middle class (soon to be extinct, or so it seems), and yet insist that austerity measures are the best for everyone, you will end up paying a heavy price. Take a look at this chart that shows class warfare. What a perfect display of how unjust and inequitable our society has become. I have news for those of you who think that we all believe that tax cuts, and budget cuts, and all other kinds of what-what cuts are for the common good. A large majority of Americans know those claims are bullshit. We're onto your lies, and that is because so many of us have worked our asses off to help our communities, to help ourselves, and to be a part of the democratic process, and yet we're slipping of the societal grid. We're disappearing.

We're not able to pay our student loans and have money left over. We are not able to pay our mortgages and have money left over. We are not able to pay for good health care and have money left over. We are not able to pay our grocery bills and have money left over. That is because there is no money left over. Even worse, our most vulnerable - children - are suffering. So what about this winning the future, Mr. President, when there are more children in poverty now than there were in 2000? Some of my readers will accuse me of placing too much blame on your shoulders. I understand the history of deregulation well enough to know that you, Mr. President, did not start the process of disassembling the federal government and undermining our most sacred democratic institutions. However, you have been in office long enough to be culpable, and I am particularly disgusted by your outright refusal to acknowledge the student loan debt crisis. People may think that the crisis only affects student debtors. But they are wrong.

Higher education is under assault, and it has been for a long time. It has adopted the worst models from the corporate world (so the institutions themselves are also to blame for the crisis). There are things that ought not be a part of the market or the private sector. Of course, you, Mr. President, wouldn't agree with that. That is because you are a victim of neoliberalism. It's shocking to think that at one point you were a community organizer. Does your old self ever come to you in dreams and ask you why you betrayed the people who put you into office, and why you betrayed your previous values? (Perhaps you are merely a political animal, so your old self, even if he does ask you such questions, means nothing to you).

The Awakening 

These last few weeks have been astonishing. Wisconsin is not the only place where people are raising hell, and we stood and watched in awe at what happened in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East. You see, we're tired of seeing our future and country (as well as countries) being stolen from us. The youth are especially angry. You have no right to take our futures away. No right.

So what do these protests mean for the indentured educated class?

It is perhaps too early to know, but something dramatic is happening. Never in my life could I have anticipated a revolutionary spirit like this one - it is something I hoped for in my early 20s, and now I think it is finally happening. We are realizing that our America is being taken from us, and people aren't going to stand by and let it unravel. It is exhilarating to know that so many Americans want something better - they desire equity. Sadly, the desire for things to be fairer for all is regarded nowadays as radical and threatening. Well, we're going to change that attitude. Welcome back, working-class America! I sure have missed you.

On that note, I want to give a special shout out to the farmers of Wisconsin who rolled in on their tractors today to support their teachers, police officers, fire fighters, and other union workers. 

In Your Words: Seeking Testimonials

Do you want to share your story about being an indentured educated citizen? We want to hear from you. Your stories help other debtors know that they are not alone. Please reach out (ccrynjohannsen@gmail.com).

Related Links


"A former law school confesses: 'I think about jumping from the 27th floor of my office building every day.'"

"An angry mother vents"

"Mr. J.'s Testimonial: 'It's like I bought a house, but never moved in.'"

"In your words: A grandson's anguish"

"Taking her musical talent elsewhere"

Quick Post: Congratulations EduLender!

EduLender raises $1 million for student loan comparison engine. 

To Hell With Bitterness. Here's To Collaboration And Groups Who Count - Celebrating SponsorChange.org

Your generous contributions help keep AEM, Inc. alive and well. It also allows us to expose the truth about the student lending crisis. Without your support, our voices would disappear. So instead of simply being a reader, become a reader-contributor. Make a difference today and donate (you can contribute via Paypal or send checks/money orders toAll Education Matters, P.O. Box 170232 Arlington, Texas 76003). Thanks to those of you who continue to donate on a regular basis! 




Collaboration Matters

I have been SponsorChange.org's online brand advocate for well over a year. We have had a long-lasting partnership for 2+ years. They continue to support my work and efforts, and I have done the same for them - it is a wonderful testament to the non-profit world, i.e, you find great people doing wonderful things.

Of course, we are all adults here, and we also know that the non-profit world, just like the business world, can be ugly and mean. People can be, in my view, unusually jealous in the non-profit sector, and petty. But people in general can be like that.

Luckily, there are so many groups out there, like SponsorChange and my new company, EduLender, who are committed to making a difference. (EduLender is doing it in the private sector, which continues to amaze me, as does the CEO of the company). That is why I always appreciate it when Raymar Hampshire, SponsorChange's CEO and Co-Founder, gives me a quick thumb's up on my FB page when I've written a piece he likes. For instance, when he learned that I had an article published by USAToday, he wanted to have it posted on SponsorChange's great blog, the Philanthroteer (I've been a top contributing writer for them, too).

I am so excited to see that CNN covered their org today. Raymar had mentioned the filming and interviewing with CNN a few weeks ago by phone (when I was up meeting the great gang at EduLender in Chicago). It wasn't a done deal, so he told me then.

I don't normally get choked up by people's stories. That's a lie. I do get choked up a lot, but that is usually when the story is heartbreaking, like the recent conversation I had with a mother whose daughter is now a quadriplegic. The daughter was in a devastating car wreck that broke her body. Even worse, her daughter also owes $80,000 in student loans, and they're being terrorized by their lender. That got me really choked up, especially when she told me that she recently listened to her husband cry on the phone to some nasty collector. I  nearly lost it. It reminded me of my own father. I adore him, and when he cries, I lose it.

In the clip that features SponsorChange.org, the young woman they feature isn't suffering from a health problem. Nothing of the sort. But when she starts talking about how her friends are struggling to pay back their loans, just like she is, it makes me feel heartbroken for these 'kids.' They aren't the only ones for whom I feel heartbroken. In her case, I was struck by how sad it is to think that these kids have their whole lives in front of them, and yet so many of them are despondent and hopeless because of their student loan debt. It's devastating, and it angers me to think that President Obama keeps going on and on about 'winning the future.' I think, 'oh really? For whom, President Obama? For whom?' Not us. Not these kids.

People like her shouldn't be struggling to such a degree. Student loan debt is cruel.

That is why a team of people, people who care, like SponsorChange, EduLender, AEM, etc., make all the difference. We're all acting. There's no in-fighting. There's no jealousy. We're all just trying to do something about the situation. And so, I applaud you, this evening, SponsorChange. Job well done.