Walker Inaugural Address Ignores One Million Wisconsin Student Loan Borrowers

MADISON, Wis. — The following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross on Gov. Scott Walker’s inaugural address:

“Scott Walker’s inaugural speech today used over 1,400 words to position himself for a run for president.

“What he didn’t do was use any of those words to call for desperately needed reform for one million student loan borrowers in Wisconsin, and forty million more across the country.

“Borrowers have worked hard to get their education and they took on the responsibility to pay for it. They’re not asking for a bailout, just a system that treats them fairly.

“If Gov. Walker wants to turn his words about opportunity for the next generation into action, there is no better place to start than taking on the student loan debt crisis in a meaningful way.

“Unfortunately, in his first term, Gov. Walker ignored common sense reforms that would have allowed borrowers to refinance their student loans, just like you can with a mortgage.

“But we start a new year with new hope. Perhaps while criss-crossing the country in pursuit of his presidential ambitions Gov. Walker will meet more of the forty million plus student loan borrowers across and drop his opposition to common sense student loan debt reform.”