WRIGHTSVILLE, PA. – President Biden may love to play up his working-class roots in Pennsylvania, but manufacturing workers in at least one part of the Keystone State say the White House’s $500 billion student loan giveaway is a slap in the face to America. Fox News Digital spoke to several projects about the student debt program Thursday at iron foundry Donsco, Inc. in south central Pennsylvania. “It’s not going to affect the people who are here, the people who actually do all the work,” said Jim Davis, a supervisor at the Donsco plant. Biden “is going to help people in the biggest cities because that’s what it is [he] wants.” Francisco Hernández, a colon cancer survivor forced into retirement by 40 years of high inflation, was particularly frustrated by the pamphlet. WHITE HOUSE PROPOSES BIDEN’S $500 BILLION STUDENT LOAN WILL BE PAID OFF WITH DEFICIT SPENDING Biden last week announced plans to forgive $10,000 in student debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 a year. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images) (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images) “A lot of these families are rich,” he said. “They have the money to pay it off, so they take a break and sit on their couch and their kids are stuck with a degree they can’t even use.” BIDEN’S STUDENT LOAN PLAN: 10 POWERFUL REACTIONS FROM MOMS, DADS AND MORE Biden plans to pardon $10,000 in student debt for borrowers who receive less than $125,000 per year. Pell Grant recipients will receive $20,000 in debt installments, provided their income is below the same threshold. “Donsco is always hiring people, these college kids can always come here on their day off and work and pay off their debt.” The White House is also extending a pause in student loan payments through the end of the year. Likewise, the Department of Education limits undergraduate loan repayment to 5% of a borrower’s monthly income, adding to the handout cost to taxpayers. “An entire generation is now burdened with unsustainable debt in exchange for an attempt at, at least, a college degree,” Biden said when he announced the pamphlet. “That’s today’s announcement. It’s opportunity. It’s about giving people a fair shot.” “If they signed the contract they should have paid it,” Kevin Vasileski said. “Why should I pay for someone else’s college?” (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We the 45m) (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We the 45m) Tony Bell, an employee at the Donsco foundry, had a different take on the brochure. “I think it’s a bad idea,” said Belle. “Donsco is always hiring people, these college kids can always come here on their day off and work and pay off their debt.” Some workers also expressed concern about the example that Biden’s pamphlet set of personal responsibility. “If they signed the contract they should have paid it,” Kevin Vasileski said. “Why should I pay for someone else’s college?” Pennsylvania manufacturing workers say President Biden’s $500 billion student loan package is a slap in the face to America. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Wasileski added that Biden’s student loan handout is likely to benefit white-collar professionals at the expense of working people. “I don’t think a plumber should be paying for a doctor’s free medical school,” he said. Committee on Responsible Budgeting puts the cost of the leaflets between $440 billion and $600 billion. White House officials claim the proposal has been fully paid for because the deficit is already shrinking. Economists say the comments and the White House’s reluctance to outline offsets for the student debt handout, such as tax increases or budget cuts, signal that it plans to simply pile money into the $726 billion federal deficit. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Donsco workers say that only means they are ready for the handout. “The sad thing is that the rich aren’t going to pay for it [handout]we are,” Hernández said. “Everything is a gift, but this goes on the back of our debt and the taxpayers are the ones who have to cover it.” Haris Alic covers Congress and politics for Fox News Digital. He can be reached at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @realharisalic.
