AOC blasts Biden for plan to cancel $10k of student debt

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticised President Joe Biden amid reports that the president is considering forgiving up to $10,000 in student debt per borrower.

Mr Biden’s debt forgiveness proposal would reportedly be limited to Americans who earned less than $150,000 for individuals and $300,000 for married couples, The Washington Post reported.

But Ms Ocasio, the democratic socialist congresswoman who represents her party’s left flank, quote-tweeted a Twitter thread from NAACP president Derrick Johnson saying it was insufficient.

“$10k means tested forgiveness is just enough to anger the people against it *and* the people who need forgiveness the most,” she said. “$10k relieves most the people who owe the least. What relief is there for the most desperate? For them, interest will undo that 10k fast. We can do better.”

Ms Ocasio-Cortez and many other Democrats - including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren - have urged Mr Biden to cancel student debt. Ms Ocasio-Cortez has made the case that not doing so would hurt Mr Biden with his base.

The criticism comes as Ms Ocasio-Cortez has clashed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of House leadership for endorsing Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas despite his opposition to abortion and gun control.

“If Cuellar wins, leadership’s decision to go to the mat for a pro-NRA incumbent will be the reason why,” she tweeted earlier this week. “If Cisneros pulls it out, they will have mobilized against a badly needed grassroots for Nov & fought against a historic victory. And for what?”

Ms Ocasio-Cortez had endorsed Mr Cuellar’s primary opponent Jessica Cisneros in Texas’s 28th district. The race is currently too close to call.