Why Student loans are available now

Why student loans

In part , the reason why student loans are more available is because President Obama asked that states help the unemployed and more importantly that colleges help those of us who are unemployed, to purse our education and training without having to forfeit our unemployment benefits.On our own merit , we were unable qualify for federal grants because guidelines would make it difficult or near impossible.Time wise, we are talking about earlier this year.

It was reported in April that over a half million additional jobs were lost .That is the highest lost of jobs in any six month period since 1983. Most if not all state requires people on unemployment to actively search for a jobs. Wouldn't going back to school qualify as actively seeking new employment? Unless they were going back to school to learn -how not to work-it should qualify. It stands to reason that we would be going back to school to gain skills that we felt we lack or gain new skills required in today's market. Broadening our qualifications also increases our chances in finding a job.

When I lost my job , I lost it because the field I had worked in, for most of my adult life, was hit pretty hard. I worked in the private sector of construction.Tons of construction companies folded. For every person who was able to stay in construction, dozens of men and women were laid off or just let go.

The Labor Department has encouraged states to update the rules while we are in this economic down turn. This now opens the door for the unemployed to enroll in community colleges or other education and training programs without having to surrender our unemployment checks.

Following suit ,The Education Department encouraged colleges to increase their financial aids packages for the unemployed as well. Colleges can now take the applicant's current status into account and thereby making them eligible for Pell Grants. Pell grants for those of us who forgot,helps low income students afford college and receive additional aid.Student loans are more available and why we can now qualify. Pell grants were raised to $5,300 (an increase of $500) as well.

What President Obama reasoned was that "Unemployment Insurance shouldn't be a safety net in and of itself but should be a steppingstone to a new future.The way he put it was."It should offer folks educational opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have” and give them skills they need to “get ahead when the economy comes back.”.

Are we to believe that it would have a greater impact because you potentially have someone like myself moving into a new field and making room for someone else to take that job I lost once the economy corrects itself ?

President Obama has directed Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to implement the changes. Both departments also have launched a new Web site, www.opportunity.gov, to help get the word out to the public.

States were to send letters to every unemployment recipient describing available training opportunities and financial support but I still have not seen anything.

The $78 billion economic recovery package President Obama signed into law in February gave states billions of dollars to provide extended benefits to those who were on unemployment .I am happy to say I am receiving $25.00 more per week.

While I will admit I didn't vote for President Obama, I have to say some of his people are thinking ahead of the curve on this one.I only wish that some of the tax dollars collected would be set aside for the future. This should be used to offset these types of situations. You don't have to get run over by a car to know it hurts, the measures described above should be in place to soften the crisis so that we don't hit bottom again.It is better to respond and not to react.We should avoid losing the trust of the people again because it obviously spirals out of control.

If we develop a strategy in advance , the impact on the families and economy will be manageable. It could in fact prevent a thing like this from happening again. For example it makes perfect sense to me , to allow seniors who will be qualifying for social security to retire early without penalty. This makes room for those who might be out of work in the future.

Even if you made it a temporary measure to avoid the economy taking such a nose dive. Increase their benefits by a few bucks so they don't have to 'bag grocery' to survive(this is prevalent in Florida). I feel that a job like that would make more sense for a teenager to do.Teens should work, they need to help their families out and they need to build character and stay busy.

A good plan encompasses more than dollars and cents, it keeps the fabric of our nation whole.I think we lost more than jobs. Some have lost their will to overcome the problem. Men , women and children lost hope. We lost respect for our leaders and their ability to lead us. Many lost the trust a nation needs in their leaders.Those of us hit the hardest lost our jobs and our homes.This should be a time for those in leadership and those considering to enter that arena to develop a plan as bold as the problems we face.

As children we learned that there are five basic things we need in life. In no particular order they are: Food,Shelter,Health Care,Education and Employment. The one thing they didn't teach back then was the effect on our children who haven't been loved and nurtured. Today we know it is crucial if we want to raise our children to be healthy emotionally and spiritually.

You know that trust a child develops, the security a woman feels when she knows her husband is thinking ahead and sacrificing for the family's future and well being, the knowledge that the elderly have ,know ing that they will not be forsaken, the relief a provider of the family might feel even when we are suddenly helpless. A plan is something we can stand on and feel secure that we can handle the uncertain.

When you no longer trust it is not easily forgotten, the scars cannot be denied nor the depth measured. A plan developed now would help heal the country,put us back on the road to recovery while giving us a hope and a future.

I am reminded of an ole saying...I been to hell and back... and "back" is real important.After we recover from this I don't ever want to be in this hell again.That means I am going to have to do something different.The boys and girls on "The Hill" need to do something different too. We worried about our enemies doing our nation harm all the while we got greedy and became our worse enemy.

We can no longer sit back and pretend, it's going to take everyone who may have been on the benches to get back in the game and we need to keep our eyes on the ball.I applaud those who aren't at rock bottom,I sympathize with those who are. We are warn out but not left out. I feel that I am part of the solution and not a part of the problem.I think that faith holds us together and I think to have a hope and a future is the plan of God.

I would add that we should take advantage of the opportunity to go back to school in the evening and get the skills you need . If you have read this and it makes sense please find someone less fortunate than you and lend them a hand.And again remember this is why student loans are more available than this time last year.A window of opportunity you don't want to miss.

Thanks for reading this I hope it was helpful.

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Joe Garcia aka joeygee007