To the editor:

Why are we as a nation silent while this administration is seeking to raise the cost of student loans to 8.5 percent interest? They also propose a new 1 percent tax over and above the 8.5 percent interest on students who seek a consolidation loan in order to continue their education.

The answer is in an attempt to cover a new additional $70 billion tax cut. Fifty percent of this new tax cut would go to individuals making $500,000 per year and more. Are we going to let this continue indefinitely? They also propose to go after those who still owe student loans dating back as much as 40 years. They also propose to take 15 percent from individuals still owing student loans from their Social Security checks even though they have no other income while continuing an ongoing 8.5 percent interest on that amount.

It becomes more and more obvious that the administration’s strategy is to starve government programs going to anyone who is not in the wealthiest top 2 percent. The next step will surely be cutting Social Security and Medicare.

E.G. Hickam,

Lawrence