Hillary Clinton Hints Of Going Beyond Obama By Floating The Idea Of Debt Free College

Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign is hinting that they may go beyond President Obama’s free community college proposal, by suggesting a plan that will make getting a college education debt free.

Politico reported:
When Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager said the words “debt-free college” in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday morning, liberal ears perked up.

Robby Mook’s declaration — “what voters are looking for in this election is someone who’s going to be a champion for everyday people, for young people that’s debt-free college, that’s finding that job after you graduate” — stopped short of an endorsement of the policy goal embraced by liberals and by Clinton’s likely primary rival Martin O’Malley, but it sent a message to progressive activists that the Clinton camp is paying close attention to their concerns.

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Although Clinton has spoken in general terms about making college more affordable and has embraced President Barack Obama’s proposal to make community college free, she has yet to publicly support a plan to let students graduate from college without debt. It is one of a handful of areas on which progressive groups and activists are pressuring Clinton, who has yet to release her full policy agenda, from the left.

If Clinton’s plan does go beyond the Obama plan of free community college, it will represent a major shift leftward in higher education policy. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has been a tireless advocate for Americans who are buried beneath mountains of student loan debt. A debt free college plan from Clinton would represent a strong acknowledgment of Warren’s efforts.

With each passing day, the worries of some Democrats that Hillary Clinton would be too centrist to lead a Democratic Party that has moved more to the left are vanishing.

Hillary Clinton is her own person. She should be judged on her own policy proposals, not her husband’s presidency. Hillary Clinton has her own distinguished career and many former Sec. of State Clinton’s ideas for the future represent today’s Democratic Party, not her husband’s presidency.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association