Fifty billion here, fifty billion there, pretty soon you are talking about real money.

The savings are real and are the result of Democratic spending cuts. The fact that they are being re-applied to new spending may rankle you, but that is a separate issue.

When all is said and done, it is a better and more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

I think increasing Pell Grants is useful so the case can be made, but it is being made under false pretenses. I am just pointing that out.

Faith based institutions can and do get student financial aid, but the Federal government has a couple of minor strings that some institutions opt out because of them. I like you am concerned that the strings will multiply. Right now a school of theology that does not take women could lose the right to get federal aid because of discrimination. What if ENDA passes and gays are added to list. That would eliminate 90% of Christian schools. Yes, I do share your concerns, Frank. If they do that now, people can turn elsewhere. If they take over everything and drive independent lenders out of business and there are no voices clamoring for business (the lenders oppose adding more restrictions because that cuts down their base of business), anything could happen. That is not even being discussed in all of this until now.

It used to be said follow the money. Now it is follow the power.

Why would anybody loan big money to an unemployed college student? That is why the government takes all the risk. Nice business for Sallie bank. They make no risk loans we taxpayers cover the risk. Not anymore. Change. Please. More change. Too big to fail is going down next.

This is one of those lead, follow, or get out the way moments in history.

And now you have a real Democratic spending cut staring you in the face, and you don’t like it.

Go figure. I guess the only spending cuts that count are Republican spending cuts, that defund stuff Republicans are politically opposed to.