Political Rewind: Student loan forgiveness; Pooches pushed into politics; Okefenokee Swamp saga

Caption

Activists demonstrate outside an entrance to the White House calling for the cancellation of student debt in Washington, U.S., April 27, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

The panel

Chris Grant, political science professor, Mercer University

Fred Smith, @fredosmithjr, professor of constitutional Law, Emory University

Kevin Riley, @ajceditor, editor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Susan Catron, @sm_catron, managing editor, The Current

The breakdown

1. President Biden partially made good on his promise to eliminate undergraduate student loan debt.

• Recipients who make under $120K a year can eliminate $10K, Pell Grant recipients can eliminate $20K.
• However, the plan faces backlash from conservatives watching inflation, but notably from those who already had paid off student loan debt and taxpayers who feel they're subsidizing college education, even if they aren't planning to go to college.
• Fred Smith also weighs in on the legality Biden's executive action and if Congress can step in. 
  • You can find more information on Georgia's student debt from our special here.

2. After Sen. Mitch McConnell criticized the quality of Republican senate candidates, eyes in Georgia turned to Herschel Walker.

• McConnell has since announced fundraising efforts for both Gov. Brian Kemp and Walker.
• Walker recently released an attack ad focusing on the 2020 Warnock campaign that featured him and Alvin the beagle, which Walker notes isn't Warnock's dog.

3. Protecting the resources and beauty of the Okefenokee Swamp.

• A mining project in the Okefenokee has lobbied for the state government to turn over land to mine, potentially ruining a state treasure.
• Although the measure to block mining saw bipartisan support, the Legislature failed to secure the needed votes.

Friday on Political Rewind: GPB News' Stephen Fowler joins the panel.