In a recent episode of Cross Politic, the guys were discussing President Trump’s directive to forgive the student loan debt of wounded and thus disabled military personnel. Toby Sumpter, particularly, was supportive of the idea on the grounds that the President’s job is to be Commander and Chief of the military. Sumpter made this distinction in contrast to the federal government just forgiving any and all student loan debt.
They did not spend a great length of time discussing the issue, but it arises a response out of me nonetheless. (I will correspondingly not spend a great length of time either). To be sure, I love the Cross Politic guys and so my argumentation comes from brotherliness and not enemy fire.
I agree with Sumpter, and the law of the land, that fulfilling the role of Commander and Chief of the military is under the rightful jurisdiction of the President of the United States. However, I disagree that student loan forgiveness of disabled soldiers falls under the jurisdictional boundaries of the Commander and Chief of the military.
The President is the Commander and Chief of the military, not the parent or provider of individual soldiers. I am fine with those who make the case that the federal government is to provide food, shelter, clothing, and weaponry to soldiers actively serving in military combat. Those things fall directly under the President’s wartime jurisdiction, because they are directly involved with battle.
A soldier who has decided to accrue student loan debt has nothing to do with wartime necessities, and thus does not fall under the jurisdictional bounds of the Commander and Chief of the military. For that matter, why just student loan debt? Why not pay off their credit card debt or their car loans while we’re at it? If it’s just for one, why not the others? The President is not the Commander and Chief of a soldier’s civilian life and personal life choices. It is not “taking care of veterans” to pay of their personal debts with stolen money or dishonest money.
I am fine with the argument that there are just forms and uses of taxation. However when the form and use of taxation is unjust, it is theft. Since paying off personal student loans does not fall under the proper jurisdiction of the federal government or the Commander and Chief, it is theft if he does. Unless of course the money used is printed money, which would then be dishonest money, which the Lord hates (Proverbs 11:1).
While Sumpter makes the distinction between military and all other groups of people, I don’t think it is an accurate distinction and thus is just as bad if it’s AOC doing it for all, or President Trump for the military.
Update: Toby’s response 
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