Republican Jesse Kelly, who is facing Democrat Ron Barber in next week’s special election to finish the congressional term of Gabby Giffords, talked with Chuck Todd of NBC News today. The Barber campaign pounces on some of Kelly’s statements:

This morning on national television, Jesse Kelly continued his assault on middle class families. When asked by the Daily Rundown’s Chuck Todd if he would urge Congress to act this summer to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling, Kelly said it would be fine to “deal with that retroactively.” Student loan rates are set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent if Congress does not act before July 1st.

“Middle class families can’t afford to have their concerns dealt with ‘retroactively,’ they need solutions now,” said Jessica Schultz of the Barber campaign. “Unfortunately, Jesse Kelly’s willingness to allow student loan rates to double is just one more example of how out of touch he is with this district; from wanting to see the corporate tax rate lowered to zero to calling for the elimination of the minimum wage—Jesse Kelly is happy to abandon working families in favor of the rich.”

Additionally, during the interview, Kelly confirmed that he wants to phase out Social Security and Medicare by privatizing the programs for future generations.

Background on students loans here. More background on the June 12 CD8 election here.

This article appears in Jun 7-13, 2012.

Getting hassled by The Man Mild-mannered reporter

23 replies on “Jesse Kelly: Let Students Loan Rates Increase Now, Deal With Them Later”

  1. Take that you high falootin’ edjukated snobs. The great college dropout has spoken.

  2. He has all the answers. (albeit just to the question, how to fuck non-rich people)

    Take that you high falootin’ edjukated snobs. The great HIGH SCHOOL dropout has spoken.

  3. Jesse Kelly is nothing but a BOTTOM FEEDER! Hopefully when he loses to Ron Barber, he will drop out of sight for good! Kelly is unworthy of public office!

  4. Neither program was EVER made to be forever! They were supposed to be a safety net until Americans could get back on their feet, not the “government teet for life.” These programs should BE privatized and let the government get out of the Welfare business once and for all!!

  7. @Luna – Republican’ts and Tea baggers. Never cease to amaze me.

  8. Jesse Kelly is for the rich,and Corporations. Jesse Kelly wants to get rid of Minimum Wage. All so that the poor,and Middle Class can struggle more. We will all be slaves,and living on bugs. The way it is now a human cannot survive on Minimum Wage. Jesse Kelly is all about “Jesse Kelly.” A very selfish spoiled,wealthy brat.

  9. The important point is that Jesse does not tell you what you WANT to hear…but rather what you NEED to hear.
    The difference in the interest rate on these loanes does not matter to anyone…not even the “students” that are/are not paying for it.

  10. @GuiseppeKnows Social Security and Medicare are a “safety net until Americans could get back on their feet, not the “government teet for life”?? ARE YOU SERIOUS? They are for retirees- there is no “getting back on their feet”. And they are programs that people have paid into, so it’s NOT a “government teet”. Good Lord, you’ve got to be one of the dumbest people on the planet- the perfect Jesse Kelly constituent

  11. Why would a dope like Jesse Kelly care about student loan rates? He bombed out of college after one semester.

  12. Jesse Kelly is capable of memorizing his talking points and little else – and he’s 50/50 to get elected! Tucson: Dumbest electorate in the nation.

  14. Well, interesting…just saw an interesting article where Ron Barber received a 43% pay raise at the expense of we the TAX PAYERS. Here we are the 99% and he has the gaul to talk about being the Champion of the middle class. What class is he speaking about. Obviously not the 99% with this huge raise. Looks to me he is in with the 1% Class. That is why we need CHARLES MANOLAKIS. This article written by Rebekah Sanders of the Arizona Republic proves it.

  15. Suan, first of all it’s “gall” not “gaul.” Second of all, what “43% pay raise at the expense of the TAX PAYERS” are you talking about?

  16. LOL! We have record debt, high unemployment, increasing energy prices, record numbers of Americans on food stamps, record numbers of Americans in foreclosure and/or under water on their mortgage and “Chuckie Todd” ask Jesse Kelly about interest rates on student loans! Then Nentzel is critical of Kelly for pointing out the fact that there are higher priorities facing the country.
    Liberals are nothing if not entertainingly funny!

  18. What our Higher Ed system does to our young adults is a national disgrace. We give barely them enough ed. in K-12 to get into college. Then we pave the way to “nothing” degrees” that have no value in the productive world, leading graduate with no jobs. But what do they have? A huge college loan. Jesse is right again, This system is woefully broken and the sooner the USA wakes up to the fact the better off we will be in this country.

    Barber for the future? He will need a rocking chair and a shawl while on the floor of the House.
    His only question will be, “How much more can we tax everybody?”

  19. yes Bob, childish name calling is a winning solution for what ails us. What are you, six years old? Sheesh…

  20. Kelly is an idiot and I too wish he’d drop out of sight, but unfortunately, we are going to have this whole race (Kelly vs Barber) again in the fall, so hold your cookies…

  21. It is sad that Jesse Kelly is the best that Southern AZ can do. Ron Barber and Jesse Kelly are both mindless idiots. I guess this is what AZ deserves.
    Tucson a cesspool full of walking fecal matter….

  22. Your right Pete,I’m childish and a mindless neocon which is just as bad as a retard progressive….so sue me……

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