Why should anyone be surprised that Obama’s plan to forgive student loans puts the burden on taxpayers? Every idea Obama has ever had sticks it to taxpayers.

Howard Husock of Forbes reports.

‘Public Service’ Loan Forgiveness: A Flawed White House Aid Plan

In a series of speeches last week, President Obama promoted policies designed to “make college more affordable and make it easier for folks to pay for their education.” He attracted attention mainly for the novel idea that a federal ratings system might help borrowers decide which schools are really worth the cost. But the President also pushed for an expansion of an existing, but not well-known program, known as “pay as you earn,” which ties—and limits—student loan payments to the ability of borrowers to pay.

That proposed expansion would also extend the reach of something called the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which makes it possible for college graduates who take jobs in government or non-profit organizations to get big breaks on their student loan payments. While it may be an attractive program on the surface, it should not be expanded. Rather, it should be rethought altogether.

Originally passed in 2007 as part of College Cost Reduction and Access Act, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program makes it possible—if you take and keep a designated type of job—to make loan repayments for just 10 years, rather than 25, with the remainder of the interest and principal written off. That puts all taxpayers, rather than the borrower, on the hook.

The program—which the President is hoping will attract more customers than it has to date—is quite specific about what types of jobs qualify as public service. They include government at any level—including public education—as well as organizations offering everything from child care to services for the elderly and disabled. A job at any tax-exempt organization qualifies—except for labor unions or partisan political groups. The implicit theory here: that such jobs are relatively poorly paid and that taxpayers have an interest in having well-qualified college graduates take them.