In the first half, activist Alan Collinge discussed the predatory student loan system, as well as his fight to establish consumer protections for these loans. He described the current program as "one big, catastrophic failure," attributing its issues to a lack of safeguards and the collusion between universities and lenders. "They created a license to steal," he claimed. Collinge noted that approximately 85% of federal student loan borrowers cannot make payments, worsened by the economic aftermath of COVID-19. He argued for the restoration of bankruptcy protections for student loans, stating, "We need justice... this is predatory lending at its worst." He also pointed out a common misconception about borrowers. "Most student loan borrowers are over the age of 35," he revealed. "This is not a younger person's problem."
The current predatory lending system, according to Collinge, started with the removal of bankruptcy protections from student loans in the 1970s. He noted that many borrowers have repaid amounts far exceeding their original loans, yet are still burdened with debt. "They were essentially signed onto a bond of indenture," he said. Collinge criticized both sides of the political aisle for abandoning student loan borrowers, asserting, "We have no party that we can trust at this point." He also announced his presidential candidacy, which aims to pressure Washington to restore bankruptcy rights for student loans. He believes the government should not profit from these loans, calling for a return to the "zero interest" model once supported by president Lyndon Johnson. Overall, Collinge advocated for a complete overhaul of how higher education is funded, saying, "The entire lending system, by all rational metrics, has just failed."
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In the second half, bestselling authors and identical twins Ophira and Tali Edut — The AstroTwins — revealed how to maximize one's potential with a simple yet powerful astrological system. The two shared how they stumbled upon astrology during their time at the University of Michigan, where a 30-page birth chart gifted to Ophira sparked their fascination. Tali followed suit, and together they began analyzing the charts of friends and celebrities, noting patterns and connections that fueled their passion for astrology. "The birth chart really is like a map to your soul," Tali insisted.
A significant aspect of their work is the I.A.M. system, which stands for Innovator, Authority, and Maven. The system simplifies astrology by categorizing individuals based on their chart's dominant elements. Innovators are associated with cardinal signs, Authorities with fixed signs, and Mavens with mutable signs. This approach lets people quickly identify their behavioral “archetype” and apply it to decision-making in daily life. "We noticed that people were fascinated by astrology, but it’s an incredibly hard language to retain," Tali explained.
As the twins discussed their forecasts for the upcoming presidential elections, they revealed insights into the astrological charts of the major candidates. They noted that Donald Trump has a more favorable chart for Election Day, with Jupiter, the planet of luck, positioned over his sun and north node. "If he is meant to be the president, then he's lined up pretty well for it," Ophira stated. Conversely, Kamala Harris's chart emphasizes the importance of her team and supporters in mobilizing votes, indicating that her campaign should focus on grassroots efforts. The AstroTwins also touched on the growth of astrology in the digital age, noting how apps and social media have made astrological knowledge more accessible. "Now everybody knows where every planet was when they were born, and it's pretty amazing how astrology has really caught on,” Tali said.
News segment guests: Lauren Weinstein, Steve Kates aka Dr. Sky