While Democrats are working to provide college students with real relief, Republicans just want to give the banksters another big handout.

Last week, Republican Senators Kelly Ayotte and Shelley Moore introduced the so-called “Student Loan Relief Act,” which has more to do with helping banks than any real relief for students.

That legislation would allow students to refinance their loans at private banks, but it wouldn't require those banks to take on any of the risk.

Those loans would still be guaranteed by the federal government, but it would banks, instead of taxpayers, who rake in all that interest. And, it would leave students vulnerable to the scams and schemes of the banking industry.

All we have to do is look to the homeowners who were the victims of illegal foreclosures to see why this proposal would be horrible for students.

If Republicans really want to provide students with relief, they should help make public college free for all students – it's that simple.

-Thom

(What do you think? Tell us here.)

Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 7pm and 10pm... Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT or Free Speech TV, and catch past shows on Youtube)

Friday's Daily Stack

In for Thom today, Progressive Commentator Sam Sacks, Co-Founder - The District Sentinel News Co-op

Article: "Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders top Republicans in fundraising" by Ben Jacobs and Dan Roberts.

Article: "Wall Street Still Betting Big on Jeb Bush, Overlooking Slide in Polls" by Beth Reinhard and Christopher S. Stewart.

Article: "Dark Money” Already Smashing Records" by Sam Knight.

Article: "Full Transcript: Democratic Presidential Debate" by The New York Times.

Article: "CNN/Facebook Democratic debate winners and losers" by Jeremy Diamond.

Article: "Fuming Bernie supporters: Why is CNN deleting our comments?" by Brian Maloney.

Article: "Hillary Clinton" by The Center for Responsive Politics.

Article: "Bernie Sanders" by The Center for Responsive Politics.

Article: "Preamble to the Constitution of the United States".

Article: "Total Freak Out at Fox & Friends Over Democratic Debate and “Free Stuff”" by Hrafnkell Haraldsson.

Article: "Cost of living" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Bad news for retirees: No Social Security cost-of-living increase, higher medical costs for many" by Lisa Rein.

Article: "Insurrection Erupts at the Democratic National Committee" by John Heilemann.

Article: "DNC vice chair disinvited from Democratic debate: This reminds me of ‘how high school teenagers act’" by Jessica Chasmar.

Article: "Jade Helm 15 ends as troops leave Texas" by Bobby Blanchard.

Article: "Marking ‘Sunshine Week,’ McCaskill Introduces Whistleblower-Protection Package" by Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Article: "Pentagon, Spy Community Agree—Contractors Need Whistleblower Protections" by Sam Sacks.

Article: "Why Bernie Sanders, Alleged Gun Moderate, Gets a D-Minus from the NRA" by Mike Spies.

Article: "NBC Online Poll: Clinton Wins Debate, Re-energizes Core Backers" by Allison Kopicki and John Lapinski.

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Victoria Jones

Article: "Huma on the hot seat: Hillary’s aide Abedin grilled by House Benghazi panel".

Article: "Second Republican Congressman Admits Benghazi Committee Was ‘Designed To Go After’ Clinton" by Scott Keyes.

Article: "Iran’s missile test was ‘a clear violation’ of U??N? sanctions says US ambassador" by AP.

Article: "U.S. Support for Saudi Strikes in Yemen Raises War Crime Concerns" by Colum Lynch.

Article: "Durbin Calls for FBI to Explain Walkback of Consumer Protection Advisory Regarding Security Features on Credit and Debit Cards" by Sen. Dick Durbin.

Article: "A Budget Deal Is Likely to Slip Past the Latest Debt-Ceiling Deadline" by Kristina Peterson and Nick Timiraos.

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Site: Governor Free Don Siegelman.

Article: "TRNS News Notes- 10/16" by Victoria Jones.

Article: "TRNS News Notes – 10/15" by Victoria Jones.

Hour Two: Gov. Don Siegelman needs your help today more than ever...find out why
- Actress/Activist Mimi Kennedy, Free Don Siegelman/ PDAmerica

Facebook: "Free Don Siegelman".

Article: "The Drone Papers" by The Intercept.

Facebook: "Terrell J. Starr".

Replay from October 15 2015: Karl Rove and the Political Assassination of Gov. Don Siegelman
- Governor Don Siegelman, Governor of Alabama (1999-2003)

Article: "Scottish Professor Figures Out How To Turn Whisky Waste Into Energy" by Samantha Page.

Article: "Justice Department Downplays Evidence of Politics in Probe of Governor" by Adam Zagorin.

Article: "Prosecutor conduct case before Supreme Court is settled" by David G. Savage, January 05, 2010.

Bill: "H.R.2944 - Sensenbrenner-Scott SAFE Justice Reinvestment Act of 2015".

GoFundMe: "Killing 'Atticus Finch': The Political Assassination of Don Siegelman".

Article: "House's sentencing reform bill plans to reduce mandatory minimums" by Nicky Woolf.

Article: "Hillary Clinton claims Edward Snowden had whistleblower protections, didn't use them" by Jon Greenberg.

Article: "Whistleblowers Left In The Lurch By O.S.H.A." by Sam Sacks.

Article: "OSHA Dismisses Majority of Whistleblower Cases Agency Investigates" by Vicky Nguyen, Liz Wagner and Felipe Escamilla.

Article: "Benghazi Committee Whistleblower Accuses Gowdy Of Violating Federal Law" by Caitlin Cruz.

Article: "Treasury moves up debt limit deadline to Nov. 3" by Peter Schroeder.

Article: "GOP's debt-limit pressure grows" by Peter Schroeder.

Article: "Americans don't like Kevin McCarthy, Kim Davis, Attacks on Planned Parenthood" by Tom Jensen.

Article: "CNN Focus Group Says Bernie Sanders Won The First Democratic Debate" by Jason Easley more from Jason Easley.

Article: "Nevada Says It Will Treat Daily Fantasy Sports Sites as Gambling" by Joe Drape.

Site: "The No Billionaires Campaign".

Article: "'Your priorities': an Icelandic story of e-democracy" by Róbert Bjarnason.

Site: Your Priorities.

Law: "Glass-Steagall Act", 1933.

Law: "Commodity Futures Modernization Act", 2000.

Article: "Hillary Clinton: We need to ‘save capitalism from itself’" by Hunter Walker.

Article: "Senator Boxer shows support for Clinton" by Annie Andersen.

Article: "Joe Biden camp to allies: Be ready" by Jeff Zeleny.

Book: The Devil's Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government by David Talbot.

Book: "The Crash of 2016: The Plot to Destroy America--and What We Can Do to Stop It" by Thom Hartmann.

Monday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 12-3pm ET

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Mimi Kennedy: Why Don Siegelman Needs your Help now more than ever!!

Don Siegelman on the Movie Karl Rove Doesn't Want you to See...