MS Democratic Party Chairman Rickey Cole's statement on rising student loan rates and the healthcare exchange

The following email was sent from the Mississippi Democratic Party today. In it, Chairman Rickey Cole discusses the failure of Republicans to avoid a sharp increase in student loan interest rates and their vote to block the creation of a Mississippi-run healthcare exchange.  Both of these things are going to cost Mississippians more money each month, and both were easily avoided.  Here's the email:

Friends,

Today, student loan rates on our future college students doubled. Why? The Republican “leadership” in the U.S House has no control over its extreme tea party infused caucus. They may even be in worse shape than our tea party run state legislature.

As Congress sits on its hands, future loan rates on students will double. The problem is the tea party caucus, of which Mississippi Congressman Steven Palazzo is a member, will not support any reasonable legislation. They would rather let the rate double, raising the burden felt by future college graduates, all in the name of deficit reduction.

This is as outrageously incompetent as the House GOP here in Mississippi killing a Democratic amendment last week to create a health insurance exchange, based here and operated by our Insurance Commissioner. Republicans, under the fantasy belief that they are somehow blocking an exchange, killed the Democratic effort. The result? Mississippi will still be getting a health insurance exchange, except one run by Washington instead of Jackson.

In Washington, action on everything from Education to the Farm Bill continues to be stalled by a small group of extreme tea party Republicans who have control over their caucus. Here in Jackson, action on jobs, education, and health care have been stalled and hindered for the same reason.

It is imperative that we work to defeat these extreme Republicans, removing power from the reckless and putting it back where it belongs, in the hands of common sense.

Our opportunity starts now! Please donate to help us build a better future for our common sense Mississippians who simply want reasonable and sensible policy solutions. Every minute the tea party continues to hold power, our students and our hard working middle class families lose.
You can also help our cause by joining our Yellow Dog Club, Finance Council, or Chairmans Council today!

The fight for our future starts now!
Your friend,

Rickey