Bernie Sanders and other progressive Democrats have called on Washington to cancel the approximately $1.6 trillion Americans currently owe in student loan debt, and the idea has even gained some Republican support. They see debt forgiveness as a necessary step to safeguarding the nation's financial future and combating inequality. But others argue that this blanket policy would balloon the federal deficit, reward irresponsible borrowers, and waste taxpayer money on those who don't actually need it. Is it time for a student loan bailout? On Wednesday, March 11, nonpartisan debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. explores both sides of the issue with a live debate on the motion "Forgive Student Debt."

Arguing for the motion are NYU professor Caitlin Zaloom, author of 'Indebted: How Families Make College Work at Any Cost', and University of California law professor Mehrsa Baradaran, author of 'The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap.' Arguing against the motion are Beth Akers, former staff economist for President Bush's Council of Economic Advisors, and Nick Gillespie, editor-at-large of libertarian magazine Reason.

The "Forgive Student Debt" debate will be held at NYC's Florence Gould Hall, then air soon after as part of the syndicated public radio show, podcast, and video series "Intelligence Squared U.S."

WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "Forgive Student Debt"
WHEN: Wednesday, March 11 / 7:00-8:45 PM EDT
WHERE: Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street, New York, NY
TICKETS: $40 ($34 for seniors, $12 for students w/ ID). To purchase, visit http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/

FOR THE MOTION

* Caitlin Zaloom: Cultural Anthropologist & Author, 'Indebted'
Caitlin Zaloom is a cultural anthropologist and the author of 'Indebted: How Families Make College Work at Any Cost.' She is also an associate professor at New York University, where she researches the intersection of finances, markets, and the cultures that sustain them.

* Mehrsa Baradaran: Professor of Law & Author, "The Color of Money"
Mehrsa Baradaran is a law professor at the University of California-Irvine and the author of 'The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap" and "How the Other Half Banks.' Her scholarship focuses on banking law, financial inclusion, inequality, and the racial wealth gap. Baradaran is also a former Wall Street lawyer, having worked at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP.

AGAINST THE MOTION

* Beth Akers: Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute & Author, 'Game of Loans'
Beth Akers is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where her work focuses on labor economics and the economics of higher education. Previously, she was a fellow at the Brookings Institution and a staff economist with the Council of Economic Advisors under President George W. Bush. Akers is the co-author of 'Game of Loans: The Rhetoric and Reality of Student Debt.'

* Nick Gillespie: Editor-at-Large, Reason
Nick Gillespie is the editor-at-large of Reason, the libertarian magazine of "free minds and free markets," and the host of The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie. A two-time finalist for digital National Magazine Awards, he is co-author of 'The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong with America.'

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)
A non-partisan, non-profit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Their mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse. The award-winning debate series reaches millions of viewers and listeners through through multi-platform distribution, including radio, live streaming, podcasts, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps on Roku and Apple TV. With over 170 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008.

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