Which issue is more important for the presidential candidates to discuss about, affordability of higher education, or student debt?

The issue of debt for college students has been addressed by President Obama and the 111th Democrats-controlled Congress (2009-2011) in the second half of the Affordable Care Act, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (P.L.111-152), where college students are allowed to make low-interest DIRECT LOANS through the Department of Education, thus eliminating high-interest banks as middlemen. Of course, the D.C. banking lobby is not too happy and try to peddle their "influence" on Capital Hill to overturn this sensible reform (see opensecrets.org and littlesis.org to follow lobbyist dollars). While students are enrolled full-time in college and in good standing grade-wise, the federal government pays the interest on this DIRECT LOAN and interest does not begin to compound until after the student is out of college, thus making pay-off much easier.

President Obama and the Congressional Democrats have even proposed having two-year community college made part of the public education offered to all American (K through 12), making the span of educational years K through 14. Republicans have chosen to block this effort, but have given no good reason why.

Hillary Clinton has discussed each of these issues, and has spoken out often on allowing college students to REFINANCE their existing loans to eliminate the high interest and make paying off the loans much easier.

Bry: The federal government is elected by the American people to act in their best interests and on their behalf, so if they can have a uniform way to make college more affordable or to provide some type of cost containment for college education, then that is what they are elected to do.

Jobs. Currently half the population is considered poor or working poor. Industries are leaving the country and going to places where labor is cheaper and they are getting huge tax breaks.

As a result many of the people have lost their jobs or have to take mutiple part time jobs just to make ends meat.

So getting new industries in and new jobs for the people will help people, so they can pay their student debt.

Affordability of education is from students demanding safe spaces and special treatment, or amenities like shopping on campus, or restaurants, or special meeting places to do slam poetry etc.

If you stop asking for special amenities that have zero to do with education then maybe tuition would be cheaper.

I can't imagine any reason for the federal government to be involved with either.

Both are important and are so related that it is difficult to completely separate them.