It seems to me that what should happen if the federal government should increase the amount available to students to borrow money directly from the federal government and repay at a lower interest rate and better repayment terms?

NPR: Congress to Lift Student Loans?

Credit has a cost, and under perfect competition, this is the interest rate--the price at which lenders agree to supply the same amount of money that borrowers agree to borrow.

FORBES: Magazine Article

This tax is assessed to filers who have large amounts of certain types of income, such as ISO bargain elements or municipal bond interest, and is designed to ensure that the taxpayer pays at least a minimal amount of tax on income that would otherwise be tax-free.

FORBES: Introduction To Incentive Stock Options

"There's unprecedented interest in the amount of corporation tax businesses pay, " Mary Monfries, head of tax policy at PwC, said.

BBC: Company taxes up 19% since 2005, says PwC