Liberal ‘thought leader’ roasted by critics accusing her of not knowing how government is funded

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Critics took aim at progressive activist Nina Turner after she took to social media to claim taxpayers wouldn't be on the hook for a proposed plan to forgive federal student loans.

"Tell me you don't know where the federal government gets its money from without saying you don't know where the federal government gets its money from," conservative commentator Tim Young said in response to Turner's post Sunday.

Young took issue with Turner's argument that forgiving student loans wouldn't hurt taxpayers, reasoning that it would be "costlier" not to forgive the debts.

"FYI—Student debt cancelation isn’t paid for by the taxpayers, the federal government is the lender," Turner said on Twitter Sunday. "It’s costlier for the government to hold on to the debt."

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Former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner (Getty Images)

But critics were quick to question Turner's logic, asking where she believes government funds originate.

"Who funds the federal government," questioned Reason Foundation Senior Fellow Corey A. DeAngelis.

"Nina, who funds the government?" asked Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

Others took aim at Turner for her failed congressional candidacy.

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"And to think this lady was within 33 points of winning her House primary," quipped Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross.

Turner did not intermediately return a Fox News request for comment.

The viral moment comes as the Biden administration continues to debate the best path forward on proposals to forgive federal student loans. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said Sunday that a decision would be made by the end of the month.

"I don’t have a decision for you today," Cardona said during an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," "but what I will tell you that daily we’re having conversations about this, and the American folks will hear before the end of the month."

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

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That deadline is an important one for current borrowers, who have benefited from nearly two years of payment suspensions during the pandemic. That suspension is set to expire at the end of the month, forcing borrowers to begin paying their federal student loans again.