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Supporters of Congress' proposed government takeover of health care, including Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, have taken to claiming that they are on "the right side of history."
If you've ever wondered just how out of touch university faculty can get, look no further than the behavior of the University of New Hampshire's faculty union during its recent contract talks.
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Andrew Cline has been editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader since October of 2001. His writing has appeared in more than 100 newspapers and magazines, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and National Review.Edwards' free lunch: You're going to pay for it
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Reader commentsJOHN EDWARDS might look like a 21st century man, but don't let the fashionable threads fool you. He's stepped right off a train from the 1930s.
Edwards told the Concord Monitor last week that he wants a new New Deal for the American people.
Maybe that's why he's decided to take federal matching funds for his campaign. It's not because he can't get enough people to voluntarily hand him money. It's that letting the government take control of every conceivable economic activity is just the right thing to do.
Yeah, that's the ticket - straight back to the Depression.
"I think if we want to fund the things that I think are important to share in prosperity, then people who have done well in this country, including me, have more of a responsibility to give back," he said, adding later, "There are no free meals."
That's certainly an interesting way of looking at government and personal responsibility. To provide free meals - and health care and college tuition and Lord knows what else - to the poor and the middle class, it is the "responsibility" of people who earned their own lunch money to hand it to those who haven't because, you know, "there are no free meals."
And who is going to make sure those who "have done well" do their duty and give their lunch money to those who haven't done well? Why, the benevolent bureaucrats in Washington, of course!
If Edwards actually believed there were no free meals, he would preach a radically different philosophy - one that discourages dependency rather than exponentially expanding it.
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YOUR COMMENTS
The New Deal is the Raw Deal. That anyone today could defend, never mind want to expand, this literally bankrupt collection of ideas is mind-boggling.
- Tom, Campton
That successful people should be forced to "give back" to the parasite class, implies that their success came from the parasite class--from rulebook writers, awareness raisers, and nags. It implies that one person's success makes other people fail. This philosophy is poison for America.
- Spike, Brentwood NH
We have a booming economy, low unemployment and Edwards says we need a New Deal? Free college? Free Medical Care? A Million new section 8 houses? This must be his new strategery to catch up in the Democrat race, out-pander Hillary. Buy votes with Other Peoples' Money.
- Gene Smith, Contoocook, NH
I will say this about Mr. Edwards: at least he is offering specifics about his proposals. For example, he proposes to fund his health-care plan by rolling back the Bush tax cuts on those whose annual income is more than $200,000. Not that I think his health-care plan will work, but he did put that out for everyone to see. Other Democratic candidates (such as Biden, Clinton, Obama, etc.) have been cleverly vague (like good lawyers should be). Get specific, folks!
- Nicholl, Manchester
Edwards '08! Because Socialism will work THIS time! Great plan the Dems have going. 1. Sneak over the border with no ID whatsoever. 2. Make up a name and get a driver's license. 3. Get fast-tracked to citizenship. 4. Go on the dole, and get free money and services, courtesy of working American citizens.
Yeah...I don't think so, Pretty Boy.
- Bruce M., Brentwood
THe UL should be more careful, Now Edwards will have to send out his wife to defend him.
- jeff, Goffstown
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