Since the first of this year, Democrats have boldly spoken of their coming Blue Wave. To understand the reasoning for such enthusiasm there needs to be an agenda that the average person finds attractive and one that will enhance the lifestyle of their family.
The thrust of this agenda centers on the following topics:
1) Medicare for all;
2) Debt free college tuition;
3) A $15 minimum wage; and
4) A guaranteed job of all.
All of this sounds very inviting, but the unfortunate fact is someone must find a way to fund such an agenda.
It appears that the Democrats feel that if they offer enough “free stuff,” the enthusiasm of the gullible takers will generate their interest in asking for these freebies and more.
I ask you to consider this perspective: as the Dems and their contemporaries in the mainstream media encourage with inflammatory rhetoric, that the takers should engage in class warfare and not to like the greedy givers of these goodies.
Unfortunately, the folks who have to pay for the “free stuff” want the “free stuff” programs to stop or at least to slow down significantly.
Medicare for all is not only unaffordable and unsustainable, it also will provide a poorer degree of medical care. Having lived for several years in England and seeing this in action, it is very apparent that wait times for needed care lessens the chance of surviving serious conditions. This results in less time for patients with their doctors, as well.
Debt free college certainly sounds inviting. A recent article told of tuition for public colleges now have a cost of approximately $100,000, and that the elite colleges could provide a four-year degree for graduates by spending approximately $140,000.
It was recently reported that college tuition debt had reached a trillion and a half dollars and the default rate on these loans was increasing.
This debt is higher than all credit card debt and it is higher than all mortgage debt.
This serious problem has two possible solutions.
First, stop many of the unneeded grants of millions of dollars to universities.
“Higher education institutions, according to the [Adam Andrzejewski’s OpenTheBooks organization], received 6 percent of federal grant funding, totaling $35.1 billion. Columbia University received the most grant funding ($816.3 million), followed by Johns Hopkins University ($768.1 million), and the University of Washington ($679.1 million). The top 25 grant-receiving universities included five Ivy League schools despite having $120 billion in collective endowment funds.”
Second, demand that increases in the wages of overpaid college professors be reined in. Many of the professors are making substantially large six-figure incomes for their alleged expertise.
Areas that provide a $15 minimum wage generally find that this causes labor lay-offs as many small businesses cannot sustain this level of expense and remain profitable. Obviously, businesses should always attempt to maintain a well-paid staff of employees, but they must function within the limits of a profitable operation.
The thesis for a guaranteed job for all goes against the reality of needing individuals who want to work with genuine interest and caring. Unfortunately, there are far too many who want something for nothing. People who are already paying for welfare, food stamps and other such programs are not prejudiced, mean or racist. Furthermore, why is a program of this nature necessary in an economy with 3.9 percent unemployment?
Winston Churchill, the famed British Prime Minister, summed it up well: “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.” He also noted that “The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
With this brief look at the “free agenda” do you really believe that the average American will become enthusiastic to vote for Democrats in November? What is coming, a Blue Wave or barely a ripple?
When the number of people getting “free stuff” outnumbers the people paying for “free stuff,” the nation will go over the cliff.
Where do you stand? You will have an opportunity to decide in November, so I encourage you to choose well.
Another View is a weekly column written collaboratively by Dale Landrith of Camden, Ken Frederic of Bristol, Paul Ackerman of Martinsville and Jan Dolcater of Rockport.
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