Reprinted from Smirking Chimp
Corporate conservatives have taken notice of the Bernie Sanders campaign, and has started accusing him of "buying votes" by "promising" "free stuff." Is it true?
Here are some examples of what the corporate/billionaire-funded right is saying:
-- American Thinker, "Surprise: Bernie Sanders's free stuff will be very expensive for you!"
"Avowed socialist, pretend independent, wannabe Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is promising lots of free stuff for Americans -- and anyone else in the country, legally or not -- if he is elected. Free health care! Free education from pre-pre-school through post-post-college. Free family leave."
-- TownHall, "Newsflash! Bernie Sanders Fans: All That "Free Stuff" Will Break the Middle Class":
"They want 'free' birth control, health care, college, 'Cash for Clunkers,' free housing for the poor and paid time off for women who are having a child. They want welfare with no preconditions for anyone who wants it, a $15 minimum wage and they want to open our borders to anyone who wants to come here illegally, have a child and live off the American people for the next 18 years."
-- Gateway Pundit, "4 of 5 Liberal Millennials Voted for Bernie -- Want Free Stuff."
-- WorldNetDaily, "Santa Sanders' appeal: We all like free stuff."
"Free Stuff"?
The idea that things We the People "get" from government is just "free stuff" misunderstands the purpose of government. We the People established our government as a mechanism for all of us to decide to get together to do things that make our lives better.
In a democracy, if We the People decide it is a good idea to, for example, have public schools, does that qualify as "free stuff?" Or is it an investment in making our lives better? And, while we're at it, an educated population makes the society better.
Aside from public schools, here are a few other bits of "free stuff" that We the People have decided we should have:
-- Public roads and highways are "free stuff." (Except where they have special "Lexus lanes" for those with more money.)
-- Medicare for people over 65 is "free stuff."
-- Social Security is "free stuff."
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