Edwards Plans for America, not all they're cracked up to be

John Edwards has been releasing a barage of ideas on policies that he would like to implement if he became President. John Edwards wants the government to pay for Universal Pre-Kindergarten, have the government provide matching savings accounts, mandate a minimum wage of $9.50 an hour, and a government run program called "College for Everyone" to provide college educations for everyone. He believes this should all be government funded and be paid for by higher taxes. Edwards goes on to say that, "There are no free meals," but that is exactly what he wants to provide.

Universal Pre-K

Universal Pre-K is one of those things that sounds good on the stump, but in reality is just not a great idea. First, we are not even getting K-12 correct yet. Why expand the education system when we can not even face the failing of the current systems we have in place. This is a move to create a new free lunch program to pay for babysitting for children instead of education. We as a country do not have a duty to provide for every child from birth to graduation from college. This is a family responsibility.

Government Matching Savings Accounts

Edwards proposes another free lunch program here also. American does not have any Constitutional power to do such a thing. We as a society should do everything we can to encourage saving. It is not the job of our government to provide matching funds for those that do so. This is a gross injustice to the federal governments taxing power. Money should not be taken from some just to be given to other people for the sake of doing it.

Minimum Wage Increase

John Edwards loves the idea of increasing the minimum wage. The problem with this proposal is that it really does not help people. Artifical floors and ceilings on prices do not work in the long run. The fact is that such an increase in the minimum wage will do more to destroy the middle class than anything else. Most in the middle class are salaried employess who make very modest salaries. When the minimum wage is increased prices also increase by the same amount because costs are passed through to the consumers. These middle class salaried employees do not see an increase in their salaries and if they do not by the amount of the increase in prices. So the middle class salaried employees are pulled closer to the poverty line while the workers who see the increase in wages have no more purchasing power.

College for Everyone

John Edwards proposal for College for Everyone is good for publicity but nothing more than pandering. Here in the United States we already have a system that allows people aid to go to college. Our Financial Aid system provides government subsidized loans to those who need assistance to pay for college. Second, the idea that everyone should go to College is a fallacy in operation. By having everyone go to college you just devalue the advantage of a college degree. You create a domino effect where a high school diplomia is even more devalued and a college degree is the basic starting point. So now those who want to get ahead need to get a masters degree. Those that would have gotten a Masters degree before get a PHD instead. This just removes any advantage to these degrees. Instead we should instead focus on improving our High School system. Those who would like to pursue a vocation that does not require a college degree should be encouraged and provided vocational training that they need. Those that plan on going to college should recieve the college preperation they need. This is a realistic approach not a one size fits all of a College for Everyone program.



John Edwards likes rhetoric and pandering. How else could he advocate that there are no free lunches while pushing proposals creating them. John Edwards has taken an platform of running for President by raising taxes and creating massive new government programs. This traditionally has not worked. Walter Mondale has been here and done that and We must assume and hope the results will be the same. It always sounds good when government gives things away, but someone has to pay and the effect of that will destroy and economy and create a larger government that our Constitution never intended. Always Remember a Government powerful enough to give you everything is also powerful enough to take your freedoms away.



http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071026/FRONTPAGE/710260384

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