“The stimulus bill working its way through Congress is not just a package of spending increases and tax cuts intended to jolt the nation out of recession. For Democrats, it is also a tool for rewriting the social contract with the poor, the uninsured and the unemployed, in ways they have long yearned to do. With little notice and no public hearings, House Democrats would create a temporary new entitlement allowing workers getting unemployment checks to qualify for Medicaid, the health program for low-income people. Spouses and children could also receive benefits, no matter how much money the family had.” (New York Times, Wednesday)
But…
“…some Democrats on Capitol Hill and other administration supporters are voicing a … critique … that the plan may fall short in its broader goal of transforming the American economy over the long term.”
(Washington Post, Wednesday)
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” –Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff
FEE Timely Classic
“Why the Welfare State Is Immoral” by Tibor R. Machan
