Chris Christie broke out the old Republican myth
that giving people anything will destroy America by suggesting that the
country doesn’t need tuition free college and that people have to “earn”
their education.
But the idea of free college for everybody, there’s nothing free in this world. We need to earn what we get.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you even pointed out — you know,
you talked about your dad and what he got on the G.I. Bill. Studies
show that there’s a seven to one return on that kind of an investment.
Why not for all Americans?
CHRISTIE: Listen, it is available for all Americans,
George. We have grant programs that are very broadly used. We have loan
programs that are very broadly used. And by the way, my dad went for
six years again night. He worked all day to help to put himself through
college.
So it wasn’t that the G.I. Bill did everything for
my father, it helped. It helped for certain. And we should still provide
those type of benefits for folks.
But my dad also worked every day for six years to get his degree, all day and then went to school at night.
But the idea of free college for everybody, there’s nothing free in this world. We need to earn what we get.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you even pointed out — you know,
you talked about your dad and what he got on the G.I. Bill. Studies
show that there’s a seven to one return on that kind of an investment.
Why not for all Americans?
CHRISTIE: Listen, it is available for all Americans,
George. We have grant programs that are very broadly used. We have loan
programs that are very broadly used. And by the way, my dad went for
six years again night. He worked all day to help to put himself through
college.
So it wasn’t that the G.I. Bill did everything for
my father, it helped. It helped for certain. And we should still provide
those type of benefits for folks.
But my dad also worked every day for six years to get his degree, all day and then went to school at night.
Christie was voicing the same flawed ideology that
Republicans use to defend keeping people in poverty. Republicans argue
that giving people access to health care makes them lazy. Republicans
claim that giving people a path to a better life will destroy the moral
fabric of American society.
Gov. Christie seems to be the only person in America
who doesn’t understand that he is never going to be elected president.
The scandal-plagued Christie really believes that if moves far to the
right, he can win the hearts of Republicans.
Christie was echoing the Republican position that
college should not be available to all, and that lack of economic
opportunity is a good thing.
Republicans aren’t even trying to hide it if elected, they intend to make life worse for most Americans.
