Entitlements as disease

Herman Cain, the Godfather Pizza CEO, writes that Entitlement is a Disease, and he's right:

Too many Americans and too many political leaders currently ignore the founders' and King's shared vision. Instead of recognizing the awesome potential within individuals to achieve their dreams and support themselves and their families, power-loving politicians are spreading entitlement like a plague.

The problems inherent in our health care system provide an instructive example. Health care costs of all types are high because individual Americans do not pay enough for their own care.

The problems inherent in our health care system provide an instructive example. Health care costs of all types are high because individual Americans do not pay enough for their own care.

The costs are subsidized by the government and employers, which causes gross distortions in the health care market. Government created this mess by enacting tax laws that actually penalize individual purchasers of health insurance, and by enacting programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to finance health care for those deemed by government as too poor to pay for it themselves.

The disastrous result is not only the fiscal cost to taxpayers, but that entire generations of Americans have been socialized into believing they are entitled to health care coverage.

Instead of legislating reforms to eliminate the tax burden on the self-employed and instill free market forces and individual choice in the health care system, liberals want to mandate even more employer and state-paid coverage. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is clear about her desire to mandate universal health care for all Americans. Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards have made universal coverage a centerpiece of their issue agendas.
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Schumer stated, "We have big plans. The party that can create a model paradigm... will not only win in 2008 but could create a long-term majority." In other words, more entitlement spending, government mandates and class warfare rhetoric might create long-term power for liberals.

Unfortunately, Schumer is not alone. In a January 31 speech on Wall Street, President Bush stated, "The fact is that income inequality is real; it's been rising for more than 25 years." With all due respect, Mr. President, that statement is false. A recent study released by the Congressional Joint Economic Committee found that from 2001 to 2005 there was no statistical change in income inequality. The president is simply pandering to the entitlement addicts.

Read it all.

(h/t Greta