Chris Christie Claims Free College Tuition For All Will Destroy America

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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.

Transcript via ABC This Week:

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.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association