The Tea Party (a.k.a the GOP) wants to “take our country back” … back to the mid-1800s when Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol.” This was a time when stingy “job creator” Ebeneezer Scrooge created no new jobs, working Bob Cratchit’s fingers to the bone in a freezing office, not allowing him another lump of coal for the fire. Scrooge did not provide a decent wage, paid holidays or health insurance for Cratchit, and the unions that later won such benefits were outlawed at the time. Poor Tiny Tim lacked health care, but his father made sure the family prayed for Scrooge.

Scrooge would have been at home at a GOP presidential debate where the audience applauded the prospect of a man without health insurance being left to die. Scrooge favored death for those who would not avail themselves of workhouse, poorhouse and treadmill opportunities, so he would be against extending unemployment insurance payments. Scrooge would have loved the Medicare voucher plan supported by our own Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, since it would take benefits from the poor and cut his taxes. He would also have loved Ging-Grinch’s answer for the Cratchit children — put them to work replacing janitors in the schools. Merry Christmas, everyone.

Kenneth Campbell

Vancouver

Print this article