Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Star Ledger Editorial

SENIORS ARE SMART, NOT SAPS
Christie's $100 Help With Cooling Costs is Simply a Sop to Elderly Households


You wonder if he thinks they're all senile.

Gov. Chris Christie announced he will give $100 to 182,000 households with seniors or disabled residents to help with their air conditioning bills during this simmering summer. 

It's a nice gesture, the cool Benjamin, and seniors should take the money from Christie's right hand, but watch his left hand carefully.  Because it's probably reaching into their wallets. 

Again.

Christie is chasing the senior vote with a laughable charm offense - sitting at kitchen tables with them, schmoozing them at town hall meetings, and now, like Wednesday night bingo, offering cash prizes.

While announcing the bribe - uh, we mean assistance - Christie thanked seniors for "hanging in there" with him over the first 18 months of his term.  Hanging in?  Doesn't he mean hanging out... to dry?

Seniors are smart.  They know they were better off before he was elected.  They know his property tax relief cuts have made it tougher for them to stay in their homes, that he has protected millionaires over fixed-income residents.

They know he wanted to cut senior programs (prescription drug assistance and Senior Freeze, for example), was pressured by Democrats not to, then tried to take credit for every buck.  They won't be fooled by charm.

Because with age comes wisdom.

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