Tuition Breaks For Illegal Immigrants But Not For Soldiers

Just another day in liberal Massachusetts.

Lawmakers have slammed the classroom door shut on Massachusetts soldiers home from Iraq and seeking to go to state college, failing to cough up $8 million needed for crucial tuition waivers. Army and Air National Guard soldiers expecting to be rewarded for their war duty under Gov. Mitt Romney's "Welcome Home" bill found the welcome mat ripped out last week by the Legislature as it ended its formal session without approving money for the waivers.

"One of the main reasons I joined the Army was to get money to go to college," said David Cowing, 23, of Rockland, an Iraq war veteran who is taking out at least $3,500 in loans to cover tuition for his first year at UMass-Boston because his benefits won't kick in in time to pay the first bills.

"I went and fought in Iraq. I shouldn't have to worry about tuition. I should be able to go wherever I want."

Liberals love entitlements, conservatives typically don't. But in this situation the folks to receive the entitlement, troops coming home from the war in Iraq, are actually entitled to the benefits in question by merit of their service.

Unfortunately, the liberals in Massachusetts are more interested in giving entitlements to folks who haven't actually done a thing to earn them. Who aren't, in fact, even citizens of this country.

Lashing out at the "wrong priorities" of lawmakers, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey said, "The Legislature has made the appalling decision to vote on things like tuition breaks for illegal immigrants, but they couldn't take the time to take a vote to help our Massachusetts war heroes . . . I find it deeply disturbing."

Indeed.

But don't you dare question these Democrats' patriotism or their support for the troops.