Liberty Maven

Perhaps this week’s “quick hits” should be renamed “quick hit” because I’m going to focus on a single issue: health care.

This week I’m pondering (like many) the future of health care and what Obama’s efforts represent on a philosophical level. It’s easy to dismiss it negatively by calling it “socialized medicine”, but what does the effort to morph our health care system mean in the grand scheme? Getting to the nuts of it, it is a fight between individual liberty and collectivism.

Blind worship of the common good is the boot upon individual rights and the roadblock to innovation. Despite best intentions some always end up being “more good” than others.

The health care plan being touted by Obama and his palace guards spits in the faces of our Founders, further shreds our Constitution, and murders small businesses. Small business is the engine of the U.S. economy. Obama wants to pour water in the gas tank.

CATO has a very nice  site dedicated to educating the masses about the health care proposals being considered on Capitol Hill. Also, they don’t just criticize the Obama and Congress plan. They propose reforming health care based upon free market principles. I don’t necessarily agree with some of what they propose, but it is infinitely better than all forms of the travesty Obama is pushing.

A few days ago Obama insisted he wanted to have a vote on health care reform by the time Congress goes on August recess. Yesterday congressional leaders announced they would not be voting on it prior to the recess, saying that more time is needed for debate. I’d like to think that this delay was caused by the backlash Congress received when they voted on Cap and Trade the day after 300 pages were added to the legislation, leaving no time to analyze the addition prior to the vote. However, what is most likely is that the Democrats don’t have nearly enough votes to get it passed in its current form. That gives us hope, but it will likely be short-lived.

The argument has been framed around how to pay for health care reform. Those opposed to the plan  need to do all they can to reframe the argument. They need to focus on telling America, you have a choice:

1. Having an unfair and costly government plan?
2. Having a free market plan like CATO has suggested?

Falling into the trap of arguing about how to pay for it automatically accepts the false premise that it is the right thing to do in the first place.

Today, health care in America is not insurance. It is a subsidy. If we treated car insurance like we treat health “insurance” we’d all be co-paying for gas.

Health care is not a right. It is a privilege.

Some form of health care reform is now expected to be put to a vote in September when Congress reconvenes following their summer vacation. It is up to each and every one of us to convince our representatives to vote against any kind of government-run health care. We need to make it known that voting for this is both hazardous to our health and hazardous to the prospects of them being re-elected.

And now for some random thoughts, quotes, and tweets:

• Net U.S. debt is now 372% of GDP. In the crisis of the 1930’s it peaked at 301%.  -Ron Paul

• Al Gore is to Global Warming as Al Sharpton is to Racism: Filling their wallets and egos with alarmist BS.

• If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free. – PJ O’Rourke

• You know, if government were a product, selling it would be illegal. Government is a health hazard. Governments have killed many more people than cigarettes or unbuckled seat belts ever have. – PJ O’Rourke

• Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it. – Mark Twain

And finally, one of the more appropriate quotes given the state of America today…

• The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money. -Alexis de Tocqueville

Have a wonderful weekend!