Al Gore, at a dinner with Tennessee Democrats on Saturday proclaimed that we have “a moral duty to pass health care reform. This year.”
A moral duty? Where does Al Gore get the authority to say that we as a nation have a moral duty to pass health care? Certainly he does not get that authority from the constitution. No where in the constitution does it say that the Congress has power to enact a national health care system. And don’t even go to the General Welfare Clause because that is one of the weakest arguments that exists. If health care is part of the General Welfare, then why isn’t exercise equipment? Or why not food? Perhaps the government should get involved in distributing food to its citizens for the general welfare of the state. Or how about TV’s? Citizens can learn a lot of information from TV that should definitely be considered as part of the general welfare. The General Welfare clause is a slippery road to travel down.
Does Al Gore get his authority from religion? I don’t think so. God does not force us to do things. He has given us the ability to choose for ourselves what we want to do, what we want to eat, what we should wear. No where do I see the commandment “Thou shalt have health care as passed and regulated by the government.” God does not force us to do anything (unless you believe in pre-destination). Yet Al Gore, and the liberal Democrats want to force us to have health care.
Does he get his authority from being a former vice-president? Or from the passing of Ted Kennedy (which is the most despicable showing of political opportunism I have ever seen)? I would say no, and no.
The liberal Democrats know their beloved health care is on the verge of failure, and so they pull out all the stops including a supposed appeal to religion (don’t forget Obama’s talk to over 1000 pastors and rabbi’s where he warned against those bearing false witness against him, and how the government is a partner with God in matters of life and death).
As Conservatives we must continue to unite against this bill. We believe in freedom of choice. Humans are intelligent and capable of protecting themselves. We don’t need a nanny state to tell us how to govern ourselves.
Is this change we can believe in?
John T.H. Harrington
Every year for the past ten years I have been absorbing 10-15% increases in insurance premiums -- this year they went up 22%! If anyone thinks that the status quo in health care is the answer, they are deluding themselves. Ultimately, more and more of the costs will be shifted to employees ... and more jobs outsourced ...to save corporations from offering any kind of benefits (Look out, as we hit 50-60 million uninsured people down the road, hold onto your wallets ... you are really going to pay high premiums and co-pays ... as costs are passed along!). Americans are so tied to their ideology that they don't really understand how much the world is changing on them (China, India, Brazil, etc.). High health care costs will increasingly put us at a major disadvantage in the global marketplace. It is as if the fierce opponents to health care reform are guaranteeing a decrease in their future wages, and a big increase in health care costs going forward. Yes, you can cut taxes (worthy goal) but A LOT more money being shelled out in health care means less discretionary money to eat out, buy new clothes ... all the things that keep an economy going. I, for one, working 2-3 jobs ... college educated with advanced degree, have cut way back because of high health care costs. It has to be really hurting business ... and it's amazing people don't see it ... but they will be feeling it!
ReplyDeleteI see where you are coming from. And I agree that some kind of health care reform should be passed. However, I don't think that having government run health care insurance is the answer. I lived in Canada for two years. I have seen first hand what a government run health care system is like. In an ideal world we would focus on preventive maintenance on our own. However, I don't think that the government can force us to do things against our will.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing that irritates me is that they cloak this argument in religious terms now that they have failed to get support through other means.
I wish you luck though in your hard times.