Is Healthcare A Right Or A Privilege?

I think we need to call for a summit of the American People to decide what things constitute “rights”.  We have all these people running around proclaiming an individual’s “right” to healthcare.  Says who?

What is a “right”?  How do we determine what differentiates between rights and privilege?  Who decides what our rights are?  Once something is determined to officially be a “right”, how far must the government go in ensuring that right is not infringed upon?

For the last 200 years or so, has the citizenship of this country included healthcare in their lists of unalienable rights?  Have they demanded their “right” to healthcare be protected?  Have they demanded that the government take responsibility for providing healthcare to all citizens? 

I’m just wondering why, all of a sudden, there are those who believe that the government shouldn’t tell them how many pieces of pizza they can eat or how many sodas they can drink, but the government can and should ensure the continuation of our good health. 

The United States already has enough socialized medicine.  It already doesn’t work.  Why do we want to continue relegating the control of various industries to a bureaucracy that cannot control itself?  I would not hire someone with a record of profit squandering to run any major corporation, yet we want the government to run our healthcare system?

Wake up America.  David Gratzer wrote an illuminating article on this subject last year, and I think more Americans should read this before they start clamoring for national healthcare.  We need to get off the couch, get informed, get to work, and get to controlling our own lives and our own futures.

Guilty By Association

With the election so close, I feel compelled to argue against voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.  I have come upon a website run by a political action committee, the National Republican Trust.  This site has a page that states various “facts” regarding Obama and his association with William Ayers.  These statements, if true, cannot be ignored or considered as non-issues.

Now, many supporters of Obama just don’t understand why this association Obama has with Ayers should matter.  Just for the record, many of these same individuals think negatively about Sarah Palin because the pastor of her church believes that witchcraft is evil and that prayer actually works.  Why?  Because she goes to that church, so she must believe what is preached there.  It is a logical assumption.  So why is it so outrageous in the eyes of Obama supporters that the rest of us apply this same reasoning to Obama? 

According to the National Republican Trust, Obama has a history of associating with individuals who do not love this country.  You cannot tell me that Rev. Jeremiah Wright loves the United States.  Nor can you tell me that a man who admits to domestic terrorism–and even worse, admits he will not guarantee he won’t do it the next time this country ticks him off–is a good political ally for a US Presidential candidate. 

What about Obama’s association with Tony Resko?  ACORN?  The list goes on.  FOX reporter Hannity reports that Obama’s associations would immediately disqualify him from becoming an FBI agent.  How then can we consider him for the US Presidency?

Obama draws the approval of the world’s worst political powers.  Why is this?  If he did not appear to support these evil leaders’ causes or at the very least appear weak enough to allow for the advancement of their agendas, wouldn’t they fear Obama instead of applauding him and promoting him? 

Quite simply, if I found out that a group of kids were admitted hooligans that vandalized property, practiced under aged drinking, illicit drug use, and did not honor God, I would not want my children to associate with these kids.  How much more do I not want the leader of my country – who represents and upholds our way of life in front of the whole world - to associate with domestic terrorists, slumlords, or anyone who damns this country.

What will it take to apply the same discernment to Barack Obama that we apply to anyone else in our daily lives?  Barack Obama has demonstrated a serious lack of judgement when choosing his associates.  Do we want to give him the office of US President to demonstrate further lack of judgement?

Let’s All Share…

My son works with people who believe that rich people shouldn’t be allowed to be rich or become richer.  These folks tell him that it isn’t fair, that some people have been working a long time and still haven’t gotten what they want out of life, so the people who have more than them should share. 

I disagree.  I told him to tell them this little scenario.

My son, who is 17, now attends college.  We only have one car, and he just started his first job right before this semester.  He rides his bike to work and takes the very unreliable public bus to school every day.  He only works a few hours a day, mostly because he wants to have free time but partly because it is difficult to coordinate additional work hours into his day with the transportation issues.

I believe he should compare his paycheck with some of the paychecks of the employees that work more hours or make a higher wage than he does.  Since those paychecks will be larger than his, I believe the people making more should split the difference between the paychecks with my son.  I mean, why should he give up his free time to work more hours?  Why should he wait until he has earned a raise or a promotion to make enough money to get the things he wants to buy?  Better yet, why don’t I just go in there and make these people do this, even though they disagree.  I mean, if we spread the wealth around, won’t my son be better off?  Isn’t he entitled to this?

What I propose in this scenario is wealth redistribution.  It is socialist in nature and only rewards those who do not work while punishing those who do.  It is a complete slap in the face for anyone who has the character to work hard for the things he or she has, since it implies that the sacrifices made upholding a good work ethic are all for nothing and those who choose not to make those sacrifices will take the financial reward for himself.

Let it be known: If I go to work and you don’t, I could care less about your plight.  If I take care of my body and you don’t, you deserve the ailments you develop and I will have no sympathy for you.  We each have the right to pursue happiness, not have it provided for us.