Drudge: A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFIRMARY
Steyn: "governmentalized health care not only changes the relationship of the citizen to the state but the very character of the people".
Right. Social entitlements de-moralize citizens -- witness the eroding effect of readily-available state welfare on personal initiative and responsibility.
Also - keep in mind. When healthcare is "free", someone always pays -- and it's never the politicians who vote themselves lavish healthcare plans that exceed that of the general populace. In Canada, politicians decry "two-tier" healthcare, all the while cynically and hypocritically accepting added drug, dental, hospitalization benefits that are not generally available to Joe and Josephine Public under the "free" and universal provincial plans. Oh, but, mustn't have two tiers of healthcare. Government workers generally also get in on the lavish extra-benefits -- leaving Joe and Josephine tax-payer out in the private sector to pay for it all.
And where governments are, can selfish, thuggish unions be far behind? Mustn't have for-profit healthcare, but overpaid, overbenefited janitors can only be a good thing.
And Steyn is also right that, whatever is passed now, it will be amended ad infinitum until it ends up being what the socialists really want -- and you can bet your bottom dollar that paying for abortion will be part of it -- no matter what the Democrats solemnly assure tonight.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not against compassion. And I'm not against treating those who genuinely can't afford to pay. It's called Christian charity. But Big Government is not the same thing as Christian charity. And Big Government is not an efficient answer to a nation's healthcare needs. The role of government is to do for citizens what they cannot do for themselves -- traditional responsibilities like military defense, treaties, public roads, etc.
It will take a generation for this to work its way through the fabric of America. But one thing is sure. Personal initiative and responsibility will not be strengthened by this legislation. Can that be good for America?
4 comments:
Right. Social entitlements de-moralize citizens -- witness the eroding effect of readily-available state welfare on personal initiative and responsibility.
Obviously, you've been very lucky in your life to never have needed welfare or E.I. or other government services,nor have you known anyone who needed them.
Has nothing to do with motivation or anything like that and everything to do with luck. One illness or injury to cause temporary or permanent disability is all it takes to go down that downward spiral. Don't believe in helping them? One day it can be you and you just may appreciate help from any Gov't service or otherwise.
CK -
First, I didn't say that I didn't believe in helping the needy - re-read the post.
Yes, I was unemployed once in my life and I collected EI for a month or so. My sister gave me $25 to help me out. I dutifully reported it to EI as a source of income, and they deducted $25 from the next cheque. What was the lesson: forget family assistance, let Big Government take care of you.
Government should be limited to doing what individuals, and families, and church/clan affiliations cannot do for themselves.
For every genuinely needy person who will use social assistance briefly until they can get back on their feet (and insist on paying it back) there are 10 persons content to rip off the system, and to engage in tax evasion - underground economy - to boot.
Just look at what has happened to the UK.
I give to the poor and needy through taxes and personal giving -- what do you do?
Welfare is de-moralizing because, when it becomes the habitual fix and you become the addict, it robs a person of dignity and self-esteem.
Latest trip through the US I met two restaurant servers who had to get to their "second job".
You think they are just "lucky"?
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