Obamania -- It's Contagious -- Got Your Shots?

There has not been a more effective, emotionally affecting maestro of
the bully pulpit since Reagan; he could charm the birds out of the
trees, the brains right out of your cranium, and that's me for one. He
almost had me last night, despite my instinctive objections to the
idea that health care is a "right". Yup, he almost had me until he got
to the part about making health insurance *mandatory*--a complete 180
degree turn around from his campaign position as versus the plan of
Hillary Clinton.

Now he's comparing it to auto insurance! Is auto insurance a
"right"? How can anything mandatory be a "right" rather than an
imposition, an infringement of liberty? I see a great deal of
distance between an obligation and a right. Some may argue that all
rights can arise only by virtue of a prior obligation. Except we are
obliged by law to pay taxes, no government can exist to secure our
rights to remain secure in our homes against invasion; to speak as we
wish without fear of being shot down dead by the person who would
disagree, to worship as some may see fit without a whole herd of
camels riding up led by some 'prophetic' fanatic who would force you
to worship as he and his see fit.

You could proffer that argument, while still another will say that
whether there is a government to secure the rights of man or not, they
exist naturally anyway: because we need only open our mouths to speak
freely, we need only defend our own homes against invasion and so long
as there is no government we can secure our own rights. To that, some
will say that securing rights in that way can lead only to a state of
constant warfare, a complete end to the "domestic tranquility" and of
the "general welfare". See the Wild West.

So, I wind up being conflicted about this whole thing. I would hate
being forced to buy health insurance because I hate all forms of
insurance, but I can be accused of not taking responsibility for the
state of my own well being, by not buying the damned thing. Worse, as
Obama put it, I am shirking an obligation to my fellow citizens, many
of which, far poorer than I just damned well need that basic guarantee
toward a promotion of the "general welfare"? Nothing specific in that,
to favor the welfare of the rich . . .

"We the People(1) of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide
for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the
Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America

Okay, so if, just if I am still charmed out of the trees since last
night, then let Obama take a tip: slow down! Get the spies and
detectives and "investigative journalists" busy getting down to the
real nitty gritty behind Yellow Dog Democrat objection to the Public
Option. Find out: who is greasing their palms? Find out. Then act.
--
JM http://whosenose.blogspot.com
http://bobbisoxsnatchers.blogspot.com
.

Relevant Pages

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  • Re: Obamania -- Its Contagious -- Got Your Shots?
    ... Now he's comparing it to auto insurance! ... rights can arise only by virtue of a prior obligation. ... rights to remain secure in our homes against invasion; ... "We the Peopleof the United States, in Order to form a more ...
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