Is Healthcare a Right?

It's the million dollar question. While it is easy to declare that health care ought to be a right for every American, it is first necessary to explore what qualifications and limitations pertain to inalienable or individual rights.

Just as the right to pursue happiness is limited to that which does not infringe upon the rights of others, so must the promise of health care. By declaring heath care a right, one guarantees that, by some means, care will be provided to anyone who desires it. This begs the question, if health care is a right, what quality of care is guaranteed with that right? How do we maintain that level of care if we don't have the personnel to provide it? If health care is a right, others must be required to provide that care, which is an obvious violation of our right to liberty. For any right to have substantive value it must not encroach upon the rights of others, otherwise how can any right have value?

Rights are intended as a means to limit government power. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not provisions given to us by government, but are natural born rights that are constitutionally protected from government violation.

Just as we are given the right to pursue happiness, and not the right TO happiness, so it must be with health care. We have the right to pursue health care, but cannot provide the right to heath care due to the fact that it is dependant upon the labors of others. Therefore, health care cannot be a right.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have. "
Barry Goldwater

The Republican [Con]census

The Republican [Con] census


Although I consider myself a libertarian, since libertarian politicians such as Ron Paul have been known to run under the republican ticket, I am registered as a republican. This being said, I recently received what was entitled the 2009 Republican Party Census Document: a letter requesting that you fill out a census questionnaire and donate money to the republican party. While it was immediately apparent to me that the Republican National Committee has done nothing to deserve a donation of any kind, I thought perhaps filling out the census questionnaire could help redirect them onto the right path.

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By Question four I was too irritated to continue. Not that I don't agree that the stimulus package is wasteful or that the federal government should not be involved in private business however, completely weighted obviously biased questions, like the tripe that consumes this "census", do not provide accurate unbiased statistics for the republican party to judge their party's views. It's not a census if the intended or "correct" answer is clearly outlined in the wording.

After reading the last question (number 3 under Republican Party) I was forced to conclude that this survey is nothing short of a rouse to coerce money out of ignorant unsuspecting republicans for the republican national committee to throw into the air and roll around in. According to this, it cost's $12 for someone to read my 25 question multiple choice survey? Really? And if I chose not to pay for to cover this obviously necessary cost, the only possible alternative is that I will be voting for "liberal democrats" for the next 10 years. Yes, it really says that (see image 4).

Seriously republicans, are you guys effing kidding me? aaaand that is why Democrats rule all three branches of government because despite unlikely odds, you guys have found a way to be even bigger douche bags. Congratulations. That is quite an accomplishment.

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