Unalienable Rights vs Government "Charity"

The US Declaration of Independence affirms that among man's unalienable rights are, "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and that our rights are God-given -- not rationed out by an earthly magistrate. Since rights come from the Creator, not Caesar, there is no reason or justification to require that one person pay for another's "rights." No person has any right to unjustly infringe on another person's unalienable rights.

While our rights come from God, we must "pursue" them. For example, I have a right to life. For that to happen, I must make the effort to breath, eat, and fulfill all other requirements necessary to sustain my life. I do not have a right to demand others perform that effort for me nor to demand that they feed me at their expense. I have a right to good health care -- but only I pay for it. I have no right to demand that others pay for my medical care or even that others ensure I have a nutritious diet.

Yet, a substantial portion of Americans seem to believe they have a right to demand that I pay their bills for them. And, in exchange for the votes of those parasites, the vast majority of politicians are more than willing to take take the property of the producers, by threat of force, to pay those bills. Those in favor of this process call this charity. They're dead wrong. Charity is the voluntary, benevolent giving to those in need -- not forced redistribution of property!

It is through true charity that low-income people received (and still receive) health care before it became a major part of our financial planning some 60 years ago. There are many tiny little selfish people in (ie Joe Biden who has a right to be as selfish as he chooses) and out of politics who manifest little charity. These selfish people assume that all people are likewise selfish and exploit the opportunity to buy the votes of the needy with money taken from from others -- even those who already voluntarily give a significant portion of their wealth to those in need.

Good health is not a right or "entitlement"! It is a personal responsibility. Health care is not a right. It is a service to be bought and sold. Health insurance is not a right. It is a financial risk-management tool. Those who try to equate the Constitutional right of "life" with health, heath care, and health insurance have got it completely wrong. The Constitution does not guarantee that the federal government will provide you with life. Instead it guarantees that the federal government will not take life away from you. The same is true of our individual wealth (property).

Unless the government has done something to your health that resulted in the loss of your life, health, or safety, then you have no claim against the government (and by extension, the taxpayer), or a right to its monies (which come from taxpayers).

There is no question that there are problems in the health care and health insurance sectors of our economy. It is important to recognize that those problems are the direct result of excessive and unwise government intervention in the free market coupled with the consequences of unbridled litigation.

There seems to be a pervasive notion that anyone (ie physician or insurance company) who makes a profit is evil and is unjustly exploiting the innocent and vulnerable consumer. The truth is, however, that in a truly free market, nobody can make a profit unless he provides goods and services that consumers want and need at a price they can afford. Should the producer ever charge too much for his goods or services, he attracts competition which promptly drives the prices back down.

There are people who are horrified and angered by the idea that drug and medical equipment manufacturers make a profit! But it is only the desire to make a profit in a free market that drives the innovation that gives Americans the best health care in the world and exports that technology (often charitably) to the rest of the world. In fact, due to trade restrictions and drug counterfeiting, only American consumers shoulder the costs of the research and development while that technology benefits health care consumers in other nations.

Government has introduced barriers to this free market including a ban on interstate purchase of health insurance and requiring insurance policies to provide services the consumer doesn't need (ie, in many states, a couple in their 80s must pay for health insurance that covers birth control).

The recently-passed health bill must be repealed in its entirety for several reasons: It exceeds the limits on government imposed by the Constitution, it violates the right of the people to use their property (wealth) as they choose, it further interferes with free enterprise, we cannot afford it, and it simply will not fix the problems government has already created in the health care sector of the economy. Like most other legislation, the primary goal is governmental control over the people. It must be stopped!


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