Mustang Rambles

I woke up thinking that a brief discussion on these three “inalienable rights” might be in order. So, today, Part one, LIFE.

When we broke away from a greedy and corrupt parliament led by a so-so King, life was a tenuous thing at best. Medical science was in its infancy. Cleanliness and safety were little understood. Man’s life expectancy was short. Man’s life was filled with dangers from bad food to savage Indians to government’s quick race to the noose for minor and major offenses. Just as then, Americans look to their federal government for protection of their lives through maintaining a sufficient defense force to deter invaders and insurrection. Much as we rely on our local police forces for protection against criminals, in a larger sense we rely on our federal government for our armed forces for protection against those who would do use harm. More recently, that protection is focused on prevention of terrorism against us.

We do not expect that the federal government would set itself up to determine which of us to protect and which not to protect based on some variance in “worth”. Which one of us is not worthy to continue living, and which of us is worthy. Who contributes to the welfare of the nation, and who does not. If you set up national health care with its restricted budgets and conservative logistical goals, somewhere, someone, some group, will decided how much of what is to be available to the general public. Because of this, someone will go without what is needed and needed expeditiously and will die. Perhaps, many will die, probably the elderly will suffer the brunt of this (lack of) effort.

Those who support national health care may argue that more people will get health care than get it now. That’s sort of like saying more people will have cars than now, even if most are forbidden to buy new cars, but must make do with cars that are nearly antiques. Many people, especially the young, do not feel the need for health care insurance. They are probably right. Most won’t get some horrifying disease (despite TV’s adoration of hospital drama). Most will sail into middle life in good shape until time, reason, and higher wage levels move them into some health insurance plan that they or their employer will choose for them. Those that do get desperately ill will find that hospitals won’t throw them out on the streets, they will get care of some sort, even if the bills cause bankruptcy, once healed they can begin again, much like many divorced men do every year.

LIFE is a natural occurrence and is by definition uncertain in length and comfort. Our federal government should protect against forceful curtailment of life (except by due process in criminal law). LIFE is ours to do with what we shall. The federal government has no place in how we live LIFE.