The problem with political debates and discussions these days, whether in the hall of Congress or on radio or television, is that they are almost all unprincipled.
Take the discussion on national health care and whether we should all have to have certain levels of coverage, whether employers should be required to do this and that, and whether there should be a "public option" --an insurance program run by the government that would compete with private insurers.
Leftwingers argue there are 40 million health care uninsured in the country and we need a program to cover them all, insurance premiums are too high, health care professionals charge too much, there are too many malpractice lawsuits generated by unscrupulous lawyers, and the Obama administration's 1,200 page health care bill will take care of all that. Rightwingers argue there are only 12 million or 18 million uninsured (nobody seems to know for certain), if we exclude uninsured illegal immigrants and those who would be covered if they weren't unemployed, we have the best health care in the world, most Americans are happy with it, and while the system may be in need of some repair, we shouldn't redo the entire system, just fix what needs fixing (whatever that is).
What's missing? Principles. We humans have the capacity to identify principles-- general statements about life that capture our basic sense of right and wrong and that can be used to resolve many issues. For example: let's say I need my car to get to work, my car is in need of repairs which I presently can't afford. Do I think, "I'll steal some money from my neighbor, he has more than he needs, he won''t miss it, this is an important situation for me"...or do I think, "Stealing someone's property is wrong and I should find another solution"? The latter is the principled choice.
So what is the proper principle for Americans to use to resolve the health care issue? What is the fundamental rule that applies?
In this country, we recognize that each person has the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Life...I live my life as I see fit
Liberty...I am free to make my own choices and to live without force being exerted against me by anyone
Happiness...I live for my happiness.
Provided I recognize and respect the same rights of all others, there are no exceptions, no exclusions, no exemtions to those rights...no occasions when they may be suspended, no circumstances when they can be denied. They are unalienable ...incapable of being repudiated, unassailable, inviolable, absolute.
That principle was pronounced at the founding of this country, repeated a million times in our governing documents, speeches and declarations, carved into our monuments. That principle is ingrained in our way of life. It is what has lured millions to our shores, what we have fought for and died for. In every sense, it is the soul of our country, it is what makes America, America.
In our free society, there are no "problems" that warrant the suspension (destruction) of that principle. There are no "problems" with freedom that need a little fixing. There are only problems when absolute freedom is not absolutely invoked. The Government has no legal authority to require me to have insurance, nor to pay via taxes for the insurance of others, nor to violate the free enterprise system by setting up a public company funded by public funds to unfairly compete with private industry.
Throw those 1,200 pages into the rubbish, dust off the principle...and let's get on our glorious way.
No comments:
Post a Comment