From The "No Shit" Files

I stole this from GUY K. I can't copy his source because the link he posted doesn't seem to work. But one way or another, the sentiment is definitely true:

Edit: The link seems to work now.

Right to Health Care?

The assertion that everyone has an absolute right to health care leaves unanswered the question: "Who will pay?" The assumption is that taxpayers will. Suppose a different answer were suggested. Since most doctors make a comfortable living, suppose the government were to require physicians, as a condition of practicing medicine, to provide health care to the poor at no charge.

This would amount to forced labor and members of the American Medical Association would be rightly horrified at the prospect. Yet requiring taxpayers to foot the bill for the poor is no different than forcing physicians to work without pay. Forced labor spread out over a large population and disguised through a system of taxation is still forced labor.

Philosopher Ayn Rand argued that the purpose of an individual's life is not to serve God, the government or one's neighbor. Rather, the purpose of life is one's own happiness, which is secured through productive achievement and by engaging in voluntary, mutually-beneficial relationships with others. A necessary condition for the pursuit of happiness is the recognition and protection of the right to property:

The right to life is the source of all rights--and the right to property is their only implementation. Without property rights, no other rights are possible. Since man has to sustain his life by his own effort, the man who has no right to the product of his effort has no means to sustain his life. The man who produces while others dispose of his product, is a slave.

Don't just say doctors here. Add to the list hospitals, nurses, drug companies, ambulance companies, pharmacists, ... you get the picture. Everyone in the medical field would have to work so many hours a week - put in their free time - in order to provide care to people who can't or won't buy insurance.

Well, anyone with any brains whatsoever knows this ain't going to happen. All of the above are in it for the money. If there is no money in it, they will quit the business. If they're forced by the government to provide services, well, you can imagine the sort of care you would receive under those circumstances. So the only other option is to tax the fuck out of everyone, or - wait a minute, I'm getting a flash... Hey! Here's a thought: Deny the service! If I get a flat tire and don't have the money to fix it, should the tire shop fix it for free? Should the wrecker come and tow it to the tire shop for free? Should I expect some random stranger like YOU for the money to fix it?

I need my truck to get to work after all. Someone better to pay for it, DAMMIT!





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~