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Friday, March 31, 2017

Is health care a right or a good?

The political fiasco that unfolded last week as President Trump and the Republican House leadership failed to pass legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act, commonly called ObamaCare, is attributable as much to the failure of politics as it is to the failure of politicians to understand the constitutional role of the federal government.

Republicans could not muster a majority in the House, which they control, because a determined small group of them want to remove the federal government from the regulation of health care and believe that the replacement for ObamaCare that House leaders have offered would keep too much of it in place. The president and his allies have argued that their bill would invalidate enough of ObamaCare to return free choices to health care and to fulfill their campaign promises. Neither side has prevailed.

Here is the back story.

When Congress passed ObamaCare in 2010, it did so without a single Republican vote. The premise underlying the highly partisan 2,700-page legislation is that health care is a right belonging to everyone in America and the federal government has a constitutional duty to provide it.

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Health care is not a right.

Anonymous said...

Healthcare is not a right. It is a choice. Tax payers should not be liable for illegals and non US citizens. They get treated then that expense is on the one who treated them.

Anonymous said...

I used to believe it was not a "right". But as I've aged, I firmly believe any civilized person will believe Healthcare in itself is a right. It should require some form of payment to receive. Be that from a job, or some kind of work, volunteer, etc. And things like Govt. (except in cases of life of the mother or rape which should be included in any insurance or healthcare) funded abortion are not a right.
Very difficult discussion. But if you are able to let someone die, because it's not their "right" to get healthcare. That's a sad reflection on you and civilization as a people.

Anonymous said...

Not a right

Anonymous said...

I am older and both my husband and I have health issues, BUT healthcare is NOT a right, it is NOT the governments responsibility to provide healthcare to anyone and we AREN'T independently wealthy; we live month to month just like MOST seniors.

That being said, we paid into 'healthcare' for seniors and we should be able to use it. There are extreme cases where the government 'safety net' should be used. Now it's up to our leaders and doctors to figure this out.

Anonymous said...

And we see what happens when the government gets involved where they don't belong. Corruption abounds. Managing healthcare is not the purpose of our government, just as insuring our vehicles and houses is not.

Anonymous said...

For health care to be a right would mean that the health care providers or funders of health care are in servitude to the receivers of the health care.

The most basic responsibility of each individual is to take care of ones self.

Anonymous said...

It's not a right except for the ROI we make for SSI and Medicare. That's an earned right.

During our working lives, it is a personal responsibility. Lacking responsibility should have consequences.

There are exceptions, of course, i.e. Downs, palsy, etc.

Anonymous said...

2:39

So basically, now that you have become older and your health has likely deteriorated and your costs for health care have no doubt risen, you have come to the conclusion that someone else should pay for you.

Classic !

Anonymous said...

Health care is NOT a right or an entitlement! It can be a work benefit, if you are employed and they offer health care coverage. It can be an achievement, if you work long enough to get to medicare age, and can afford supplemental coverage. Each family must look at their needs and buy accordingly just like automobile or motorcycle insurance, it's an expense no doubt.

Anonymous said...

It's an oppression.