Tom DeLay: No American Is Denied Health Care In America
A bold statement that, predictably, has the left all atwitter.
OXFORD, England (AP) — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will capture the presidency in 2008 unless the Republican Party can rise to meet the challenge, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said Thursday. . . .
DeLay warned that a Clinton victory would result in higher taxes and bloated government. He also said she would seek to create a British-style publicly funded health care system, a prediction that was met with thunderous applause.
“By the way, there’s no one denied health care in America. There are 47 million people who don’t have health insurance, but no American is denied health care in America,” he said to derisive laughter.
Tough crowd, but DeLay is right about no American being denied health care in America. Some Americans are denied health care coverage, sure, but no hospital turns away patients. If you need care, you’ll get it. If you can’t pay for it you’ll probably only receive emergency care, but you’ll still get care.
The real disconnect here lays with the different ways conservatives and liberals see the world. Liberals want equality of outcome, or in this instance they want everyone to have equal health care. Conservatives want equality of opportunity, in this instance meaning everyone should have the opportunity to secure their own health care.
On an emotional level, the former sounds compassionate while the latter sounds cold-hearted and selfish. On a factual level, making other people responsible for paying for your health care is a good way to invite those other people to start dictating to you how to live your life.
Freedom means personal responsibility, and personal responsibility means providing for yourself and not expecting others to provide for you. When you shirk your personal responsibility, you shirk your freedom.
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