Healthcare - An Analogy and A Parable

The analogy is courtesy of the Grouchy Old Cripple, who resurrected an old Mike Royko column in which Mike suggests that, in addition to universal health care, We the People are also entitled to universal legal services. Said services should be provided and administered in a similar manner as health care services, with one interesting twist. You can read the column here. (I've looked all over the internet and I can't find a better copy of the column. If anyone can provide a link to an improved version I'd be grateful.)

God, I miss Mike Royko. If you're not familiar with him you owe it to yourself to read his work. You can find some of his columns online, and there are a couple of collections of his columns in book form that are still available through Amazon or elsewhere.

The parable comes from Doctor Zero. It draws a parallel between a homeowners association mandating one form of cable TV for all members, regardless of the individual homeowner's desire. Highly recommended reading.

Final comment: in response to the libs' efforts to smear any and all opposition to obamacare as extremist and racist, bigarmwoman points out that

"... it is possible to believe that health care should be reformed, and yet oppose the bill that just passed without being a terrified racist. It is possible to do this because as a person who lives in the real world you may be a bit skeptical over claims that a bill which increases an entitlement by billions will somehow reduce a deficit, and you’re wondering where, exactly, this money is going to come from seeing as how we’re kind of BROKE and things are just a wee bit unsettled right now, economy-wise.

You may also be skeptical over the whole “We’ll pay for it by taxing people who aren’t YOU, no really, we promise,” line of speaking, partly because the promises kept track record from this administration isn’t all that great, and partly because hearing that makes you hearken back to another president saying, “Read my lips – no new taxes,” and you remember just how well THAT went.

You may also oppose the bill because you’re a bit put off by the manner in which it was written and passed..."

So many reasons to oppose it, so little reason on the "It's a good thing" side...


Update (4/5/10): The Lame Stream Media (LSM) likes to portray the tea party and right-wingers as out of control hate-mongers, but people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones bricks.

Bricks thrown through the windows of political offices. An ominous message left for a member of Congress. A party leader threatened with death.

Angry rhetoric is out of control, fueling hatred that will inevitably result in violence. When in the name of all that is good and progressive will liberals condemn the extremists in their midst?

You see, the bricks were thrown through the windows of Republican Party offices in Virginia and Michigan. The profanity-laced message left for Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla., was that she would “not live to see her next term.” The death threat was against House Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia.

Didn't read that in the LSM, did you? Check out the entire column here.