Thursday, March 25, 2010

Health care, a step towards socialism?


This bill does represent a step towards Egalitarianism. Opponents of the bill outcry communism or socialism, probably because both philosophies stem from the egalitarian philosophy. The root of the word is French and means equal. The political doctrine suggest all people should be treated as equals and have the same political, economic, social, and civil rights. The philosophy advocates for the removal of economic inequalities among people. I think most people today in the United States will suggest they believe this, until it cost them something.

Opponents to the bill should also be reminded of the two basic principles of democracy: equality and freedom. Ideally all citizens under our political government have equal access to power, inherent freedoms spelled out in our constitution, and quality before the law. Do these rights not include health care? I've heard the outcry before that were rewarding the lazy. If our institutions were true to Meritocracy then that would be the case (as if a meritocracy could actually exist since it merely serves to justify the status quot). Meritocracy is a system of government where responsibilities are assigned to individuals based on demonstrated talent and ability. However, our society reflects a mesh of democracy, plutocracy, nepotism and cronyism. We are not all born in a wealthy loving home with equal opportunity. The truth is some of us are born into better situations then others.
As a proponent of biblical equality, I believe that human persons are equal in fundamental worth and moral status. While this idea enjoys wide support amongst intellectuals in many countries, is is debatable whether any of these ideas have significantly implemented in practice. This seemingly egalitarian attempt may fail as did previous, but that does not remove our call to action. Inequality is correlated strongly with social problems, and social problems present a price paid by the middle class too. Therefore, if we are not willing to assist others, at least let us help ourselves.
Alright, I'm officially fed up with writing and reading about the health care.

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