If you think you've seen dumb letters to the editor, you ain't seen nothing yet.

[rockymountaindem]

This is like, the Jaws of LTTEs. I had to share.

From the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph, my hometown paper:

"A ‘right’ creates obligation on labor of others

Sharon Beaman believes health care is a right, not a privilege. Health care is nothing more or less than the goods and services provided by the labor of skilled and talented people. Since when do we have a right to the labor of others? Wouldn’t that be called slavery?"
Colorado Springs

http://www.gazette.com/opinion/care_26791___article.html/health_right.html

Slavery? Let's see... the health care providers are getting paid, well, and have the right to quit their line of work at any time. Sounds a lot like slavery, eh?

Have at it, DU.

[Berry Cool]

1. This guy probably used the same argument on his mother as a kid

when she told him to clean his room.

[Ian David]

2. Didn't Ronald Raygun declare it illegal for Air Traffic Controllers to go on strike?

Why are we entitled to THEIR labor?

Are THEY slaves?

Or teachers? Or cops? Or paramedics? Or firemen?

Any other professions whose right to go on strike is banned or limited by law?

[rpannier]

3. I was stationed at Ft Carson from 1990-1993

It was at the height of the small, fundie churches moving in -- now big fundie churches.

The Gazzette Telegraph is a reactionary paper of the first order (or the 4th Reich).

I'm surprised that wasn't the OpEd letter.

[jody]

4. Sharon Beaman’s LTTE “CRADLE TO GRAVE, Health care a right, not a privilege” below.

CRADLE TO GRAVE

Health care a right, not a privilege

I am an American citizen who has lived in Canada and experienced its health care system first-hand. While not perfect, Canadians are sold on the concept and wouldn’t want it any other way. My Canadian friends and relatives are amazed that Americans tolerate the system we have.

There is one profound difference in the health care system between the U.S. and other civilized countries. That is, in American health care is still considered a privilege, while in the other countries it is believed to be a basic right along with education, police, fire and military protection, all of which are socialized in America. All of our elected officials at the federal level receive socialized health care for life, even those opposed to socialized medicine for the rest of us.

Any proposals to reform health care that still involve insurance companies are nothing more than Band-aid solutions.

As long as the majority of Americans still believe that insurance companies, whose sole objective is to make a profit, should decide who is eligible for coverage and at what cost, there will be no improvement in health care delivery and access in this country. Health care is rationed in every country, but in America it’s rationed by health insurance companies to ensure bigger paychecks for their CEOs, while in other civilized countries it’s rationed by its citizens, through their governments, leaving democracy to determine how much people choose to spend on their health care. In other words, everybody pays, but everybody plays.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Is his family name German for

shit for brains ?

[BlueJazz]

6. He sounds like one of the Right-Wing Folks I've talked to in my Neighborhood...

...and after about 7 Minutes, I just want to scream and run away shouting "Beam me up Scotty..Please!...Beam me Up"

[jody]

7. SCOTUS says government is not obligated to protect an individual unless she/he is in custody.

If protection is not a “right”, then how can health-care be a “right”?

CASTLE ROCK v. GONZALES, “Respondent did not, for Due Process Clause purposes, have a property interest in police enforcement of the restraining order against her husband” but Justice Stevens said in dissent “Respondent certainly could have entered into a contract with a private security firm, obligating the firm to provide protection to respondent’s family”.


DESHANEY v. WINNEBAGO “A State's failure to protect an individual against private violence generally does not constitute a violation of the Due Process Clause, because the Clause imposes no duty on the State to provide members of the general public with adequate protective services.”

[Stargleamer]

9. I don't know about Castle Rock. . .

But DeShaney v. Winnebago was SO badly decided. As Justice Blackmum said in dissent (and which I completely concur), "Poor Joshua!" And poor us (!), too, for not having the universal health care we need and should have, as they have in France, Sweden, etc.

[jody]

13. I agree we should have universal health care but I understood the OP to question whether health care

is a right or privilege. That was the assertion Beaman made in the LTTE "Health care a right, not a privilege", see #4 above.

[tabasco]

15. Because we can CHOOSE to make it that way.

Like the rest of the civilized world does for their citizens.

[jody]

18. I don't understand your statement. The OP issue was health-care, right vs. privilege. n/t

[tabasco]

19. The government can make health care a right.

Where, exactly, do you think rights come from?

[jody]

20. In the U.S. rights are natural, inherent, inalienable as befits a sovereign individual. That was

stated in our Declaration of Independence and in some of the original state constitutions. We rejected the divine right of kings.

For example Pennsylvania said in its constitution, A DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OR STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA 28 Sept. 1776, "That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, amongst which are, the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."

Note that as inalienable rights, the citizens of Pennsylvania could not have given those rights away when they ratified the Constitution on 12 December 1787 and ratified the Bill of Rights on 10 March 1790 .

Health care provided by government is not a natural, inherent, inalienable right.

[tabasco]

21. Now why is that Jody?

Something called the Constitution, I believe.

Only the Constitution guarantees our rights.

God never came down and protected anybody's rights.

It was people organizing into an agreement called a government.

The Constitution is established as a limitation on government power, but that is solely because that is what the Constitution decrees.

On edit: If Congress passes a statute that says "all Americans shall have universal health care," under whatever system they approve, doesn't that make health care a right for all Americans? You see, the government can create rights. That's how it has worked since day one and all the talk about rights coming from God is just fluff.

[jody]

22. As I said, health care is not a natural, inherent, inalienable right. That was the OP issue. n/t

[tabasco]

25. Answer one question for me Jody.

WHO DECIDES WHAT IS A NATURAL, INALIENABLE, INHERENT, OR ANY OTHER KIND OF RIGHT??

Just answer that question, Jody. The answer is the GOVERNMENT, not God or some magic rights wizard.

The US government can make health care a right just like so many other modern countries. We are now ranked 43rd in life expectancy in the world thanks to stupid, meaningless arguments like "health care is not a right."

[jody]

26. Suggest you browse the various theories of rights at "Right" below

Right with special consideration to

Natural rights

Inalienable rights

Human rights

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. Gazette Telegraph?

The Gazette merged with another paper? :shrug:

[rockymountaindem]

10. Good catch

It used to be the "Gazette Telegraph" and now it's just the Gazette again. I guess they're saving on ink, but their ad campaigns are trying to make them *shiver*, more trendy :puke:

I keep going with the "Telegraph" part out of habit. It's the way it was when I was a kid.

[Oeditpus Rex]

11. Ah, gotcha

I do that with a coupla papers that have changed names since I was a kid. I still call the San Jose Mercury News "the Merc."

You had me scratchin' my head, though, because there's a DUer who works at the Gazette (I think you know her) who's my friend outside of DU, and she didn't mention anything to me about a merger.

[Fridays Child]

12. The author didn't mind staying at this free campground and taking a free boat ride.

Steve Levine, you are guilty of exploiting the poor, enslaved Mukluk Annie and her husband, Chuck. Shame on you. (See second comment.)

http://www.freecampgrounds.com/detail.aspx?id=427

[Democrats_win]

14. By providing military protection to Europe, we have become their slaves and get nothing for it.

While we're paying for their protection, THEY are paying to provide health care for their citizens. Australia also provides their citizens health care.

Don't Americans deserve health care? Didn't we EARN the right? The American worker was the weapons maker of the world that defeated the Axis powers, we took in the Boat People, we won the Cold war. What do we have to show for it? Absolutely nothing. This is what you get for voting for bad actors and idiot sons of vomiting presidents. These are the worst of America yet THEY are sometimes honored as our best while today's real heroes wallow in Walter Reed Cesspool. Not even the most deserving among us get adequate health care because the avarice of the GOP is greater by far than their patriotism.

[lpbk2713]

16. I hope to hell she's not an admissions clerk at a hospital.

If there was a plane crash or other emergency involving many casualties everyone would have to wait outside while she ran a credit check and employment check on each individual.

[Telly Savalas]

17. Sounds like someone needs to put down their Ayn Rand

[MissMarple]

23. I saw that today. The Gazette needs a "dumb and dumber" section for these guys.

That, however, would include most of their editorials. Many of them sound like they were written by interns fresh from Regent University. The Gazette's opinion section is one the most immature and ignorant that I have ever read.

[rockymountaindem]

24. It makes me feel better about myself

but worse about nearly everything else. I used to read them every day at my lunch break to fire me up for the long afternoons . A little righteous anger seemed to propel me well enough. I do like their little quotes from famous figures from time to time, because somewhat frequently they throw something in there that actually contradicts their little propaganda line.