Re: universal health... My e-mail to Andrew Wilkow (Sirius Radio right-wing talker)

[LuckyTheDog]

Wilkow has been going on and on lately about hos universal health care is immoral because it would "force" people who are healthy to "subsidize" those who live unhealty lives, thus making us all into slaves. Here is my response:


Dude... get a grip.

We will never, ever live in a totally perfect objectivist, Ayn Rand-ish utopia in which everyone's economic inputs and outputs are equal at all times. It'll never happen.

So, to your point about national health insurance: You are right about one detail, but miss the broader perspective.

Yep, our behavior affects our health. Absolutely true. So, under national health care, somebody who stays healthy might end up “subsidizing” someone else who eats too much, smokes and lives and unhealthy lifestyle. You probably would be one of those people who would get less out of the system than you put in – at least initially. And I am sure you are healthy and would deeply, deeply resent having to pay into a system that covers the health care of Mr. Fatso Smoker Dude. I get that.

But you should get this: Maybe down the road you will be the one who needs extra help. Maybe you will find out the hard way that skydiving is not as safe as you thought it was. Maybe you will drink a few beers, trip over your own feet and hit your head. Who knows what might happen. If it does, then Mr. Fatso Smoker Dude would probably end up paying you back.

But suppose this… Suppose you never need help in any way. Suppose you spend your life in such a way that none of your stupid decisions have any bad health consequences. Suppose you always have good, private insurance, perfect health, prosperity and everything you ever need without ever having to lean on anybody else or reach out to the social safety net. Imagine that. Well…

In that case, you will have a choice to make. At the end of your life, you could choose to spend your time in your death bed going over the ledger. You could think about what you are “owed” and stew with anger and resentment toward the ones who “took it from you.” Or…

You could, instead, count your blessings and thank God for the blessed life you have lived and the opportunity you had to lighten the load of those around you.

Your choice.