Comments on: The Political is Personal http://www.cosmopolitanconservative.com/2010/03/21/the-political-is-personal/ Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:53:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jess http://www.cosmopolitanconservative.com/2010/03/21/the-political-is-personal/comment-page-1/#comment-1081 Jess Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:48:17 +0000 http://www.cosmopolitanconservative.com/?p=1946#comment-1081 I'm right there beside you. I'm a creative person in a creative profession, and in 2008 I was so worried about the future trajectory I felt everyone was running towards, I started speaking out (against my better interests, given my field) respectfully. I was shocked to see the reactions of my "friends". I lost several over the course of the election. It's only escalated from there. Apparently tolerance is in short supply these days. I think your friend is right; this is an intensely personal issue. Fundamentally, though, I believe it goes beyond healthcare -- the real issue seems to be one of "who knows best" - the collective or the individual. Supporters of this legislation seem to think that now everything will be great -- healthcare will be cheaper (or free), better for everyone, and hey, the deficit will be reduced as well! I want to shake people, and ask them if they realize where the "money" is coming from -- taxes, or printing presses. Neither of which makes economic sense. I also have a hard time believing that (a) the Government will run a program that comes in at or under budget and (b)that it is in anyone's best interest to give the Government a financial stake in whether or not a citizen lives or dies. On the one hand, I am terribly upset this morning about the passage of this bill. It doesn't do anything to reign in costs and it only reduces personal responsibility & individual liberty. On the other hand, part of me thinks that it doesn't really matter -- toss this entitlement program onto the pile. We're going to be crushed by the weight of our outstanding national debt before the provisions will kick in anyway. It's just too bad that unlike my ancestors, I don't have another country to which I could immigrate & be the master of my own success or failure. I’m right there beside you. I’m a creative person in a creative profession, and in 2008 I was so worried about the future trajectory I felt everyone was running towards, I started speaking out (against my better interests, given my field) respectfully. I was shocked to see the reactions of my “friends”. I lost several over the course of the election. It’s only escalated from there. Apparently tolerance is in short supply these days.

I think your friend is right; this is an intensely personal issue. Fundamentally, though, I believe it goes beyond healthcare — the real issue seems to be one of “who knows best” – the collective or the individual. Supporters of this legislation seem to think that now everything will be great — healthcare will be cheaper (or free), better for everyone, and hey, the deficit will be reduced as well! I want to shake people, and ask them if they realize where the “money” is coming from — taxes, or printing presses. Neither of which makes economic sense. I also have a hard time believing that (a) the Government will run a program that comes in at or under budget and (b)that it is in anyone’s best interest to give the Government a financial stake in whether or not a citizen lives or dies.

On the one hand, I am terribly upset this morning about the passage of this bill. It doesn’t do anything to reign in costs and it only reduces personal responsibility & individual liberty. On the other hand, part of me thinks that it doesn’t really matter — toss this entitlement program onto the pile. We’re going to be crushed by the weight of our outstanding national debt before the provisions will kick in anyway.

It’s just too bad that unlike my ancestors, I don’t have another country to which I could immigrate & be the master of my own success or failure.

]]> By: Liberals Rise Where Churches Fail? : Post Politics: Political News and Views in Tennessee http://www.cosmopolitanconservative.com/2010/03/21/the-political-is-personal/comment-page-1/#comment-1080 Liberals Rise Where Churches Fail? : Post Politics: Political News and Views in Tennessee Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:27:54 +0000 http://www.cosmopolitanconservative.com/?p=1946#comment-1080 [...] From Adrienne Royer: I realize that I’ll lose many of you here. This battle over health care gets down to fundamental differences between the two warring political philosophies. Conservatives, or more accurately classical liberals, believe that freedom is fragile. In order to protect it, the individual must be stronger than the government. Yes, people fall through the cracks. It’s unfortunate and no political system is perfect. [...] [...] From Adrienne Royer: I realize that I’ll lose many of you here. This battle over health care gets down to fundamental differences between the two warring political philosophies. Conservatives, or more accurately classical liberals, believe that freedom is fragile. In order to protect it, the individual must be stronger than the government. Yes, people fall through the cracks. It’s unfortunate and no political system is perfect. [...]

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