Libertarians, My Libertarians!
Cruel to be kind means that I love you . Because, while I think you are mistaken, your hearts are in the right place -- yes, even you, Silas -- unlike some people . This Breitbart fellow (discussed in the link above), by all appearances, deliberately doctored a video of Shirley Sherrod to make her remarks appear virulently racist, when they had, in fact, the opposite import. I heard that at a recent Austrian conference, some folks were talking about "Callahan's conservative turn." While that description is not entirely inaccurate, I must say that a lot of these people who today call themselves conservative give me the heebie-jeebies.
It's hard to see in what sense of conservative the guy is an actual conservative.
ReplyDeleteIf someone says that being conservative means supporting the status quo so we need to maintain Social Security then I can acknowledge the rhetorical value of that. You undercut this, though, when you go on to say we should replace the current health care system with single payer.
If you can make a position conservative simply by pointing to someone or something in American history that is kinda sorta similar (including abstract concepts like tolerance) the everyone is a conservative. I mean, it's not like you can't point to longstanding American traditions of military adventurism, intolerance, being stingy in the provision of public services, etc.
I agree with your point on single payer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above two comments.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing conservative about single payer medical care system.
Most people in ancient societies had the basic wisdom that nobody lives forever. Some saw life as a preparation for something greater. Whatever be the view of life and death, it seemed a futile idea that every Babylonian, every Han Chinese, every Roman, or every Greek family be responsible for the medical expenses of every other fellow countryman, especially knowing that epidemics, famines, droughts, and floods were going to be so common that there would never be enough medical care available for all.
On the other hand, the ancients gave far more value to those who gave up their lives to protect their country. Not those who fought for others to keep them alive. The modern world is full of caricature-ish people, who think that science and technology has conquered all ailments, that only unscrupulous businessmen prevent medical treatment for all, and that thumping one's feet and legislating will achieve immortal life for all.
The idea that medical care can be provided in "universal" form - that is without waiting lists or rationing - with every person undertaking to pay for the operations of another is one utopian dream.
A person proposing utopia is no conservative.