The Road to Healthcare

I just got back from a discussion with one of my conservative friends ranging over the usual territory but ending as usual with the "outrage du jour", "the government takeover of healthcare". Elsewhere I've I've documented how the U.S. healthcare system is simply a lousy value but that isn't what we're talking about here. The argument as I understand it is that the recently passed healthcare legislation is unconstitutional on the grounds that (a) nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the government can legislate requirements for a healthcare system and (b) nowhere in the Constitution is Congress given the power to require that individuals spend their money to acquire healthcare coverage.

Ok. Let's talk about roads.

If "we, the people" decided that we would like a road from Atlanta to Birmingham and that rights-of-way were acquired almost all the way in either direction until we came to a farmer who simply didn't want to sell his pasture, where in the Constitution does it say that government has to power to acquire his land, particularly at a price that is set by the purchaser, the government? The answer is of course nowhere is this explicitly stated. It is assumed under general powers of government. I would imagine that few of my conservative friends would argue that our roadway system is a bad thing. I also assume that few would argue that we would have a better road system if I got inspired to build a bit of road in front of my house and waited until my neighbors were similarly inspired. Roads are simply and example of what "we the people" can do better together than we can individually.

And that is what this argument is really about. "We the people" have established a democracy which means simply that we have joined together to rule ourselves, to do things together. Those who argue that government is the enemy are un-American. If the government is us, saying the government is the enemy is saying "I'm an enemy of the people" and therefore an enemy of America.

So is healthcare an example of something we can do better together rather than individually? I think so. Other nations with better outcomes and lower expenses have thought so. But it is reasonable to argue otherwise. I think however that to argue that this is a Constitutional crisis or, as my friend suggested today, that this is a battle between good and evil is just another attempt by the right to whip up their faithful into a frenzy where reasonable reflection and debate become impossible.