The Socialism Scare Tactic

Originally published on September 16, 2009 - Bucks County Courier Times

The debate on health care has reached epic proportions, with heated arguments from the masses on why a public option health plan is a bad idea and in some cases, downright illegal.

More often than not, opponents will cite our old friend, the U.S. Constitution, as a defense against universal health care.  They tell us that it's unconstitutional to provide universal health care and that health care is not a right guaranteed to us.

Using this document to defend against a public health plan is insulting to each and every citizen who believes in the vision of our Founding Fathers.  For starters, the preamble of the Constitution clearly states that one of its purposes is to promote the general welfare of the people of the United States.  Isn't giving every citizen the "luxury" of health care promoting the general welfare?

The Constitution was also written to be flexible.  In other words, just because the Constitution doesn't specifically guarantee a right, doesn't mean it can't be changed to do just that.  Furthermore, the forerunner of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, also notes that the Founding Fathers of this country expressed the desire to uphold certain inalienable rights.  The rights are, of course, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

When I hear stories of health insurance providers rescinding coverage for sick people and refusing to pay for life-saving services, aren't they denying Americans their right to life?  Isn't a person who is in good health made happy by the peace of mind that their health concerns will be addressed by a doctor without worrying about how they're going to pay for it?  Therefore, aren't health insurance companies also denying Americans the right to the pursuit of happiness when they allow people to die for the sake of their own bottom line?  When did the right to corporate profits trump our rights to life and happiness?

I also hear the term "socialism" thrown around quite a bit in these town hall meetings.  I suppose this has a greater effect on people just a little older than I am, when Soviet Russian dominated the nightmares of Americans.  At 33, the socialism scare tactic doesn't really have much of an effect on me, as I assume is the case for most people my age.  But when we really think about it, the current health care system is based on a socialist business model.

Health insurance profits rely on the masses contributing to a pool of money that is then spent on the few who need it.  In a sense, if you're healthy, you're paying for a sick person to get better.  The only difference is that under the capitalist model, you have no power to evoke change should your insurance provider not provide the optimum service.

Health insurance is a special industry that doesn't even fall under the "freedom of choice" defense because of the pre-existing condition clause.  You get cancer, your health insurance decides not to pay because you had a wart on your toe when you were seven - and you can't even get a new provider.  At least under the socialist model, you can vote in a new political administration.  Or better yet, you can switch to a private plan, because, contrary to popular belief, the public option will not be the only option... hence the word "option."

Bit let's go back to that one sentence:  "If you're healthy, you're paying for a sick person to get better."  If anything, doesn't that make you feel a little better about yourself?