Enslaved to Ron Paul

?With regard to the idea of whether you have a right to health care, you have realize what that implies,? the senator said. ?It?s not an abstraction. I?m a physician. That means you have a right to come to my house and conscript me.?
?It means you believe in slavery. ?It means that you?re going to enslave not only me, but the janitor at my hospital, the person who cleans my office, the assistants who work in my office, the nurses.? ? Rand Paul
Rand Paul (R-Craters of the Loon) is a tough man to like, but I have to give him credit for being remarkably consistent, if not wholly, about his Libertarian beliefs. He believes that toilet regulations are an affront to capitalism that will destroy the vaunted American plumbing infrastructure. He similarly believes a human right to health care is slavery. Pity the Poor Conscripts It seems Rand is afraid that as a doctor he?ll be ?conscripted? to give health care to a goldbricking, unemployed cancer victim living in an AMC Pacer currently parked in front of their foreclosed home at 1313 Mockingbird Ln. Rand doesn?t mention that he?ll likely be paid handsomely for his conscription. He also hasn?t given up his own health insurance in order to throw off the terrible shackles of slavery.
There are a number of arguments about whether the right to health care or free-flowing toilets are any business of government. There are still logical debates to have, as there should be. However, Rand?s penchant for ideological absolutism and absurd comparisons like health care = slavery cheapens an important debate and makes it impossible to get any work done.
It also makes him look like he has the IQ of a ham sandwich, but that?s a whole other post.
Excuse Me But the Cracks in Your Fidelity are Showing Although Rand?s often off-the-chart comparisons may sound like total fidelity to his principles he often injects quirks and oddities that left unchecked would harm the country much more than help it. They also point out cracks in his passionate fidelity.
For example, slaves got food and water (two other items Rand thinks aren?t human rights). They got those services because slaves were too valuable to do otherwise. Providing services, even to those you hate, doesn?t make slavery. Slavery comes from the single pin that the enslaved have no choice. Which isn?t the case in Paul?s descriptions.
Paul is a Presbyterian. Can we automatically decide that if he complies with God?s every command that God has enslaved him? After all, God?s slavery is infinitely more total and absolute than a government decree (which isn?t the case, nor will it likely be) that health care is a human right.
I wish Rand would choose his battles, and especially his analogies, more carefully. All they do is muddy the water and keep the country in perpetual rancor and decay.
In other words, stop enslaving the rest of us with your silly, distracting speeches.
Cross posted at The Omnipotent Poobah Speaks!

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