General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"Health care is not a right"
A doctor said this.
The Republican party is fucking vile.
TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)However, it should be a function of modern-day governments to provide for the health of all of its citizens.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)What does that mean?
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Historically when we've talked about rights we've talked about preventing another's actions: my right to life means someone can't kill me; my right to speech means a government can't censor me. A right to healthcare implies requiring that a provider provide it. That's the extreme statement of the argument, at least (Rand Paul goes as far as to say it would "enslave doctors" .
That said, we're fairly comfortable with the idea of a "right to education", which does imply a requirement that educators educate; I think this becomes a political problem with health care because the economics suggest that doctors will end up having to make about what teachers make (and, for that matter, that's pretty much what we see in a lot of European countries -- doctors' and teachers' salaries are comparable, even if doctors make somewhat more). Similarly, we have a "right to counsel" in criminal trials, and that does mean requiring that public defenders defend people, and the results haven't exactly been spectacular.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)are natural rights. You can't take them away except by force.
Speech rights, assembly, press, religion. Right to be secure in one's home (no forceful entry without a warrant, for example). No forceful quartering of soldiers (not that we have to worry about that. ) Right against self incrimination. (You can't be forced by torture, imprisonment, or whatever for failure to incriminate yourself.) Right to private property. Right to self defense. Equality.
You can't take these rights away except by force of one type or another (and I'm sure I'm missing some.)
Obviously, civilized societies declare many other rights for their citizens like education, healthcare, etc., but these rights are paid for by taxation, so if the country goes bankrupt tomorrow, these rights would be in peril, where natural rights shouldn't be.
Peace.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Hell, if campaign spending is speech, why isn't taxation quartering?
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)TexasMommaWithAHat
(3,212 posts)Providing healthcare for its citizens should be a function of modern-day, civilized government. That's my opinion, anyway.
And, then, if it is a function of government, everyone should have equal access under the law of whatever is provided by that government.
Unfortunately, declaring healthcare a right doesn't make it so. The U.N. can make all the declarations it wants that healthcare is a right, but it's not. You can't suddenly provide healthcare in the poorest countries in the world by some proclamation, but the poorest countries can still recognize the natural rights of its citizens.
Peace.
Beartracks
(12,821 posts)===============
Happyhippychick
(8,379 posts)He cannot possibly be a real doctor.
PatrickforO
(14,587 posts)But it is. If we were fucking cave people, we'd have the 'right' to go see the shaman if we were sick, and pay her with a new flint knife, or some decorative carvings or something. But the point is we'd have the right. Just because.
El Supremo
(20,365 posts)you own it.
Sam_Fields
(305 posts)LeftishBrit
(41,210 posts)Article 25 : Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services.