Exposing the basic premise

Maha follows up her terrific article on “Why Is There an Economy?” with "What Is the Purpose of a Health Care System?" Here are some tidbits:

If you pay close attention to right-wing arguments against national health care, you notice the underlying assumption: The purpose of a health care system is to support a profitable health care industry. For example, regulations that mandate insurance companies insure people with pre-existing conditions are bad, because they are bad for business.

On the other hand, if your underlying assumption is that the purpose of a health care system is to provide health care to people who need it, you must be a liberal.

...

There’s nothing wrong with profits, and those nations that have the best health care systems as measured by cost per capita and results tend to have mixed public and private systems. It’s not just the government pulling the whole load; there is still a place for private enterprise. But those nations with the most cost-effective health care systems have the crazy idea that the purpose of a health care system is to provide health care. Radical.

Let's face it. Theoretical conservatism is about preserving what is good from the past and cherishing continuity. (This has a great deal of appeal to me.)

Actual conservatism is about preserving the power of those already in power and further enriching the wealthy. It has almost always been thus, whether we are discussing an aristocracy, a corporatocracy, or any other of the kleptocracies.

Today's GOP is entirely about this "actual conservatism" and all the rest is a facade, including cultural wedge issues, flag, mom, and apple pie. While we DFHs celebrate creation and sensuality, the actual conservatives are obsessing about sex, usually the sex someone else is getting or paraphilia (can we say "Diaper Dave Vitter" children?). One wonders whether the stockpile of phallic weapons is in inverse proportion to, well, you can finish the sentence. Can you believe we are returning to the theme of Janet Jackson's tit?


The picture on the right is where our judicial system needs to focus. The picture on the left is to distract us from obscene profits, inhuman practices, and the true degradation of the American spirit. The "wardrobe malfunction" is an example of bad behavior in a world where there is seriously evil behavior. I doubt that a single American child was corrupted by that breast exposure, though many may have been excited. I suspect, on the other hand, that greed, torture, and amorality have twisted millions and turned them from what is true and kind and worthwhile.

OK, I'll crawl down off my soapbox. I do recommend Maha's post.

--the BB