Healthcare: Individual Rights Vs The General Welfare

Points to ponder:

• Individual rights are not absolute 
• Libertarianism is a marginal idea and not a universal value
• Humans have evolved as social animals and have thrived from such
• The Preamble to the US Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
• The First Amendment to the US Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
• Morality comes from biology and socialization, not from an unevidenced God

Given the above:

• Why Catholic hospitals are bad for the US

The Bill Of Rights

"The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed following the oftentimes bitter 1787–88 battle over ratification of the U.S. Constitution, and crafted to address the objections raised by Anti-Federalists, the Bill of Rights amendments add to the Constitution specific guarantees of personal freedoms and rights, clear limitations on the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and explicit declarations that all powers not specifically delegated to Congress by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people."

"Health Care Freedom"

"They lobby for health care freedom laws to weaken the standard of care, to carve out exemptions for particular kinds of quackery (like chronic Lyme quackery), to mandate coverage of worthless treatments through insurance, they fight for licensure of dubious professions, and then to expand their scope of practice. If they fail, they are back the following year, and they have the money to support their efforts."

There essentially is no difference between how ideologues use the terms "Health Care Freedom" or "Religious Freedom" to push politicians into passing harmful legislation.

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Beware Of Those Who Promote "Religious Liberty"

A lengthy, but important article exposing the folly of the interaction of religion and government.

 Is Religious Freedom a Bad Idea?

The Word "Freedom" Is Misused By The Religious Right

Just like "Religious Freedom", "Academic Freedom" is a code word.  Beware of the camel's nose under the tent.

The Purpose of “Academic Freedom” Laws is to Promote Creationism

The Problem In The USA Is Religious Privilege, Not Threats To Religious Freedom

Secret financial records benefit no one except those with something to hide.