Roman Deininger on Healthcare

Roman Deininger comments in a recent The Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed, "if there is to be an honest discussion about universal health care - as provided by nearly every industrialized nation - we must dispel the myth that it infringes on individual rights."

As many of us have come to realize, the term "universal health care" means different things to different people. The difference between the modern liberal's definition of the term and the classical liberal's is not that the classical liberal believes reaching such a goal is impossible, but he believes only that to achieve it through government coercion and against the will of the individual is immoral. Deininger would most likely make the opposite argument, claiming that it would in fact be immoral not to do such a thing; that we have the moral imperative to help others in this vastly important area.

And i do believe we who are more fortunate should help others who are less fortunate. But I think that only should be done through our own voluntary action. To mandate morality, in my eyes, is inherently contradictory and immoral (if one views liberty as a moral principle and end in and of itself).

Deininger's argument is based on the idea of positive rights, that all human beings have the right to basic necessities such as food, water, shelter, health care, education, etc... It is a wonderful notion and one I think we all impulsively believe to be true. But it forgets a fundamental truth: these amenities (yes, as the modern liberal describes they are amenities, not necessities) all come at some cost to other parties. And a right, which is something that cannot be denied, cannot come at a cost to others. If such a system existed then the world would be a system of constant debt where everyone perpetually owe everyone. Individual determinism would have no place in such a world and liberty would cease to exist.

I understand Deininger's sentiment and from reading his well-written article I believe he has his heart in the right place. But I do think he needs to think the issue through on a deeper level.