You know, sometimes it's really refreshing when conservatives openly reveal what they really think. Michael Strain, a "scholar" at the American Enterprise Institute, explains in the Washington Post why Republicans are hell-bent on repealing the Affordable Care Act. No, it has nothing to do with the evil government taking away our "freedoms". It's all about the money:
In a world of scarce resources, a slightly higher mortality rate is an acceptable price to pay for certain goals — including more cash for other programs, such as those that help the poor; less government coercion and more individual liberty; more health-care choice for consumers, allowing them to find plans that better fit their needs; more money for taxpayers to spend themselves; and less federal health-care spending. This opinion is not immoral. Such choices are inevitable. They are made all the time.
I laughed out loud at the line that eliminating Obamacare would free up "more cash for other programs, such as those that help the poor". Doesn't the AEI advocate
eliminating all programs that help the poor, since they lead to "dependency"?
And what does "slightly higher mortality rate" exactly mean? As it stands, the United States ranks 36th in the worldfor life expectancy. Just behind Slovenia and Costa Rica. Since conservatives admire Vladimir Putin's "decisive leadership" skills, the goal is evidently to match Russia's life expectancy (rank: 127). Just think how much more "liberty" we would have, and how much cash could be freed up for "other programs".
Some great readers' comments to Michael Strain's piece. Here is my favorite ( from "Taxpayer 2")
Finally a conservative who tells the truth: it really is ALL about the money! What is the least amount that can be spent to maintain a stable society and maintain power! Never mind the questions of humanity or social responsibility. Forget all that rubbish about loving your neighbor and responsibility for your fellowman. And as well the baloney about one for all and all for one. It really is all about ME! In other words, it's ok for all of us to be sociopaths!