Opus 2013-149: Should-a-Beens: Let’s Be Positive

Recently my friendly neighborhood philanthropist made a suggestion.  He said that the next time we met we should try to only talk about positive, upbeat things.  He says we always focus on what is wrong with the world.  He said this after sharing how he was telling other people how much he enjoyed talking to me. 

You can’t have it both ways.  I think that one reason he enjoys talking to me, even though we disagree on so much, is that I disagree with him on so much.  I think I may be the only person he knows who is not impressed by his wealth.  I have never asked him for anything.  On the occasions that he has asked what he could do for me I have not been willing to fall into the trap.  I have suggested others I knew that had needs but have avoided getting dependent on him.

I think that frustrates him. 

To me he is the perfect stereotype of the well meaning liberal.  His intentions are good.  He wants to help people.  He wants to reform education.  He wants everyone to have excellent health care.  He wants justice, equality and rainbows.  The problem is that he wants to take the concerns of God that established his Jewish roots and apply them with the methods and standards of paganism which is popular in his social set. 

You can’t have it both ways. 

There is no way to give everyone gold standard health care, not in a free society.  You can’t do it in any society.  In socialism you can promise it, declare it and open the doors.  You can deliver equal medical care, it just won’t be the gold standard.  It won’t even be the silver or bronze standard.  Maybe it will be lead, but remember that lead is toxic. 

Under socialism you can’t deliver it because until everyone involved in the system is willing to work or supply goods and services for nothing there will never be enough to go around.  Socialism does not produce that kind of responsibility.  Picture if grocery stores gave out food regardless of your ability to pay.  All of the quality items would be gone in the first ten minutes and there would soon be no cheap items either.  They would never be replaced because the farmer will stop growing wheat for the bread.  Why?  Because he is not going to get up before dawn, work his fingers to the bone and go to bed exhausted so that someone who won’t work or plan can have a free loaf of bread.

Go read the Little Red Hen and apply it to health care.  Apply it to housing.  Apply it to food.  Apply it anywhere.  Eventually the Hen will refuse to give away her eggs or she will stop laying because noone is supplying her with the grain she needs.

It won’t work.  How is that for being positive?  I don’t think that is what he meant.

homo unius libri