Health Care Fascism

William F. Buckley once responded to a question about what inspires him to regularly produce columns: “I am required to produce three columns a week, and I am provoked at least 3 times weekly.” I have neither Buckley’s education and facility with words, nor anything approaching the demands placed on his time. But, I found a couple of things aggravating me today. Since nothing binding will come of the Copenhagan meeting and I have already revealed myself as one of the ignorant trailer park global warming “deniers” that Chris Matthews was wondering about a few days ago (“What’s with these people who deny the science of the climate change threat?”), I want to comment on the ever-more fascinating state of the legislative process on health care: how does it look in The Senate, today? They have supposedly dumped direct government ownership of health care delivery beyond what already exists (never mind the half trillion dollar burglary of Medicare), but what remains is a healthy dose of fascism: government/corporate cooperation.

What is so fascinating at this point of the process is that in their ardor to “get something” on health care, Obama and Congressional leaders now have not just conservatives put off (most of whom they never had), and have not only lost the “moderate”/Independents that elected Obama, now they have the far left down on the bill. But, they are still pushing and pressing for passage…for whom? Well, obviously for THEM. Give them credit for not playing politics. These people stick to their principles: more power and control for THEM. Don’t you just love people who hold to their core values? It could make you cry.

As of yesterday, Howard Dean, Keith Olbermann, and MoveOn.org among others, have scorned and called for the death of the bill. Why is that? It leaves some important elements out, but “progressives” (to use their preferred label) have a morality underpinning their belief: help the weak (except for unborn babies), respect all classes of people (except conservatives and traitor Democrats, of course), and seek peace (even with people who are trying to kill). Except for the qualifications, these are laudable ideals. The problem is not in these ends, but in the prescriptions for achieving them, which don’t help the weak, don’t build respect (or dignity), and don’t achieve peace (or security). In fact, the prescriptions are worse than the original “problems.” But, what these far left groups object to is that after Harry Reid has satisfied all of the objections so far, the bill is a deal with their devil (in this case, insurance and pharmaceutical companies).

I remember the good old days, when Republicans were called the friends of corporations. Conservatives don’t and Republicans shouldn’t favor corporations. We favor liberty and justice, which doesn’t favor or disfavor corporations. If Democrats want to collude with corporations, Republicans should let them own it. It’s called fascism. Corporate interests will run like water to where the running is easiest. If they think they can make more money in bed with government, there they will go. But, they should be warned of what they might wake up with. We are talking of one potentially harsh mistress! Reach for the cheese and the hammer might take your head off.

A great and painful irony to liberals is that where Republicans most lounged with and profited most from corporations, there was a savior that brought the politicians to account and the corporations to heel: Alaska. The Republican establishment was drinking deeply from the favor of corporations whom they had mostly given the run of the state. Oh, they still explore and earn a profit in the state. But, one Sarah Palin upset the apple cart of corruption of Alaska’s Republican establishment. Corrupt politicians were chased and/or prosecuted. And Palin told the oil companies that they would have land-leasing rights BUT, they would pay a dividend back to the state that lent them. When informed, the representatives from EXXON, the largest corporation in the world, objected. Palin told them not to let the door hit them in the stern on the way out. They changed their minds, much like Gorbachev changed his mind about signing an agreement when he had demanded that the Strategic Defense Initiative be dropped and Reagan told him, “Nyet!” Who do you want to face off with Ahmadinejad, Kim Jung Il, and Vladimir Putin? Palin directed that an annual dividend check be distributed back to every Alaskans taxpayer. “OHHHH NOOOO!” If there’s a demon to progressives that rivals corporations, it’s Sarah Palin. It’s another irony that this woman is the most obvious possessor of testicular fortitude in EITHER party: a trait notably hidden in among others, David “She’s a joke” Brooks.

Anyway, there are still objections to be resolved, but at this point, Obama and Democrats’ nearest shot at passing something they want to call “health care reform” is not just ordinary socialist corporate subsidy, but the outright fascism of mandating that EVERYONE purchase a corporate product. I have a strong hunch that in the long run, this wouldn’t work out well for the buyer, the seller, OR the presumed benefactor government. It poses one gargantuan crack in the American foundation of liberty.