Health Care Is A Right, Not A Privilege

"Health care is a right, not a privilege." Have you ever heard that one before? I recently heard John Lewis make that statement and many other politicians have made it as well. Unfortunately for these politicians their actions reveal that they are seriously confused about the differences between rights and privileges.

It's a true statement - because the Constitution makes no mention of health care, those decisions remain a right of the people or the states. People have the right to free speech, the right to peaceably assemble. The Federal Government is PROHIBITED BY THE CONSTITUTION from infringing or diminishing these rights. The Federal Government doesn't grant rights. It is not possible for any legislation to grant a right, unless the legislation prohibits interference from the government. Unfortunately, most people are pretty confused about rights and privileges.

So let's start with privileges. Those come from the government. Driving a car is a privilege. State governments require citizens who wish to drive to maintain a valid Driver's License. You probably have to have insurance for the vehicle you are driving. Your privilege is not only monitored and administrated by the state government, but it can be revoked by that government. You do not have a right to drive, but the state may grant you the privilege to drive.

Privileges are granted, monitored, controlled, and even revoked by governments. If you need a license then you are talking about a privilege. Your local government probably grants the privilege of pet ownership and issues licenses for dogs. Your state government controls who has the privilege of working as a physician, attorney, psychiatrist, nurse, or teacher through various boards and agencies that grant people the privilege of practicing those professions within the state. It's a pretty simple rule to figure out if it is a right or a privilege: If you need government approval, it's not a right anymore, it's a privilege.

The Federal Government is charged with three primary responsibilities: Fair Trade, National Defense and Equal Justice. Congress is supposed to represent the people (via the house) and the states (via the Senate) to ensure that no one state imposes restrictions on its people or the other states that are too burdensome. Congress is charged with undoing the red tape that can interfere with free trade among the people and the states. When Congress acted to restrict all Americans into a single path for their Health Care options, Congress violated it's duty to uphold the Constitution. In the name of providing health care to people who cannot afford it, Congress has instead converted the individual right of people to make their own health care decisions into a government-restricted privilege. The legislation grants the political power of allowing or withholding those privileges to the executive branch; and there is no clear recourse to correcting the abuse of power when that power is no longer held by elected officials.

So when you hear your local neighborhood politician claim that "health care is a right, not a privilege," you can resoundingly respond "Amen, brother! It's MY right, so keep you hands off of it." Health care is the right to make decisions about your health care. If you enter into a government program, you lose your right to make your own decisions and you become dependent upon others to allow or prohibit various options in your health care. While a state may reserve the right to limit your health care options, there is no role for the Federal Government to do so. Don't let the Federal Government interfere with your right to health care.