National Review vs The Nation: Is Health Care a Right?

[MsZeitgeist85]

Terrible Strawman argument by Cain here.

The Nation wins this one.

[scepticsteve]

Again muddled language. "A right" is used as a replacement for individual right. You can make anthing a right by declaring it in a law if you say it's an axiomatic definition. That's obviously a moronic definition. Then healthcare might be a right and a jew-free society might be a right. It's arbitrary.

Properly defined rights can only be things you can achieve for yourself and nobody else interfering. Untempered access to goods like healthcare is a right. Forcing others to provide it is not.

[shutuprafa]

you and Reihan should appear on Chris' new show...I know I'll watch

[MiHiVidz]

Trollin' trollin' trollin'

keep that derp a'rollin

NRO's controlling

RAWHIDE!

[GardenVariety2]

Americans have the right and responsibility to actually take care of themselves.

[NUTCASE71733]

@GardenVariety2

How can they if insurance companies screw the common man over? And the politicians get the best healthcare compared to us. How is that right?

[qwertypoiu4321]

There is no such thing as the freedom to commit criminal coercion.

[ccarozzo75]

Chris and Will should make out..so hot!

[whereismybailouttv]

Memo to the producer of this segment. The U.N. Charter on Human Rights clearly states that health care is a basic human right. Please do your research.

[Willredd94]

@whereismybailouttv Memo to whereismybailouttv. The US is not the UN.

[tSp289]

@Willredd94 Maybe not, but the 'human rights abuses' accusation is one of the US' favourite ones when talking about other countries' bad behaviour.

[whereismybailouttv]

Are all "fellows" at the Nation considered full-time employees entitled to health coverage? Or, are you considered a freelancer (which means you're on your own)?

[whereismybailouttv]

Obviously you don't realize that this question is extremely insulting to anyone below the rich that can have the best care money can buy. If you said this to anyone outside the States, they'd laugh in your face.

[PrimeMinisterPawlak]

Rights are something that you are born with that cannot be taken away from you, not something that can be given to you at the expense of others. That is called an entitlement. Entitlements are not rights.

[twk373]

Obviously people do not have a right to health care, because health care is a service provided by other people. Claiming that health care is a 'right' means healthcare providers haven't the right to NOT provide healthcare, functionally making them slaves.

[ShatterNWO]

Anything some one else has to give u isn't a right its a good.

[freemj13373]

Would like to see a follow up covering the liberal assertion that a single payer system will not result in analysis and restrictions on care and how that can be presented in a fiscally responsible way. I don't see a mechanism for that myself...

[dakotagerman1]

Reihan Salem looks like a Vulcan.

[stater68]

i hate east coast liberal elitists

[seokc78]

FDA is resposible for more deaths then saved lives. Do you think it's politically freasible to introduce a drug that may save millions but at the same time does not guarantee prevention from side-effects thus leading to prevention of drugs that might be beneficial to the public. they'll continue on with tests and research while people are dying becasue they don't want to take the fault. let the market work and you'll find out that free market will save far more lives than the FDA.

[tuxorz]

So MACKATTACK1970, are you saying that conservatives are racist towards Pakistanis? Does that make me racist towards my Pakistani friends since I am a conservative? Also, I'm white, so does that make it even worse? Please provide me with your intelligent and well sourced evidence for your claim that conservatives would "sell them down the river". Thanks.

[babyfran05]

this is one of the most civil debates i've seen. well done.

[MACKATTACK1970]

Reihan Salam is a conservative and a Pakistani.

Idiots like this guy amaze me in that they don't realize how much they are hated and how much racism is directed against them due to their ethnicity, yet they embrace the same group of people that in most circumstance would sell them down the river without a second thought.

[GodalonethroughQuran]

The other person's argument is also idiotic.

[GodalonethroughQuran]

He said something like 'it is a right in the constraints of cost'! A right is never dependent on cost. Must be the quickest self contradiction ever!

[sdcazares1980]

Why can't we have more debates like this?

[S2Cents]

AlterNet sucks. Read CounterPunch instead.

[finefilth]

i read them both...good content in both...good informed posters on the alternet forum