ConservativeTM is my personal blog on a variety of conservative political issues.

Please contact me at ConservativeTM@hotmail.com if you have any questions or comments. Thanks.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

30. A Modest Proposal

It has been 280 years since Jonathan Swift penned his proposal, and now it is my turn. I've decided to stop fighting the enlightened, intellectual progressives. In fact, I'm picking up their mantle with the exuberance of a zealot. I agree with their vision, their hope of a better future for all. They want healthcare for all Americans. I say great!! But I also say, "Why stop there? Why not guarantee a comfortable and safe future for all Americans?"

So, here is my modest proposal. The US government will give each American $1 million to secure their future. In addition, $500,000 will be given to each family to purchase a home. Health care will be provided, regardless of cost, to each and every citizen of this great country. No American shall ever go without a safe home, a warm bed, a full belly and the best medical care possible. Upon the birth of a child, the government will issue a check for another $1 million to ensure that child's future.

How can any caring, loving, concerned, compassionate American not agree with me? To disagree with this proposal would doubtlessly be because of hate and/or racism. No other reason could possibly be valid. Don't we all want the best for each and every one of us?

What, you say? This proposal is too much? Too extreme? Too generous? I'll ignore for a moment your obvious greed and selfishness and try to be open to debate and negotiation. How about we reduce the amount to only $750,000 per American and only $400,000 for a home. The health care, though, is not negotiable. Unlike so many non-progressives, I have a heart, a soul, a conscience.

-------------------------------------

Just as Swift's essay was satirical, so, of course is mine. Sadly, many of the progressive left would almost agree with such a proposal. Since their make-believe world has no limits or boundries, this proposal, or some variation of it, certainly is possible. Isn't it?

I do agree with socialist progressives that it would be wonderful if healthcare could be provided to every American, even every person on this planet. It would be great if the world worked in such a way that every person could live without want. But this is not reality. We've seen the results of countries trying to ensure "fairness" and the results have been nothing more than common misery for all. No American ever flew to the USSR to avail themselves of their excellent medical care. No wall was erected around the prior communist eastern bloc countries to keep people out, only to keep people in. No one has ever risked their life swimming from Florida to reach a supposed paradise in Cuba.

The issue with Obama's healthcare is its cost. It isn't about racism, or greed or hate. Let's look at my modest proposal and its cost. The US would have to print almost $1 quadrillion. What would be the result? First of all, those dollars would basically be worthless, inflation would drive the cost of every product to stratospheric heights. Even if inflation could be avoided, most Americans would stop working and live off their windfall. If no one is working, who is producing the goods and services we need to live? Someone owning chickens would quickly find a market for his eggs at $1,000 each!

If you, Mr. Progressive, think this is ridiculous and Obamacare isn't, explain to me why the left accused then President Bush of bankrupting our country when the national debt hit $1 trillion yet you see nothing wrong with Obama tripling that debt in his first six months in office. The projections are that should all of Obama's programs be implemented, the debt will rise rapidly over the next ten years to $10 to $20 trillion. How can that possibly make sense to you? On Sunday, Obama shockingly stated that the only way to reduce federal spending, at this point, is to implement this healthcare program. Ignoring the data from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) which stated that the cost would actually rise, Obama still stands up and makes such a statement. Even worse, there are those that believe him.

Yes, it would be nice to give everyone, everything they want or need, but life simply doesn't work that way. Our founding fathers were wise beyond their time. We can provide opportunity and nothing more. It is up to each individual to succeed.

I have written before in my essay America The Prejudiced of immigrants from all over the world who have found success in this country. We provided opportunity and they came, they worked hard, they went to college, they saved, they invested, they bought homes and they made lives for themselves and for their families. Something not possible in the socialistic countries from which they fled.

Yet through some fantasy delusion, the progressive left sees a socialistic utopia as possible here in the US. Yet in spite of the fact - the fact - that it has never worked anywhere else in the world at any time in history, they still believe somehow, some way, it will work here.

My proposal is satire. To the left, it is sadly somehow real.



(Special thanks to Roger Massengale)

1 comment:

Mark T. said...

If, somehow, Obama's "healthcare for all" measure passes I sincerely hope that there will at the very least be stipulations that "you get what you pay for!". Sadly I think the Entitlement population will come to expect and demand that we, the Hard Working population, will pay for them to have the very same level of healthcare coverage that we work so hard for.