Concessions

Sorry for not posting for so long. I guess I over-exerted myself with that big roast.

Since the weather here has become more spring-like I've been inspired to do some spring cleaning. Cleaning usually coincides with lots of thinking, and most of my recent mental energy has been spent on the health care issue. It's pretty clear that there are some serious problems with the health care system of the U.S. I can't say that I've discovered any solutions, but I have finally resolved my basic moral ambiguity about it. And that, I think, is probably the first step to solving any problem.

Since I am a big believer in and supporter of public education, it finally occurred to me that it would be isomorphic for me to see health care in the same light as education. Since I believe that all have a right to education, then why should I think differently about health care (which is probably an even more basic need than education)? Now, I'm not beginning some swing to the left here, but it does seem more consistent to treat the two in similar ways.

My primary reason for supporting public education, despite its problems, is because it is in the best interest of a society for its citizens to be educated, and it seems like a valid pursuit of the society as a whole to provide a basic education for all. Now if I just replace "education" with "health care" it seems to also apply. It is in the best interest of a society to assure that all citizens have access to basic health care.

Okay, so now I've found my moral "north" about it. The next step is to consider the "hows" of it.

Well, I still have lots of cleaning to do, so I must go get started.