http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/08/04/utopia_versus_freedom_97757.html
"Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom." We have heard that many times. What is also the price of freedom is the toleration of imperfections. If everything that is wrong with the world becomes a reason to turn more power over to some political savior, then freedom is going to erode away, while we are mindlessly repeating the catchwords of the hour, whether "change," "universal health care" or "social justice."If we can be so easily stampeded by rhetoric that neither the public nor the Congress can be bothered to read, much less analyze, bills making massive changes in medical care, then do not be surprised when life and death decisions about you or your family are taken out of your hands-- and out of the hands of your doctor-- and transferred to bureaucrats in Washington.
Let's go back to square one. The universe was not made to our specifications. Nor were human beings. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that we are dissatisfied with many things at many times. The big question is whether we are prepared to follow any politician who claims to be able to "solve" our "problem."
If we are, then there will be a never ending series of "solutions," each causing new problems calling for still more "solutions." That way lies a never-ending quest, costing ever increasing amounts of the taxpayers' money and-- more important-- ever greater losses of your freedom to live your own life as you see fit, rather than as presumptuous elites dictate.
Ultimately, our choice is to give up Utopian quests or give up our freedom. This has been recognized for centuries by some, but many others have not yet faced that reality, even today. If you think government should "do something" about anything that ticks you off, or anything you want and don't have, then you have made your choice between Utopia and freedom.
Back in the 18th century, Edmund Burke said, "It is no inconsiderable part of wisdom, to know much of an evil ought to be tolerated" and "I must bear with infirmities until they fester into crimes."
But today's crusading zealots are not about to tolerate evils or infirmities. If insurance companies are not behaving the way some people think they should, then their answer is to set up a government bureaucracy to either control insurance companies or replace them.
If doctors, hospitals or pharmaceutical companies charge more than some people feel like paying, then the answer is price control. The actual track record of politicians, government bureaucracies, or price control is of no interest to those who think this way.
Politicians are already one of the main reasons why medical insurance is so expensive. Insurance is designed to cover risks but politicians are in the business of distributing largesse. Nothing is easier for politicians than to mandate things that insurance companies must cover, without the slightest regard for how such additional coverage will raise the cost of insurance.
If insurance covered only those things that most people are most concerned about-- the high cost of a major medical expense-- the price would be much lower than it is today, with politicians piling on mandate after mandate.
Since insurance covers risks, there is no reason for it to cover annual checkups, because it is known in advance that annual checkups occur once a year. Automobile insurance does not cover oil changes, much less the purchase of gasoline, since these are regular recurrences, not risks.
But politicians in the business of distributing largesse-- especially with somebody else's money-- cannot resist the temptation to pass laws adding things to insurance coverage. Many of those who are pushing for more government involvement in medical care are already talking about extending insurance coverage to "mental health"-- which is to say, giving shrinks and hypochondriacs a blank check drawn on the federal treasury.
There are still some voices of sanity today, echoing what Edmund Burke said long ago. "The study of human institutions is always a search for the most tolerable imperfections," according to Prof. Richard Epstein of the University of Chicago. If you cannot tolerate imperfections, be prepared to kiss your freedom goodbye.
I love Thomas Sowell.. The man's a genius.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/03/25/softens-sanction-plan-iran/
Is our president ****ing nuts, or is he trying to outdo everything we've done since the 50s?
Originally posted by Nephthys
That may well be the worst thing I've ever seen written on the internet. I don't give a shit who you are, Take. It. Back.Edit: Reported, and if you are Ivalice, I hope someone here knows your details and can give thm to Beefy.
Why would some antisocial minor affect my life in any way lol? His post made me yawn.
..... Theres either something very awesome or very wrong with you.
Edit: Ok maybe I overreacted, but it just seemed grossly insensitive to me. And sure, that link Eminence posted to the Nazi forums a while back were probably worse, but they were just crazy. I put apathy to others on a higher level than outright malice.
Plus it might be Ivalice, who I actually know and have joked with, so its a little more real.
Originally posted by Nephthys
That may well be the worst thing I've ever seen written on the internet. I don't give a shit who you are, Take. It. Back.Edit: Reported, and if you are Ivalice, I hope someone here knows your details and can give thm to Beefy.
I get the urge to exaggerate, but you only get a few uses of "worst thing I've ever seen written on the internet." Was this really worth one of them?
Originally posted by Nephthys
..... Theres either something very awesome or very wrong with you.Edit: Ok maybe I overreacted, but it just seemed grossly insensitive to me. And sure, that link Eminence posted to the Nazi forums a while back were probably worse, but they were just crazy. I put apathy to others on a higher level than outright malice.
Plus it might be Ivalice, who I actually know and have joked with, so its a little more real.
I'm not sure how old you are or if I make too many jokes or have too much of an ego to care what someone on the internet says, but damn dude, it was stupid comment. I'm not going to boo hoo or write in my feelings diary about it. Do you know many of my friends in real life greet me with "hey fagot"? Now maybe you consider that immature, but it's one of the reasons insults don't bother me.
In Take Me Out, a(n excellent) play that I am currently on crew for, there is the worst racist rant I have ever heard. Ever. Unfortunately, i always giggle, because its so awful that it is so uncomfortable, that I just do. Then i feel like i have to tell everyone around me that I didn't think it was funny.
Originally posted by truejediJust like that song Pocketful of Sunshine. Most racist, trashiest piece of music since Cathy's Clown.
In Take Me Out, a(n excellent) play that I am currently on crew for, there is the worst racist rant I have ever heard. Ever. Unfortunately, i always giggle, because its so awful that it is so uncomfortable, that I just do. Then i feel like i have to tell everyone around me that I didn't think it was funny.
Originally posted by truejediyou don't have to explain yourself.
In Take Me Out, a(n excellent) play that I am currently on crew for, there is the worst racist rant I have ever heard. Ever. Unfortunately, i always giggle, because its so awful that it is so uncomfortable, that I just do. Then i feel like i have to tell everyone around me that I didn't think it was funny.