I was talking to a friend of a friend on FB about HCR--

He wrote...

"My heart goes out to every family in need. However, as american, no other american should be compelled to purchase a product he or she does not wish to buy. I do not work for the 'state' deity, I work for me and no one else. I choose what insurance I want, or what insurance I do not want. I work two jobs 7 days a week, 80 hours a week, and ... See Morebecause of this, I'm considered 'rich'. I work hard and get penalized. Now they want me to pay for someone elses insurance as well. This is Socialism/Communism EVERYTHING our Forefathers warned us about."

So I wrote--

"Heart wrenching Gary. Truly heart wrenching. Tell me, if you work for YOU and no one else... who do you call when your house catches on fire? How about... when someone breaks into your house? What roads do you travel-- that you (and you alone) have funded?

Also, being from MA, how will having a nationally funded program that is LESS comprehensive than MassHealth actually take MORE from you?

And when did the founding fathers warn us of "communism?" Sure a majority of them were for personal fiscal responsibility-- but in what text (that I may have missed) did they warn about a political philosophy that didn't really erupt until about 100 years later?? "

Then HE wrote--

"Kristen~ Socialist. Definition of Forefather: "A person who is from an earlier time and has originated or contributed to a common tradition shared by a particular group."
Forefather, although typically associated with in US revolutionary periods, although not utilized by me, can mean anyone including those who described and warned about the communist manifesto in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Typical. As for public service paid out of property taxes, obfuscate. Typical misdirect of a socialist. Bill and I both worked in the insurance industry, I will not belabour(european) that point."

See??  I'm a total Socialist!  

"Gary- thank you for the exotic word. My pea sized "socialist" brain nearly exploded.

Here I have stepped onto health care: necessity vs commodity territory. It's an argument that can be beaten into the ground on both sides--and one I'm not getting into on a FB thread. Am I a socialist?? Hell no. I believe that having access to affordable health care should be a right granted to all Americans. Kauclair@aol.com if you want to get into it.

Annnnnywho- I'm not quite sure how I'm misrepresenting the distribution of taxes to pay for public services. As for the forefathers argument- excuse me for assuming you meant the founding forefathers.. the term has been used so much by both sides, I am beginning to see the image of a screaming Ben Franklin in my sleep....

Although.. I'm not sure McCarthyism is the way to go either--seeing that most "socialists" aren't socialists at all, just citizens with a slightly higher moral regard for their fellow Americans than our "non socialist" counterparts. As for Communism--bit of a stretch to make from health care reform. But, I mean. You used so many SAT words, you must be right.

Thank you for so eloquently evading the largest point in my original comment-- you've inferred this is entirely a PERSONAL matter for you... how will a federal plan less comprehensive that our current state plan take MORE money out of your paycheck?? And if not-- then why are you so adamantly against it?"

His response was an unrelated Raegan quote.

""One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It's very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project, most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can't afford it. Now, the American people, if you put it to them about socialized medicine and gave them a chance to choose, would unhesitatingly vote against it."- Ronald Reagan"

So I wrote--

"You can call it Socialism, Communism, slavery, government dictatorship, you can stretch end of life discussions to mean "death panels" or the reform to promote rationing of health care. Chances are people won't vote for it-- but that doesn't make it true.

But thank you for replying with a borderline irrelevant quote."

These guys are just fucking irritating.