Re: [asa] health care

Michael:

You don't really address Moorad's point at all. His point is, not that
it is a necessity that "control of our live" result, but that there is a
slippery slope, meaning that it tends in that direction. The question,
and a good one, is the slope of that slide. If the slope is
sufficiently gradual then other influences might arise to check it, even
halt it. As with any slide it depends not only on the slope but also
the friction. However, if the the slope exceeds a certain value
friction will not be able to stop the slide, external influences may
operate on too long a time scale, to prevent the ulitmate slide into
governmental control.

There are two points I'd make in this regard. First, the evidence you
provide is insufficient to counter Moorad's argument. So his statement
is surely not "laughable." Second, if you really wish to argue the case
national health care, at least in your instance, has not produced
"control of your lives" you need to provide reasons why the slide has
been avoided or stably prevented.

Lastly, I note that the notion of control is somewhat ambiguous. The
person who only wants to eat meat and potatoes may not notice that he is
only provided with such. Such a person has no choice, but is oblivious
to that fact. Is such a person being controlled? The person who senses
being controlled in the person who desires something different from what
is available and senses that another option is possible. I suspect that
cows have no sense that they are being controlled (for the most part).

So to really control a person what one needs to do is attempt to
eliminate from their mind the possibility of other options. In one
community it may be that amputation without anasthetics is not
considered to be control when in they are unaware that painless prosthetic
replacements are available in another community.

Those controlling you, of course, would like to guard against either the
knowledge or the possibility of such alternatives. They may try to
persuade you that alternative options are immoral, too expensive,
dangerous and that those in control really know what is best. They may
try to limit availability of information, etc.

My only point is that it is possible to be controlled without us knowing
it. We only really know we are being controlled when we try to do
something different and suddenly forces of resistance show up at our door.

In the UK you don't spend your pounds on healthcare, you spend the
government's, and that should make a difference. Of course, you're being
controlled. You just don't mind. So it is a matter of the degree that we
are willing to be controlled. How much can we accomodate ourselves to the
controls that are placed upon us?

bill

  On Sat, 26 Sep 2009, Michael Roberts
wrote:

> Moorad's argument is plain wrong. We have had the NHS for 60 years and the
> government doesnt control our lives.
>
> It is a laughable statement.
>
> Please get informed about the world we live in.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Burgeson (ASA member)"
> <hossradbourne@gmail.com>
> To: "Alexanian, Moorad" <alexanian@uncw.edu>
> Cc: "John Walley" <john_walley@yahoo.com>; "Jack" <drsyme@verizon.net>;
> "Schwarzwald" <schwarzwald@gmail.com>; <asa@calvin.edu>
> Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009 2:55 PM
> Subject: Re: [asa] health care
>
>
>> On 9/26/09, Alexanian, Moorad <alexanian@uncw.edu> wrote:
>>> I think Rush Limbaugh said it right, if the government controls
>>> healthcare,
>>> then the government will control all aspects of your life-- what you eat,
>>> what is sold, what kind of car you can buy, what kind of car can be
>>> manufactured, and on and on.
>>
>> Like many things Rush says, that is a crock. It presumes the "slippery
>> slope" argument, which is woefully weak logic.
>>
>> To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
>> "unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
>>
>>
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
> "unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
>

To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
"unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
Received on Sat Sep 26 11:07:08 2009