So, do to the governments in countries that have some form of national health tell people what to eat, drink, smoke, etc.? How do you suppose such a thing would be enforced? Would you put people in jail for eating at MacDonald's?
It has often appeared to me that many of those who want the government out of their lives are perfectly happy to have the government prohibiting things they themselves oppose. In fact, one sometimes gets the impression that conservative governments are much more intrusive and controlling than those that are the opposite. On the other hand, many of those (I'm generalizing of course) who claim to be conservative are not in fact conservative (as I see it) but rather reactionary. They want to turn the clock and the country to a period that never really existed. It's the pro-gun anti-abortion thing. It's the guy sporting an American flag and a Confederate flag at the same time.
And while we're on the subject of reactionary movements, there is some irony here. Anyone here remember the late 1960s and early 1970s? We think that was a wonderful period of freedom, peace and love. But we were at war and there were riots across the country. The people with the guns were the ones the conservatives were worried about. The Black Panthers and that ilk. Law and order was a campaign issue. Now it looks like the shoe is on the other foot. |