Do the Liberals Really Understand What They've Done?

So begins the first paragraph of "The Crisis", written by Thomas Paine during the Revolutionary War on December 23, 1776.

Though the article is hundreds of years old, if you were to read this work today, you could replace the word "Britain" with "the Obama administration" and the word "Tory" with "liberal", and it's almost every bit as relevant today as it was back then.

Today however, the Obama administration, along with their liberal supporters, is basking in their glory at not only successfully getting socialized health care passed (though barely, with a 219-212 vote, even when everything was heavily stacked in their favor), but in their own words, "making history" and "saving Obama's presidency".

I guess we know now what was really important to them, don't we?

President Obama even crowed that "We proved that this government - a government of the people and by the people - still works for the people."

What a joke.

I guess that really depends on what people he's talking about. It sure as hell wasn't the majority of Americans. Perhaps he was referring to the labor unions?

It's a cruel twist of irony that it is the liberals, who claim to champion personal rights, who have contributed the most to this travesty. After all, isn't it the liberals that get outraged at the government's intervention of a woman's right to do what she wants with her body?

Isn't it the liberals who insist on an individual's right to marry whoever they want, particularly gays and lesbians, without the government intruding on those rights?

And yet... here they are, celebrating the passage of a bill that is the largest, government infringement of personal rights in America's history.

How could the liberals have allowed themselves to stray so far?

Could they have been so distracted by their humanitarian instincts, in this case, to want every single American to have health insurance, not just "those who could afford it", that they were completely blindsided by the fact that the government would take over their personal lives as a trade-off?

Or could it be that all they really care about are their personal wants and needs, and perhaps those they care about, and to hell with everyone else's individual rights, just so long as they get what they want?

I guess individual rights only count if you're female, gay, lesbian, transgender, a minority, Muslim, atheist or an animal. Everyone else need not apply.

But I don't want to end this on a sour note.

Despite our valiant efforts, we have lost a huge battle last Sunday. But it's not the end... this is the beginning.

Remember that George Washington himself lost every single battle he fought in New York, until his famous December 26^th attack against the Hessians in Trenton, New Jersey in 1776.

There is also the matter of the Republicans challenging the bill's constitutionality, arguing that it is unconstitutional to force Americans to pay for a service that they do not want (by being forced to pay a fine or tax for not having health care coverage).

As of this writing, Idaho has signed a law against the federal health care reform, which "requires that a state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance".

Thirty-seven other states have similar laws pending. While I don't know for certain which states they are, I think it's a pretty safe bet that neither California, nor any states in New England, are among them.

State's rights are going to be getting a lot of attention this year and the upcoming elections. You might want to pay attention the next time you plan on moving.

I began this column with a passage by Thomas Paine; I think it's only fitting that I end it with one:

"For though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the embers can never expire".

Links:

Obama: This Government Still Works 'For the People': (text and video of Obama's victory speech after bill's passing) wbur.org, 909fm, 03/22/2010

The Crisis: (first section), Thomas Paine, U.S. History.org, 12/23/1776

The American Crisis: Wikipedia.org

Leadership by George Washington: James Hodges, Ph.D., 12/31/2009

Could Atlas be About to Shrug?: David Hudson, Associated Content.com, 03/18/2010