America is acclaimed for being the land of opportunity - a place where any man, regardless of birth standing, can attain great heights through sheer strength of will and determination. Fundamental to the meteoric rises that characterize the successful attainment of the American Dream is the Dream itself, the notion that one day a person may be capable of providing for himself and his dependents the modern version of the 1950's "two cars, a house with a well manicured lawn, and a dog" lifestyle. In the 2008 election cycle, as has been the case in many previous election cycles, questions have arisen as to the nature of the best manner to aid the American people in achieving such dreams. The Republican Party and Senator John McCain espouse values that are close but not identical to those of Hospers, while the Democratic Party and Senator Barack Obama are more in line with the writings of Dewey.
The rationale behind the traditionally liberal and Democratic platform of considerable taxation is outlined in the Dewey reading. Behind this approach is the mentality that the aggregate is of greater import than the components – the sum is greater than the parts. Dewey and Democrats contend that everything we wish to achieve is inexorably bound to the fate of the group. Thus, in order for the greatest number of us to enjoy the fruits of the American Dream, some must bear a greater share of the burden in promoting so high a standard of life. For example, the recently vogue issue of universal health care promises coverage to all in need, coverage provided by the collective taxpayers of America. It is beyond dispute that many individuals will be receiving coverage without contributing a commensurate amount to the collective pot.
Such a situation is absolutely inexcusable to proponents of the theory espoused by Hospers. In order to compensate for those incapable of contributing to the aforementioned pot, others must contribute a greater amount. Hospers would contend that such a situation impinges upon the greater contributor's personal freedoms, an action which should never occur. Though the Republican platform does not go as far as Hospers in saying that even such commonly regarded necessities as education should not be state funded, it does support him in drawing a line before universal health care.
Although the thought of 47 million Americans going to sleep every night without health insurance is truly disheartening, universal health care is not the solution. In order to truly solve the problem, job training and other methods of battling unemployment and apathy must be implemented. The teaching of superior fiscal responsibility is additionally necessary to ensure that individuals are not paying for wants before needs (such as food and health care). I cannot help but feel that the implementation of a universal health care system is simply an unassuming step towards a larger, more overbearing government. America was designed as a country where a man possesses as much freedom as he rightfully can, and the implementation of this policy would be a step away from those worthy ideals of old.
1 comment:
I agree that Hospers essay can be closely linked to issues that are arising about the upcoming 2008 election. I also agree that universal health care is not the option and that other implementations need to be made in order to better our economy. If we implement a universal health care system and hardworking Americans are paying taxes in order for other not so hardworking Americans to have health care, then we have a problem. Not voting in favor of this system may sound heartless, but if we don’t teach these “lazy” Americans how to better themselves, so that they do not have to depend on the government, then we will be stuck in a never ending cycle that will continue to get worse. If we teach them to manage their money and distinguish between what they “need” and what they “want”, then that will help them to better their own lives. By bettering their own lives, they will better the lives of other people around them, as well as the state of the economy. It starts with a universal health care system, but what is next? What other kind of programs will come about that raise the taxes of the hardworking American even more? If we let universal health care pass, it will only be one thing after another.
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