Does Ted Kennedy deserve his extended cancer care?

American Thinker ^ | July 22, 2009 | James Lewis

[MozarkDawg]

In a moral, philosophical, or religious sense, Kennedy is not entitled to special treatment on two out of three. I think it is immoral and philosophically unsound to grant special privileges to those who create the privilege system and award them to themselves.

The problem I have with the thread, postured question is the idea that it isn't going on already today. Two years ago I had brain surgery, the (hopefully) final after twenty-three years and three dozen operations, I was put at the end of the queue and had to wait more than six months just to see the surgeon, let alone have my chance on the table. I suffer permanent damage because of the delay. Ted Kennedy was down at Duke a couple of weeks after he suffered his seizure.

Elitist not simply because he's a senator with a better health care plan, I have medical insurance. No, the difference was that my Irish Catholic surname is not Kennedy, as you note, I am no relation to Joseph and John.

[nathanbedford]

Your pilgrimage speaks eloquently of the real-life implications of this matter.

I quite agree that cronyism and favoritism exists today under the current system. Even in a truly free market system these evils would exist. Liberals are quick to point them out to justify a government takeover of the whole system so that they could be eliminated. But we all know they will not be eliminated rather they will increase because that is the nature of the socialist system. As the government substitutes a whole new way of allocating resources, whether it be healthcare or education or wherever it lays its heavy hand, market incentives are removed, shortages inevitably appear, and some animals turn out to be more equal than others. Cronyism, favoritism, corruption are the inevitable handmaidens of socialism. The very evil invoked to take over the system is aggravated beyond all its former dimensions.

There is also a moral difference between cronyism in the private sphere and elitism imposed by government. In the former market forces are normally present to tax the wrongdoor with loss of profits. In the latter, cronyism feeds on itself and rewards itself. But, ultimately, it is immoral for the government to create the apparatus which inevitably operates in this way. Behind every government apparatus is the implicit threat of physical force to enforce the rules. That is why it is immoral. At least in the private sphere, one is not compelled to play and hopefully the aggrieved party can seek redress elsewhere in an open system which will react to solve the problem for profit.

We see this all the time in schools where youngsters are compelled to attend and then encumbered with politically correct rules of behavior often, or sometimes, enforced by the police power of the state. A student's freedom is an entirely different matter in a private school.

I wish you well.

[MozarkDawg]

Behind every government apparatus is the implicit threat of physical force to enforce the rules. That is why it is immoral. At least in the private sphere, one is not compelled to play and hopefully the aggrieved party can seek redress elsewhere in an open system which will react to solve the problem for profit.

Precisely -- I use this explanation ad nauseum to those who think the tax code should be used for charitable purposes, this whole notion that paying *a little more* in taxes is good if it means such-and-such for my neighbor. Wrong! You don't score *good works* points by having your money or your time confiscated from you, taxation is not voluntary, it is compulsory.

And as you point out, while there are problems with the private sphere, it is simply untenable to allow those who have been elected to public office to rig the system in such a way that they are removed from the consequences of that which they impose on the citizenry. Our forefathers fought a rebellion against a system whereby the king had a personal physician and the nobility were treated to the best-quality medical care provided for them by the labor of the serfs, they themselves unable to obtain anything but perhaps some assistance from the local barber.

This whole health care discussion has me shaking my head at too many Americans -- how did they miss this part of the course in American History in grade school/junior high/senior high??

Thank you very much for the kind words.

[Salvation]

**Does Ted Kennedy deserve his extended cancer care? **

Not for us to decide. God will be Ted’s judge, and unless he goes to Confession and has a deathbed conversion back to REAL Catholicism, he’s probably headed the wrong way at the moment of his death. But, we can’t be the judge.

God always wait for us to ask for forgiveness. Will Ted? Only he and God know.

[socialismisinsidious]

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

**This is a high volume ping list! (sign of the times)**

[bill1952]

And no, we will not have a choice.

Choice?!? LOL! - see tagline

[Principled]

Let’s get him his “end of life” counseling [per 0bamacare] asap.

[bill1952]

From what I understand, mr ted received an advanced experimental therapy based on the extraction of DNA from that particular tumor and then manufacturing a one off anti viral type drug to kill it in situ without killing off healthy tissue.

That also entailed flying in one hell of a medical team to administer the treatment.
Combine that with the rest of the care and I see a million easily.

I could be wrong, of course, but I'm quite, quite sure that this would not be available to normal peasants like you and I.

[bill1952]

**Does Ted Kennedy deserve his extended cancer care? **
Not for us to decide. God will be Ted’s judge

Wrong. If we are paying the bills for his super-sized Federal medical care - and we are, then God is removed from the Earthly picture.

It isn't his money, it's ours and we get a say.
God can sort out ted’s affairs when he is dead.

[AmericanVictory]

We look forward to a balanced weighing of the harm he has done and can still do this country versus all the benefits he has conferred upon it. Please list the latter ASAP.

[MitchellC]

None that I can think of, but I’m not about to wish death on the guy. I wish he would have served time in prison for Kopechne’s death, however, as it would have saved America a lot of trouble.

[meyer]

Ted Kennedy deserves to be put on trial for the murder of Mary Jo Kopechne.

[CaliforniaCon]

My answer would be the same as Zero’s — just give him painkillers instead of utilizing lots of money, time and resources on a losing proposition.

What’s good for the general population should be good for Ted Kennedy, isn’t that right Zero?

[justiceseeker93]

No question that if the ‘Rats try to pull out a trump card and use Ted Kennedy as a “poster boy” to help enact their odious health care plan, it should backfire on them. Anyone with half a brain should be able to see the hypocrisy there.

[mad_as_he$$]

The only thing teddy deserves is the executioners needle.

[mad_as_he$$]

Yes but the Kennedy’s have their own wing.

[CaliforniaCon]

Re: “We, the taxpayers, are paying for keeping Sen. Kennedy alive, which is more than he wants to do for us (particulary if we are as old as he is). The Miami Herald had an article which says the federal government — who gets their money from us— pays on average 72% of the total premium. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program insures Congress, the President and more than 8 million federal employees. You and I pay for this coverage and they are exempted from the health care President Obama insists we have.”

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This is exactly the message I sent to Pelosi today! Folks, let’s drive this home — we will NOT accept paying for enriched health care benefits for govt. workers while we get the crumbs of a socialist ‘plan’ that in fact is extremely inferior. No way, no how!

[StormEye]

"A health care bill is being thrown at our representatives that allows for the government to have direct access to our bank accounts....think about THAT for a moment."

I have. It will wreck commercial banking. Americans will only keep just enough cash to pay bills in their accounts. The major parts of their funds will be kept in safes at home or offshore.

[CaliforniaCon]

Re: “A health care bill is being thrown at our representatives that allows for the government to have direct access to our bank accounts....think about THAT for a moment.”

****

You said: “I have. It will wreck commercial banking. Americans will only keep just enough cash to pay bills in their accounts. The major parts of their funds will be kept in safes at home or offshore.”

*******

Yes! And a lot of us have already moved our funds out of the banks!

[ExTexasRedhead]

Ask MaryJo if she feels sorry for Teddy, the Swimmer! The fact that Kennedy was EVER allowed to question the ethics of anyone is pure hypocrisy and typical Liberal sleaze.