Facts Are Stubborn Things

Recently, I had someone argue that those opposed to health care should be quiet and accept the result just as a majority of Americans who were opposed to the war in Iraq had to accept the Congress' approval to use force per President Bush's request. They also complained about the exorbitant cost of the war and it's being, in their opinion, a useless waste.

I penned the following response and share it because it is vitally important that we base our opinions and beliefs in truth, always. As John Adams, in risking much to legally represent British soldiers involved in what became known as the 'Boston Massacre' said, "Facts are stubborn things."

In March 2003, just before the invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein, USA Today Gallup polls listed 75% of Americans in support of invasion and Congress voted overwhelmingly in approval...The House and Senate reflected that percentage in it's vote to authorize the use of force. (Senate 77-23 and House 269-133) In the Senate, Hillary Clinton voted to approve, not a surprise since it was under her husband's administration in the late '90's, BEFORE 9-11 of course, that the US first officially endorsed a policy of regime change in Iraq.

To the beginning of 2010, the US Congress, from 2006 controlled by the progressive party, has appropriated $693 billion for all expenses in Iraq from 2003-2009, a period of 7 years at an average of just under $100 billion per year. By comparison, the discretionary and mandatory budgets of the department of education annually is about $95 billion - now there's a waste with no resultant improvement in student achievement! Despite all of the problems in the early going in terms of political and military planning mistakes, thanks to the US military and the work of Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, the war in Iraq is producing a stable, democratic, terror free nation in the heart of the middle east where millions now enjoy individual freedom instead of slavery and women are not beaten into submission and children have hope.

The world protests everything America does, but calls for help every time they need us and despite the abuse and disrespect, we always respond. Protests here in the US were minimal, believe me I lived through the Vietnam Era and even that was a minority always.

The greatest problem with this new law is two fold: it is fiscally and morally unsustainable - we are already headed toward economic bankruptcy and this will exacerbate that exponentially. It is immoral to transfer unpayable debt to the next generation. Past generations have given us freedom, we are passing on certain slavery.

The new law creates a type of moral bankruptcy as well in that it allows for federal funds to be used for abortions for the first time, a fact that is in practice intolerant of the faith and moral principles of millions and places individual Christians and health care institutions with religious foundations in a position of choosing to violate one's conscience and adhere to an unjust civil law or stand in civil disobedience and uphold divine law while facing civil prosecution. The executive order that many say will solve the dilemma is temporal and unbinding. Executive orders do not supersede statutory law and they last only as long as the executive who issues them remains in office and does not rescind them.

It is a noble thing to want everyone to have health care, but not at the expense of the nation as a whole. Every attempt to allow governmental power to coerce social justice has resulted in inefficient and unequal implementation, societal polarization, and exploding financial debt. We are attempting to save an arm, yet, through butchery, killing the body simultaneously...ridiculous.

Finally, this law will greatly expand the power of central government again...it is already way too intrusive and corrupt because of the greed of all of our leaders of both parties and in corporate America as well. The founders saw the danger of an oppressive central power and self interested greed and did all it could to devise a brilliant system of checks and separations to limit and divide power at all costs. We have stripped virtually all of those safeguards away and now we will learn the lesson: 'As government expands, liberty contracts." I quite frankly tremble for the nation and children that I love.

Every American should as well...May God help us all...