Creating a need or entitlement is a favorite occupation for socialists. An unmet need is fodder for growing the government and expanding its reach into our lives. Delegate Ken Plum continually writes about unmet needs ("A Budget Divide," The Reston Connection, February 29-March 6, 2012). A recent example of the creation of an entitlement involved a 30-year old single woman testifying before a Congressional Committee. Portraying herself as a law student struggling to make ends meet, she presented the idea that all women were entitled to healthcare insurance to pay for birth control pills. The Republican-led committee, knowing her background initially struck her off the testifying list. Through back-door political maneuvering, she was afforded the opportunity to testify. Of course, she failed to mention her previous ten years as an outspoken activist of women’s rights. The most offensive point of her commentary is the idea that recreational sex is included in reproductive rights: a right given to us by our Creator. (No. The earth is not flat).
Of course, the nationally syndicated radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh stirred the pot with some ill-chosen words describing her in less than flattering terms. Immediately, the national media, on cue from the White House took exception to Rush’s terms in attacking this poor law student. Ignored by the media, Rush’s observation was that this was a ploy for an entitlement to be added to healthcare coverage – the idea that it was the taxpayer who would be paying for recreational sex. Few bothered to quote all of Rush’s colorful description. To wit: and we taxpayers are pimps. This writer is not particularly bothered by being called a name, ergo: Sticks and stones will break my bones but…
Birth control should be between the woman, her pastor, and her husband. The government has no business in that relationship.
Once that fact was realized, most of the media quieted down having been had. The law student had her 15 minutes of fame (paid her law school fees) and the White House maneuver back-fired. Taxpayers were exposed to the slippery slope of Obamacare. The question continues to boggle the Solomon minds who have been pushing nationalized healthcare: where do we draw the line on entitlements or needs? Will health insurance pay for new pair of Nike Super-Airs for Reston Runners with a doctor’s prescription? At how many pounds overweight are the obese entitled to prescription diet-pills or stomach stapling? Which addictions are covered and which are not?
There will always be unmet needs and each of us have one or more to a lesser or greater degree. Most of us cope well. The idea that the dwindling number of taxpayers are obligated to pay for them has a built-in, self-correcting mechanism: we will all soon be living below the poverty-line except for the chosen few living the opulent life style we see by the occupants of the White House.
Beware of the current impasse created by the Senate of Virginia Democrats. It’s an over-reaching ploy to gather back some political power so that they can continue to throw money at the endless list of unmet needs. The national Senate Democrats will pay this November. Next year, we will see another budget impasse in The Senate of Virginia. We taxpayers expect better of our elected representatives.