# Congress will kick the can down the road on health care **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 19, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015 "2009-05-19T21:55:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/121 "2009-05-22T01:41:23Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > :rolleyes: > What makes you think I don’t have one? Because you’ve been signed on since 9:42 am, seemingly without interruption? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/122 "2009-05-22T01:48:46Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Because you’ve been signed on since 9:42 am, seemingly without interruption? Ah, that’s right, nobody ever posts from work, I forgot. In any case, my job hasn’t started yet. I’m taking a well-deserved break until it does. By the way, what does this have to do with anything? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/123 "2009-05-22T01:49:21Z")
Maybe he’s the agent assigned to your case. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/124 "2009-05-22T02:06:51Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > I’m taking a well-deserved break until it does. By the way, what does this have to do with anything? See, right there. There’s no such thing as a “well-deserved break” when you’re a college sophomore. So you’re 19, or 20. A well-deserved break from what, exactly? You precious little flower, you. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/125 "2009-05-22T02:10:12Z")
It’s not a question of whether it’s a Constitutional right. That’s a red herring. Lots of services provided by federal and state governments are not constitutional rights, but they are provided because they benefit the public, people want them and are willing to pay for them. Highways, the post office, water purification, food inspection, prisons, fire departments, park services, etc. The people decide what taxes will pay for. It’s called “democracy.” Where I think some people are absolutely clueless is in the totally false assumption that they have some sort of right to be free from taxation. That right does not exist. If the majority of people want UHC, then that’s what they’re going to get. You are completely welcome to cry about it all you want, but none of your rights are being violated. You just got outvoted. I don’t want my taxes to pay for the death penalty or drug enforcement or illegal invasions and occupations in the Middle East, that’s the way it goes. Is there a Constitutional right to health care? No. Is there a Constitutional right for the federal government to legislate it if that’s what the people want. Yep. I think Jon Stewart is right that a lot of righties seem to have trouble understanding the difference between tyranny and losing. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/126 "2009-05-22T02:13:34Z")
A majority of people don’t want UHC, at least not yet. So why all the whining about it? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/127 "2009-05-22T02:15:17Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > See, right there. There’s no such thing as a “well-deserved break” when you’re a college sophomore. So you’re 19, or 20. A well-deserved break from what, exactly? You precious little flower, you. When I was a college sophomore, I worked two jobs as well as carrying a full course load and doing some tutoring on the side. I rarely got any breaks at all, deserved or otherwise. What makes you think being in college is a cakewalk? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/128 "2009-05-22T02:17:52Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > A majority of people don’t want UHC, at least not yet. Where are you getting this? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/129 "2009-05-22T02:19:01Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > A majority of people don’t want UHC [Yes they do.](http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/US/healthcare031020_poll.html) ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/130 "2009-05-22T02:21:50Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > When I was a college sophomore, I worked two jobs as well as carrying a full course load and doing some tutoring on the side. I rarely got any breaks at all, deserved or otherwise. What makes you think being in college is a cakewalk? What makes you think it’s not, esp. compared to the real world? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/131 "2009-05-22T02:24:38Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Where are you getting this? Because it’s not the law. As **Dio** so helpfully explained, if it’s what the majority wants, then it will be the law. Since it’s not the law, the majority does not support it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/132 "2009-05-22T02:26:40Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > What makes you think it’s not, esp. compared to the real world? Because I’ve _done_ it. I’m intimately familiar with the “real world” and with college. The college years were a hell of a lot leaner, let me tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/133 "2009-05-22T02:29:11Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Because it’s not the law. As **Dio** so helpfully explained, if it’s what the majority wants, then it will be the law. Since it’s not the law, the majority does not support it. Want to see some more polls? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/134 "2009-05-22T02:30:47Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Because it’s not the law. As **Dio** so helpfully explained, if it’s what the majority wants, then it will be the law. Since it’s not the law, the majority does not support it. This is some seriously absurd reasoning. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/135 "2009-05-22T02:31:55Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Because I’ve _done_ it. I’m intimately familiar with the “real world” and with college. The college years were a hell of a lot leaner, let me tell you. So have I. So what? If you think that 20-yr olds are realistic in thinking they are somehow entitled to a “well-deserved break”, then we won’t agree, and I will leave at that. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/136 "2009-05-22T02:33:01Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > This is some seriously absurd reasoning. If it’s absurd, talk to **Dio** ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/137 "2009-05-22T02:38:45Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > If it’s absurd, talk to **Dio** No, this is your circular logic, not his. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/138 "2009-05-22T02:39:53Z")
> [@](#): > > If the majority of people want UHC, then that’s what they’re going to get. You are completely welcome to cry about it all you want, but none of your rights are being violated. You just got outvoted. And as of rigt now, you’ve been outvoted. Your polls are meaningless. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/139 "2009-05-22T02:42:45Z")
Uh, you do realize this isn’t over, right? Even the current effort isn’t over. It might not take the form we thought, but reform is going to happen. I’m afraid you and the OP both read the article a bit too simply. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015/140 "2009-05-22T02:43:59Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > And as of rigt now, you’ve been outvoted. Your polls are meaningless. I’ll use bold font, so you can understand: **We didn’t get to vote on it**. …yet. When we do, you’re going to lose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congress-will-kick-the-can-down-the-road-on-health-care/497015.md?page=8)