Let's talk about rights here, first. Let's say there are 2 of us stranded on an island. We decide to form a government. This gov can provide you freedom of speech, freedom to practice religion and freedom to bear arm ( notice the gov doesn't provide arms to you, you just have the freedom to own firearms ) This 2 man government at the minimum can provide you the right to be care for. That mean you can heal your own wound. As far as you caring for my sickness, I view that as an expression of kindness from you. Now, if I am a lot older than you and I came to this island first, you show up later and is using the shelter, water collecting tools...etc. Infrastructure I built before. Then, I will ask you to care for me when I am sick as an exchange of the stuff I provided for you when you first came. Not as a right, but as an exchange of service. Now, what can I ask for? I can ask you to care for me 12hours during day and gathering food for both of us when I slept for another 12hours. Or I can just ask you to help me to the table during dinner. ============= To answer your question using mom as an example : 1) If she need 10 million a year to keep her alive, the answer is no. I love her very much and I will see this as unlucky like being in a car accident. 2) If she need $100 a year to keep her alive, the answer is yes. I think she provide enough service to the society to deserve that. Not as a right, but as an exchange of service she provided during her lifetime. Obviously, there is a line in the middle somewhere.
WHETHER HE IS RIGHT OR NOT IS NOT THE ISSUE. Even if Health care is not a right, then lets make it a right as well as education. BTW for those of you so "libertarian" so concern with liberty. Education is a human right and we should all pay for it.
education is not a right it's a responsibility. Your parents are responsible to teach you and provide an education for you, not the government. We didn't have a D.O.E. in this country for a long time and we seemed to prosper pretty well. Then the government got involved and look what has happened to the quality of education in this country.
So what?? That does not mean anything. The education problem in America involves other more important things. If government involvement is cause of failure, then why is it different in Germany, France and other countries where education quality is much better that America's.
Healthcare is a right? When others pay for it, healthcare users want the best of everything. Like that woman who used treatments to get implanted embryos, had a LARGE birth (premature), and it cost her state several million dollars Her right? Or her abuse of other people's money?
The problem with people saying health care is a right is : They start equating the right of health care as the right of freedom of speech, which is nonsense. Then, they start saying equal rights for everyone and that mean same health care for everyone, which is another nonsense.
Health Care is NOT a right! I personally endorse universal health care coverage for all, and feel government should funnel tax dollars towards making sure all are covered, just the way public education works, but that doesnt make health care a RIGHT. RIGHTS are things that governments CANNOT "GRANT", because they dont own them. Governments RECOGNIZE rights, such as freedoms of religion, speech, and thought, and freedom to protect ones self and ones family and property (which would cover right to bear arms). Healthcare, like public education, is a necessary service that I agree government should provide or guarantee payment for IMO, and how to fairly pay for it when some people will bear a greater cost for others while a not-related portion will consume greater services than others is something we all compromise on. But a RIGHT, it is not.