This post would be
better if I had not already thrown out the recent newspaper commentary that
triggered it. (Note To Myself: Throw it
out after you write the post. Note
To My Note: I’ll try to remember
that.)
You would think that after years of vituperative pummeling
on The Daily Show concerning the
insanity of “False Equivalency” that thoughtful journalism would have ceased
and desisted from engaging in it. But
there it was again. In the form of an
op-ed commentary, written by a regular, highly respected contributor for the L.A. Times.
(Note:
I realize I am not plowing unfurrowed terrain here. Which is me, making an excuse being late to
the party. The thing is, the party,
unlike in Bells Are Ringing, does not
seem to be over. I am thinking of
rescinding my excuse.)
The commentary concerned an examination of the supplanting
of Obamacare with a replacement Republican health care proposal, the
commentary’s central thesis being that, with the replacement plan, the Republican
majority was merely accommodating its
constituency the same way that Democratic-passed Obamacare previously accommodated its constituency.
The commentary did not evaluate which plan helped or harmed
those constituencies more, thus
making no distinction between my accidentally grazing your arm and you
intentionally socking me in the jaw, which, although both involve uninvited personal
contact, one demonstrably hurts more.
But that was not the journalist’s intention. So, moving on.
A Remembered Summary of the Argument (the best I can
do, having thrown out the newspaper):
As Obamacare
benefitted its constituency – “the
poor” – by expanding health care coverage and detrimented the Republican
constituency – “the super-rich” – by raising their taxes to pay for it, the
replacement Republican plan, less
mellifluously monikered Trumpcare, redresses
that arrangement, detrimenting the Democratic
constituency, many of whom would now lose their recently received health care coverage
while benefitting the Republican
constituency, by cancelling the tax hike.
So there you have it, the commentary implies. It’s just “politics as usual” – You reward
who voted for you, and you stick it to who didn’t. (Although I have questions about whether “the
poor” actually votes that much.)
Here’s the thing, though.
(Which wise readers may have already discerned.)
IT’S NOT THE SAME!!!
I mean, it is the
same when you narrow the conversation to rewarding respective constituencies. But that’s it. After that…
IT’S CRAZY!!!
Two people are in the water.
One’s swimming along comfortably; the other is drowning. Who do you throw the floatable “lifesaver
thing” to?
The swimmer who’s drowning.
Why?
Because they’re drowning.
Who do you not throw
the floatable “lifesaver thing” to?
The person who’s swimming along comfortably.
Why not?
Because they are swimming along comfortably.
Okay. Does anyone
have a problem with that?
THE PERSON SWIMMING ALONG COMFORTABLY: “I do.”
You do?
“Yes. It’s not fair.”
It’s not fair.
“You threw them a
floatable ‘lifesaver thing’ and you did not throw me one.
You didn’t need one.
“I know, but they
got one.”
Because they were drowning.
“That has nothing to do with it. If they get a floatable “lifesaver thing”,
I want one too.
Why?
“Because if I don’t, then it’s not ‘equal treatment.’ Not to mention
that a probably paid for that floatable “lifesaver thing” and they’re getting
it for nothing.”
You just mentioned
it.
“Because it’s unjust.
This is supposedly an egalitarian society and there you go, behaving
unequally. On top of that – and it is no
small point although it may be ‘improper’ to say so – I took the time, trouble
and effort to learn how to swim and
they didn’t, knowing, I imagine, that
if things ever ‘got difficult’, somebody would throw them a floatable
‘lifesaver thing’ so why bother taking the time, trouble and effort learning to
swim in the first place when you will inevitably be bailed out?”
Making you “The Better Person.”
“That is not the issue, although… never mind. The issue is ‘equal consideration.’ You help them;
you are obligated to help me. Otherwise,
it’s not equal.”
To which I finally respond,
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT???
Thumbnail Summary:
Poor people need health care; rich people have health care. (Along
with every other amenity money can buy, although they’d rebut that by saying
they earned it, which they did, but health care is different because if you
don’t have it, you die, at least arguably sooner than you’d die if you did have it.)
It is possible that the L.A.
Times journalist trusted his readers, leaving them to realize the problem
with his “dueling constituencies” argument themselves. (And I’m an idiot for imagining otherwise.) But you know, I detected no “Psst! Read between the lines“ or “conspiratorial wink”
whatsoever. The argument’s nakedly
sitting there, saying “They helped their guys, now they’re helping their
guys”… and it’s
SO-O-O-O-O-O STEWWWPID!!!..
And you have to write about it because they’re still doing
it.
And they really REALLY…
5 comments:
I think the Orange Turd's medical plan should be called "TrumpDon'tCare"
No one outside the US can understand why the US is still fighting over this.
wg
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. - Marx
Woah there, Big Earlo. Those orange Guantanamo jumpsuits may not suit your complexion.
Trumpcare (an oxymoron - or some kind of moron) failed because Trump's broad constituency includes both rich & poor, who couldn't agree.
Just popped back to explain, for the benefit of Americans, that my last sentence was ironic.
A "Bells Are Ringing" reference! Judy Holliday! Susanswerphone! The Party's Over! Just In Time! Thanks for the memory!
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