Generally, people in government avoid outright telling the truth and instead merely obfuscate and hope to seem likable to insure re-election. Recently Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) fucked up and said something true.

...But at one point, he let it slip that the real reason he is trying to stop health care reform is that the American public might really like it and therefore vote for Democrats:

HATCH: That’s their goal. Move people into government that way. Do it in increments. They’ve actually said it. They’ve said it out loud.

Q: This is a step-by-step approach —

HATCH: A step-by-step approach to socialized medicine. And if they get there, of course, you’re going to have a very rough time having a two-party system in this country, because almost everybody’s going to say, “All we ever were, all we ever are, all we ever hope to be depends on the Democratic Party.”

Q: They’ll have reduced the American people to dependency on the federal government.

HATCH: Yeah, you got that right. That’s their goal. That’s what keeps Democrats in power.

At least Hatch's argument makes some degree of sense in that he wants to protect his job and promote his party. Should universal health care happen...people would be...you know...happier and healthier. And they will be thankful...to the people who didn't stand around saying "NO" all the time.

Usually the opposition uses fear and general bullshit declarations of freedom.

Recall that back in 1961, Ronald Reagan recorded a message on behalf of Operation Coffeecup. Operation Coffeecup was a program put together by the American Medical Association to defeat a congressional health care bill that later became Medicare.

The only way we can do it, is by writing to our congressmen; even if we believe that he's on our side to begin with, write to strengthen his hand. Give him the ability to stand before his colleagues in Congress and say, "I have heard from my constituents, and this is what they want." Write those letters now, call your friends and tell them to write them. If you don't, this program, I promise you will pass just as surely as the sun will come up tomorrow. And behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country until, one day, as Norman Thomas said, we will wake to find that we have Socialism. And if you don't do this, and I don't do this, one of these days, you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children, and our children's children, what it once was like in America, when men were free.

You testify, Ronnie! Freedom! Freedom to die from totally preventable illnesses because the cost of basic healthcare is prohibitively expensive! America! Fuck yeah!

Wait.

It isn't giving American's freedom by preventing them from adequate health care. Quite the opposite, actually.

Of course, that mode of attacking health care isn't outdated. Republican's still use it.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), speaking about health care reform: I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country.





If you are for health care reform then you are with the terrorists! Or something equally inane.

But all you conservatives...look on the upside. You will get health care, too. Ostensibly that will increase your life span and make you happier and healthier. Look at all the tea parties you will be able to attend that you may have missed due to being under the weather.

Of course, you can always just give the finger to health insurance. Just sit in your house and slowly die from perfectly preventable illnesses. Some might call you stupid. But I will know that you died for freedom. And that's all that counts.