I’ve often noted how John Edwards might be the major candidate who is most hostile to freedom, ranging from his days helping to write the Patriot Act to his plans to make preventative health care mandatory. Not only does he criticize Obama for not having mandates, Edwards attacks Hillary Clinton for not going far enough in enforcing them.
Edwards has long forgotten that the goal is to help those who cannot afford health care coverage. Instead he is trying to make the standard to compare health care plans be whether the plan covers one hundred percent of the country. Even mandates don’t really achieve one hundred percent coverage. If the most important thing is that the plan be universal, why not simply shoot everyone who doesn’t sign up? One way or another, you’ll have universal coverage.
Edwards doesn’t go this far, but he’s not going to let people get away without signing up without a fight. If he had his way, members of Congress would have no choice but to vote for his plan regardless of the Constitution, and everyone else would have no choice but to sign up. Political Radar reports:
“I’m mandating healthcare for every man woman and child in America and that’s the only way to have real universal healthcare.”
“Every time you go into contact with the healthcare system or the government you will be signed up.”
During a press avail following the event Edwards reiterated his mandate:
“Basically every time they come into contact with either the healthcare system or the government, whether it’s payment of taxes, school, going to the library, whatever it is they will be signed up.”
When asked by a reporter if an individual decided they didn’t want healthcare Edwards quickly responded, “You don’t get that choice.”
If somehow Edwards wins the nomination, I bet we’ll be reminded quite frequently of the words, “You don’t get that choice,” and not only in connection to health care. Hot Air labels Edwards’ plan “totalitarian.” Argue all you want over the merits of mandates and whether “totalitarian” is hyperbole, but this is an argument that the Republicans can take all the way to victory in 2008 if the Democrats are foolish enough to nominate John (You Don’t Have That Choice) Edwards.
Update: How John Edwards will enforce his mandatory plan
