re: #50 _RememberTonyC

In Harry Reid’s little press conference this afternoon, he said that health care is now a “right” instead of a privilege. Does this newly declared right require a change to the Constitution? And since health care is now a “right,” why do we have to pay for it? Aren’t rights granted to everyone?

The constitution pretty much says that it does not contain all rights. There’s good argument from long practice that catastrophic health care is a de facto right that might not be recorded in law, but which is basically recognized in practice. e.g. Hospitals do not turn away people in immanent danger of dying if they can’t pay.

I don’t believe all flavors of health care is a “right”, but it’s de facto practice to treat people in danger of dying.