Socialized Education, Why Not Socialized Healthcare?

[OneActivist]

  A very smart relative of mine sent me his reply to a right-wing friend who quoted a blogger named Connelly. I have a new respect for my relative.

Hi Steve,
 
Perhaps the best way to answer you is by exploring a related situation:
 
Our local public K-12 school costs take nearly 75% of my property tax dollar. I suspect Mr. Connelly's experience is similar.
 
It costs an average of $6,000 per pupil per year to educate a child in Indiana. I suspect that amount is similar in Mr. Connelly's Texas.
 
I've had kids in our local public schools for 15 years (K-12 for Jim and K-12 for Becky 2 years later). I understand owing school taxes those 15 years. But I also owed these taxes before we had kids. I owed these taxes when the kids were pre-schoolers. I've continued to owe these taxes the decade our younger child graduated. My parents are 81 and still owe school taxes 37 years after I graduated. I have childless friends who owe school taxes.
 
Again, I suspect Mr. Connelly's experience is similar.
 
The fact is, ignoring the minor fees for book rental, incidental supplies, and certain field trips, our government offers 12-13 years of outstanding primary and secondary education to every child in this country -- a value costing society $6,000 per pupil per year -- for FREE to that child and his/her family.
 
We DON'T argue that all education should be privately secured or employer-based.
 
We DON'T permit a school to reject a child based on its concern about that student lowering the school's academic ratings. A kid has a moderate learning disability? The school must make an accommodation. A kid comes from a dysfunctional home environment? The school must aid that child with counseling and tutoring. A kid comes from an inferior school? The new school must take the child and work to bring him/her up to par. NO "pre-existing conditions" are excuses.
 
Again, I suspect the situation in Mr. Connelly's Texas is similar.
 
In fact, our national "No Child Left Behind" had its roots in Texas and was brought to the national stage by Gov. George W. Bush when he became President. These are GOVERNMENT set standards of performance.
 
Steve, what I've just described is "socialized education".
 
Yes, our country has socialized education and yet most all of us are quite proud of it. Oh we moan about where our kids rank internationally on math tests, etc. And yes, I know that schools have funding, class-room discipline, and, occasionally, pedagogical and ideological issues. But I hear NO ONE saying we need to scrap it; that it somehow violates the Constitution; that it prevents us from having a small, 18th century government; that having it somehow makes us less responsible.

[vickramindia]

Our country has socialized education and yet most all of us are quite proud of it. Oh we moan about where our kids rank internationally on math tests, etc.

[LeftDemocrat]

Not only did the Democrat Congress fail to pass the single-payer solution, or at least a public option ; it also insisted on a huge bonus to the corporate health lobby, forcing 30 million new customers to buy their defective insurance products, by means of the so-called "individual mandate."  Forcing citizens to buy something smells of unconstitutionality, and socialism for corporations, instead of for the people. 

Lo and behold, there was a suit filed against the crazy Obamacare on the same day that it was signed into law.  Until the dust settles, it's not clear that the "mandate to buy" will still be valid, when it is supposed to come into force.

Effort to reject legal challenge against healthcare reform gathers steam
By Julian Pecquet - 11/12/10

Thirty-five of the nation's leading economists said Friday they are opposing the 20-state legal challenge to the healthcare reform law.

The distinguished list includes three Nobel laureates and several high-ranking officials in former administrations. Groups representing people with disabilities, the business community and a broad coalition of healthcare reform advocates are also joining the fight.

In a friend-of-the-court brief, the economists promise to "provide this Court insight into the key economic factors, including the significant distortions in the markets for medical care and health insurance, that led to the long-running health care crisis in this country."

They also vow to "explain why the unique economics of health care distinguish it from virtually every other business" and to "demonstrate that upholding the constitutionality of that provision will not serve as a basis for an unlimited expansion of the federal government's powers."

On the other side, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) have over the past few days announced their intention to file briefs in support of the challenge, as have Govs. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.) and Donald Carcieri (R.I.).

The increased activity comes after federal Judge Roger Vinson of Florida's Northern District last month threw out four of the six counts in the suit but retained two. They are:

Count One: The individual mandate and concomitant penalty exceed Congress’s authority under the Commerce Clause and violate the Ninth and Tenth Amendments.

Count Four: The Act coerces and commandeers the states with respect to Medicaid by altering and expanding the program in violation of Article I and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments.

The suit was filed March 23, the same time President Obama signed healthcare reform into law.

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/128921-effort-to-reject-legal-challenge-against-health-reform-gathers-steam