Health care may be considered a right in Brazil, Mithus, but here in the United States the only rights we enjoy are to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every other right is derived from those 3. Health care cannot be derived from those three, although my ability to choose which healthcare, or whether or not to have healthcare, can be derived from them. Some examples are:

1. No one has a right to take my life from me
a) reasonable use of force may be used to preserve my life when threatened, up to and including killing the person trying to take my life.
2. I am free to live my life in whatever way I like as long as I don't infringe upon someone else's rights.
3. My ability to pursue (not a guarantee that I will find it) happiness may not be infringed upon by the government or other citizens
4. You have the right to seek whatever healthcare you'd like, but you may not infringe on my rights by forcefully taking my work to pay for your care.

*edit*
As to your scenario about the kids stuck in a cave, we have the best police, firemen and rescue workers in the world and they will spare no expense to save some one in dire need. That is a service that we pay for with our state and local taxes, not a right. For anyone who believes that the POTUS has any say over whether or not your local firemen and police officers get paid you may rest assured that he does not, but it sure makes for a good sound bite to scare folks with. Just like the ones that suggest that folks who are currently retired will be kicked off of SSI if a conservative gets elected. That's just complete nonsense. However, anyone who is under 40 and thinks they are going to get SSI when they retire is seriously deluded.

Individualist: one that pursues a markedly independent course in thought or action

Individualism and those 3 rights are what our country was founded upon Mithus. Despite attempts to lump us all into baskets of this or that many of us believe very firmly that it is our duty to the country that affords us these rights to act in the spirit of our founding fathers by individually seeking success and happiness for our families, rather than rely on the largess of others.

Last edited by Kaotic; 09/12/11 12:03 PM. Reason: Cave response
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