Philosophy 101 and Why the left does not talk about Obamacare when they are talking about Obamacare.

I’m back from vacation, I’m well rested, I’m eager to begin posting, and I’m overwhelmed with points I want to make on health care. Today, I’ve decided to step onto a left-wing soap box and reach out to the political left and explain to them why they are losing Obama’s Health Care Bill debate. My lefty blogging colleges, this post is for you.

Your political representatives have pinned their August strategy on the blame game. The Politico reports that the Dems have decided to make the debate about getting even with the health insurance companies:

“…Democratic aides insist their instructions to members aren’t merely defensive —that they’re are also telling members wage an all-out assault on the insurance industry and to paint Republicans as its pawns.”

The heart of the matter is that the left is losing the debate over Obama’s plan, not because the right is playing dirty tricks, but because the arguments you are making are extremely weak. The tactic described above and touted by Obama and Pelosi, though an excellent strategy when campaigning for political office, because it pits one politician against another, is toothless and a loosing strategy for passing legislation. It highlights all that is defunct about the left side of the argument at the moment.

During my days as a philosophy student, I learned the importance of making a valid argument. Arguments are formed when premises offer support for a conclusion. For example:

I think. – premise
Therefore, I am. – conclusion

Cigito, Ergo Sum for those familiar with Latin

The problem with the arguments being made by the left is that they leave out Obama’s Health Bill when talking about Obama’s Health Bill.

The premise “Insurance companies are ripping off the American people” makes a far stronger argument for the conclusion that “we need health care reform.” In a campaign, you want to show that you understand the problem related to a particular issue. However, we have a specific bill in congress that has definable outcomes and that bill does not equal “the elimination of abuse from insurance companies,” but hopefully (I like to add in the word hope every now and then to get support from the left) increase the total number of those with health insurance. Otherwise, the bill would be about creating regulators to ensure fair billing. You see, the bill’s outcome is completely unrelated to the premise of the arguments being made.

In fact, you can stop wasting your time making any argument where you are trying to make the case for health care reform. You’ve won the argument and I’m on board! A poll in the Times shows a large majority of the nation agrees that we need health care reform. Who’s against bending the cost curve? Who’s against increasing access to health care? Who’s against making health care more efficient? Dear readers on the left, why are you still trying to make arguments that we need reform?

Your problem is not convincing people that health care reform is something that should be done, but that Obama’s plan will achieve the goal. This is where you are failing. It’s not your fault. It’s difficult to make an argument for Obama’s plan when Obama’s plan does nothing to help reform health care. It’s not your fault that Obama is busy talking about how we need to curb unsustainable spending on health care when his bill will make the problem worse. When you have the mouthpiece of the legislation, Obama, who keeps talking about the need for reform, but not how the plan in congress achieves the goal.

I applaud the Law from The L Comment and Ezra Klein (the only time I will ever applaud Ezra Klein). They are two lefties who get it. There is only one premise that is in alignment with the stated objective of Obama’s plan and that is health care entitlement. Then again, wouldn’t a single payer system be better for achieving equal access for everyone? I’m sure my far left readers are cheering me on now, but isn’t this also a losing argument? After all, you are having trouble convincing the American people of government health plans (far from single payer) or does this explain why the bobblehead politicians aren’t really bringing it up.

To sum it all up, I’m tired of the pointless, irrelevant arguments from the left regarding the need for health care reform. We’re far beyond it. Let’s call a spade a spade. You want a health care entitlement. Now start owning up to it and making an argument for it! So long as you keep trying to make this about cost, getting even with insurance companies, or some other issue that remains unaddressed by Obama's bill, I’ll be here to shoot you down.