Republicans overwhelmingly support obamacare

[fskimospy]

Since when is putting a gun to your head to make you do something called "personal responsibility"?

Responsibility just means 'having a duty to deal with or be accountable for something'. Whether the motivation is internal or external doesn't really change that. I understand there is a moral difference between someone who chooses to take personal responsibility and those who have it thrust upon them, but there isn't a practical one.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Since when is putting a gun to your head to make you do something called "personal responsibility"?

I was unaware that paying a fine for non-complaince was putting a gun to your head. That sounds more than slightly sensationalist and severely fiscally paranoid.

 

[Genx87]

I was unaware that paying a fine for non-complaince was putting a gun to your head. That sounds more than slightly sensationalist and severely fiscally paranoid.

How do you think the govt enforces laws in this country?

 

[fskimospy]

How do you think the govt enforces laws in this country?

Interestingly enough, the tax penalty in the ACA is explicitly prevented from being enforced through force. You might be better off saying 'with a gun to your credit score'.

 

[Genx87]

Responsibility just means 'having a duty to deal with or be accountable for something'. Whether the motivation is internal or external doesn't really change that. I understand there is a moral difference between someone who chooses to take personal responsibility and those who have it thrust upon them, but there isn't a practical one.

If the govt takes the responsibility out of your hands there certainly is a practical difference. I dont call having the govt forcing you to do something taking responsibility. If you parents forced you to eat your peas, is that you taking responsibility for eating healthy?

 

[Genx87]

Interestingly enough, the tax penalty in the ACA is explicitly prevented from being enforced through force. You might be better off saying 'with a gun to your credit score'.

For now. Or do you believe the teeth of this bill wont be enforced down the road?

 

[fskimospy]

If the govt takes the responsibility out of your hands there certainly is a practical difference. I dont call having the govt forcing you to do something taking responsibility. If you parents forced you to eat your peas, is that you taking responsibility for eating healthy?

This is in many ways just semantics, but now you are saying 'taking responsibility' as opposed to talking about 'personal responsibility'. They are not the same thing as one is an affirmative choice and the other is simply a fact of being. The government is most certainly not taking responsibility out of people's hands, it is in fact putting responsibility in them through the individual mandate. 'Personal responsibility' is not dependent on whether the person sought it out or someone else forced it on them.

In your example there is of course a moral difference between choosing to take on a responsibility as opposed to only doing so under duress and in that I agree with you. That's not really what we're talking about here though. If you sue someone for running you over with their car and win a settlement for your medical bills, you have forced them to take responsibility for the damage they did. Sure it's not as good from a character perspective as if they had volunteered that money themselves, but you could hardly say that they weren't held personally responsible for their actions.

 

[fskimospy]

For now. Or do you believe the teeth of this bill wont be enforced down the road?

I sincerely hope it is, but that's not what it is today.