Without freedom, the American government cannot be. US citizens must be free for government to be effective. However, Progressivism relies on force, especially government force to achieve its goals. The Progressive starts will a perceived injustice, unfairness, or inequality; rallies the American public against it; declares the correction of it to be an absolute right; and requires government to force that right upon its citizens. Oddly, for a political movement that started in response to government corruption, the Progressive uses government force the primary means of social change  in a way that is indistinguishable from a corrupt politician. For the Progressive, the purity of the ends excuses illnesses of the means. By relying on government force, the Progressive destroys that very government: a government of the people cannot be a government forced on the people.

Let’s examine  the Progressive’s health care goal either the Affordable Care Act or the more expansive single payer scheme. First, the Progressive starts with a laudable goal: everyone should have health care. Even though in America health care is available to all meaning everyone can purchase any health care he desires, the Progressive requires more: everyone must have health care for free. Who will pay? The Progressive cares not. His motive is pure and the end unquestionably good. The Progressive believes this  with the fervor of the religious fanatical converting a good idea into an absolute human right. “It is unfair, indecent, evil that our fellow human being suffer and die for want of medical care” says the Progressive. Who can deny it? Most Americans, the most generous people in the history of the world, would agree; and, more demonstratively, would help anyone they knew with medical issues if they could. Americans fully support community hospitals through their taxes and charitable donations.

So what is the Progressive trying to achieve?

The Progressive perceives only that some people still suffer, struggling with their health and that something must be done. “People are dying! The government must step in” they say. Yet, people have always died and will always die as practical Americans know so the public stands confused asking the Progressive: “What would you have us do about death?”