Commentary

The story of baby Charlie Gard has troubled millions across the world, as courts have stepped in to order the death of a vulnerable child. The parents continue to fight for him, arguing that they have a right to pursue experimental treatment.  British courts – and even a “super” European Union Court – have sought to strip these parents of the right to bring in additional medical experts.

It strikes most people as odd, even evil, that courts would regulate access to health care. Why should these parents not be able to defend the life of their precious son for as long as they have the means, the will and the hope to do so?  Why have European courts sought to insert themselves in this private, painful, struggle?

The answer lies in the dark side of government-run health care. While politicians love to dole out goodies in exchange for votes and plaudits – there is always a price.  Obviously we are the schlocks who pay the taxes they play with.  Perhaps more troubling is the control and bureaucracy which inevitably attaches to such public programs.  Thus, the real coin of the realm is freedom.

We see this playing out in Washington, D.C. as Republicans struggle to actually relinquish the power they’ve seized to manage our health care. As Americans suffer from the oppressive burden of ObamaCare, the Republicans in Congress dawdle and moan over a real vote to repeal this ill-advised take over of the nation’s health care system.  Forget the thousand promises and hot campaign rhetoric.  Now it is real, and now it is too hard for some.

If ObamaCare is allowed to stand, Americans will need to develop a close, personal relationship with their member of Congress. Not only will families have to have a good doctor, we will need our Congressman to intervene and help us battle the bureaucracy which doles out the care our children or parents might need.  Going forward, we can easily imagine that every session of Congress for decades to come will be dominated by new legislation to “fix” the health care system recklessly destroyed by Obama and Pelosi back in 2010.  While the Democrats have earned the scorn they’ve reaped by imposing ObamaCare, Republicans are now dancing with disaster by guaranteeing its permanence.

Let us pray that reason returns to the Republican Congress. Let us pray they again find the will to defend freedom and the free markets.