We've had lots of discussion lately about health care, which has set my mind to wandering and wondering. As long as we're advocating for health care as a basic human right, shouldn't we be talking about our responsibilities to the system, and defining "rights" as they apply to those depending on the system?

Although health care is not specifically addressed in our founding documents, there are those who think a case can be made that it is. Still others think it is only for those who can afford it.

It seems clear that we here at TPM have elevated health care from a "wouldn't it be nice?" (WIBN) to a "right."  So for the sake of this discussion, let's assume we do have that right.

Additionally, although not a "right" per se, we have food stamps available for those unable to provide food for their families, and many areas offer food banks to further help those in need. (I'll tie this in down the road a piece.)

Now let's throw responsibility into the mix (and this is where the discussion gets a little dicey.)

We've set up the idea that all people have a right to healthcare. That means we will all be paying for everyone else's health care. So what does that include, and where do personal responibilities come in? Or do they?

I think we can all agree that emergency medical care fits in...injuries sustained in automobile accidents, accidents around the home and community etc.  But does it include injuries sustained as a result of participating in "extreme sports?"  Do we now get to pay for all the care involved when you have turned yourself into a quadraplegic? Would people participating in things like this be required to carry insurance policies to cover injuries inherent in these types of activities? Why? Or why not?

I think we can all agree that maternity needs would be covered, but does that mean that everyone can pop out as many kids as they want, and we all have to pay for it? Why? Or why not? And if not, how, in a free society can you stop the unfettered reproduction?

And what about smoking? Would people be required to stop smoking? If not, should the general population be required to pay for health care involved in smoking-related diseases, when CLEARLY this is optional behavior? Why? Or why not?

And what about obesity related diseases? Once our health care is the responsibilty of us all, do we have a social responsibility to maintain a healthy weight? Can we continue to eat and maintain a sedentary lifestyle while others are forced to bear the financial responsibility for our behaviors?

Here's where the food stamps and food banks come in...

If we as a society are going to take responsibility for feeding those who cannot afford to feed themselves, do we not have an obligation to feed them responsibly?  Should we be allowing food stamps to be used for buying Cheetos and Oreos and Coke? A friend recently posed the question "How come so many poor people are fat?" Well, I can tell you why. They are malnourished. It's not necessarily that they are eating too much (although that is true in some cases.) They have been forced to live off the dollar menu at fast food restaurants because it is cheaper than buying real food. Or they eat crap food because it provides comfort or they never learned how to eat a healthy balance diet.

What if when you signed up for food stamps, you had to take a few hour course in nutrition? Or how about if instead of getting dollar amounts of food stamps, someone, somewhere figured out how much food it took to sustain a family of (?) and you got certificates for so many bags of frozen vegetables and so many packages of (hold my nose and say it) meat and so many pounds of fresh fruit...no more government subsidies of twinkies (I mean, are twinkies a "right" or a WIBN?)

What if we started donating healthy food to food banks instead of crap food? I almost passed out when I saw a grossly overweight woman walking out of a food bank (to which I was delivering a bunch of cases of canned foods like soup and vegetables and bags of roasted almonds) with 3 huge bags of Oreos and a bunch of crap snack foods. Empty calories are not a good idea...they may keep people alive, but surely they deserve better than that!

So what do you think, people? What are our rights and responsibilities? Or should this all be unconditional, allowing any and all of us to abuse the golden goose until we've killed her?