In Charles Murray’s 2009 AEI speech “The Happiness of the People”, he simply but brilliantly describes the main purpose of the European Social Democrat state as “taking some of the trouble out of things”. The problem with this, which he discusses at length, stems from family, community, vocation or faith being sapped of some of their vitality and meaning with each instance of government intervention into those spheres.

In the latest sympathy piece on the potential effects of Obamacare being overturned by the Supreme Court, CNN puts Murray’s concerns on full display:

Millions of young adults have turned to their parents’ health insurance plans since the Affordable Care Act went into effect. For Liz Wilson, and many others her age, it was the only option.

Wilson, 25, gets health care for a chronic stomach and pancreas problems through a provision in the law that lets young adults stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26. After graduating from college in 2010, she took a temp job in Cincinnati that doesn’t offer benefits. A key piece of the Affordable Care Act went into place the following September, allowing her to get coverage for her mounting medical bills under her parents’ plan.

“I have to keep a close eye on things, which requires a lot of doctors’ visits and maintenance medicines,” Wilson said. “Without health reform, I’d really have to ask myself what I’d do.”

That last quote could just as easily read, “Without the government, I’d have to take responsibility for something important in my life.” But as government takes more of “the trouble out of things”, we’re programming a society into accepting the premise that nothing important in life is worth earning, or struggling for. And we’re left with the impression that it’s a tragic injustice for Ms. Wilson to be forced to budget for regular doctor visits.  Continue reading →