Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said just a few days ago that it was “absolutely the government’s business” and it was absolutely “taxpayers’ business” to know who’s vaccinated and who’s not, and that going “door-to-door” to discover this data is definitely within the realm of appropriate governance. At the same time, he added, he wanted Americans to maintain “as much freedom and choice as possible.” America’s dangling atop a dangerous precipice. A pillar of freedom is about to be toppled; another goal post moved. It’s all in the rhetoric. And this is where the socialist-slash-collectivists excel: using language and terminology to distract from their deeper anti-American and nefarious designs.
On the one hand, leftist Becerra insists that Americans have freedom — should have space — and that the government wants citizens to have “as much freedom and choice as possible.” On the other, Becerra lays out the plan for stripping Americans of their freedom to choose, making it seem like the government is reluctant to take this path. And here’s where the sneaky snake strip of rights comes in: Becerra’s messaging pushes the people to argue the more minor points and take the focus off the more significant issue.
While pundits debate the idea of bureaucrats knocking on doors, citizens mull the merits versus the safety of the vaccine, news outlets blare forth the latest in “Delta variant” counts and drive up fears, while politicians discuss ways to secure constitutional liberties in the face of reported rising coronavirus cases; At the same time, the White House issues release after release and remark after remark about the need to do something to slow the swell of southern state COVID-19-linked numbers and simultaneously speed the numbers of shots-to-arms in these same regions — while all these verbal discussions are ensuing, it’s being conveniently forgotten, quietly shoved to the side: these are not governments’ domains anyway. These are not governments’ decisions to make.
These are all matters of individualism. These are all matters that would disappear from today’s talking points if Americans were compassed correctly on this one truth: In this country, individual rights, including the right to choose, come from God, not the government. Armed with that, Becerra’s entire set of remarks crumbles. Armed with that, it’s clear: Becerra can neither deem it the government’s nor citizens’ business to know an individual’s health choice. Armed with that, the suggestion that tax dollars spent by the feds mean individuals must cede liberties appears ludicrous. Armed with that, the notion of the government keeping citizens alive — and therefore, citizens owing the government something — seems even more ridiculous.
Armed with that, the arrogance of Becerra suggesting it’s the government that doles and distributes freedoms and determines whether individuals make “right choices” disappears like a puff of smoke. Focusing on the skirmishes allows the left to move the goalposts so that what was once unthinkable becomes first thinkable, then reality one day. That’s how the once-mocked Hillary care transferred to the once-fought-Obamacare to finally, the silent-but-deadly acceptance-slash-concession of even Republicans that health care is a right — leading to the left’s realization of a taxpayer-funded, government-controlled socialized system.
This is the left’s evil genius, using rhetoric to advance deceptions and distract from more significant goals. But cutting through the clutter of the skirmishes and focusing the fight on the more prominent theme — rights are God-given, repeat, rights are God-given, repeat, rights are God-given — not only saves energy and clarifies the face of the enemy. It keeps the left from achieving its piecemeal wins. It makes all the arguments of the left automatically moot. The only fight that matters for America’s long-term freedom is the one that insists on the government being subservient to the people, who are, in turn, subservient to God. With that, everything else falls into the proper place. That’s the recipe for a free society.
