Among the list of those pesky “unalienable rights” listed in the Declaration of Independence is “life,” which of course is preserved via healthcare. Yes, I know, slippery slope and all that. Certainly flat screen TVs are necessary for life, so why doesn’t the government give me one of those?!
Lets us also not forget that the pre-amble to the Constitution expresses a desire to “promote the general welfare.” It is mentioned again in Article 1, Section 8 as a reason for Congress to impose taxes. Well, that and to declare war — the irony!
I’m no Constitutional scholar, but while “general welfare” and “life” are certainly broad categories, healthcare could easily fall under both. Whether or not that specifically makes healthcare a “right” I do not know. But my hunch is that the founding brosephs kept them so obviously open to interpretation for a reason.
