The Tyranny of Paternalism

            Paternalism, writes Charles Krauthammer, is one of the three pillars of ObamaCare, the other two being mendacity and subterfuge.  Of the three, I find paternalism the most odious.

            Those of us who are of a certain age remember "Father Knows Best," a TV series starring Robert Young.  The father played by Young was the very model of benevolent paternalism:  he was neither permissive nor harsh, yet he retained the kind of practical wisdom necessary for family problem solving. 
            There is another kind of paternalism, the kind embodied in ObamaCare.  This paternalism begins by denying the ability of others to make independent decisions and to be responsible for the consequences of their choices.  In response to the complaints from hundreds of thousands of people who have had their health insurance policies cancelled, President Obama and his spokesmen reply with a supercilious arrogance that drips with disdain for the very people they claim to help.   The message is clear: The policy you have is no good.  It is substandard.  You're obviously too ignorant to make an informed decision about your health care needs.   So we have something better for you.
            This is the kind of paternalism that was a pillar of Marxism and Leninism before ObamaCare arrogated it for his Progressive agenda.  It is the belief that government is the solution to all problems.  It is an echo of the authoritarianism against which Americans went to war with England and its king.  Plainly speaking, this paternalism is un-American.
            And now the people are angry.  They're angry because they can't keep their old insurance policies, because they can't keep their doctors, because their premiums and their deductibles are going through the roof.  And they're angry at the president who lied to them repeatedly about these things.  Americans don't like liars, especially the ones who treat them like ignorant fools.
            What?  Do I hear the rumblings of rebellion?  It may be time for Mr. Obama to read a little history about what Americans do when they feel the weight of tyranny pressing on their necks.