Philosophy Laundering

Back in 2008, Obama was asked if he would still support raising the capital-gains tax rate (the intended effect of the Buffett Rule) if this increase would decrease government revenue. Obama said yes. The decline in tax revenue was subservient to some other priority, presumably the elusive "fairness" unicorn. When asked about the implication of his plan to decrease coal-fire plants he replied "Electric costs would necessarily skyrocket." The cost to the average citizen and the negative impact on the economy were subservient to "something else." His recent decision to force all organizations to participate in contraception and abortion is another effort to force an ideological square peg in the societal round hole; there is a greater point at stake, perhaps even unrelated to the disputed law.

There are interesting parallels here. The Roman Catholic position on birth control is of uncertain thinking and carries some practical problems for real people. It creates a powerful and unnecessary conflict in well-meaning minds with some significant risks and consequences if these concepts are followed to their inevitable conclusions. Obama thinks in a similar vein. The principle followed is worth the damage done. What we are seeing here is destruction for some greater, poorly explained, good. (Curiously this "destruction" is the same negative force these people so decry in the competitive workplace.) Obama's medical and economic policy is the ultimate. Dangerous, unproven and byzantine programs with huge and ominous downsides are relentlessly pursued in the context of some overreaching and inarticulate good. That in an individual can be quirky, even fanatical. In a national leader it is a lot worse.