Obamacare’s War on Civil Society: It Is Big Government or Nothing. 72% of Americans Oppose

◼ Washington offers many opportunities for schadenfreude, that wonderful German word which means to enjoy the misery of others. The realization of liberal professionals who voted for Barack Obama that they will be forced to spend more on health insurance was one of those moments. - Doug Bandow/CATO Institute

...Still, it is striking how government is destroying civil society institutions which meet real human needs. Even stranger is the possible federal attack on charities and hospitals which are paying the premiums for low-income patients.

...Government is threatening civil society institutions, ranging from charitable to business, which are aiding the poor, disadvantaged, and uninsured! True, the aid process is disorganized, decentralized, uncertain, and uneven. But that is society.

This complex interplay is what makes community. Discerning and addressing needs, organizing diverse approaches, and responding to the people in front of you is what genuine compassion, which once meant “suffering with,” is all about. David Beito has detailed the once important role of mutual aid societies, and how they were replaced by “impersonal bureaucracies controlled by outsiders,” such as Obamacare health exchanges.

Ultimately, Barack Obama and his allies have the world backwards. They believe that government trumps society, and the solution to any problem should start in Washington. Individual choice and community relations are unimportant.

◼ It's not what the people want: Seventy-two percent of Americans say big government is a greater threat to the U.S. in the future than is big business or big labor - Gallup
◼ SUPERMAJORITY OF AMERICANS SEE "BIG GOVERNMENT" AS TOP THREAT TO COUNTRY'S FUTURE - Ron Nehring

In liberalism's heyday of the 1960's, fewer than half of Americans considered big government to be biggest threat to America's future. Today, it's an astonishing 72%. To reach such a peak, Americans across the board are concerned about the size, scope and intrusiveness of government, not just Republicans or libertarians (although Republicans are the most concerned).

While 92% of Republicans say they see big government as the greatest threat to the country's future, even a majority of Democrats (56%) say they're concerned as well. Predictably, independents fall between the two, with 71% seeing big government as the top threat.