Progressives' Religious Fervor

With Obamacare, "the American people have had an unfiltered look at what progressive policy means to them, and they don't like it," writes Derek Hunter, adding "desperate times require desperate measures. Enter the religious appeal."

In a column reeking of desperation on par with a kid hoping for a unicorn under his Christmas tree, the Washington Post’s Ryan Cooper compiled a list of reasons “Why millennials will come around on Obamacare.” Aside from a desperate lack of understanding of health policy and how people work, the second reason Cooper lists stands out. He writes, “Going without health insurance is morally wrong.”

I’ll give you a minute to let that sink in.

But wait, writes Hunter (after citing two other recent examples of progressives' moral guilt-tripping**),

These are the same people who spent the better part of the last half-century proclaiming “government can’t legislate morality” on any issue remotely moral. [snip]
The one thing missing from these transparent attempts at manipulation is a basic understanding of morality. Morality is not set by government, laws are. Morality, like it or not atheists, stems from religion. It’s not exclusive to it, but religion is the soil in which the seeds of morality were planted. And nowhere in the Bible or Qur’an does it say government should confiscate the fruits of one man’s labor for the benefit of another.

True, the texts of our major religions do call for aiding our fellow man, but they do so as part of the religion, not a mandate for every human being. [snip]

In nearly every way government has replaced religion in the progressive sphere. It is the grantor of rights, the arbiter of morality, the moderator of justice, the compass of true north. Government is the religion, and the agenda is God.

Perhaps progressives were correct in their charge that religious zealots are the greatest threat to our liberty today. And if they want to see one of those zealots, they need only look in the nearest reflective surface.

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**Hunter quotes:

• Ed Schultz, MSNBC: "I'll tell you what I think God thinks of the Affordable Care Act. It's a big amen!" 
• Chris Matthews, MSNBC (during interview with Mr. Obama): "You know, Mr. President, your — your remarks the other day on economic justice to me, as a Roman Catholic, was so resonant with what the Holy Father, Francis, has been saying. Talk about that common Judeo-Christian or, even further, Muslim background to the belief we have a social responsibility, a moral responsibility to look out for people who haven't made it in this country."