So, I have had too much time on my hands the past few days, and there has been a lot to stew over. For instance, when Kennedy spoke at the DNC, he talked about health care (when he wasn't making it about himself). He said this in his speech, which I gleaned from here.

For me, this is a season of hope. New hope-for a just and fair prosperity for the many and not just the few. New hope -- and this is the cause of my life - New hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American -- north, south, east and west -- young and old -- Will have decent, quality, affordable health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege.

To me, health care cannot be a 'fundamental right' as Kennedy put it. I said as much in a comment on a blog I visit, and someone disagreed, arguing that the 'founding fathers' would disagree. They even equated it with a constitutional right. Another comment disagreed with this, saying all our rights are given us by society, and we are born with none. I left a response to this...

I disagree. I believe we are born with certain rights, and that they are denied when a person feels the need to exploit another.

Kennedy described health care as a fundamental right, which cannot qualify as such, but only as something provided by somebody else. I guess it depends on your definition of a 'right', but Kennedy narrowed his definition when he specified the right as fundamental.

And of course they misunderstand. Just like they did way back when here and here, they focus on one point and miss the fundamentals.

The reason I think health care cannot be a fundamental right is that if the concept is taken to extremes, then a 'health care' entitlement could possibly infringe on another's right to autonomy. For instance, suppose there were a person that needed some health care, and for some reason no doctor would have anything to do with the person. The reason no doctor would have nothing to do with the person is irrelevant, the point is compelling a doctor to provide care against their wish infringes on their right to autonomy. It would be on a level with slavery. This is the differentiating factor between a right allowed by law, and a fundamental right we are entitled to by virtue of belonging to a civilized society.