Yes, I am opposed to the need for all mandates, as a conservative the idea of even needing to mandate responsibility is an anathema to us all.
However I am not ignorant of their need in a modern society in some cases since the failure of an individual to take responsibility can affect those who choose to do so. That is the case with auto insurance, but not necessarily health care which effects the irresponsible individual only.
A further point, the need in society to compensate for the irresponsible does not give license to embrace all mandates. Furhtermore reckless issuance of mandates can lead to reckless expenditure. That is one of the issues that happened with Romneycare.
You mention schooling though. You make my point. Compulsory schooling grew out of the same basic desire that this health care drive did. We see how that has turned out.
Now repeat that failure.
If an individual contracts an infectious diseases, and then leaves it untreated because he can't afford to pay his medical bills out of pocket, because he acted irrsponsibly and failed to purchase insurance when healthy, that affects us all.
So long as Federal law (signed by Reagan) requires hospitals to treat everyone who comes into an emergency room, it affects us all when people fail to purcahse insurance and then get sick.
So long as a breadwinner's children can become wards of the state should the breadwinner get sick and incapable of providing for them, his refusal to purchase insurance affects us all.
The case for an individual health insurance mandate is at least as strong as for an auto insurance mandate.
but not necessarily health care which effects the irresponsible individual only.
I have to disagree with you on this one. I do not have health insurance. I am not irresponsible. First, my health problems and pre-existing conditions are such that private health insurance is prohibitive (about 1500 per month) and that is more than I spend on health care. Second, I prefer alternative health care and only choose to go to a doctor when it is absolutely necessary.
I see much of our “Doctor worship” in this country to be idolatry. I put the money aside rather than give it to an insurance company. I am also vehemently opposed to Nationalized health care.