Cognitive Dissonance at the Gym

In response to The closing and welding shut of the American liberal mind:

This morning, at the gym, I overheard a conversation between a woman and her trainer about Obamacare. (I couldn’t help overhearing it; they were speaking loudly, and didn’t seem to think anyone would disagree.)

Obamacare is here to stay.

Yep.

I can’t stand what they’re doing.

I agree. 

It’s a disgrace that a first-world country can’t take care of everybody.

Absolutely.

But you know, I understand some of the myopia on the other side. People abuse the system.

Yeah–my ex, when he was unemployed, was getting free health care.

Free?

Yeah, you know, here in Massachusetts, we have to buy insurance, but if you can’t afford it, it’s free. He was getting better health care than I was!

Huh.

Sentiment trumps logic. And elite liberal empathy for the poor only stretches so far. It’s another example of the mentality on display in that now-infamous quote from the Sacramento Bee: “Of course, I want people to have health care,” Vinson said. “I just didn’t realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally.”