That sounds like using "Willie Horton" as a code word for socialism will lead to releasing violent criminals on the street...etc......
"Willie Horton" to the extent it was a code term, was a code term for being soft on crime. The relevant argument was is Dukakis really soft on crime, and would electing him president increase the early releases of violent criminals. If the answer to both questions was yes, than it was a "code term", but the code term reflected an honest point. If it certainly and unambiguously was no, than it was a dishonest argument by implication. The reality may have been in between, Dukakis may be been soft on crime, but I'm not sure it was established that he was, at least not to the point that it was obvious and unambiguous)
But honest and reasonable or not, the argument was through code terms and implications, not direct statements.
Arguing that increasing the extent of socialism in our health insurance payment system will move us toward socialism, isn't an argument through code words. Its a direct argument.
You can respond "that's fine by me, nothing wrong with socialism" if you want, but even if we all accepted that idea it still wouldn't make the argument you are complaining about similar to the Willy Horton argument. |
