The current debate over health care has brought forth extreme hyperbole. On the Right we have the easy demonization of President Obama and his socialist revolution. This crazy talk is only matched by the Left infatuation with President Bush and his theocratic push. Both sides suffer the disease of nostalgia. Quickly folks think that 10 year, 50 years, or 200 years was better than it was today. Particularly in America we like to hark back to the days before this great country was corrupted by... money, politicians, tyranny, etc... Though certain things in the past may be better than today, the world was often crappy for a whole slew of folks.
A perfect example is highlight by the blog Burke's Corner and his analysis of Daniel Boaz's article in Reason. In short, Boaz notes that there is no golden age of liberty and for anyone to declare that we had more Freedom 200 or 100 years ago is phooey in a country that held a large portion of its population in bondage.
The only note of caution that I will add is how the role of technology impinges upon our freedom. For example, you can't go anywhere in the UK without someone "official" watching you.
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