I would wish Bern would ask her own questions instead of standing there like a blubbering idiot while he cuts her down, such as, "You'd coldly let a human being die just because they couldn't afford to pay you to live? How could you live with yourself?"
I'm thinking Brion is trying to subtly parallel the question of healthcare in today's modern society, where emergency rooms have to help the uninsured who suddenly show up and want help, am I correct?
It isn't just health care. There's also the case of the Enforcer protection rackets, where you get the protection you pay for. And they still might not help you even if you offer to pay them, especially if they're too busy helping other, wealthier clients, because there might not be enough of them to go around. Sure, it reeks of the dropping of a liberally biased anvil. But the reason it's so infuriating is because it is an accurate portrayal of conservatism, which puts personal responsibility above social justice.
Marvallo itself, as stated in a previous comic, abides by the anarcho-capitalist form of libertarianism, with all its plot holes, hypocrisy, inconsistency and parallels to modern America, along with all the inevitable tragedies that burst forth from turning economics into religion. Understanding that explains why Ron Paul is lecturing Bern on letting people die. It makes perfect sense in the context that capitalism and its cronies really are that abhorrent, and it leaves Marvallo open to criticisms that can be applied just as easily to real life countries.
Contrast the non-imperial opt-in one-country good government of the Conclave taking a bunch of steps towards libertarian socialism(/anarcho-communism), and looking like the Big Good because of it. Cue the unfortunate implications about lefitsm just being better for society as a whole.
Suffice it to say, the most important question isn't whether Ron Paul should let Grant die, or how it parallels modern issues. It's how long we'll have to keep reading his religious sermon on the glory of capitalism. There may be a valuable lesson in it, but if you're already a liberal, it's really just as groan inducing as Faux Newz. Or is this building up of resentment for Ron Paul supposed to make his comeuppance all the more enjoyable?
First, I think I'm liking you more with every post.
Second, I don't think Brion is praising capitalism, he's in fact highlighting its reality behind the thin veneer of personal responsibility and choice.
As the fiscal cliff looms back on Earth, I am reminded of the real reason for government spending on welfare. It's not charity; it is the prevention of civil unrest. Welfare is the bread in bread and circuses.
We live in Marvallo; even Europe is just a toned-down version of that which unapologetically rules the roost here. Capitalism extracts from us our waking hours and repays us in fractions of the value we create by the work we do in those hours.
I think it'd be appropriate to end with this:
Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite,
Who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might?
Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight?
For united, we are strong!