Senator Ted Cruz’s not-quite-filibuster today has the goal (I presume) of making the nation so sick of Ted Cruz that we’ll agree to do anything—e.g. “defund Obamacare”—in exchange for his promise never to speak in public again. I have to admit, it’s the best plan Republicans have come up with so far.

Anyway, during the festivities, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) reportedly added this nugget of wisdom:

Whenever government acts, it does so at the expense of our own individual liberty. (Emphasis added.)

For someone who has been denied coverage due to a “pre-existing condition,” or who has not been able to access any healthcare, it seems clear that the new law will increase their liberty, by allowing them the opportunity to be healthy and not die avoidable deaths.

But I don’t think Sen. Lee is talking about those people when he talks about “our own individual liberty.” It would be nice if he would be more honest about who he actually means. Then we could ask him how much personal convenience is worth another person’s death from a pre-existing condition.