The essence of the conflict between personal freedom and socialism: if there is no socialism, then people can be largely free to do whatever they want without their fellow citizens, in the person of the state, getting all hincty about it. No skin off my nose if you want to skydive in a hurricane.

But if I am obliged to pay for your health care needs, then you can bet I have a long list of restrictions on your actions. No, you can’t smoke. No, you can’t skydive in a hurricane. No, you can’t have eleven children. As soon as the taxpayers are footing the bill for something, they’re going to demand (and get) control over the something.

So if you want the government to pay for something, you have to be aware that the government is also going to end up controlling that something. The government will give you aid for school - and you’ll go to school in the manner that the government prescribes. The government will pay for your medical bills - and you’ll go to the doctor the government assigns you.

There’s no getting around this; he who pays the piper, calls the tune.