The Cost of New Human Rights...

According to this UN document Internet access is now a "Human Right."

Oh my...

I thought smoking crack was illegal - but apparently at the UN they can still get away with it.

And, as if that's not enough, from page #9:

"The Special Rapporteur is of the view that the arbitrary use of criminal law to sanction legitimate expression constitutes one of the gravest forms of restriction to the right, as it not only creates a “chilling effect”, but also leads to other human rights violations, such as arbitrary detention and torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

I can't wait to see them lining up at the local prison to file lawsuits: "where's my child porn!"  "I need to post pictures of my personal body art!"  And next little Johnny, UN Report in hand, will point out to the principal that the school is violating his human rights by preventing him from surfing porn in computer class.

Now I've always wondered about "human rights."

Some seem completely obvious: the right to being you, to practice your own religion, that all men are created equal.  This sort of thing is covered well in the US Constitution, for example, in the "Bill of Rights."

The claim for these is that they are given to man by the creator (or, if you don't believe in that, then I suppose they are granted from somewhere else... society? the moon? evolution? I don't know.)

At any rate these are things you are "born with" where ever they come from.

But then there are other claims to "rights" - I guess those you aren't born with.

Things are a little unclear to me hear.  I often hear that "health care," for example, is a human right.  Now, like "Internet Access," this implies a lot.  If you have a "right" to something that is produced by society that's different than having an innate right, such as to your own religion, which is not produced by society.

To supply health care society needs things - like supplies, workers (and their food, shelter, etc.), and so on.  Does "your right to health care" require these people to be employed, have jobs, to service you regardless (say you are a mass murderer), etc.

Now let's say that there is a US economy of 15 trillion USD per year.  Given about 330 million people in the US that's about $45,000 USD per person of "economy" that's produced - each individual contributes that much to the total on average.  Of course, many produce nothing or are a drain on society, but others produce much more.

Government in the 2011 US economy consumes about 25% of that $45K, or about $11,250 USD.

Health care, at one sixth of the US economy, consumes about $7,500 USD.

All together this is about 42% of the $45,000 USD per person.

This leaves you, after your society costs, about $26,000 USD a year or about $2,160 USD per month as your "share" of the economy.

SO to break even then, a two person household must generate "revenue" within the economy of about $90,000 USD per year just to break even.

Now if you add on another $15 trillion in debt (such as the US has) that's another $90,000 in "obligation" for each two person household (the debt being equal to a years worth of GDP).

So now, to get out of debt and back on track each two person household has to contribute $180,000 to the GDP just to stay even and out of debt.

In today's world health care (such as it is) and the Internet are part of the $180,000 contribution people make because they are already part of the economy - at least for people who chose to use them.

But this UN stuff requires everyone have the "right" to access it. 

So unless you take away from those with Internet access already (make them time share, have a slower connection, whatever), you are going to add to the $180,000 USD per year obligation of everyone in the US.

Ditto for all the other "rights" you are not born with.

Seems to me that caring an unsecured $180,000 debt around  (plus whatever you might personally owe for a mortgage, etc) is a bad thing and making that debt larger is just plain stupid.

This debt was run up in the last decade or so, so things like infrastructure (say the US Interstate system), are already paid for.  Our debt, then, would be for spurious, uncontrolled spending on what?  Housing?  Who knows...?

When I am born do I have a "right" to be burden with this obligation I did not create?

Don't I have a "right" not to be born into slavery (in this case debt slavery)?

I think the UN should not be in the business of creating more obligations in a world where its pretty clear we are already $180,000 USD in the hole (I know its different in other countries).