CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
Aug. 19, 2009 – 12:01 a.m.
Health Care as a ‘Moral Imperative’
By Jane Norman, CQ Staff
A group of religious leaders launches a health care blitz Wednesday that will be highlighted by television ads, sermons and a nationwide “call-in” to the White House that will stress the “moral imperative” to extend affordable coverage to the nation’s uninsured.
The “40 Days for Health Reform” initiative by the interfaith groups will include prayer services in congressional districts, meetings of religious leaders with members of Congress and a “Nationwide Health Care Sermon Weekend” with preaching from the pulpit on the need for a health care overhaul. The leaders say they’re the ones who see up close the problems with the insurance system and the need for change.
The event is being sponsored by denominations and groups such as the National Baptist Convention USA, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, United Methodist Church General Board of Church & Society, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, the Episcopal Church, Unitarian Universalist Association, African Methodist Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ and Islamic Society of North America.
Jim Wallis, an evangelical and president of the Christian social action group Sojourners, said Aug. 11 that the intent is not to “get into the weeds” on the specifics of what should be included in health legislation pending in Congress or take positions on highly controversial issues such as the public option, employer mandates or abortion coverage.
But he said religious leaders do want to counter those who have “demagogued” the issue at town hall meetings over the past few weeks — thus thrusting the faith community into an ongoing battle between Democrats and Republicans over health care, marked by town hall meetings involving shouting, fights and even arrests.
“There are people in the country who want to stop an honest, fair, civil and moral conversation about health care. They’re organized and they really want to shut down democracy and we can’t let that happen,” said Wallis. “The faith community is literally going to stand in the way of those who want to stop a conversation.”
He and others said inviting President Obama to take part in a conference call on health without an accompanying Republican viewpoint does not make it into a partisan event. Obama is not expected to discuss the details of his proposal but rather the moral perspective of extending coverage to the 47 million uninsured, they said.
“It wasn’t the president who turned this into a partisan issue, it happened to be the way it played out,” said David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. “I truly think he believed this would stand above partisan politics. ... the president set out a moral vision that resonates deeply with the consensus views of large segments of the religious community, even some who may disagree with particular legislation Congress is doing.”
The idea is also to encourage conversation within congregations. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of the 13,000-member Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., said his congregation is probably 60 percent Republican and he considers himself a centrist. “Part of the need.... is to allow folks from varying sides to have a chance to speak about this issue and to do so in a way that allows people to hear the issues and not just the rhetoric,” he said.
Saperstein said the people falling through the cracks “are as likely to be a Republican as they are a Democrat.”
Other groups organizing the health overhaul push are the PICO National Network, which engages in faith-based community organizing; Faith in the Public Life, a nonprofit group; Faithful America, an online organizing group; and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good.
The group also is sponsoring a 30-second TV ad that criticizes unnamed “special interests in Washington” seeking to block health overhaul. “Killing reform will boost their profits,” says Rev. Stevie Wakes of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Kansas City, Kan., in the ad. The ad will run on national cable networks and District of Columbia cable while fundraising continues to try to run it elsewhere.
Prayer services and advocacy will be targeted to specific congressional districts, said Gordon Whitman of PICO. “It’s really an overlay of Blue Dogs and moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans and areas where religion is especially significant to public life,” he said, to convey the message that there is a middle ground in the health overhaul debate.
John Hay Jr., an evangelical leader from Indianapolis, Ind., said the “40 Days for Health Reform” effort is “really an effort to refocus where the central moral issue is — it seems to have been derailed or taken off track by a lot of voices over the past couple of weeks.”
This story originally appeared in CQ HealthBeat.
Comments
This sounds promising. I don't think it is helpful to anyone though, for Religious Leaders to criticize the townhall meeting folk. In my opinion, rational argument is best, but passions have flared: the health care issue is only the most recent assault on the taxpayer. It sounds to me like these Religious Groups don't brook much discussion that does not go their way, either. I don't care whether it is a single payor system or a market place of competing insurance agencies, I would like to be able to get my health costs down. As a senior citizen, that is very important. I am afraid that by the time any program is passed, I will have left this world. I am not so selfish that I do not want to see those younger than myself reap the benefits of a good health care plan. I would just like to get a little benefit. A plan will go through; what kind of plan depends on the input of the public, not just the Congress who are so far removed from their constituents and what is going on there, it is quite disturbing. They are supposed to represent the people. It is good in my estimation, that raucous or not, the Peoples' voice has been heard and several of the original suggestions for a health plan have been dashed. This seems to puzzle those in Congress and the Administration. They need a little more respect for the voters they leave behind when they ascend to Power. In the end the People remember that rusty concept that in a Democracy, the power resides in the people, not in any particular institution.
Thank Goodness! Voices of reason.....I am hopeful and optimistic that with the imput of these religious leaders, some people will finally see that there is an enormous effort to, once again, put off legistration to give the millions of Americans healthcare. It must be obivious to the religious sector that there are those in government that oppose reform, not for humane or budgetary reasons, but for political ones. This is unjust and makes this country fail at it's core responsibilities to it's people. My hope is that with the combined efforts of the democrats and our religious leaders, that all the people will have the benefit's of the basic right of good health.
How sad to go this direction when the health care for American Indians are hideous in ned of fixing and money. Where is the moral issue here or is it another way to get a cash flow since our government has drained Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid TRUST FUNDS. These so called "public servant" must think we're all fools to see what is going on. If government can't even deal with the American Indian health care how on earth can they do serve the country. Guilt trips smells fishy. Both parties have let this country down and US citizensneed to unify and reform government !
Finally....and it feels like it has taken forever....religious leaders are leading their congregations to understand the moral imperative to love one's neighbor as one's self. The public option is vital to keeping pharma costs in line and insurance companies profits within reasonable bounds; both have been playing God, rationing care based on cost.; those who can afford it, get it. Only the aged and veterans have been considered in the quotient. EVERYBODY ELSE has had to show the contents of their pocketbooks before they can be healed. Young people in their early 20's, single mothers on welfare, those with a "pre-existing conditions", the homeless, those recently laid off due to corporate greed, AND MORE...are expected to tolerate the social injustice of being in the "have not" sector. And those who ALREADY HAVE coverage are angry that they might have to actually SHARE the available doctors. The disparity of coverage is a blot on America's history. Christ told his disciples to POOL THE MONEY THEY COLLECTED, and give it to those in need; he said that he was not a respecter of persons (of wealth) and neither should we be. Money isn't supposed to dictate who gets the best seat at the table, remember? But most Christians, I've found actually believe more in Karma; if you don't have the blessings of God, it's because God doesn't think you WRONG, if you have misfortune in your life if you are not experiencing the same blessings.... tTHEY were blessed because they got it right. If YOU got it right, you'd be blessed too... And this justifies their callous behavior to those in need. In fact, they almost see helping as getting in God's way of serving out karmic justice. I would suggest the Christians who do not think they need to share this most precious commodity--healthcare--pick up The Poverty and Justice Bible which has highlighted the 3,.000 references to the moral imperative to SHARE ALL YOU HAVE. You cannot want healthcare for yourself and not for others and call yourselves a Christian. Jesus said to rich people, I sent you the prophets and you would NOT listen to them. Here I am before you, and you will NOT listen to me either about sharing your wealth : Woe to you on the day of judgment! Read the Book of Amos and it will teach you about the consequences of shouting our at town hall meetings, and focusing on SELF. Bravo to 40 Days for Healthcare Reform, the church is usually SILENT on social justice issues; it has tended to focus on the afterlife alone. BUT on this one issue, .it has awoken from its slumber. Perhaps religious leaders do read their Bibles after all, and maybe THIS will be the reason people want to enter the doors of your churches. You are finally showing you CARE about what's doing right, than how this will effect what is put in the offering plate. You are finally becoming the moral compass you were intended to be.
I have a hard time understanding why the church would promote the taking of peoples money for something other than the church. Which commandment states: Thou shalt not steal? Does the church not understand that we are in a recession? That America is about bankrupt? Does the church not understand that the people are broke? Or struggling to make ends meet? To pay their taxes? To tithe? Now the church wants to encourage the government to take more of the same money that we do not have? There is a point where giving is supposed to be volunteer. To force it, is a totally different subject. I see now that church is about to give itself away. Well, maybe that isn't such a bad idea.
We canagree that the most important thing is the moral imperative to cover everyone without discrimination. The upset about the public option is not because they don't agree with this, it's because without a public option universal coverage and insurance reforms will bankrupt the country. I wish a co-op was a viable option, and we could give up the public option. All of us need to ask WHY. WHY Stocks for the Insurance Industry soared at the idea the White House might be willing to substitute co-ops? WHY the Insurance Industry is fine with co-ops but has launched attacks full force against the public option. WHY Romney and Republicans are promoting Massachusetts model as the viable bipartisan option? Kay Klazar of the Globe's article "Bay State health insurance premiums highest in country" shows how insane that idea is. They know reform without a public option is fiscal insanity - yet they are willing to do this for political gain. The Insurance Industry will protect their profit margin, and the profits to come (mandatory participation) at all costs. Republicans need money from the Insurance Industry in order to take back congress and win the presidency. They need the public option to fail. We are paying billions for insurance industry advertising, exorbitant salaries for the insurance industry to lobby against us to increase their profits and remove competition. Nothing prevents the Insurance Industry from buying up, buying out, or even starting co-ops to prevent real competition (e.g. blue cross/blue shield). They can claim co-ops "work" without decreasing their profit margin or "triggering" a public option. Without a non-profit public option, the Insurance Industry will not lower costs, in fact it would increase the % of GDP that is already unsustainable. This will force tax increases to an unsustainable level, heavily subsidize Insurance Industry profits, bankrupt our country and the Democrats will be blamed. The top 10 rated countries have universal coverage, require non-profit health care whether it's public or private sector, and have sustainable % of GDP. Singapore, rated 6th, has the lowest % of GDP because it requires public health care to compete with private. Because or profit driven Insurance we pay approx. $4-6000 more per person than any other industrialized country, yet we don't have universal coverage and we are rated 37th as a nation for our Health Care (just above Costa Rica). Are you more concerned about re-election than your constituents? Are you willing to lie and deceive them for political gain? The fact that 45-53% believe lies is your responsiblity and it is unconsionable. Are you actually willing to vote against a public option at the expense of your constituents health, their financial stability and our nations solvency? Colleagues who lie, or constituents who believe those lies, must never be allowed to dominate. If you are truly concerned about your constituents then you will vote for real reform, even if it means losing your job.
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