Posted on 02/28/2010 4:05:12 PM PST by Salvation
There is one-- just one-- health-care reform proposal currently under discussion in Washington. Not two. One.
Republicans don't have the votes to pass the sort of proposal they would prefer. Democrats will defer to the President. So right now President Obama's proposal is the only viable option. If you're talking about health-care reform on Capitol Hill this week, you're talking about the Obama plan.
With that background information in mind, will someone please explain to me why the US bishops' conference has issued another call for health-care reform?
Yes, the bishops' letter pleads for a pro-life approach to reform. But they make that plea in the abstract, at a time when the push has begun for passage of a very concrete proposal. Everyone already knows that the bishops don't want abortion subsidies included in the legislation. Nevertheless the Obama plan includes abortion subsidies. So the key question is: Will the bishop oppose this bill?
On that question-- the only question that's being asked, really-- the bishops' letter is silent. They do not address the Obama plan directly. They could have said that they support health-care reform in general, but oppose this specific plan. They didn't say that.
So this week, as the White House revs up the bulldozer, announcing plans to ram home this bill, the USCCB announces support for health-care reform. The President wants this bill passed; the bishops want a bill passed. The distinction is bound to be lost in the heat of political battle.
The question this week is not: Do you want some sort of health-care reform? The question is: Do you want this specific legislation? The bishops have responded to the first question, when everyone is asking the second.
The net result: President Obama says that we must pass health-care reform legislation, and the USCCB echoes that we must pass health-care reform legislation. It sure looks as if the bishops are endorsing the Obama plan. If that wasn't their intent, why issue their statement now?
Practical Politics 101 (remedial: for US bishops) [Is it time to contact our Bishops?]
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Catholic Bishops Urge Members to Oppose Abortion Funding in Health Care Plan [Catholic Uprising!]
Bishops Announce Unprecedented Massive Catholic Opposition to Obamacare
Bishops Call for Massive Catholic Opposition to Abortion in Current Health Care Reform
Archbishop Charles Chaput on the Current Struggle Between Catholics and "Caesar"
The Bishop's Ax Falls on Obama. And on the Vatican Curia (bombshell article)
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Catholic Bishops Declare They Will ‘Vigorously’ Oppose Health Care Bill as It Now Stands
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List: *41* Bishops against Obamacare (and counting!)
Bishop Murphy Issues Video Statement on Health Care Reform [Diocese of Rockville Centre]
Health Care Principles [Bishop Samuel Aquila, Fargo, ND]
Florida Bishop [Thomas Wenski] Weighs in on Health Care Reform
ObamaCare and Catholic social teaching [Bishop Neckless]
Some Catholic bishops question gov't health care
Boston’s Roman Catholic Cardinal Says He Confronted Obama about Abortion in Health Care Plan....
Iowa Bishop: Don’t Be Railroaded into the Current...Health Care Proposals
in a message issued by the Diocese of Sioux City (The Church on Universal Healthcare)
Nazi Health Care A Catholic Bishop Speaks Out Against "End of Life Care" (Germany, 1941)
Bishop Nickless: "No Health Care Reform is Better than the Wrong Health Care Reform"
Cardinal Rigali, Abp. Chaput Intensify Warnings Against Obamacare's Abortion Expansion
The future liberty of millions may be sacrificed under the guise of "health care reform," which is only a euphenism for government control of a significant portion of the economy and institutionalized taxation for abortion.
These were two of the primary goals of the last election, and they are about to become coercively enacted, if American citizens do not put pressure on enough Democrats in Congress and the Senate.
For the Bishops and Christian Ministers:
The words of Thomas Jefferson on the real idea of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution:
"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time: the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them."
The unborn child derives his/her right to liberty at the time of his creation, not after he becomes a citizen of a country.
“No healthcare that includes abortion, period!”
And no rationing for seniors and the very ill of all ages.
“However, the Conference of Catholic Bishop's position is fatally flawed and unsalvageable even considering their pro life efforts. To put it bluntly, you cannot help rob a man at gun point and then object as to how the stolen money is used.”
Kind of sums up the whole Bishops’ support of Health Care.
**The unborn child derives his/her right to liberty at the time of his creation, not after he becomes a citizen of a country.**
YES!
Yes, good summartion.
**And no rationing for seniors and the very ill of all ages.**
Ditto that.
And thinking of my Down Syndrome grandchild — nor end the life of the handicapped.
The Catholic Church lost this particular Catholic with this type of nonsense, plus the priest/pedo “recycling” problem, plus “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants.
The leftist “I care soooo much, so do what I say” is ignored.
Now they can’t make up their mind about a bill that requires me to pay for abortions.
Every Sunday is Copper Sunday, or not even that.
God bless your grandchild who I know brings so much joy.
My lovely, and very happy neice, who has cerebral palsy, also brings so much joy, even though she has to be fed because she is so uncoordinated. Her mom said: “to me, she is perfect.”
Benedict needs to demand the resignation of every bishop in this nation and only reappoint those who have remained faithful to the gospel message. Imagine the uproar that would cause. The ones who are not reappointed need to be sent to a reeducation camp.
“The Catholic Church lost this particular Catholic with this type of nonsense,”
Why would you lose your FAITH over this?
It is the religion that Jesus started, regardless of the fact that some bishops are mistaken.
Henry Hyde literally gave his life for this. I wish there were someone who could take his place. In the meantime, the dems and libs and intent on making us pro-life Americans pay for the killing of unborn children which is abhorrent to us. What has happened to our America?
Better yet, the bishops need to shut their yaps!
On a similar note, today at Mass, we were told that there were cards to be picked up, along with the bulletins, from the USCCB. It is a postcard that says, in part:
Dear Senator ___:
I am a concerned constituent and agree with the U.S. Catholic bishops that the US immigration system is beoken and is in need of repair.
&&&
We are supposed to complete the card with our name, etc., and bring it back next week.
I am bringing it back, alright, but I will have my own message on it. This is infuriating.
Really sad. Have you contacted the bishop in your area?
**sent to a reeducation camp.**
LOL!
Henry Hyde, in my opinion, is a champion for life.
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