The USCCB, fully aware that ObamaCare would be designed by Obama, Pelosi, Ezekiel Emanuel, Cass Sunstein, David Axelrod, the Tides Foundation, the Apollo Project, etc., etc., and managed by Obama appointees like Kathleen Sebelius, supported the whole monster for nearly a year, expressing reservations about nothing except the absence of some meaningless abortion language that--even had it been included in the bill--would have been nullified by the first federal court that got a whack at it.
It is disgusting that Archbishop Chaput and "the bishops" don't (and they CAN'T, having supported this evil from the beginning) have a kind word for the Republicans who fought to kill this monster from beginning to end. As usual, pro-life Republicans get the back of the hand from "the bishops," because pro-life Republicans won't join "the bishops" in promoting collectivism, which the Catholic Church condemns.
Rep. Paul Ryan's little finger is more Catholic than the whole USCCB.
Fr. VF
March 22, 2010
A bad bill and how we got it
The following column by Archbishop Chaput is scheduled for print publication in the March 24, 2010 issue of the Denver Catholic Register.
As current federal health-care legislation moves forward toward law, we need to draw several lessons from events of the last weeks and months:
First, the bill passed by the House on March 21 is a failure of decent lawmaking. It has not been “fixed.” It remains unethical and defective on all of the issues pressed by the U.S. bishops and prolife groups for the past seven months.
Second, the Executive Order promised by the White House to ban the use of federal funds for abortion does not solve the many problems with the bill, which is why the bishops did not -- and still do not – see it as a real solution. Executive Orders can be rescinded or reinterpreted at any time. Some current congressional leaders have already shown a pattern of evasion, ill will and obstinacy on the moral issues involved in this legislation, and the track record of the White House in keeping its promises regarding abortion-related issues does not inspire confidence. The fact that congressional leaders granted this one modest and inadequate concession only at the last moment, and only to force the passage of this deeply flawed bill, should give no one comfort.
Third, the combination of pressure and disinformation used to break the prolife witness on this bill among Democratic members of Congress – despite the strong resistance to this legislation that continues among American voters – should put an end to any talk by Washington leaders about serving the common good or seeking common ground. Words need actions to give them flesh. At many points over the past seven months, congressional leaders could have resolved the serious moral issues inherent in this legislation. They did not. No shower of reassuring words now can wash away that fact.
Fourth, self-described “Catholic” groups have done a serious disservice to justice, to the Church, and to the ethical needs of the American people by undercutting the leadership and witness of their own bishops. For groups like Catholics United, this is unsurprising. In their effect, if not in formal intent, such groups exist to advance the interests of a particular political spectrum. Nor is it newsworthy from an organization like Network, which – whatever the nature of its good work -- has rarely shown much enthusiasm for a definition of “social justice” that includes the rights of the unborn child.
But the actions of the Catholic Health Association (CHA) in providing a deliberate public counter-message to the bishops were both surprising and profoundly disappointing; and also genuinely damaging. In the crucial final days of debate on health-care legislation, CHA lobbyists worked directly against the efforts of the American bishops in their approach to members of Congress. The bad law we now likely face, we owe in part to the efforts of the Catholic Health Association and similar “Catholic” organizations.
Here in Colorado, many thousands of ordinary, faithful Catholics, from both political parties, have worked hard over the past seven months to advance sensible, legitimate health-care reform; the kind that serves the poor and protects the rights of the unborn child, and immigrants, and the freedom of conscience rights of health-care professionals and institutions. If that effort seems to have failed, faithful Catholics don’t bear the blame. That responsibility lies elsewhere. I’m grateful to everyone in the archdiocese who has worked so hard on this issue out of love for God’s people and fidelity to their Catholic faith. Come good or bad, that kind of effort is never wasted.
1 comment:
Like the other bishops, Archbishop Chaput completely ignores the horrendous violation of subsidiarity in ObamaCare. This is complete overreaching by the federal government and a violation of the rights of citizens to make decisions in the most vital matters. Thus it is an offense against prudence and justice.
The Church's primary social principle of subsidiarity requires that the individual and family do for themselves all that they can; that the local community, through voluntary intermediary associations, including churches, do what next is required; that local governments do what cannot be done privately, and that the national government become involved only in matters that cannot be handled at lower levels.
In contrast, we have before us an attempt by the federal government to provide all types of ordinary and extraordinary health care under mandatory taxation and fees whether one wishes to participate or not.
Now from principles to some practical considerations. We are told it will save us money. How can we cover the cost of 30 million more people, without any assured efficiencies, and save money? If the Democrats know how to cut costs, why don't they show us with Medicare and Medicaid, which the government controls and which constitute one-third of the total healthcare economy?
A report last week in the New England Journal of Medicine says a survey of physicians found that 46% will retire if Obamacare passes. My sister, a pediatrician, says her boomer colleagues are planning to retire as soon as they can if this bill passes. They are already being stressed beyond what they are willing to bear, expected to spend no more than 15 minutes with a patient. They are paid so little (no increase in insurance payment for five years) that they have to see lots of patients to cover expenses and take something home. That is a recipe for unintentional malpractice. Either they take that risk or donate their time and lose income, as she does, because she specializes in children with serious problems that cannot be handled in 15 minutes.
Our bishops take no cognizance of these realities, and there are many, many more problems with this bill and the bishops' political positions. They need to hear from us laity. They need to hear from us, over and over again. We need to make a record, at least to have it in our defense at the Judgment, and to have it against them, Lord have mercy on us all.
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