Opposition to Government-Run Health Care Increases
By Dr. Barrett DukeA number of very prominent Catholic bishops are becoming more vocal in their opposition to the Dems’ health care reform proposals. David Kirkpatrick has a very important article in the New York Times (Read Article Here) about their growing opposition. The main points of contention are concerns about abortion mandates and rationing. He includes this paragraph:
“As recently as July, the bishops’ conference had largely embraced the president’s goals, although with the caveat that any health care overhaul avoid new federal financing of abortions. But in the last two weeks some leaders of the conference, like Cardinal Justin Rigali, have concluded that Democrats’ efforts to carve out abortion coverage are so inadequate that lawmakers should block the entire effort.”
Cardinal Rigali’s opposition is a significant development. He is the Chairman of the Committee for Pro-Life Activities for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. The liberal health care reformers in Congress and the White House can say what they want to, but now a growing body of very influential Catholic Bishops is opposing their plans because they know that abortion will be provided through the bills liberals are trying to advance.
And on the rationing front, the role of Ezekiel Emanuel is getting more scrutiny. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, is a health care advisor to President Obama. He has been involved for many years in calling for a health care rationing regime. His plan for prioritizing who should be favored in a rationing scheme is very disturbing. According to Emanuel people on the ends of the age spectrum should not get the same level of care as people in the middle. Emanuel’s reasoning: People between ages 15 and 40 have had the most invested in them by society and have the most to give back to society. The further removed one is from that ideal age range, the less valuable he or she is! Here is a very helpful story in the Wall Street Journal by Betsy McCaughey (Read Article Here) about Ezekiel Emanuel’s philosophy on health care rationing. You can read Emanuel’s journal article on health care rationing in PDF format here. It’s frightening to think that this man is advising the President on health care.
Reprinted with permission from The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission