Editorial: Abp. Chaput Correct on ´Catholics, Health Care and the Senate's Bad Bill´

'In its current content, the Senate version of health-care legislation is not "reform."  Catholics and other persons of good will concerned about the foundations of human dignity should oppose it'.

CHESAPEAKE, VA. (Catholic Online) - The President of the United States went to Strongsville, Ohio on Monday, March 15, 2010. He went in full campaign mode - with sleeves rolled up. This is his new strategy. President Obama the now "populist" President is turning the passage of the Senate "Health Care Reform" Bill - which will fund abortions with tax dollars -  into his newest campaign trail.

He was introduced by the sister of Natoma Canfield. Natoma was diagnosed with Leukemia 16 years ago. Her insurance premiums went up 40% in January, 2010. She sent a letter to the President detailing this horrid turn of events. He decided to use her compelling story as a vehicle through which he continues his effort to force passage of the current version of the Senate Health Care Reform Bill.

With a kind of revivalist fervor, the President told the crowd, "I´m here because of Natoma... I´m here because of the countless others who have been forced to face the most terrifying challenges of their lives with the added burden of medical bills they cannot pay. I don´t think that´s right. Neither do you, and that´s why we need health insurance reform, right now.... What we have to understand is what´s happening to Natoma, there but for the grace of God go any one of us..."

No-one wants to see Natoma´s premiums increased. In fact, the injustice of this woman insuch  need having to drop her insurance, choosing between food or medical care, is obvious to all decent people. It cries out for a remedy. However, the Senate Health Care Bill, as it currently stands, is not the solution. In fact, this kind of approach of forcing flawed legislation through Congress which, in the words of Archbishop Charles Chaput does not even meet "minimum moral standards", through using such emotionally charged appeals is truly outrageous.

We present the Archbishops column calling on Catholics to oppose this current Health Care Bill. It will appear in the March 17, 2010 edition of the Denver Catholic Register. We call upon all of our readers to heed his clear direction. The article can be found on the Archdiocesan web site.

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Archbishop Chaput on ´Catholics, Health Care and the Senate's Bad Bill´

"The Senate version of health-care reform currently being forced ahead by congressional leaders and the White House is a bad bill that will result in bad law.  It does not deserve, nor does it have, the support of the Catholic bishops of our country.  Nor does the American public want it.

"As I write this column on March 14, the Senate bill remains gravely flawed.  It does not meet minimum moral standards in at least three important areas: the exclusion of abortion funding and services; adequate conscience protections for health-care professionals and institutions; and the inclusion of immigrants.

"Groups, trade associations and publications describing themselves as "Catholic" or "prolife" that endorse the Senate version - whatever their intentions - are doing a serious disservice to the nation and to the Church, undermining the witness of the Catholic community; and ensuring the failure of genuine, ethical health-care reform.

"By their public actions, they create confusion at exactly the moment Catholics need to think clearly about the remaining issues in the health-care debate.  They also provide the illusion of moral cover for an unethical piece of legislation.As we enter a critical week in the national health-care debate, Catholics across northern Colorado need to remember a few simple facts.

"First, the Catholic bishops of the United States have pressed for real national health-care reform in this country for more than half a century.  They began long before either political party or the public media found it convenient.  That commitment hasn´t changed.  Nor will it.

"Second, the bishops have tried earnestly for more than seven months to work with elected officials to craft reform that would serve all Americans in a manner respecting minimum moral standards.  The failure of their effort has one source.  It comes entirely from the stubbornness and evasions of certain key congressional leaders, and the unwillingness of the White House to honor promises made by the president last September.

"Third, the health-care reform debate has never been merely a matter of party politics.  Nor is it now.  Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak and a number of his Democratic colleagues have shown extraordinary character in pushing for good health-care reform while resisting attempts to poison it with abortion-related entitlements and other bad ideas that have nothing to do with real "health care."

"Many Republicans share the goal of decent health-care reform, even if their solutions would differ dramatically.  To put it another way, few persons seriously oppose making adequate health services available for all Americans.  But God, or the devil, is in the details -- and by that measure, the current Senate version of health-care reform is not merely defective, but also a dangerous mistake.

"The long, unpleasant and too often dishonest national health-care debate is now in its last days.  Its most painful feature has been those "Catholic" groups that by their eagerness for some kind of deal undercut the witness of the Catholic community and help advance a bad bill into a bad law. Their flawed judgment could now have damaging consequences for all of us.

"Do not be misled.  The Senate version of health-care reform currently being pushed ahead by congressional leaders and the White House -- despite public resistance and numerous moral concerns -- is bad law; and not simply bad, but dangerous.  It does not deserve, nor does it have, the support of the Catholic bishops in our country, who speak for the believing Catholic community."

"In its current content, the Senate version of health-care legislation is not "reform."  Catholics and other persons of good will concerned about the foundations of human dignity should oppose it".

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We thank the Archbishop of Denver for his clear treatment of this vitally important subject during this critical moment. The emotionally charged appeals will continue this week. Do not be deceived by the voices -  even within our Church - of those whom he rightly exposes in these words: "Its most painful feature has been those "Catholic" groups that by their eagerness for some kind of deal undercut the witness of the Catholic community and help advance a bad bill into a bad law. Their flawed judgment could now have damaging consequences for all of us".

We encourage our readers to sort through all of this and stand up boldly for the Truth and in defense of all human life. The legislation does not, in the words of this good Bishop, meet the "minimum moral standards". He is absolutely correct. It should be opposed by Catholics and other persons of good will.

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