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Obamacare: Blame the Bishops
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The progressive element of the American Catholic Church may have unwittingly(?) played into the hands of those seeking to further expand the intrusive
growth of government into every aspect of our lives.
The following article points out how the Catholic Bishops insistance on a Pro-life amendment in the House version of the bill helped ensure the bill's final passage.
Accuracy in Media
A lot is being said and written about why national health care legislation is becoming a reality. The simple fact, available for all to see, is that the U.S. Catholic Bishops ensured passage of the bill in the House, enabling the Senate to move forward with its version.
Like "progressive" strategist Robert B. Creamer, the Bishops believe that health care is a right to be guaranteed by government. This position has driven the debate and has rarely been challenged by Republicans. The debate over abortion has been mostly a diversion. Perhaps it has been planned that way
The only real chance of defeating the health care legislation came when the bill was lacking a majority of votes for passage in the House. That's when the first deal was made. This was the deal that made all other deals possible. Acting at the behest of Catholic Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and the Catholic Bishops, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed to a vote on the pro-life amendment introduced by Rep. Bart Stupak. It passed and then the bill itself was approved.
But why did Republicans vote for the Stupak amendment if they opposed the basic premise of the bill? House Republican Leader Rep. John Boehner got his marching orders as well. He was told by Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, that the Republicans shouldn't scuttle the Stupak amendment.
The Senate then proceeded to pass its own version of the legislation, without the Stupak language. Predictably, Stupak is complaining about that. But he-and the Democrats and Republicans who voted for his amendment-only have themselves to blame. At least five lobbyists for the Bishops worked with Pelosi and Stupak on the deal that is now also predictably falling apart. Clearly, the pro-life deal was a ploy designed to keep the legislation alive.
It has become apparent to some observers that the Bishops want the legislation to pass, with or without abortion language, because of its perceived impact on 600 Catholic hospitals. As they say in their own document, "Catholic dioceses, parishes, schools, agencies, and hospitals are major purchasers of insurance and health care. The rapidly escalating costs of coverage are impacting almost every diocese, agency, parish, and school."
In other words, the Bishops see national health care legislation as a way to reduce their own costs. In addition, by expanding federally-subsidized health care to as many as 30 million people, many of whom might normally depend on Catholic hospitals for inexpensive or free care, the Catholic Bishops could save even more money.
"Sadly, the bishops have misunderstood the entire process, and now we will all pay," one conservative Catholic blogger points out. "They thought they could influence our lawmakers to provide us a 'clean' government takeover of the nation's health care system, 'clean' in the sense they hoped this 'reform' would include strong conscience protections while defunding abortion, without objecting to the basic premise of unprecedented government growth."
It is interesting and newsworthy that, as the nation prepares to celebrate Christmas, we are witnesses to the passage of legislation promoted in part by elements of the "faith community" who have put most of their faith in the federal government and its mammon.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
The Pro-life Amendment was not adopted in the Senate version and who will be suprised if it doesn't end up in the final version?
The question remains, were the Bishops duped or were they willing accomplices in selling out the American people?
The following article points out how the Catholic Bishops insistance on a Pro-life amendment in the House version of the bill helped ensure the bill's final passage.
Accuracy in Media
A lot is being said and written about why national health care legislation is becoming a reality. The simple fact, available for all to see, is that the U.S. Catholic Bishops ensured passage of the bill in the House, enabling the Senate to move forward with its version.
Like "progressive" strategist Robert B. Creamer, the Bishops believe that health care is a right to be guaranteed by government. This position has driven the debate and has rarely been challenged by Republicans. The debate over abortion has been mostly a diversion. Perhaps it has been planned that way
The only real chance of defeating the health care legislation came when the bill was lacking a majority of votes for passage in the House. That's when the first deal was made. This was the deal that made all other deals possible. Acting at the behest of Catholic Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and the Catholic Bishops, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed to a vote on the pro-life amendment introduced by Rep. Bart Stupak. It passed and then the bill itself was approved.
But why did Republicans vote for the Stupak amendment if they opposed the basic premise of the bill? House Republican Leader Rep. John Boehner got his marching orders as well. He was told by Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, that the Republicans shouldn't scuttle the Stupak amendment.
The Senate then proceeded to pass its own version of the legislation, without the Stupak language. Predictably, Stupak is complaining about that. But he-and the Democrats and Republicans who voted for his amendment-only have themselves to blame. At least five lobbyists for the Bishops worked with Pelosi and Stupak on the deal that is now also predictably falling apart. Clearly, the pro-life deal was a ploy designed to keep the legislation alive.
It has become apparent to some observers that the Bishops want the legislation to pass, with or without abortion language, because of its perceived impact on 600 Catholic hospitals. As they say in their own document, "Catholic dioceses, parishes, schools, agencies, and hospitals are major purchasers of insurance and health care. The rapidly escalating costs of coverage are impacting almost every diocese, agency, parish, and school."
In other words, the Bishops see national health care legislation as a way to reduce their own costs. In addition, by expanding federally-subsidized health care to as many as 30 million people, many of whom might normally depend on Catholic hospitals for inexpensive or free care, the Catholic Bishops could save even more money.
"Sadly, the bishops have misunderstood the entire process, and now we will all pay," one conservative Catholic blogger points out. "They thought they could influence our lawmakers to provide us a 'clean' government takeover of the nation's health care system, 'clean' in the sense they hoped this 'reform' would include strong conscience protections while defunding abortion, without objecting to the basic premise of unprecedented government growth."
It is interesting and newsworthy that, as the nation prepares to celebrate Christmas, we are witnesses to the passage of legislation promoted in part by elements of the "faith community" who have put most of their faith in the federal government and its mammon.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
The Pro-life Amendment was not adopted in the Senate version and who will be suprised if it doesn't end up in the final version?
The question remains, were the Bishops duped or were they willing accomplices in selling out the American people?
On top of all that, now the Catholic hospitals are biting the hand that feeds them.
New York Times
Catholic Group Supports Senate on Abortion Aid
WASHINGTON — In an apparent split with Roman Catholic bishops over the abortion-financing provisions of the proposed health care overhaul, the nation’s Catholic hospitals have signaled that they back the Senate’s compromise on the issue, raising hopes of breaking an impasse in Congress and stirring controversy within the church.
The Senate bill, approved Thursday morning, allows any state to bar the use of federal subsidies for insurance plans that cover abortion and requires insurers in other states to divide subsidy money into separate accounts so that only dollars from private premiums would be used to pay for abortions.
Just days before the bill passed, the Catholic Health Association, which represents hundreds of Catholic hospitals across the country, said in a statement that it was “encouraged” and “increasingly confident” that such a compromise “can achieve the objective of no federal funding for abortion.” An umbrella group for nuns followed its lead.
The same day, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called the proposed compromise “morally unacceptable.”
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Not all states will ban public funding for abortions. In fact, most states probably won't even bother.
The compromise has no teeth and is a sellout.
New York Times
Catholic Group Supports Senate on Abortion Aid
WASHINGTON — In an apparent split with Roman Catholic bishops over the abortion-financing provisions of the proposed health care overhaul, the nation’s Catholic hospitals have signaled that they back the Senate’s compromise on the issue, raising hopes of breaking an impasse in Congress and stirring controversy within the church.
The Senate bill, approved Thursday morning, allows any state to bar the use of federal subsidies for insurance plans that cover abortion and requires insurers in other states to divide subsidy money into separate accounts so that only dollars from private premiums would be used to pay for abortions.
Just days before the bill passed, the Catholic Health Association, which represents hundreds of Catholic hospitals across the country, said in a statement that it was “encouraged” and “increasingly confident” that such a compromise “can achieve the objective of no federal funding for abortion.” An umbrella group for nuns followed its lead.
The same day, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called the proposed compromise “morally unacceptable.”
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Not all states will ban public funding for abortions. In fact, most states probably won't even bother.
The compromise has no teeth and is a sellout.
This is one of my points where my position as an active Catholic and staunch Conservative gets conflicted. With both sides of my leadership butting
heads. This is why these guys shouldn't be in politics I believe. They rush things way too quickly and play in on the smaller but still important
issues. I am against this "Universal Healthcare" and abortion itself which means this is irritating to say the least to see the Bishops acting as
idiotically as they are now.
Oh well, you can't expect things to go well these days unless it's the 2nd Amendment issue(which is one of the few areas we're making progress in restoring and strengthening rights to).
Oh well, you can't expect things to go well these days unless it's the 2nd Amendment issue(which is one of the few areas we're making progress in restoring and strengthening rights to).
In addition to this, a thought crossed my mind just now.
Perhaps the Bishops saw it as inevitable for this bill considering the overwhelming majority in Congress going in favor of it so they just decided to wing it and try to put something in it for themselves as well?
Kind of like surrendering but trying to slip in a small victory at the same time?
Perhaps the Bishops saw it as inevitable for this bill considering the overwhelming majority in Congress going in favor of it so they just decided to wing it and try to put something in it for themselves as well?
Kind of like surrendering but trying to slip in a small victory at the same time?
Originally posted by spec_ops_wannabe
This is one of my points where my position as an active Catholic and staunch Conservative gets conflicted.
There IS no conflict between conservatism and TRUE Catholic teachings. The American Catholic Bishops have bought into all of the liberal wishy-washy gobblygook spouted by our politicians, especially since the disaster of Vatican II.
For a look at TRUE Catholic social teachings, read my thread on The Function of Civil Authority.
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