The United Church of Christ’s General Synod has passed a resolution declaring its support for H.R. 676, a piece of legislation that would mandate a single-payer system of health insurance in the United States. According to UCC News:
Citing both specificity and urgency, General Synod 27 passed without amendment Tuesday a resolution “Calling for the Support of H.R. 676 – Single Payer National Health Care Reform to Advance Health Equity for All and to Eliminate Health Disparities.”
Mary Beth Cross, a delegate from the Nebraska Conference, said after a unanimous vote out of committee Monday that the time to rally is now. “This is a Gospel-mandated mission of faith for everyone to make sure that universal health care becomes a reality.”
The thing is, of course, that as the title of the resolution shows, it isn’t “universal health care” that Ms. Cross and her fellow delegates are interested in. What really floats their boat is the idea of “health equity,” which is to say that people of greater means would be prohibited from getting better care than those of lesser–in effect, mandating that everyone get the same rationed, Canadian-style care that has been driving folks from the Frozen North to seek treatment in the U.S., lest they die while waiting for said care.
“We lift up our (belief) that all persons deserve and must have quality, accessible, affordable health care and related social services – including mental-health service and full accessibility for the disabled,” said Baylor.
H.R. 676 (the U.S. National Health Insurance Act) is a bill introduced by Rep. John Conyers of Michigan to create a single-payer, publicly financed, privately delivered universal health-care program. Its goal is to cover all Americans without charging co-pays or deductibles and guarantees access to the highest quality and most affordable health-care services regardless of employment, ability to pay or pre-existing health conditions.
Well, that’s one description of it. A quick read of the bill (something I doubt most of the delegates did before they voted for a resolution that goes way beyond the competency of a church body) indicates that Conyers’ real aim seems to be to eliminate all profit from the practice of medicine. His bill prohibits private health insurance except for stuff like cosmetic surgery or dentistry, and also declares that the only medical providers that qualify for his government program are those that are “public” or “non-profit.” Given the decay of services in virtually any other industry when the profit motive is eliminated by the force of law, it’s virtually inevitable that the quality of health care in the United State would drop considerably under Conyers’ plan (and of course rationing is a certainty, given that it is the universal result of single-payer systems).
But everyone would be equal. In other news, the UCC recommends that Harrison Bergeron be made America’s patron saint.
The Republicans were essentially threatened and terrorized against voting for revenue [i.e., higher taxes--DSF]. Now [some] are facing recalls. They operate under a terrorist threat: “You vote for revenue and your career is over.” I don’t know why we allow that kind of terrorism to exist. I guess it’s about free speech, but it’s extremely unfair.
–Speaker of the California Assembly Karen Bass, giving us a creepy look inside the skull of a state legislator as she laments the rights of constituents to communicate with their elected representatives and vote against them when they run for re-election, calling such outrageous action on the part of the citizenry “terrorism,” and providing a splendid rationale for her constituents to explode an electoral IED under her tyrant-wannabe backside come the next election
(Via Hot Air.)
The United Church of Christ biannual General Synod is meeting this week, and that guarantees there will be plenty of weirdness to comment on. Exhibit A is the preacher who spoke to a group of synod delegates on Saturday:
His Gospel of Inclusion created controversy in the Church of God in Christ. But Bishop Carlton Pearson says his life is “one big memorial.”
“I am remembering that I love you and I know you.”
A longtime member of the African American Pentecostal Bishops Conference – a group that came to declare him a heretic – Pearson spoke Saturday afternoon to a group of delegates and visitors to the UCC General Synod 27.
His separation from the Pentecostal movement occurred when he “could not reconcile the absolute love of God for all” with the concept of God “who would eternally torture.”
“I could no longer hide my theological crisis. I did not have permission to love people” with an opposing theology. “But in my heart I felt related to the stranger.”
Pearson discovered his religion was creating barrier between himself and those he felt called to serve. “I’ve dismissed so many people to hell,” but, “God is love.” He says the UCC message of inclusion is empowering.
“Did Jesus come to protect us FROM God or connect us TO God?,” he asked. Pearson emphasizes that we need to give people permission to think again.
I have no real idea what a lot of that means, but I can tell you that the “Gospel [sic] of Inclusion” that Pearson preaches is universalism, the doctrine that all will be saved regardless of faith or lack thereof in Christ. It’s a doctrine that means that actions and beliefs in this life have no consequences, that there is no reason to trust in Christ, and that God is not holy and righteous, but fluffier than your grandmother. In short, it is the perfect message to lead off a UCC synod.
A church that does not ordain women or openly gay people – I don’t see a future for that.
–Noted psychic and gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, commenting on the founding of the Anglican Church in North America, a conservative alternative to the dying Episcopal Church
(Via T19.)
