Christians Advocate Moral Approach to Health Care Reform

Christians Advocate Moral Approach to Health Care Reform
John R. Petrilli

“You can’t legislate morality!” We’ve all heard that mantra before. While it may be true that laws alone can’t change people’s hearts, history proves that every society puts behavioral codes in place to preserve and protect themselves and their posterity. Indeed, our own American government was derived from English law which was squarely founded upon Judeo-Christian principles. So, while a moral code can and will be broken by fallen people, it’s an absolute necessity if a social order is to survive and thrive.

That is what concerns Liverpool residents Kelley Romano and Christina Fadden Fitch. Having carefully researched the contents of the current health care plan being reviewed by Congress, longtime friends Romano and Fadden Fitch have discovered that its proposals reflect a sharp and unmistakable non-moral philosophy. To counter the drive to approve the bill as it is currently worded, the two have launched a local grassroots campaign to inform the Christian community about the issue.

A public school educator for over seven years, Romano states, “The current debate over health care in the mainstream media is consistently leaving out the moral perspective. When the issue got close to home, I decided to team up with Chris and get the word out.” Fitch, who has served with New York State Right to Life and Feminists for Life, now works as a legislative consultant. “There are many good people (in government) who care about (public) policy, and how what we believe as Christians should be affecting policy. As healthcare reform started coming down the pike really fast and furious in July, I started to get very, very worried as I saw a local community action group giving one-sided presentations on the legislation that was totally out of line with what we’d be concerned about as Christians. That’s when we started getting active on this subject, and we felt there needed to be alternate ways to get out information about issues we’re very concerned about with public option healthcare.”

Taking off on the pop phraseology of “Obama-care”, the two started a group called “ChristiansCare”. It’s interdenominational in appeal, and focuses on taking a moral look at healthcare. “You can’t override morality and make decisions based on things that some people believe are immoral.” The two decided to put together a flyer that exposes the moral deficiencies of the current legislation. It reads, “Many Christians are worried about the morality and consequences of a government-run public health care program controlled by a medical council unaccountable to the public.” The flyer outlines the following concerns:

1) ABORTION - Experts on all sides confirm that current healthcare proposals open the door to
(unprecedented federal) mandates and payment for elective abortions.

2) WHO DECIDES? - It is unclear how a public healthcare supervisory council will be accountable for
decisions they make.

3) SENIOR CITIZENS – Medicare will be reduced.

4) “PRIORITIZING INDIVIDUALS? - Will public health care descend into a government panel choosing
who has a right to life and care, and who does not? [President Obama’s health advisor Ezekiel Emanuel
advocates the “complete lives system”, which prioritizes adolescents and young adults over infants. This
outlandish system also considers prognosis, since its aim is to achieve complete lives. When the worst-off
can benefit only slightly while better-off people could benefit greatly, allocating to the better-off is often
justifiable. According to one publication, “When implemented, the complete lives system produces a
priority curve on which individuals aged between roughly 15 and 40 get the most substantial chance,
whereas the youngest and oldest people get chances that are attenuated.” (The Lancet, Vol. 373, Issue 9661,
pp. 423-431, January, 2009).]


5) FREE WILL – Free will is given to us by God. Will more government control take away our God-given
freedom to choose our treatments, a freedom supported by law in 11 states?

6) GOVERNMENT INEFFICIENCY – Does our government typically run programs efficiently and without
fraud and waste? No.

7) STEWARDSHIP - Roughly 15% in America are uninsured. [Under the current system, those without
insurance cannot be denied emergency treatment]. Government certainly should promote and provide
LOCAL programs that greatly help the needy, but not by taking away our collective freedom to choose
our own healthcare plan. Healthcare reform with LESS government is possible.

If you would like a copy of the flyer, or wish to discuss these issues further, call “ChristiansCare” at 315-552-8465, or email ChristiansCareNY@yahoo.com. People of all faiths welcome. To reach congressman Dan Maffei, call 202-225-3121. For senators Schumer and Gillibrand, call 202-224-3121.