CT Clergy To Lieberman: "How Can You Justify Your Threat To Block Health Care?"

Rabbi Ron Fish of Congregation Beth El of Norwalk, CT, at an interfaith vigil for health care reform, Stamford High School, November 15th, 2009. Full text of open letter to Lieberman (via http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-ann-west/candlelight-vigil-for-hea_b_35938...

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Here's the letter given to Senator Lieberman from the Concerned Clergy of Connecticut , which was signed by seventy clergy leaders:

We are not politicians. We are not doctors. We are not financial analysts.

We are rabbis, priests, ministers, imams and pastors.

This does not mean that our political, medical or fiscal views should be taken any more seriously than anyone else's. We acknowledge that everyone must evaluate the complex and myriad questions that appear in the health care reform debate based upon their own judgments. Certainly our elected political leaders must weigh the problems of cost, availability and sustainability when redesigning such a large portion of our economy.

But our areas of expertise do come into play in this debate. The moral question of what kind of society we seek to build should underlie any deliberation on the question of health care reform. We surely disagree over many subjects of theology and politics, over questions of faith and dogma. But whether from the words of Torah or the Gospels of Jesus, whether from the Talmud or the Koran--our traditions all are explicit and clear on one thing: We are commanded to seek the welfare and healing of all those in our midst, especially the weak, especially the vulnerable. Our understanding of the insights of Jewish, Christian and Muslim thought on how we should navigate through the complex challenges of modern life compel us to speak out together in favor of major change that will extend the benefits of modern medicine to all our fellow citizens.

For us this is not an intellectual exercise. We work in our communities, among the sick and scared, who face not only illness but financial ruin when disease strikes. We see hard working people denied care because of pre-existing conditions. We see families with health insurance that they simply cannot afford. We see doctors and nurses whose vocation is to mend the broken, frustrated that their efforts are directed toward profits and paperwork rather than people and healing.

It is for this reason that we insist that the moral imperative of our time is clear. Anyone whose guide in public policy is conscience, anyone who argues that faith and religious tradition should direct our actions, such a person must stand for universal health care in America.

It happens that we are all also citizens of the State of Connecticut. This fact leads us to ask our Senator Joe Lieberman- what is it that you stand for? We ask you to sit down with us, a diverse group of clergy, and your constituents, and answer the most important moral questions. How can you justify your threat to block this much needed reform against the will of the majority? How is it that you can stand in the way of our fellow citizens being granted access to life saving technology? When you speak of values and conscience, what exactly do you understand to be the morality of our current system?

When concerned about questions of finance, we turn to the independent analysis of the CBO, which suggests that a "public option" will reduce long term costs and lighten the fiscal burden of the government. When interested in the effect on medicine, we trust doctors, like the AMA, who approve this approach. When considering the effect on seniors, we turn to the AARP, which also endorses reform.

But when speaking of morality and conscience, when pursing a calling to goodness and justice--on these matters we have something to offer. Our voices reflect our traditions and our understanding of what God asks of us.

Senator Lieberman, what is it that your conscience tells you?

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[goldenthoth]

@shakezuluoldschoola uh no.

[bohemianwriter1]

@shakezuluoldschoola

Tht's bullshit ad you know it!

It was about how totalitarianism on any side. I guess you don't know where Orwell got is idea from. He was a socialist himself!

But I guess you're not smart enought to see that.

Brainwashed by American eduational propaganda perhaps?

Maybe you're nothing but a sheep who's just learned a new phrase by your corporate masters who enabled these vile teaparties?

And no! USA is NOT number 1!

[shakezuluoldschoola]

Animal Farm was about left wing lunacy and lies, not right wing. You read the book, right?

[bohemianwriter1]

@joe80dman

Bush bankrupted the nation thanks to Reaganite deregulations, & dergulated even more went to wars on false premisses, stripped you off your liberties, polluted your air even more, played socialist for the rich at the expence of your kids. And you're ranting about illegal aliens.

Universal healthcare is for everyone! Not just the rich dick to get access to a doctor when his erection lasts longer than 72 hours. This means everyone! Check out the French, British & Scandinavian models.

[joe80dman]

@bohemianwriter1: And voting doesn't accomplish a damn thing. if voting actually changed anything, they'd outlaw it. As long as a majority of the voters are dumbed-down, and stupid, things will deteriorate, just as they have been.

[joe80dman]

@bohemianwriter1: Well, I agree with you about the deregulation part. Reagan deregulated everything that NEEDED regulation, but it didn't bankrupt the nation. Uncontrolled spending, NAFTA, GATT, endless wars, and unchecked wholesale 3rd World immigration contributed to the nation's downfall. We're doomed. There will never be a recovery.

[bohemianwriter1]

@joe80dman

It's the deragulation and bush that bankrupted America. Don't bark up the wrong tree.

If you don't vote, you have no right to complain a freind of mine used to say. Besides, you truly sound like a GOP from your complete disregard for facts.

Blaming the poor for the failure of the rich, bailing the rich corporations out, and stumping on the poor & theMiddle class is exactly how revolutions in Europe actually started....

[joe80dman]

@bohemianwriter1: I'm not an immigrant, I was born here. My ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War, they hated bankers, too. These so-called "poor immigrants" are bankrupting the nation, along with an international banking cartel. Fact is, BOTH need me for their survival. Would you define the "American Dream" for me. Is there such a thing? I don't vote for Republicans, I don't vote Democrat. Learn the facts. They're one of the same.

[bohemianwriter1]

@joe80dman

Your kids inherittance have been squandered away by the criminal rats you voted in TWICE!!

Whyy aren't you protesting for their arrests? Instead your dumb enough to go after poor immigrants who actually bought into this "American Dream". The thing is that you are all immigrants.

You would rather have your kids being subjected to insurance death panels than to actually get somethig back for your tax dollars. Is that the fault of immigrants now?

[joe80dman]

@bohemianwriter1: Well, YOU might not care if foreign agents are allowed to fleece my kid's inheritance, BUT I DO. You've made it apparent where you stand on this issue. You will benefit from it, and I'll be left holding the bill. No, I don't think I'll let you do that to me.