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Catholic Bishops Still Opposed to Senate Health Reform Bill

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The Council of Bishops, essentially, opposed the election of Barack Obama,who won. They opposed, essentially, his speaking and accepting honors at Notre Dame, which he did. They oppose health reform in America, which will pass.
Next year, believe it or not, they will be all for immigration reform, which will confuse the heck out of their conservative base, who will HATE any suggestion of immigration reform. That should be fun, but doesn't it point out that the views of the U.S. Catholic Bishops are, essentially, irrelevant?

George Fulmore of CA 9:55PM January 17, 2010

The solution to this ongoing crisis is to recognize that the very idea of a “right” to health care is a perversion. There can be no such thing as a “right” to products or services created by the effort of others, and this most definitely includes medical products and services. Rights, as the Founders conceived them, are not claims to economic goods, but to freedoms of action.
You are free to see a doctor and pay him for his services--no one may forcibly prevent you from doing so. But you do not have a “right” to force the doctor to treat you without charge or to force others to pay for your treatment. The rights of some cannot require the coercion and sacrifice of others.

Greg of FL 6:10PM December 24, 2009

A true Christian can be neither Democrat or Republican. Because both parties have done things to harm human life and offend God. I vote Christian during the elections. If the candidate says it's ok to slaughter the least of Gods people they drop down in the list. If they say they want to help less helpless then they move up in this a little.
Jesus gave us the greatest commandment. Love God and your neighbor. You can not love your neighbor if you support the slaughter of Human Life by abortion or unjust War.
Take the evils in the world and count the greatest killer and you will find that it is Abortion by far. It is war on love. It sets a mother against her own child.
If you are Catholic then do you respect the word of Mother Teresa or the Pope? If so then read what they have/had to say about about abortion.
What we do to the least of His people we do to Him.
We will reap what we sew.
Love God and your neighbor as yourself.
God Bless You And Your Family.
Merry Christmas.

ComPassion of IN 5:48PM December 24, 2009

The bishops concealed the pedophiles in their ranks for many years and are still doing it. they have lost all moral authority to tell anybody what to do on abortion.

mfellion of CA 3:34PM December 24, 2009

ComPassion,
You are distorting my message. I did not say anything about supporting a Health Care bill that pays for abortion. What I did say , however, is that the Bishops need to be sincere in their effort not constantly insult and demonize the Democrats and then expect them to listen to them. I am surely a Democrat and a take my faith seriously. No one can compel me to blindly give my support a "selfish and mean spirited" political philosophy. For a person to say that he/she is a true Christian and a Republican is an oxymoron because the principals on which Christianity is based on Love, Compassion and Mercy would be considered socialistic and communistic based on the definition of the selfish mean-spirited Republican philosophy.
The Bishops need to be serious when they talk about respect for life. Life does not begin and end with the human fetus. They need to stop being the surrogates of the Republican Party. They need to be consistent in their opposition to issues related to human life by being as passionate against warmongering Republican policies that have resulted in the killing of so many innocent people around the world. I wish I had seen the same kind of passion and involvement from them when their Republican friends waged wars and killed innocent people (men, women and children) around the world in the name of "Strategic Interest", or when they funded, trained and armed ruthless dictators who conducted their ruthless murderous campaign in South America and Asia, including people of Eastern Timor where innocent Catholic Christians and other human beings were murdered. I wonder if they are downright ignorant, or have they lost their sense of good moral judgment, or are insidiously deceiving themselves and the world, or afraid of taking on the Republican benefactors. Any form of human life, regardless of whether they are Black, Yellow or Brown are all created by God and deserve the same respect and dignity of Life.

Bob of GA 3:09PM December 24, 2009

Dan, Great Job of bring the news facts.
Bob, You are clearly a Democrat above your Catholic beliefs.
You are right. God is watching us and abortion in America is a holocaust that has killed more than 45 Million of the least of Gods people (abortions since 1973).
The Bishops are working with both sides to get health care that is for Life and for the poor. Hundreds of Millions of people in America do not want to fund abortion. Depending on which poll you reference there are 61 to 72% of the 300 Million Americans that don't want funding of abortion.
WE THE PEOPLE don't want to fund Abortions.
Thank God for the Catholic Bishops leading the way to stay focused on the greatest good.

ComPassion of IN 10:30PM December 23, 2009

If they had the sincere will and desire, the American Bishops could have made positive impact on American lives by bringing their influence to bear on their Republican friends. We would have seen a less polarized America, a bi-partisan Health Care Legislation and the passage of an Immigration bill. But as it appears, they do not have the courage to reign the Republicans in even on important issues confronting this country, but rather prefer demonizing the Democrats at every turn, and provide political advantage to their friends for doing "Nothing". Their support for the Immigration issue rings hollow all because they do not want to alienate the large Latin American Catholic congregation. They talk about being the defenders of the poor and oppressed but seem to have no problem intimidating and pressuring their congregration to support the oppressing political group.

Chris of ID 5:34PM December 23, 2009

I'm a Catholic too Mr. Gomez but I am sick and disgusted seeing the Bisshops play politics with religion. The Bishops have a moral responsibility to speak out against corruption and exploitation consistently because they are the shepards to the flock. All I have seen them doing is using Abotion as a political tool to hide behind like George Bush used the 9/11 each time it came to getting to the truth.
If the Bishops are serious about being a positive and constructive part of this whole process they would sit at the table for a rational discussion like decent and mature Americans citizens and offer positive ideas by contributing to the passage of this important legislation. Politics is a science based on compromise and as such is subject to an honorable and civilized "give and take". Rather than do that I see them acting in "bad faith" by demanding concessions without offering anything in return. Rather than jab their fingers into the eyes of the Democratic Party and constantly demonize them, they need to reign in their "Do Nothing" Republican friends and get them to support the legislation. The Bishops should act with proper moral responsibility by ensuring that the bill passes with bi-partisan support inclusive of the provisions on aborting they seek. Short of that they would be acting as "spoilers" who want to derail an important legislation. The Bishops need to remind them selves that Human Health need cannot be trampled over by their desire to play politics. They are not gods but should remember that God is watching us from a distance.

Bob of GA 5:26PM December 23, 2009

Hey chris, compromise? The bishops are clearly anything but partisan. They support coverage for immigrants and believe in making healthcare more affordable to all. These are not exactly traditional republican principles. The fact is that they are correct in pointing out the flaws in the bill as it stands. Why are democrats so hell bent in funding abortion? This is exactly where the compromise can occur.

bgomez of IL 4:29PM December 23, 2009

Hey chris, compromise? The bishops are clearly anything but partisan. They support coverage for immigrants and believe in making healthcare more affordable to all. These are not exactly traditional republican principles. The fact is that they are correct in pointing out the flaws in the bill as it stands. Why are democrats so hell bent in funding abortion? This is exactly where the compromise can occur.

bgomez of IL 4:29PM December 23, 2009