Saturday, March 22, 2008
A Conversation With Myself About Barak Obama
Joel 1: I have every reason to vote for this guy. He is an inspiring presence, he seems to be an authentic, progressive voice, and he seems that he could be another step forward in the long struggle of the African American people to have an equal voice in our nation.
Joel 2: All this is true, but if you would only look closer, you would find that the actual things he stands for are not in line with your beliefs.
Joel 1: How can you say that? I want people to have health care. I want the poor in our country to be cared for, just as the scriptures say that they should be. I want the long struggle over race to continue to make progress. Also, I know, as I white American, that the injustices done to the African American race are truly egregious. What better way for me to be a part of the solution than to vote for this man, who seems to not only understand the plight of the poor African American, but also the frustration of the Middle Class American.
Joel 2: All true, but how does he actually wish to implement these changes? Does he want to make health care more affordable by scaling back government involvement? After all, the very poor don't pay for health care now as it is (because of Medicare), and if the government takes over health care, what incentive will the medical industry have to prosper if they have nothing to gain monetarily from it.
Joel 1: That's cynical. Why should the health care industry profit from giving people care they have no choice regarding.
Joel 2: Because that is how is prospers. How can innovation and progress take place in this world if there is nothing in it for people? And why draw the line with health care? Couldn't I make the argument that no 21st century American should have to pay for food to feed their family? As a grocer, I think you count on your company being profitable so that you can feed your family.
Joel 1: True, but what about the poor and the plight of the African American.
Joel 2: Those are tougher. The poor and the issues surrounding the poor should always be disquieting to you. The minute they lose that, Christ has lost a hold of your heart, and you have become unable to care for people as he does. But how do you think government will solve the issue? If there's one thing we can be sure of, it's that creation of more bureaucracy will line everyone's pockets but the poor. Also, the separation of church and state issues make it very difficult for private charities to use government funds. I hate to say it, but it looks like you are going to have to strive to be more involved with the poor yourself, because it is not possible for the government to do the job as well. True, people can eat and have a home due to government money, but does that bring them into their own? Does St. Paul not demand that a man work to feed his family.
Joel 1: But what about Africa? The problem there is not the inability to work, but a level of poverty that we cannot imagine here.
Joel 2: I agree. But the current president, as dissatisfied as both of us are with him, has given more money than any president to Africa. We can only hope the next president does the same, whoever it is. We also need to be more involved ourselves, because the organizations we support do more than the government could.
Joel 1: OK OK, but why shouldn't that next man be Obama? He seems to care for the downtrodden, and wants to endow the people with hope.
Joel 2: Yes, but what does he believe? You must vote and support based on ideas, not how one makes you feel or what someone seems to be. You believe the greatest issue of any campaign is one that hasn't even been raised, the unjustified killing of millions of unborn children. Mr. Obama is for the status quo. True, he may wish to invest tax dollars in young people and protect the vulnerable, but how can you forget the fact that he isn't willing to protect the most vulnerable and weakest among us?
Joel 1: Fair enough. But I just want to make the evils of racism go away so much, and voting for him would seem to help that.
Joel 2: I understand. But you can't vote for someone because of their skin color without regard for their belief. That is insulting to the person and takes away his dignity. You owe it to him to support him because you support his ideas, not because you support his skin color.
Joel 1: OK. I gotta go...but this isn't over.
Joel 2: It never will be.
Joel 2: All this is true, but if you would only look closer, you would find that the actual things he stands for are not in line with your beliefs.
Joel 1: How can you say that? I want people to have health care. I want the poor in our country to be cared for, just as the scriptures say that they should be. I want the long struggle over race to continue to make progress. Also, I know, as I white American, that the injustices done to the African American race are truly egregious. What better way for me to be a part of the solution than to vote for this man, who seems to not only understand the plight of the poor African American, but also the frustration of the Middle Class American.
Joel 2: All true, but how does he actually wish to implement these changes? Does he want to make health care more affordable by scaling back government involvement? After all, the very poor don't pay for health care now as it is (because of Medicare), and if the government takes over health care, what incentive will the medical industry have to prosper if they have nothing to gain monetarily from it.
Joel 1: That's cynical. Why should the health care industry profit from giving people care they have no choice regarding.
Joel 2: Because that is how is prospers. How can innovation and progress take place in this world if there is nothing in it for people? And why draw the line with health care? Couldn't I make the argument that no 21st century American should have to pay for food to feed their family? As a grocer, I think you count on your company being profitable so that you can feed your family.
Joel 1: True, but what about the poor and the plight of the African American.
Joel 2: Those are tougher. The poor and the issues surrounding the poor should always be disquieting to you. The minute they lose that, Christ has lost a hold of your heart, and you have become unable to care for people as he does. But how do you think government will solve the issue? If there's one thing we can be sure of, it's that creation of more bureaucracy will line everyone's pockets but the poor. Also, the separation of church and state issues make it very difficult for private charities to use government funds. I hate to say it, but it looks like you are going to have to strive to be more involved with the poor yourself, because it is not possible for the government to do the job as well. True, people can eat and have a home due to government money, but does that bring them into their own? Does St. Paul not demand that a man work to feed his family.
Joel 1: But what about Africa? The problem there is not the inability to work, but a level of poverty that we cannot imagine here.
Joel 2: I agree. But the current president, as dissatisfied as both of us are with him, has given more money than any president to Africa. We can only hope the next president does the same, whoever it is. We also need to be more involved ourselves, because the organizations we support do more than the government could.
Joel 1: OK OK, but why shouldn't that next man be Obama? He seems to care for the downtrodden, and wants to endow the people with hope.
Joel 2: Yes, but what does he believe? You must vote and support based on ideas, not how one makes you feel or what someone seems to be. You believe the greatest issue of any campaign is one that hasn't even been raised, the unjustified killing of millions of unborn children. Mr. Obama is for the status quo. True, he may wish to invest tax dollars in young people and protect the vulnerable, but how can you forget the fact that he isn't willing to protect the most vulnerable and weakest among us?
Joel 1: Fair enough. But I just want to make the evils of racism go away so much, and voting for him would seem to help that.
Joel 2: I understand. But you can't vote for someone because of their skin color without regard for their belief. That is insulting to the person and takes away his dignity. You owe it to him to support him because you support his ideas, not because you support his skin color.
Joel 1: OK. I gotta go...but this isn't over.
Joel 2: It never will be.
# posted by Unknown @ 8:44 PM 
Comments:
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With all due respect, medical costs are of concern for other than the very poor. (Medicare is the program for the elderly.) It's rather hard for a family of four making $10,000 to afford much extras, but they're earning too much to get Medicaid! Medicaid only covers adults who make less than 35% of the poverty level -- which is about $3000 a year for a single person or $7000 for a family of four. The number one reason for personal bankruptcy is medical costs, and the vast majority of those people have insurance. How can it be that so many people who have medical insurance cannot even dream of paying their medical bills? Yet it happens all the time in this country. I suspect Jesus would have a thing or two to say to the insurance companies who are raking in the profits, and I doubt it would be words of high praise.
w. in MI.
w. in MI.
# posted by 
: 7:16 PM
: 7:16 PM
Thanks for your thoughts Willow,
This is all true, and your comments are warranted. I also appreciate your correction regarding Medicare and Medicaid. I don't disagree that costs are too high for many (or even most, for that matter), but the thing which I do not buy is that government involvement will solve the issue. For people like myself (who are blessed with good health care), I believe costs would rise even more once the government begins giving even more away. In other words, would the "solution" be worse than the problem? And what about my contentions regarding the grocery industry? By your logic, wouldn't Jesus have a thing or two to say to the folks at my company who "rake in the profits" off people's need for food? Should we not then have universal food stamps just like universal health care? Food is a more basic need than medical care.
I understand and appreciate your point however. Part of the point of this entry is to show that I struggle deeply with many of these issues. I am no expert, and these thoughts are meant to be a journaling of my struggle, not an accurate assessment of the country's health care system. My hope is that Jesus sees my heart and understands that it is my desire to bring every belief I have under his authority, and try to make some sense of it all.
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This is all true, and your comments are warranted. I also appreciate your correction regarding Medicare and Medicaid. I don't disagree that costs are too high for many (or even most, for that matter), but the thing which I do not buy is that government involvement will solve the issue. For people like myself (who are blessed with good health care), I believe costs would rise even more once the government begins giving even more away. In other words, would the "solution" be worse than the problem? And what about my contentions regarding the grocery industry? By your logic, wouldn't Jesus have a thing or two to say to the folks at my company who "rake in the profits" off people's need for food? Should we not then have universal food stamps just like universal health care? Food is a more basic need than medical care.
I understand and appreciate your point however. Part of the point of this entry is to show that I struggle deeply with many of these issues. I am no expert, and these thoughts are meant to be a journaling of my struggle, not an accurate assessment of the country's health care system. My hope is that Jesus sees my heart and understands that it is my desire to bring every belief I have under his authority, and try to make some sense of it all.
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