Comments on: Health Care Reform Bill http://mikeramsdell.com/2010/03/25/health-care-reform-bill/ The personal blog of Rev. Mike Ramsdell Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:56:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Robyn Doty http://mikeramsdell.com/2010/03/25/health-care-reform-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-642 Robyn Doty Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:19:51 +0000 http://mikeramsdell.com/?p=256#comment-642 Pastor Mike, I am so grateful that you have taken the time to write your position on Health Care Reform...and for three key reasons: 1) You point out that faithful Methodists (and Christians) can have differing opinions on this issue; and that's okay. This seems so simple; but as people get overly emotional about the issue, that truth can be lost. 2) You clearly state your personal point of view which you support through fact/belief. 3) Most importantly for me, your comments helped me step away from a purely POLITICAL stance on the matter so that I might search for God's purpose in this. I've not heard a network or cable news program come close to expressing the complex Christian feelings/issues tied up in this bill like you have in this message. Thank you. I'll be encouraging others to read your message. I appreciate the wisdom and leadership you offer to us all. Robyn Doty Pastor Mike,
I am so grateful that you have taken the time to write your position on Health Care Reform…and for three key reasons:
1) You point out that faithful Methodists (and Christians) can have differing opinions on this issue; and that’s okay. This seems so simple; but as people get overly emotional about the issue, that truth can be lost.
2) You clearly state your personal point of view which you support through fact/belief.
3) Most importantly for me, your comments helped me step away from a purely POLITICAL stance on the matter so that I might search for God’s purpose in this. I’ve not heard a network or cable news program come close to expressing the complex Christian feelings/issues tied up in this bill like you have in this message.
Thank you. I’ll be encouraging others to read your message.

I appreciate the wisdom and leadership you offer to us all.
Robyn Doty

]]> By: Chuck Newman http://mikeramsdell.com/2010/03/25/health-care-reform-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-640 Chuck Newman Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:52:41 +0000 http://mikeramsdell.com/?p=256#comment-640 I attempted to email a plea to all of the elected congressional representatives from Texas three days prior to the announced vote on the health care bill. I soon found out that, if I could find a way to email a US representative, there was a screening process that would not allow me to send an email if I did not reside in their respective district. I found a web site (I think it was built by Mike Huckaby's folks) that provided fax numbers, so I went to the office an hour early the next day, and attempted to fax my letter to all of the representatives. Coincidentally, all of the faxes to Republican representatives went through, but there were seven Democratic offices that were busy, even after three tries. No one, Democratic or Republican, responded to my faxes. So much for open communication. Even though I cannot vote for a US representative from another district, his/her vote most certainly affects my life. So much for political comments. The gist of my letter was to ask for congressmen to actually read the bill before voting on it. How do you read and digest a thousand pages in a couple of days? Now, even though the bill has been signed into law by the President, the wording is still being revised because of some pariamentary errors that included provisions that were not appropriate for this bill. I had also mentioned the Christian relevance of public funding for abortion (this was before the executive order from the President). The real meat of my comments, however, was to require the Christian attibutes of personal responsibility and accountability to be applied to the various aspects of the bill. I have personally had times in my life when I had very little, and have had times when I had much. The faith acquired from the times with the least has allowed me to appreciate the times of plenty with a proper perspective. Although we must provide for the last, the least, and the lost, there needs to be a personal investment on the parts of both the giver and the receiver. Without a relationship, there is no connection, just as if a Christian goes to church, but never really connects with God and understands the significance of Jesus. How successful was the "War on Poverty" that was launched in the 60's? We now have fourth generation welfare recipients. To use the old cliche, I only want a hand up, not a hand out. Feed a man a fish, and you feed him for a day--teach a man to fish, and he can be self sufficient. Habitat for Humanity is, I think, an example of a successful program because everyone is involved in a relationship of one sort or another. There is a personal investment of everyone that is involved with a habitat house. This health care bill (law) is wonderful in that it offers everyone the chance to have health insurance. But where is the investment on the part of many recipients? If some don't have to have any responsibility, will they become just another generation of welfare/health care recipients? Jesus said that the poor will always be with us--focus on Him. I attempted to email a plea to all of the elected congressional representatives from Texas three days prior to the announced vote on the health care bill. I soon found out that, if I could find a way to email a US representative, there was a screening process that would not allow me to send an email if I did not reside in their respective district. I found a web site (I think it was built by Mike Huckaby’s folks) that provided fax numbers, so I went to the office an hour early the next day, and attempted to fax my letter to all of the representatives. Coincidentally, all of the faxes to Republican representatives went through, but there were seven Democratic offices that were busy, even after three tries. No one, Democratic or Republican, responded to my faxes. So much for open communication. Even though I cannot vote for a US representative from another district, his/her vote most certainly affects my life. So much for political comments. The gist of my letter was to ask for congressmen to actually read the bill before voting on it. How do you read and digest a thousand pages in a couple of days? Now, even though the bill has been signed into law by the President, the wording is still being revised because of some pariamentary errors that included provisions that were not appropriate for this bill. I had also mentioned the Christian relevance of public funding for abortion (this was before the executive order from the President). The real meat of my comments, however, was to require the Christian attibutes of personal responsibility and accountability to be applied to the various aspects of the bill. I have personally had times in my life when I had very little, and have had times when I had much. The faith acquired from the times with the least has allowed me to appreciate the times of plenty with a proper perspective. Although we must provide for the last, the least, and the lost, there needs to be a personal investment on the parts of both the giver and the receiver. Without a relationship, there is no connection, just as if a Christian goes to church, but never really connects with God and understands the significance of Jesus. How successful was the “War on Poverty” that was launched in the 60′s? We now have fourth generation welfare recipients. To use the old cliche, I only want a hand up, not a hand out. Feed a man a fish, and you feed him for a day–teach a man to fish, and he can be self sufficient. Habitat for Humanity is, I think, an example of a successful program because everyone is involved in a relationship of one sort or another. There is a personal investment of everyone that is involved with a habitat house. This health care bill (law) is wonderful in that it offers everyone the chance to have health insurance. But where is the investment on the part of many recipients? If some don’t have to have any responsibility, will they become just another generation of welfare/health care recipients? Jesus said that the poor will always be with us–focus on Him.

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