A Guiding Principle For Christians Considering Health Care Reform

The principle is now accepted by many different churches, but originated with Catholic Biblical reflection in Latin America. The principle is called "Preferential Option for the poor." Because the poor are so vulnerable (as in the case of the 12 year old who died of a tooth ache), and because they are affected by government policy more than the middle and upper classes, we must opt for the poor. That is, we need to choose the health care policy that most benefits the poor. As we look at the two basic options--the Democratic option that, although it seems to have lost the public option, will cover 90-95% of the uninsured (working poor) or the Republican option that will cover 5% of the uninsured (working poor)--the choice is clear: support that Democratic option. We have these statistics from the Congressional Budget Office, the most reliable source.

Recall Matthew 25:40 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

And Acts 2:45 All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need.

I am not advocating socialism. The principle allows for income differences, but when faced with two options--one helping the poor and the other indifferent to the poor--you choose the option that most helps the poor.

I have never heard an effective conservative response to this argument.

Moreover, you could argue that the policy that most helps the poor is also the most reasonable. Following the analysis of John Rawls in his Theory of Justice, the most rational choice is to choose the policy that most helps the poor because it is possible that someday you could be poor and would need the government subsidy for health care.

As the Catholic Church has taught me for years, faith and reason are always in harmony for God is the author of both faith and reason.