The "Conscience Clause"

I want national health insurance. I want it so bad I would cut off my left arm to get it. I want everyone to have access to medically necessary health care without having to worry about going bankrupt. I want President Obama to work on this as a national priority, but today's news makes me fear this will never happen. You see, I am against abortion. I don't believe the government should mandate that doctors perform abortions, and in many states there are "conscience Clauses" that allow doctors morally opposed to abortion and fetal stem cell research to practice their life saving skills without having to endanger their immortal souls. President Bush, who said he was pro-life, waited until the end of his term to promulgate a conscience clause order. Now Obama intends to rescind it. The problem is that by taking that action he is amalgamating the enemies of free universal health care.

For centuries the church has been at the forefront of efforts to care for the sick. Note the names of so many hospitals: "Lutheran", "Saint Mary's", etc. These people and institutions of faith have put their money where their mouths are to bring health care to our nation. What will they do if they are mandated by federal law to perform abortions? That fear alone is enough to cause all people of faith to decide that, even though the need for universal health care is great, we cannot attain it at the cost of government dictates forcing violations of the sanctity of life. How many doctors does Obama want to drive out of the medical profession? Don't we have a shortage of health care professionals? What if all the church run hospitals and clinics close rather than accede to the dictates of the government? I beg you President Obama, don't do this. Work for what we really need. Work for free universal health care for the sake of the children, the old, the sick, and the poor and bankrupt. Do this as your legacy, but don't cripple the effort at the start by raising the specter of federal tyranny.