An Interview with Rev. Glenn Palmberg of the Evangelical Covenant Church on SCHIP
It is interesting to see who in the the faith community is speaking out publicly on SCHIP funding. With the "pro-family" religious Right not only silent on helping working families afford more than a prayer, they are also very silent on the blog attacks on the Frost family.
On a more hopeful note here's a Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy interview with Glenn Palmberg of the Evangelical Covenant Church on SCHIP
The Roundtable:
What are the moral implications of SCHIP?
Rev. Palmberg:
This legislation means health care, or a lack thereof, for an additional 4 to 6 million children. About 4 million children are covered by SCHIP, and it's been a pretty successful program. This legislation would add 6 million more children who don't have, can't afford, and can't get health insurance. That's a moral issue. We have a responsibility for caring for the poor. It makes a huge difference if they get preventive care and prenatal care. That will affect them for a lifetime.
The Roundtable:
The Senate passed SCHIP with enough votes to override the President's veto. The House also passed the bill, but was 15 votes short of overriding a veto without another vote on Oct. 18. What are you doing to persuade House members to change their previous vote?
Rev. Palmberg:
We have a list of people who have shown some openness to the possibility of changing their vote. We will be approaching them and urging them to vote for an override. There will be pressure put on people to change their minds. We're going to keep track of how people vote. This is not without controversy and opposition within the denomination, so it will be more voluntary on ECC members' part.
More modeling of the evangelical future here.
Comments
Has the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) typically been involved in advocacy on health care coverage and other justice issues... or is this a new thing?
Rev. Palmberg is really impressive. He really nails how faith and values/ideals intersect with politics on this issue here:
But there's that large middle that will move on issues because they look at the issue and say, "I'm not loyal to this party or this person. I'm loyal to these ideals.”
That's the group that's so easy to shift when you deprive poor children of health insurance.
Posted by: Katie Barge | October 17, 2007 9:42 AM
I hope that's right, but a critical lever for that is getting good information. If you listen to conservative media or religious leaders who mouth conservative misrepresentations, you're being led away from the question of poor children's health insurance.
Posted by: Dan | October 17, 2007 2:22 PM
