A call to protect health of the poor

Lowering health care premiums is a snap. Just cancel the medical services you provide to 15 million to 22 million very vulnerable working poor and 1.5 million in nursing homes. And increase the premiums for the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. They're not paying their way anyway. See? It's easy.

Regardless of absolutely any other mitigating factor, there can be no moral justification for this compassionless, ghastly legislation. So where is the conservative Christian right who so strongly endorse and influence the GOP?

Might it be that health insurance has always been mostly paid by our employers, that we have never been faced with the traumatic, frightful prospect of our families not being "covered" and we can't easily appreciate the plight of tens of millions not so fortunate as we? After all, could you provide medical insurance for your family if you earned $25,000 a year? Think about it.

Being a Christian is not all about singing hymns on Sunday. Shouldn't it include emulating Christ's compassion and charity and protecting those who are most vulnerable in our society? Christians, their ministers and priests should be shouting from the bell towers to actively renounce this draconian Republican bill. But I don't hear much. This is your week to act; what will you do?

Robert Griffith

Arlington Heights