This past week, Dan McCay, the Utah state senator from my area, scolded local faith leaders for turning to the government after their religious organizations had, he said, failed to care for the poor.
These local leaders were advocating for Medicaid expansion. McCay wrote that the 40 faith leaders should acknowledge the failure of their faith to follow Jesus’ command to care for the poor and then ask the government to be Christian.
Local churches — including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which did not weigh in on the issue — have all done much these past few years to benefit the homeless and improve services. Could it be that McCay thinks all the local churches should be purchasing health insurance for all those in need, as well?
Perhaps he is suggesting there should be a program where anyone who cannot afford health insurance should go visit their bishop or pastor and ask them to cut a check for their current and future premium payments.
McCay knows, of course, how ridiculous this is, but this is not what he is trying to say, anyway. What he is really trying to get at is that for anyone who cannot afford insurance, it is just too bad for them and the Legislature is very bothered to even attempt to do the voters will to expand Medicaid.
Seriously, we elected these people.
Robert Jennings, Draper