An Honest Debate, Please!

It was Pontius Pilate who famously asked, "What is truth?" And while it was quite likely a cynical question, it's the same question that I've been asking myself as I trudge through the quagmire of the various news reports regarding the different versions of health care reform that are being debated in Washington D.C. Virtually everyone with a vested interest in this matter is working diligently to create soundbites that will help sway the direction of the debate. But in doing so they appear to be more than willing to bend the truth, if not tell outright lies, and use all sorts of rhetoric and hyperbole to frame the discussion, making it all the more difficult for the public to come to a well informed opinion on the matter. Granted, most of these people are politicians or lobbyists, so I would be naive to think that they wouldn't engage in such tactics. Yet I think it's time for the American public to stand up and scream, "Enough!"

Before I go any further, though, I need to be up front about one conviction: I do believe something needs to be done to help those who are either uninsured or under-insured. Perhaps it hasn't reached a crisis level yet, but regardless, the Scriptures make it quite clear that as a follower of Jesus Christ I have an obligation to be concerned about those in need and do all that is within my power to assist them with obtaining the basic necessities of life. I am to love my neighbor as myself and faith without works is dead.

And while no one can determine exactly how many people are uninsured in the United States, the fact that there are millions of people who cannot even afford basic health care is something that should weigh on the heart and conscience of every Christian. Granted, we may not agree on how to best address this problem, but that is exactly why we need this honest dialogue as a nation. Something must be done. But before we allocate billions of tax dollars to any solution and potentially create additional government bureaucracy, we deserve to know the truth about the costs, the scope of who is covered and the services provided, and therein lies my greatest concern: no one appears to want to shoot straight with the American public on these matters.

On July 22 President Obama hosted a prime-time news conference to present his health care proposal to the American people. But a quick check of the facts that he cited in portions of his presentation make it very clear he isn't telling the truth or at least the whole truth. For instance, he boldly asserted that his plan will be paid for. Yet multiple sources, including the Congressional Budget Office, argue there is no way this is possible. His plan will add hundreds of billions of dollars to the federal deficit. This was simply one of several other inaccuracies in his news conference. If you're interested in checking out the rest, let me suggest that you read the analysis done by the non-partisan group FactCheck at http://factcheck.org/2009/07/obamas-health-care-news-conference/.

But President Obama isn't the only one having difficulty in dealing with the truth. Several Republicans, such as former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and former New York lieutenant governor Betsy McCaughey, have publicly stated that the President's plan includes "death panels" that will instruct the elderly or terminally ill on how they can die so as to save tax payers' dollars. While it is true that the President's plan allows for patients to consult with their doctors about end-of-life issues, multiple sources make it clear that nothing in the legislation will encourage or require that seniors or the terminally ill be forced to terminate their own life prematurely. And like the President, this is simply one of many lies or half-truths put forth by the other side of the debate. For additional examples, read the related articles on FactCheck.org.

And quite frankly, until we start dealing with the truth, I don't know how we will ever responsibly resolve this issue. I realize I would be naive to expect any politician to speak the truth plainly. Nevertheless, I am growing increasingly tired of the blatant disregard for the truth that plagues so many of our politicians and their related special interest groups. They only seem to share in Pilate's cynicism. "What is truth?" Apparently they believe it is what they make it. God help us; we're in trouble!