Foundational Principles and Moral Imperatives should never be compromised or ignored. This is especially vital when it pertains to those who govern and those who are governed. To be virtuous means: “conforming to moral and ethical principles; being morally excellent; upright…” Whereas, vacillation means: “To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another…”
An example of this can be seen in the government focus over the past year regarding the passage of Health Care Reform. When he was a candidate, the President stated on different occasions:
CBS Interview 11/2/04
My understanding of the Senate is that you need 60 votes to get something significant to happen, which means that Democrats and Republicans have to ask the question, do we have the will to move an American agenda forward, not a Democratic or Republican agenda forward?
Center for American Progress Conference 7/12/06
Those big-ticket items: fixing our health care system…one of the arguments that sometimes I get with my fellow progressives…is this notion that we should function…where we get a fifty plus one victory…If we want to transform the country, though, that requires a sizeable majority.
Change to Win Convention 9/25/07
The bottom line is that our healthcare plans are similar, the question once again is, who can get it done? Who can build a movement for change? We're going to have to have a majority to get a bill to my desk. That is not just a fifty plus one majority.
Obama Interview with the Concord Monitor 10/9/07
You've got to break out of what I call the sort of fifty plus one pattern of presidential politics. Maybe you eke out a victory of fifty plus one. Then you can't govern…We are not going to pass universal health care with a fifty plus one strategy.
On Wednesday of this week, the President said: "No matter which approach you favor, I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. We have debated this issue thoroughly, not just for a year, but for decades. Reform has already passed the House with a majority. It has already passed the Senate with a super-majority of sixty votes. And now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that was cast on welfare reform, the Children's Health Insurance Program, COBRA health coverage for the unemployed, and both Bush tax cuts -- all of which had to pass Congress with nothing more than a simple majority (implying: 51 votes)…”
Some of the Founding Principles which have been forgotten by the current generation are ideas shared by Thomas Jefferson: (1) “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not;” (2) “It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world;” and (3) “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
Is this oxymoron – virtuous vacillation – acceptable in any area of life? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated this Foundational Principle and Moral Imperative – Matthew 5:33-37 – “you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord. But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool…Simply let your Yes, be Yes, and your No, No; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” It is basically (a) have scruples (a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions), (b) demonstrate consistency, and (3) be a person of character and integrity! These are values that should never be compromised or forgotten! Consider these things with me!
An example of this can be seen in the government focus over the past year regarding the passage of Health Care Reform. When he was a candidate, the President stated on different occasions:
CBS Interview 11/2/04
My understanding of the Senate is that you need 60 votes to get something significant to happen, which means that Democrats and Republicans have to ask the question, do we have the will to move an American agenda forward, not a Democratic or Republican agenda forward?
Center for American Progress Conference 7/12/06
Those big-ticket items: fixing our health care system…one of the arguments that sometimes I get with my fellow progressives…is this notion that we should function…where we get a fifty plus one victory…If we want to transform the country, though, that requires a sizeable majority.
Change to Win Convention 9/25/07
The bottom line is that our healthcare plans are similar, the question once again is, who can get it done? Who can build a movement for change? We're going to have to have a majority to get a bill to my desk. That is not just a fifty plus one majority.
Obama Interview with the Concord Monitor 10/9/07
You've got to break out of what I call the sort of fifty plus one pattern of presidential politics. Maybe you eke out a victory of fifty plus one. Then you can't govern…We are not going to pass universal health care with a fifty plus one strategy.
On Wednesday of this week, the President said: "No matter which approach you favor, I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform. We have debated this issue thoroughly, not just for a year, but for decades. Reform has already passed the House with a majority. It has already passed the Senate with a super-majority of sixty votes. And now it deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that was cast on welfare reform, the Children's Health Insurance Program, COBRA health coverage for the unemployed, and both Bush tax cuts -- all of which had to pass Congress with nothing more than a simple majority (implying: 51 votes)…”
Some of the Founding Principles which have been forgotten by the current generation are ideas shared by Thomas Jefferson: (1) “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not;” (2) “It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world;” and (3) “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
Is this oxymoron – virtuous vacillation – acceptable in any area of life? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated this Foundational Principle and Moral Imperative – Matthew 5:33-37 – “you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord. But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool…Simply let your Yes, be Yes, and your No, No; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” It is basically (a) have scruples (a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions), (b) demonstrate consistency, and (3) be a person of character and integrity! These are values that should never be compromised or forgotten! Consider these things with me!
No comments:
Post a Comment