The Day After The Vote

Alright, I'm going to type a few thoughts on the healthcare vote, because you all know I have them! I've spent the day reading the Facebook postings and blogs, and trying to lick my wounds from last night. What happened is a scary thing, for sure, and I think the next few months will be interesting to say the least.
I am most broken-hearted about the abortion language. To make me participate in an act that I find morally reprehensible by using my tax dollars to fund abortions is... well, there just aren't words. I certainly don't have very many nice things to say about Congressman Stupak tonight.
"But at least the government option didn't get through!!!" Yeah, let's look at that. The bill prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. It's an issue that certainly needs to be addressed, but what's to stop healthy people from dropping their coverage and opting to pay the minimal fine, since they can be covered at a moment's notice should something go wrong with their health?? That will drive prices out of reach for most Americans (you think they're high now???), and private insurance companies will go out of business, or morph into the government option pretty quickly.  (If anyone has any estimates on the time frame for this, I'd be interested to know).

I spent a lot of time yesterday praying that God would intervene and send an "attack of conscience" to those who were prepared to vote "yes" on this bill. As we know the bill passed - 2 weeks before Easter. In my opinion, it's a horrible, unjust, cruel bill, and the exact wrong thing was done last night that will have horrible, horrible consequences for our nation. I am outraged that my "elected leadership" used my tax dollars to buy votes for a bill that I want no part of with no regard for what the American people want, not to mention the enormous rule-changing that took place.
And then I remember that this isn't the first time that a horrible, unjust, cruel, exact wrong thing was done by a government. In 12 days we are going to celebrate "Black Friday" - a day when a government leader listened to the loud cries of a very wrong and unfair crowd and let a murderer walk free while the perfect, sinless, Son of God went to die the most horrible, unfair, cruel, exact wrong death - perfectly line with God's plan for His Son and our world. I imagine that Mary, the Disciples, and a few others watched in disbelief, shock, and disappointment in their leadership, and many of their fellow citizens, as our Messiah was beaten and hung to die. And as a result of that terrible tragedy, God brought immeasurable good as only He can.
No government decision, no matter how despicably crafted, will ever be as unjust and far-reaching as the decision made on Black Friday. This healthcare bill pales in comparison to the wrong that was done to Jesus during His last days on this earth. Although I don't think the healthcare bill resembles anything close to the Christian principles that this country was founded on, I do believe that God can and will bring good out of it and that like all things, it falls perfectly in line with His plan for our world.

It still stings a little today, though....