Not Christian to let others suffer

We have a crisis caused by the burden of health care costs. It continues because of the failure of our legislative leaders to act. We have chosen to abdicate our responsibility to have a policy. U.S. companies are at a significant disadvantage because their costs for health care are substantially higher than what companies in the rest of the developed world pay.

Add this to the fact that we claim to be a nation guided by (Christian) faith. Yet we are willing to let millions of Americans suffer and die because they have no health care insurance. This is not Christian.

A central message of Jesus was to care for our neighbors and to have compassion for the least among us. Instead, we have chosen to elevate corporate greed and profit, turning a blind eye to the suffering that results. Anyone who is honest in analyzing this knows we are likely to achieve the savings and universal coverage we need only by adopting a single-payer system.

Roger Johanson

Professor

Coe College